John Marsh has brought southern comfort food to Downingtown, and it sure is delicious. He recently opened Triton Seafood restaurant in the Caln Village Shopping Center on the western edge of Downingtown.
Triton’s specialty is Calabash-style seafood—with such dishes as fried shrimp, catfish, flounder, tilapia and frog legs. The fish is complemented by Southern side dishes such collard greens, macaroni and cheese, red beans and rice and hush puppies. They also serve fried okra, french fries and onion rings.
The food is reminiscent of those Southern seafood spots you might hit after that perfect day at the beach. The walls of Triton’s three dining areas are decorated in a nautical theme with corrugated tin accenting certain walls. Jazz music plays softly. The space is casual, with plastic plates with spoons, and the food is breaded and fried only after you place the order. “We also do takeout, but we would rather cook the food right as you arrive,” John explained. He is intent on making sure you get your seafood dish right out of the fryer.
For those who love fish, but not fried, Triton will happily serve up your fish broiled. They also serve chicken fingers and mac and cheese for those non-fish eaters, so bring them along. There’s a kids’ menu for ages 10 and under.
But let’s get back to their specialty—glorious fried seafood is what we sampled during our visit.
Customers have a choice of batter in which to have their fish fried. The regular batter is good, but for a little bit of kick, I recommend the salt and pepper breading.
We sampled the calamari—a large helping that was crisp and delicious. The tilapia came in three pieces, so it could be fried evenly, and it was moist and flaky. Our favorite of the dishes was definitely the shrimp in the salt and pepper batter. Spicy crunch on the outside, and succulent shrimp meat to savor. We were fighting over the last piece, it was so darn tasty. They also serve popcorn shrimp.
We couldn’t help but nibble on the hush puppies—a southern comfort food made of deep fried corn meal with a bit of onion tossed in. John has plans to hold a hush puppy eating contest in the near future.
Though soft spoken, John’s enthusiasm for the restaurant is apparent as he greets customers and asks for their feedback. Prior to starting up Triton, he already enjoyed quite a career. An alumni of Coatesville Area High School, John graduated from Bucknell in electrical engineering before obtaining a law degree. He has worked with Kellogg’s in Battle Creek, Michigan, and the U.S. Patent office in Washington D.C., among other jobs. Why did he want to open a seafood restaurant?
“I’ve always loved to cook. My first job was at the Burger King right across the way,” he said while pointing out towards Business 30 with a laugh. “In college, I managed the kitchen at our frat!”
John’s family roots led to the idea for a Calabash-style seafood spot. “My dad was from North Carolina, a little town called Marshville.” The town of Calabash sits along the coast at the southern edge of North Carolina, just north of Myrtle Beach. Marshville is about two hours inland.
Triton Seafood had a soft opening so that they could take time to learn, but on the Wednesday afternoon I stopped in, a fairly steady flow of seafood lovers stopped by to either order lunch or pick up a menu.
John is excited about adding new items to the menu as they grow. He plans to start making sweet tea soon. This fall, he’ll be offering soups, chowder and stews. And then there’s that hush puppy eating contest …
Triton Seafood is located in the Caln Village Shopping Center, 3911 W. Lincoln Highway, Downingtown, PA. Call them at (610) 873-3474 or visit their Facebook page.
Photographs credited to Nina Lea Photography. View more photos of her Triton Seafood visit here.
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