Jack’s Chowder, a Vancouver-based comfort seafood spot, will henceforth be known as Jack’s Fish and Chips. This decision follows a recent Instagram post in which owners Matt Brennan and Corvette Romero open up about the business’ recent financial hardships.
“You can just feel the weight. It’s all-consuming,” said Brennan. The pressures of running a small business (getting exposure, supporting payroll staff, etc.) simply came to a peak. Though initially reluctant, the married couple took to the internet without set expectations on what would come of it.
Currently at over 600 comments and 250 reshares, the post has garnered significant attention from their online community. Fellow small businesses like Cowdog Coffee even chimed in to express support for Jack’s Fish and Chips.
The love didn’t stop there, however. Romero said customers have driven in from Langley, Chilliwack and White Rock after seeing the post.
Brennan and Romero had amassed all of this momentum and knew they wanted to act on it. In hopes of broadening their clientele, they changed the restaurant’s name to refocus its brand on fish and chips. Don’t worry, though—the beloved menu will remain the same.
“You come to a place with fish and chips and you have chowder. You don’t necessarily come to a chowder place and have fish and chips,” said Romero.
The restaurant’s dishes pay homage to the fervent seafood culture along the west coast that Brennan and Romero hold dearly.
“You’re sitting at the pier, you’re having fish and chips, the sun is shining,” said Brennan. “That’s the kind of vibe that we’ve always been trying to portray.”
The restaurant’s fish—battered and delectably crispy—is served with its signature salt and vinegar fries. Except, the fries aren’t actually seasoned with salt and vinegar; instead, they get their flavour from a Filipino soup seasoning made with tamarind (similar to the sour, hearty flavours of Sinigang soup). Throw in an apple-sesame slaw and housemade tartar sauce on the side, and these fish and chips will satisfy a familiar craving while also delivering a unique combination of flavours.
You can try Jack’s Fish and Chips at two locations: its brick and mortar restaurant on Fraser Street and its lunch-forward location at Bentall Centre.
“Leaving a review if you do come is great, or just supporting local in general,” said Romero about how folks can support Jack’s Fish and Chips. “We know how small business is suffering in general with this economy.”
