人兽性交

Sure enough, Lent has been the Auburn seafood restaurant's six busiest weeks of the year ever since.

人兽性交 interviewed owners Greg and Ann Chalupnicki on Thursday as they were getting ready for another season of long lines for their fried fish, shrimp, scallops and more next week.

"People love their haddock," Greg said.

The 97 Owasco St. restaurant will celebrate its 35th anniversary on Feb. 28. A former gas station and restaurant, it was a shell when the Chalupnickis bought it, but they've made it their own.聽

The dining room boasts only a few tables, which were聽removed during the COVID-19 pandemic and returned last year. But that didn't make a big difference, Greg said, because 99% of the business is takeout. Along with the chaos of fish fry season 鈥� despite all the community organizations that also offer dinners 鈥� the summer months are steady as well.聽

Customers can place orders at Seafood Express, but Greg recommends calling ahead to avoid a wait.聽

Those in line at the restaurant will notice a New England sea shanty look, from fish tablecloths to murals on the walls featuring a lighthouse, the sea and lobsters. Popeye greets customers as they round the corner to the bathroom. A large chalkboard displays the menu, from dinners like haddock and calamari to sides like mac and cheese, coleslaw and more.

'More production than presentation'

Greg credited Ann for keeping Seafood Express afloat while he worked for 30 years as a mailman.聽

Each had experience in the local restaurant scene before opening their own. Greg worked at Balloons and Yesterday鈥檚, while Ann served customers at Lasca鈥檚.

When asked why he stepped back into food service, he said he simply 鈥渓oves to cook,鈥� enduring the heat of the kitchen and splashes of fryer oil.

鈥淚t鈥檚 more production than presentation,鈥� Greg said. 鈥淚f you fall behind, you鈥檙e behind. You don鈥檛 want to do that.鈥�

At the time of 人兽性交's interview, Ann was in the kitchen prepping for the day. The mac and cheese, macaroni salad and tartar sauce are just some of her homemade items.

The restaurant's soups are also popular, such as the crab bisque. Specials include Cajun-style haddock and roasted shrimp and scallop chowder. The shellfish are caramelized, Greg said, to add flavor. All the fish is shipped from Boston, with the haddock and scallops arriving fresh. The lobster and shrimp are frozen, but move fast. Any seafood can be ordered by the pound or box as well.聽

The Chalupnickis said they've perfected ordering to avoid waste, partly because they're only open Thursdays and Fridays. So if they run out of something, customers have to come back the next week.

鈥淲e started five days a week, but we took a day off with every child we had,鈥� Greg said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we鈥檙e down to two.鈥�

'We're winding down'

While many restaurants serve seafood, Greg said, Seafood Express does what its name suggests 鈥� it gets a special product to customers quickly.聽

One reason for that is the staff. Longtime employees聽Lisa McCarthy, Moe Baranick and Kathy Smith have several decades of experience at the restaurant between them. Greg and Ann's son Ryan frequently helps out, and could take over the business one day, Greg said. One of their daughters has also contemplated turning it into a cafe.聽

鈥淭here aren鈥檛 many mom-and-pop places in Auburn anymore. It鈥檚 a lot of work and takes dedication,鈥� Greg said.

He and Ann are "winding down" and getting close to retirement, he continued.

When they do, the Chalupnickis look forward to spending more time with their children and grandchildren, among other things.

鈥淚t鈥檚 now time to fry bigger fish on the golf course,鈥� Greg said.