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Because I saw the small sandwich board sign for “Thursday fish and chips, 4-7 p.m.” by the gas pumps at The Rex when I delivered newspapers on a Wednesday last month, I invited my new New York friends for dinner and a bit of local color, given the place’s reputation when Stuart and Joyce Welch owned it 1999-2015.

Wes and Rona Whiteaker and Chanan Spadaccini revamped the place a bit when they bought it from Brian Dean in the summer of 2019. Wes was in the kitchen with a huge bowl of his corn meal batter for their Thursday special.

We got there at 4 p.m., meeting friends Christie and Tony in the big picnic shelter next to the store. The overcast had turned to rain. It was one of those March afternoon when it goes from mostly sun and 55 degrees to windy, wet and 40 degrees in 15 minutes.

We circled around a picnic table sitting in lawn chairs even though we were all vaccinated. We fired up two gas heaters. They kept our space warm.

We started out with regional beers and hard cider and visited while waiting for our orders of fish and chips.

Oh my god. Who knew? Who would have thought? In their red plastic baskets, the three pieces of fish swam in a sea of French fries or next to a mound of onion rings. Besides the choice of catsup was a homemade fries sauce that included mayonnaise and Worcester sauce. The platters came with tarter sauce and a lemon wedge, but they were compliments to the fish.

Wow. The batter was light, moist and fell off the fish when picked up for dipping. The fish was even lighter and moister, also falling apart. Good job, Wes.

It was a great experience: good people, good conversation, warm and dry while outside in the great Pacific Northwest with fine food and drink.

Inside tables were full of friends and families, people of various ages, neighbors and regulars most likely. Us, we came because of the sign. Shows what a little advertising will do.

Here is a thumbs up review and a bit of word of mouth.