Skippers fried seafood ranks near top

[GO Entertainment Weekly 12/28/06]

One of the better options for a fish sandwich or fried dinner is a place called Skippers Seafood & Rotisserie.

SACO — When it comes to local delicacies, Maine has its share.

You’ve got your lobsters, your franks and beans and, of course, your blueberry pies. Maine also is famous for its plethora of seafood shacks that serve fish and chips and haddock sandwiches and fried fish dinners.

In Saco, one of the better options for a fish sandwich or fried dinner is a place called Skippers Seafood & Rotisserie. At 27 Elm St. in the heart of Saco, Skippers does not enjoy a quaint seaside vista.

But that’s of small concern, given the fresh approach to fish taken at the restaurant. Skippers has been around since 1998, serving some of the better quick seafood dinners north of Kittery.

As its name implies, Skippers also specializes in rotisserie-style cooking, a slow process that results in moist and tender chicken and turkey.

We visited the Saturday of Christmas weekend, during a mid-afternoon break from the last-minute shopping rush. The restaurant was empty except for us, although during our time there we observed a steady flow of people stopping in to pick up previously placed phone orders. We heard a lot of good-natured banter between the customers and staff, suggesting Skippers has a friendly reputation in town.

Our meal was delightful. My wife ordered a haddock box ($6.50), which included super- fresh fried haddock chunks, crisp crinkle fries and tangy cole slaw.

My wife considers herself somewhat of a connoisseur when it comes to these fried fish dinners – they are among her favorite things about living in Maine – and she judged the dinner at Skippers to be a top-three contender. She bases her assessment on several factors, including the amount of grease and fat, the freshness of the fish and the quality of the side dishes.

On the menu, the restaurant owners brag about using clean cholesterol-free, trans fat- free and sodium-free frying oil, and their efforts to keep things fresh certainly paid off for my wife, who raved about her meal and defended her leftovers from by wandering fork.

I broke ranks, opting for fried clams ($8.50 for a box). Because of the price, I usually pass on the clams – I adore them, but tend to follow my miserly instincts and order something less expensive. But $8.50 seemed reasonable, and it being the holidays and all, I decided to splurge.

A good decision, I’d say. My clams tasted sweet, had a crisp texture and were of bountiful quantity.

We also decided to split a haddock wrap ($5.95). With small chunks of fried haddock, diced lettuce and tomatoes and a mix of tartar and jack cheese, the wrap might have been the highlight of the meal. It was inventive, fresh and highly satisfying.

We never made it over to the chicken side of the menu. We had many sandwich choices, including a rotisserie chicken with fries and slaw for $4.95, or a white meat turkey dinner for $6.95.

There are chicken burritos, quesadillas, panini grill sandwiches and all sorts of other options – all of which will make good choices for our return visit.

The Features staff of the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram anonymously samples meals for about $6.