On the outskirts of Columbia City, Emerald City Fish & Chips is frying like it means it.

I judge every restaurant’s fish and chips by the quality of the cod and the tartar sauce. The Alaskan cod arrives in a Southern-style jacket that crackles at first bite before giving way to moist, flaky glory—glory that’s fried and seasoned.

Now, tartar sauce is where I usually draw the line. I’m a classic, white-and-dill purist. Most “creative” versions taste like disappointment. But Emerald City Fish & Chips, which Stevie Allen opened in 2009 using his grandmother’s Southern recipes with a Northwest twist, sneaks in just the right amount of spicy heat to improve on tradition. I’ve had to reconsider many of my long-held food beliefs after becoming a fan of this spicy tartar sauce.

And yet the headliner here isn’t the fish—it’s the seafood gumbo. It’s house-made, bayou-style, brimming with shrimp, a deep roux, and andouille, ladled over just-barely-al-dente rice that holds its nerve in the bowl. It’s only available Sunday through Tuesday and sells out—so go early. This is the kind of bowl that makes a drive down Rainier Avenue feel like a pilgrimage.

The seafood gumbo loaded with shrimp and andouille is everything you want in a Sunday-to-Tuesday tradition.

Photo courtesy of Emerald City Fish & Chips

Go for the cod, convert over the tartar sauce, and stay loyal for that gumbo. Emerald City Fish & Chips isn’t just doing fried fish. It’s running a small, well-seasoned rebellion.