Can Twin Tops top the heap? (Week 3 of fish camp debate)

Welcome to week 3 of the Fish Camp Throwdown! I can tell you that I’ve already got enough suggestions to do another one soon, but keep them coming. My mailbox at gastonfood@yahoo.com has been fairly exploding with missives for and against various fish camps, along with unsolicited offers of cholesterol medications and obesity treatments.

Back when we started this adventure, I mentioned that there was only one establishment in the lineup that actually called itself a “fish camp.” Anyone who’s lived in this area more than a few months knew immediately that I had Twin Tops Fish Camp, at 4574 S. New Hope Road, on my list.

Twin Tops is one of the most iconic of the local fish joints, and it’s even gotten a bit of national press courtesy of Web gourmands such as Hollister Moore, the man behind the outstanding Holly Eats website.

But I purposely didn’t read what Holly had to say about Twin Tops before visiting. I wanted to get my own taste of the place untainted by others’ opinions.

The interior of Twin Tops is cavernous, with enough seating to handle the load should all of Gastonia decide to go out for perch at once. There are stuffed fish and all manner of nautical- and fishing-themed tchotchkes in profusion, and a wall of candy by the checkout register that I dare you to pass without picking out an old favorite.

While it wasn’t part of the review, Twin Tops deserves praise for a salad bar to which some creativity has been applied. It was small, but had things like assorted peppers, baby greens and dried cranberries that aren’t often found.

But enough about the greens. If you want salad, go to Ruby Tuesday’s. This is a fish camp.

As in the other tests, I ordered green shrimp, fried flounder, fried perch, deviled crab and salt-and-pepper catfish.

The catfish was the star of the show on my plate. The pepper hit grabbed me by the nose before I took the first bite, and the salt was perfectly modulated. The fish tasted fresh, and was firm and perfectly cooked. This was as good as any catfish I’ve ever had, and I’ve eaten at least a bayou’s worth.

The green shrimp was no slouch, either. It was very firm, with a light batter that held very little grease. It could have used a bit of seasoning, as could the other two fish offerings, but a bit of lemon and hot sauce made my taste buds very happy.

The deviled crab had a spice kick that was surprising. I enjoyed it, but folks with a low spice tolerance might need a refill on their sweet tea before finishing. It was very small, though, and overcooked to the point that the top was black around the edges. The filling had nice bits of celery in it, but not much trace of actual crab.

If the flounder fillet had been kissed lightly with some Old Bay before the breading went on, it would have been worth a trip by itself. However, although the meat was firm and the coating was crispy, there really wasn’t anything to tell me that I was eating flounder as opposed to another similar fish. The flavor needle barely quivered. The tartar sauce (provided in squeeze bottles, not little cups) set things more or less to rights, though. However, not everyone uses tartar, and my judgment has to come before any amendments are added.

The weakest link in the chain, though, was the perch. The fillets on my platter were dry and chewy, with a decidedly fishy taste and a greasy finish. Knowing how quickly perch goes from warm and tasty to cold and dreary, this was the first thing I tasted when the food was delivered, but the initial taste made me wonder if perhaps it had been cooked well before the other items on my list.

All in all, Twin Tops is a good place. It may not have lived up to the legendary reputation given to it by some longtime Gaston County residents, but it’s worth a trip.

I hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend. As we go into fall, I’ve got lots of great ideas both in restaurant explorations and cooking safaris. But I’m always looking for more! Drop me a line at gastonfood@yahoo.com.