A Bespoke reader sent in a photo of the fire that took out one of Harlem's old fish fry shops. Devin's Fish and Chips on St. Nicholas was the spot north of 147th Street that folks went to for crispy, golden seafood but now it is unclear if the old-time shop will reopen again. Does anyone have details on the future situation of Devin's Fish & Chips?
Oh NO!!!!!!!! I hope no one was hurt & that they'll be able to reopen!
ReplyDeleteI hope not ...than place smells terrible....I hope another nice and healthier place like Mama K's Soups opens there.
ReplyDeleteIts a popular spot for the old timers in the nabe and it needs to re-open regardless of smell
DeleteDevin's is a staple in that neighborhood and represents so much history; I used to love studying the pictures they had of harlem back in the day.
ReplyDeleteExactly! Fish joints are part of the Harlem landscape. One doesn't move into Chinatown and hope that a traditional Chinese hole-in-the-wall doesn't reopen; or move to Little Italy and hope that the Salumerias close.
DeleteHopefully, a healthier place or a nice cafe for hipster gentrifiers and old timers alike can replace it. Obesity and diabetes is a problem in Harlem. Let's be real... this place served delicious but really unhealthy food.
ReplyDeleteI work in Public Health so believe me I'm not advocating fried foods (at all) but the solution is not necessarily to close places like these down but to offer healthy alternatives in addition to what's out there( ie Seasoned Vegan) or make healthier modifications to the menu in a way that won't affect the tastes everyone has historically come to love from that establishment. They are not mutually exclusive. If there is a market for Devin's and this is their livelihood I truly hope they can back on their feet. Regarding weird smells and odors, has anyone had the courage to speak to anyone at Devin's about it or work with them on setting up filters that control for it? If it's your immediate community you should look towards commonsense solutions. And in the interest of full disclosure I have never eaten at or know anyone at Devin's.
ReplyDeleteWell stated! I'm so sorry to learn about the fire. Devins was my go to spot when I felt like a good ole fish & chips sandwich. As a matter of fact I went the week before the fire, for the first time in months, and the sandwich was delish. Devins always offered healthier options such as the steamed salmon that was a crowd pleaser, steamed broccoli and more. I went for the fried fish and was in heaven.
DeleteThe staff was always collegial, even when they were extremely crowded. I remember a few Fri nights last summer when the place was packed inside and spilled onto the street and the wait was 30min, White and Black customers alike chatted, joked and waited for their orders.
I live near there & it smells like fried food only when you walk by at the height of the dinner hour… It is a much more pleasant smell - than say.. McDonalds…..It's a good place and the food is probably healthier than much of what can be got at Harlem Public - which I like as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree the solution for public health is not to shut places like this down, but to also have places like Mama K's. FWIW, I have seen the same people who frequent Devin's also slip into Mama K's…
Ive been working at devins for 3 years I was cooking while the fire was on the roof. I am related to the owners and we will reopen we are simply waiting on permits from the building department. For those people who claim we serve only unhealthy food should restudy our menu because we serve broiled and steamed salmon tilapa whiting porgies red snapper along with okra brocoli squash corn asparagus strings beans salad with romaine lettuce I have first hand dealt with the food over 3 years and it is cleanest cooking environment ive ever seen. We have a A rating from the health department. Your uneducated comments are spoken out of ignorance. Even the fried food is among the best we actually change our oil daily find a place that does that
ReplyDeleteI truly hope that this place reopens. It was the kind of establishment that makes NY great - an authentic neighborhood spot that reflects the culture and history of its locale. As for the health issue, the menu had many non-fried options and any adult worthy of the title knows when and how often to indulge. The co-owner was always a gentleman and interacted well with his customers. Btw, Devin's had the best fried whiting in the city in my opinion.
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