1127 Haultain St
Victoria, BC

Hours:
Tues-Sat: 11:30am – 7:30pm
Sunday: 4 – 7:30pm

Phone: (250) 383-8332
Take Out Available.

My childhood memories of visiting grandma in the Fernwood neighbourhood often include her treating me to some of the “famous” Haultain Fish & Chips around the corner. Seniors love their fish n’ chips, and this place served up some mighty fine fixings in the past. This operation is a staple–hardly ever changing over the years. My mother’s side of the family lived in this area for about two decades before finally moving to other parts of town.

Maybe I should’ve stuck to those memories instead of trying them again in my adult years. I’ve been back a few times before but after the third attempt, I’ve finally come to a conclusion. The subtle changes since the switch in ownership isn’t always for the better. There’s nothing special in the batter to enhance the halibut, and the Fanny Bay oysters (without the coating) were the stars. They were plump and juicy. The portion size was smallish for both. They’re a far cry from what I remember from my youth. If I had to say which shop is the best for the Lower Island, it’s Shell’s Fish and Chips out by Jordan River! The fillets, peppering and serving size are huge! They left a lasting memory.

Even by comparison, the fries had bounce. At Haultain, they’re cut too thick and tasted much too soft for my liking. I had to re-fry them at home to get the crisp I wanted. I even added Haupy‘s Beaver Rub seasoning to make them edible.

A quick online search reveals ownership changed circa 2017 and my guess is that the new operators altered a few things because the food items had none of the flavour profile or love I recall from those deep fry cooks in preparing meals ages ago. Even grandma would roll over in her grave. I miss her lots and she was a sweet soul.

Alas, I’ll have to stick to my childhood memories of this place than to come back.

2½ Stars out of 5