Bountiful helpings at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Arlington

St. Vincent DePaul's Men's Club member Danny Houghton delivers fish meals to parishioner Lynn Eschete on March 24, 2017. (Courtesy Photo/ Donna Ryckaert)

ARLINGTON — The jolly St. Vincent de Paul Fish Fry Fridays began on Feb. 16 and will continue through March 22. The SVdP Men’s Club prepared an elaborate drive-thru lane bordering the Arlington parish’s Johnson Activity Center and boasted a large gathering of experienced volunteers skillfully brandishing their Lenten cooking abilities. The SVdP Men’s Club celebrated the start of their 27th annual fish fry like a well-oiled machine. 

The Catch of the Day: Atlantic whitefish. “Real good stuff,” said the gentleman serving the meal. “We’ve had to raise prices because we get jammed. For 10 bucks, it’s not a bad plate.”

Meals run $10 per plate, and kids under five eat free. 

The Vibe: With about thirty men milling about, attending grills, and carrying supplies, the drive-thru displayed a flurry of fellowship and cheerful energy. Four to six dedicated chefs manned the portion serving, and they served generously.

“The mac’n cheese lasted longer than I thought it would. We usually run out pretty early,” our server told us. To replace sold-out mac’n cheese, the attentive gentleman offered to replace it with a double serving of coleslaw, hush puppies, or fries. 

The dine-in experience featured a warm environment on a dark evening — amicable laughter and friendly banter. 

The SVdP fish fry begins at 5pm and lasts until 7pm, while supplies last.

A dog-friendly drive-thru: A benefit of stopping by is sharing the love of a well-behaved pup with your church community, even if only for a couple of minutes via the drive-thru. 

“We need extra hush puppies for that one!” cheerfully called one of the gentlemen, upon seeing a friendly yellow lab in the back seat.

Taste check: Accompanied with high-quality packaged cutlery, the Styrofoam plate of assorted fish fillets, French fries, coleslaw, and hushpuppies was hefty, weighty, and aromatic.

With one bite of the Texas-sized helpings, one tastes a world of good humor and joy.

Expect leftovers for Saturday dining.  

Note: Fellow spice-lovers should make sure to keep their favorite chunky salsa handy for an elevated dining experience.

St. Vincent De Paul is located at 5819 W Pleasant Ridge Rd, Arlington, TX 76016.