In running her first restaurant, Annie Howard Shaner says that it felt important to have a kitchen that could quickly whip up an order of fish and chips. At least every two years or so her and her husband, co-owner Andy Shaner, would regularly take the trip to Ireland and the pair would pilgrimage regularly to the Bleeding Horse in Dublin, a bar that dates back to the 17th century and where the pair were converted to the idea of chippers as an essential part of a night out.
Whenever they would return to Bushwick, they noticed something was lacking on the menus of dive bar kitchens and upscale eateries alike. They were determined to fix that. Now, in the recently reopened Vacations, the chips come served with malt vinegar with a serving of tartar sauce they make in-house. The fish is Haddock, the closest local catch they could find to the common ling that’s popular over in Emerald Isle. Over here, it comes doused in a soft, tender batter that falls apart gracefully to the touch.
It’s part of a colorful, yet carefully put together menu at Vaccations, which runs both deliberate and yet casual enough for anyone wanting to keep their night going. They’re proud of the wings, for sure, and tested its spicy meter against all their favorites in the great american bar scene. For vegetarians, they brought Andy’s brother to perfect a broccoli rabe sandwich that’s as tough and hearty as any burger you’ll find.
The chips also aren’t the only tribute to the sea that the group have exported to their rooftop view of the neighborhood. This weekend, they’re bringing Gene, Andy’s uncle from Delaware coast, to host a crab boil that they say will, soon enough, be a regular summer happening in Bushwick. They are hoping to import Delaware’s culture of “crab picking,” which involves being handed at least six full crabs and then pulling them apart, along with three sides, a dessert and a bottle of rose or a bucket of beers. Picks, hammers and bibs, along with some instruction from Gene himself, will be provided. Get tickets here.
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Photos taken by Andrew Karpan.