SEATTLE — They bread it, fry it, and sell up to 1,100 pounds of it a week.
The Beacon Hill Shell Station and Deli has been serving catfish, hot and crispy, for 16 years. It’s $8.99 a pound, and it walks out the door the instant it comes out of the fryer. They couldn’t keep it in the display case when we were there midday on a Monday.
Evening's Jim Dever asked manager Drew Miller if he sold more catfish than gas.
“I don’t know if it’s a lot more, but we do much better with the deli than we do with the gas,” said Miller, who gives props to his employees for keeping the catfish coming.
In addition to catfish, this Shell station also sells crispitos, perfectly juicy chicken nuggets, fried potatoes, corn dogs, and deep-fried chicken gizzards. But it’s the huge catfish filets that get the bulk of the attention; Miller says his distributors tell him he sells more catfish than any restaurant in Seattle. A pound is between 2 and 3 filets, and they’re easy to eat with your hands. You can also get tartar, ranch, or hot sauce for dipping.
The busiest time for crispy catfish filets? Around 2 a.m. on weekends. If you thought a Dick’s burger was the go-to grub of closing time, you may want to reconsider and try a few golden filets of goodness from the gas station that sells catfish next time you’re near North Beacon Hill.
The Beacon Hill Shell Station and Deli is located at 2424 Beacon Ave. S. Seattle, WA 98144 and open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
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