With Lent starting this week on Ash Wednesday, the Knights of Columbus at Catholic churches in Rancho Bernardo and Poway are bringing back their weekly Friday fish dinners that are open to all.
At San Rafael in Rancho Bernardo, the dinners will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. every Friday from March 7 through April 11 in the Parish Hall, 17252 Bernardo Center Drive.
The dinners typically draw a crowd of 375 to 400 because “the food is incredible and the price is really good,” said Knight Mark Rahall.
“We are also promoting the Golden Ticket, which for one fee you and your family can eat for all six nights,” Rahall said.
Individual night tickets at the door are $20 for adults, $45 for a family (two adults and their children ages 5-17), $7 for children (ages 5-17) and free for children 4 and younger. The Golden Ticket is $75 for an adult and $160 for a family.
The weekly menu has fish and chips, salad, cole slaw, clam chowder, ice cream and a baked fish option.
There are also special menus and raffle items. On March 7 the menu will include salmon plus macaroni and cheese along with the grand prize of a dash camera. For March 14 it will be fish fillets and pasta in marinara sauce and the grand prize is a Ring 3 Pack camera. The March 21 special menu items are fish tacos, Spanish rice and refried beans, while the grand prize is a griddle with a bag.
On March 28 the menu specials are salmon and linguini in clam sauce and the grand prize is a Ninja Grill. For April 4, it will be mahi mahi and pasta primavera, with a wine tasting offered as the grand prize. On April 11, the special menu items will be salmon plus macaroni and cheese, with a Las Vegas vacation being the grand prize.
Rahall said there will be close to 30 raffle prizes awarded at each dinner. Proceeds will go to the Knights’ charitable projects. They include providing wheelchairs to those in need, the Semper Fi Fund, helping children with special needs and various parish needs.
At St. Michael’s in Poway, the dinners will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. March 7 to 28 and April 11. There is no dinner on April 4 due to the St. Michael’s School musical.
The dinners will be held in the Holy Family Center, 15410 Pomerado Road.
The menu included baked fish, lite fish, fried shrimp, Fish District clam chowder, French fries, tater tots, macaroni and cheese, stir-fry vegetables, rice, cheddar bay biscuits, cole slaw, ice cream and beverages, including beer and wine.
If purchased online, per dinner tickets are $40 for a family (two adults and immediate children), $15 for adults and teens, $10 for children (ages 5 to 12) and free for children under 5. At the door, tickets are $50 for families, $20 for adults and teens and $10 for children.
St. Michael’s is also offering a Golden Ticket, which covers all dinners. They are $70 online or $75 at the door for an individual or $150 online for a family or $200 at the door.
Grand Knight Joel Doss said the dinners draw at least 100 people each time.
“Attendance has been up since COVID, it’s been growing,” Doss said.
A pianist will be providing musical entertainment each night, he added.
As for proceeds, they will go to help the church, St. Michael’s School, ing three seminarians, Life Choices Pregnancy Center in Poway and other needs as identified by the pastor, Doss said.
St. Gabriel’s will hold dinners from 5 to 7 p.m. March 7 through April 11 in its education building’s CCD Room C4, 13734 Twin Peaks Road.
The menu options are fish tacos or fish and chips. There will also be kid-friendly choices such as macaroni and cheese or grilled cheese. Desserts and beverages are included.
Individual dinner tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 5-12 and free for children under 5. Adults who prepay for all six meals can pay $50. Tickets are being sold at PowayKnights.com and at the door.
