Dougs Fish Fry to Go

Dougs to Go Trailer parked in Manlius

 For a number of years, Doug's Fish Fry in Cortland has run a food truck, with two of them covering CNY, the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier/Twin Tiers, and Central Leatherstocking Regions. They often will support a charity, school or school club, church, fire department, sports team, civic or non-profit organization. It is separately managed from the Skaneateles flagship. The trucks run during the week. I wait for it to be close to town on a Friday. It's always on Onondaga Hill the third Friday of the month. I also go to their stand at the State Fair each year. The trucks don't offer chicken, macaroni cheese or ice creams like at the two brick and mortars since there just isn't room for it all. You can order online and get delivery through the Toast app if going over isn't an option because of work, time, or transport issues if available in your area when it comes. Loyal customers show up on the day, particularly Friday (big with the over-60s). Capital counterpart Teds have their own trailer, but they mainly book festivals and events, which can occur at the weekends, but more on them later. Dougs once did Taste of Syracuse, and late founder Doug Clark was there to boot, but they never touch city soil anymore, likely because getting a permit can be a hurdle, especially downtown, where it gets competitive, and the permanent restaurants anywhere dread takeaways on wheels taking off their business. Another place used to have their own stop nearby, whose own building is across town from an even more well known chippy, also disappeared. Dougs can be hired too, and these things are always arranged in advance. Lately in Onondaga County, we've been spoilt having them on Fridays and other days almost every week that it got too easy, and now I have to cut it down to once or twice a month so it doesn't get boring and expensive (it all adds up these days, you know).

We may not have the big fish chains in the immediate area, but we have Dougs to call our own.

Dougs formerly had up to four other locations. Three spun off as JDs Fish 'n Grill (he retired).

Mattydale - US 11, kmart Plaza (was never JDs; replaced by Fremont [East Syracuse] location)

Baldwinsville (Moyers Corners) - NY 31 & CR 57; previously Hardees; later Cams Pizzeria and Tim Hortons

Fairmount - NY 297; now M. Asciotis Meat Market (successor to Solvay one down Milton Ave)

East Syracuse (Fremont) - NY 290 & Butternut Dr.; later Touch of Broadway; now Empire Pizza and Deli