Original Post Date: March 21, 2015
Author: Ann Stratton, NewburghFoodJournal.com
Photography: Ann Stratton
I love a shrimp. I’m not talking about the people who get bullied in grade school for being on the short side. I’m talking about the decapod crustacean. The kind you eat. There has been a lot of talk about shrimp lately in Newburgh. Seems our little city is getting something rather peculiar for this neck of the woods: a shrimp farm. “What?, you say. That’s right, a new industry for Newburgh. An odd one I agree but, nevertheless, an exciting one. I personally can’t wait to see this thing in action and also to try the grown product. I’m hoping the farm will give tours.
Fried shrimp with potato salad and cocktail sauce.
Shrimp is almost as versatile as chicken, whether sautéed, broiled, in salads, or just plain with a bit of cocktail sauce. It’s a great source of protein and low in calories. There are a hundred ways to cook shrimp but hands down, for me, fried shrimp is the best. (There go the low calories!) Which brings me to the one and only seafood place on Broadway.
Driving up Broadway in Newburgh from Grand Street (that would be west for those of you who don’t drive up or down Broadway; you know who you are), there is a little take-out shop on the left-hand side between Clark and Williams streets called Just Fish.
This place stands out from all the other shops on Broadway as it has a distinct, simple color scheme: bluish grey with white and dark grey trim. It is immediately noticeable among the brick and glass shops along this route. It reminds me of a shop you would see in Maine or Rhode Island, and I’m guessing that’s the point.
Just Fish is just that: fish, or seafood if you will. Duh. Craig Bevier (a rare native Newburgh-er shop owner) opened the restaurant just under a year ago. His idea came from his love of fishing with his father when he was a boy and the fact that Newburgh didn’t have a seafood place west of Water Street. It’s a very smart little shop with the same color scheme on the inside.
Behind the counter on a chalkboard is the menu, from which you order different kinds of fish either fried or broiled with a choice of one or two sides. The most popular fish are the tilapia and the fried shrimp (oh yeah!). Occasionally, there are specials. Everything is house-made including, among other things, the potato salad, collard greens, sauces, and French fries (which, by the way, are really darn good). Craig also hand-picks the fresh fish at the market in NYC.
Craig’s mother, Elaine, is an integral part of the shop. She runs the front counter, taking phone orders and walk-in orders as Craig is in the kitchen cooking. Some of her recipes are on the menu.
Don’t expect to have a sit-down dinner there. It is strictly take-out. There is only one stool and a small bench so you can sit and wait for your order. Or, you can call in your order and have it delivered. Fish ‘n chips anyone? Or, in my case, shrimp ‘n chips anyone?
Just Fish
181 Broadway
Newburgh, NY 12550
(845) 245-4589
Hours:
Monday – Saturday 11:00-9:30
Closed Sunday