Fudd’s Fish & Chips
Location: 173 W. Washington St., Sequim
Phone: 461-5877
Hours: 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Days: Tuesday-Sunday
Editor’s note: The closure date of Kiwi’s Fish & Chips was incorrectly reported in the print edition of the Sequim Gazette today, April 22. The corrected version appears here. — MD
Within 10 days’ time, the Kiwi’s Fish & Chips sign, at 173 W. Washington St., will be replaced by Fudd’s Fish & Chips.
“Fudd” is Brendin Rychlik — so nicknamed because his lack of hair as a tot reminded family of Elmer Fudd — and his longtime girlfriend Ashley Theilen, a pair of enthusiastic and determined 20-somethings who have a fair amount of kitchen and restaurant experience behind them already.
“A couple of months ago my grandfather (Louie Rychlik) said Kiwi’s was for sale. Seafood’s my specialty,” Rychlik said, “and I’ve wanted to be in business for myself for a long time and have creative control. We feel we can run it very well and it was what we needed when we needed it.”
Both intend to set a different flavor, literally and figuratively. Although the restaurant will continue its takeout dining, with limited seating, within a month of opening on May 1, Rychlik said he plans to expand the menu beyond seafood to burgers and salads and envisions Fudd’s as reasonably priced bistro.
“I am dropping the prices and my goal is to make it affordable,” Rychlik said.
Kiwi’s closes Saturday, April 25, and Rychlik and Theilen take over April 27 but will remain closed through April 30 to make their preparations.
“We want to give people a good experience at the beginning,” Rychlik said.
They’re planning on a big opening day with the Irrigation Festival going on. Rychlik said current owner and New Zealand native Bryan Carter “has his equipment set up so nice as a fish and chips place,” that he doesn’t plan to do any remodeling.
Instead of the “down under” decor, Rychlik will gather Sequim memorabilia from his grandfather’s longtime collection.
Everything on the menu will be freshly prepared using local providers as much as possible, Rychlik said.
“The fish will be fresh, frozen only once on the ship, and I’ll make the beer batter dip by hand. I don’t like it when I’ve had it at other seafood places and can tell it’s processed. It will make it a lot more flavorful,” Rychlik said. “The fish will taste like fish. Also our chowder will be made from scratch. Our chips will be nice, hand-cut french fries cooked in a light and healthier kind of oil.”
In addition to clam chowder, Fudd’s will offer salmon chowder and its own seafood chowder with generous chunks of clams, cod and halibut.
“It will be a real seafood chowder and you’ll be able to taste all the seafood,” Rychlik promised.
For the fried fare, Rychlik will use the best grades of oils that result in a light, minimally greasy product.
“I refuse to let the fish be a grease-dripping product,” he said. “Also more than fish and chips, I want to put healthier grilled fish on the menu in the first month,” Rychlik said.
Although the elder Rychlik bought the business, its management will remain in the hands of the younger generation.
“I want to say thank you to my grandfather who’s been a huge help and given us great support,” Rychlik said, as Theilen nodded in agreement. “It would be hard to do this without his guiding hand.”
Starting May 1, hours will be 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.
