Classic Takeout: Calumet Fisheries

Since 1948, Chicagoans have been journeying to a small shack on the far Southeast Side for superior smoked fish.

There are no tables and no chairs here; instead, space is reserved for Alaskan salmon, Canadian trout and Lake Michigan chub--bronzed from a turn in the oak-fired smoker--and breaded whole smelts waiting for a dip in the fryer.

Each of which makes Calumet Fisheries--recently named one of the James Beard Foundation's 2010 "America's Classics" honorees--a required trip for seafood fanatics.

The adjoining smokehouse is fired up Thursdays and on the weekends; stop by Thursday midafternoon for still-warm fish. There are salmon heads with ample cheek meat for fans of stronger flavor, or thick center cuts of salmon ($15 per pound) and trout ($9 per pound), smoked plain or rubbed with black pepper and garlic.

The finest treats are the meaty, smoky peel-and-eat shrimp ($20 per pound) and the shimmering whole chubs, with their buttery, lightly smoky white flesh ($11 per pound).

Anything from the fryer--whole smelt, scallops, oysters or shrimp, dredged in cornmeal coating and fried until golden-brown--should be devoured on the premises. In summer, lean against the railing on the side of the road; but until then, follow the lead of the regulars and snack in the warmth of your car.

Calumet Fisheries, 3258 E. 95th St.; 773-933-9855 or calumetfisheries.com