Ethan Stowell, of Staple & Fancy Mercantile, has big plans for the neighboring space where the former Dutch Bike Co. coffee shop used to be in The Kolstrand Building.

Chippy’s Fish & Drink, with a fish and chips style cuisine, is slated to open this March and will bring another great eating option to the south end of Ballard. Ave.
 
The new spot uses “A Great Plaice to Eat,” as a slogan. The word “plaice” references a group of flat fish, like flounder, that are often found on menus in the UK.

“The food is the driving aspect for me,” said Stowell, “everything else centers around it.”

Stowell’s food philosophy revolves around simplicity and excellent ingredients, and so his menu will include a variety of fish and chips options, as well as chowders, sandwiches and salads, like Shrimp Louie.

“We are going to go in a classic direction with beer battered fish, but a little more up scale. A lot of places buy precut cod, but we’ll use fresh and butcher it in house. … Oysters, salmon, cod and clams will be staples, and we might add on seasonal fish like smelt or halibut or rock fish – whatever’s good and makes sense during the season.”

When it comes to batter, it’s all about the beers, and Stowell said it’s important to use a light beer like a pilsner or lager in the batter to impart flavor, but also maintain its integrity.

As for imbibing, with now ten breweries, beer is bountiful in Ballard, and Stowell plans to showcase what the neighborhood has to offer with eight rotating taps. But there are some Seattle favorites he plans to have as mainstays like Manny’s. In addition to the eight taps, there will also be a full bar.

Chippy’s is 600-square-foot space and has table seating for 18 guests, and eight seats at the bar.

“The space really fell into our lap, and we really didn’t have anything planned at first. Ballard is a fishing community and there isn’t another restaurant on Ballard Avenue serving what we plan to and so putting it together all came very naturally.”

Stowell has hopes Ballardites will appreciate Chippy’s for its strong simple tastes and comfortable aesthetic.

“Our goal is to make something that feels different and not too complicated. It needs to look good and feel good. We want it to be a part of the neighborhood for a long time.”

Moreover, Stowell said that the people working with him are a defining factor in the quality of his restaurant experience.

“I want to make sure the people working with me are happy, friendly and knowledgeable and have a good time at work. That’s always a big part of it.”

Ethan Stowell and his wife and business partner, Angela Stowell, own Ethan Stowell Restaurants. Aside from a plethora of restaurants around Seattle, this is the third restaurant in Ballard they have opened, along with Ballard Pizza Company and Staple and Fancy Mercantile.

Chippy’s Fish & Drink will be open daily from 5p.m. to 11p.m. and is located at 4741 Ballard Ave. N.W. To learn more, visit www.ethanstowellrestaurants.com.