On The Hook Fish and Chips drop anchor in John Day

JOHN DAY —  Long lines and a cache of vehicles commandeered the parking lot of Pioneer Feed & Farm Supply in John Day in anticipation of giving the community’s newest culinary choice, On The Hook Fish And Chips, the Grant County taste test.

On The Hook Fish and Chips is a food cart franchise that uses line, as opposed to net-caught, Alaskan cod in its fish and chips. The franchise’s website states that line-caught fish tend to have higher quality meat than net-caught fish due to experiencing less trauma during harvesting.

On The Hook offers a main course of three pieces of fish with chips (fries) for $14 with the option of adding an additional piece of fish for $4 each. A side of fresh coleslaw to go along with the fish and chips runs $3.

Sides include a small order of fries for $2 or a large order for $6. Bacon clam chowder is available as a side dish in 8 ounce ($6), 16 ounce ($11) and 32 ounce ($22) servings. Customers also can purchase strawberry soda or root beer made with cane sugar. Dipping sauces include tartar sauce, ketchup, malt vinegar, sweet chili and sriracha mayo.

Boise resident Andy Aragon is the owner and operator of the Off The Hook food truck. He said he brought the truck to John Day to cover as many places as possible.

“We love the people, especially small towns,” he said. “In John Day, there’s not a lot of food options so everyone gets super excited when we come out to town.”

Aragon couldn’t say just how many customers the food truck had, but the line was nonstop from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Aragon said On The Hook covers Western Idaho and has stops in Eastern Oregon in Hermiston, Pendleton, Milton-Freewater, Burns and John Day..

He said the plan is for On The Hook to make monthly or bi-monthly stops in John Day as his schedule allows. Those stops may become more frequent however, as Aragon said he plans on acquiring another On The Hook Food Truck in the near future.

Community members can keep up with the food truck’s schedule via the On The Hook Fish and Chips Food Truck Facebook page.