Mar 2, 2015 By Suzanne Elliott 3 min read

Even though I have lived in the Pittsburgh area for more than 20 years now, I’ve never really paid too much attention to fish fries – until now.

I am a Presbyterian and never gave up anything for Lent. And yes, I eat meat on Fridays.

So when I was asked to attend a local fish fry for part of my duties as a reporter, I was intrigued.

I went to St. Valentine Catholic Church in Bethel Park for the simple reason that it was convenient because I was coming from an interview at the Bethel Park municipal building.

I didn’t know what to expect when I walked through the door. First of all, St. Val’s fish fry is from 4 to 7:30 p.m. No lunch hours are offered. You have the choice of eating at the church, or getting takeout. I opted for takeout.

I asked the woman taking the money what was good. I was leaning toward getting the pierogies, but at her recommendation, I opted for the fish sandwich. I paid $8 and went over to a side table where people were waiting for their takeout orders.

Ten minutes later, it arrived camouflaged in a white Styrofoam takeout box. Willpower has never been one of my strong suits, so I looked.

Sitting in the middle of the carton was a jumbo beer-battered piece of cod. No exaggeration, that piece of fish was at least a foot long and four inches wide. A warm bun, at least eight inches long, sat on top of the cod. I did not make it back to the car. I got a fork from the kitchen and sat down and ate the fish. I ignored the bun because of carbohydrates.

The fish was tasty and crispy and served just right. Here’s a tip – if you are thinking about going to St. Val’s for a fish sandwich Friday, ask for tartar sauce. It is not included.

Besides its fish sandwich, there’s fried shrimp, baked Nantucket cod, which comes with a cracker and parmesan crust. If you order the baked cod, be sure to ask for a garlic stick. St. Val’s also has a pasta dinner. Sides that are offered include clam chowder, french fries, french fries with cheddar cheese sauce, baked potato, haluski, pasta, pierogies, cole slaw, applesauce and salad.

St. Valentine’s serves dinner 4-7:30 p.m. Fridays in lent, including Good Friday. For more information, call 412-851-4415 or visit www.stvals.org.