Fishless Fish Fry? Cleveland Restaurants Offer Vegan Options During Lent

When Cleveland restaurants start reeling in their fish fry dinners every Lenten season, the catches come in many forms: cod, haddock, walleye, perch and nowadays, more than ever, not even fish at all.

As the city’s vegan scene grows, so does its ambition, challenging chefs and restaurateurs to create occasion-inspired dishes with technique and authenticity at the forefront.

“I don't look at vegan food as different from carnivore food,” says Jeremy Umansky, owner of Larder Delicatessen & Bakery in Cleveland’s Hingetown neighborhood. “It's all food. The ingredients should be respected, and every diner should be respected. There's no reason because someone has a dietary restriction, or a taboo, or an aversion, that we should villainize their cuisine.”

The fish fry is rooted in the Christian tradition of abstaining from meat every Friday during the 40 days of Lent, an act of penance from a product considered a luxury, in honor of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion on the Friday before Easter. But as the feast has integrated into Cleveland’s most beloved bars, churches and clubs, it has transformed into a greater celebration of community that transcends belief systems.

“As a Jewish individual with a Jewish deli in Cleveland, we still want to be able to celebrate that wonderful culture,” Umansky says.

For the past few years, Larder has offered a tofu-based fish fry that Umansky reaffirms is “not trying to fool anybody.” Utilizing Cleveland Tofu products in a koji-seasoned marinade provides a rich umami flavor, and a classic batter of cornstarch, all-purpose flour, juniper, mustard and toasted yeast produces a thoughtful dish made in the same spirit of a standard fish dinner.

“When we do things like cure foods and add smoke and grill and change them into something that's actually been morphed and manipulated,” Umansky says, “it's just as delicious as any other ingredient.”

Larder’s “fish” is served alongside a vegan tartar sauce and a rotating plant-based dip made at the restaurant.

At Prosperity Social Club in Tremont, the fish fry doesn’t depend on the season. On its regular menu, a vegan fish fry platter satisfies cravings year-round. Among a hearty spread supplemented by vegan cheese pierogies with caramelized onions, vegan tartar sauce and vegan sour cream, the star of the show is beer-battered heart of palm. Derived from the stem of a palm tree, heart of palm is equated to the flavor of artichokes or water chestnuts, providing a neutral profile and natural crunch that makes it a popular and satiable seafood alternative.

READ MORE: Fish Fry We Love: Prosperity Social Club

Jackfruit and banana blossoms are other common substitutes that may appear on a vegan fish fry menu. This season, Boss ChickNBeer (various locations) has introduced falafel sticks to its roster of fishless foods. The chickpea-based dish is made locally in collaboration with Fedora Food.

No matter the ingredients, Roxanne O'Brien Troke of Birch Cafe is always testing the boundaries of inventive plant-based meals, and Lent is no exception. Every Friday until Easter, the Highland Heights restaurant will offer a new dish beyond the standard fried fish and chips, ranging from a Filet 'O Fishless sandwich, Lobstah Roll, Shrymp Po Boy, Salmon-less Caesar Salad and Crabless Cake sandwich. Everything comes together through either soy-based products or heart of palm, but each is injected with the same measure of craft. 

“We use seaweed to add that ‘fishy’ taste for some items, and capers for others,” O'Brien Troke says. “The key to that authentic seafood taste is creativity.”

Several restaurants will begin their fishless fries on Friday, Feb. 20, but check Cleveland Magazine’s interactive map for the most comprehensive guide to specific offerings.

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