GO FISH! on Broadway

It was Friday date night and I wanted to try something reasonably priced, not-too-fussy, and new. Style Guru had mentioned a delicious outing to the new Go Fish location on Broadway in the space formerly occupied by Bin 942. This is the latest venture from owner and Vancouver well-known chef Gord Martin.
He offers the basic delicious staples that have made the False Creek Fisherman's Wharf Shack location a hit (Fish and Chips, Oyster Sandwiches, Wild Salmon Tacones) and ups the ante with some more high-end and inventive dishes.

The narrow space was packed when we arrived around 7pm and we were seated at the last two seats at the bar. After a 15 min wait at the bar- we were seated at what our server called "the date table"- a cozy open booth with a glass top table. Servers and hostesses were all very friendly and chilled out.
The decor is pretty simple and they have really tried to open up the narrow space. It looks aquatic meets 80's mod. There are white walls, pale wood panneling and lots of funky lighting and accessories like flasher-and-lure chandeliers, nori art on the walls, a carved mermaid, aquatic looking mirrors, and one of the coolest dolphin faucets I've ever seen.

The menu is very "Vancouver" and chock-full of delicious sounding meals. Unless you don't like seafood, there should be something on this menu that appeals to you. I actually sampled one of their appetizers at this summer's Feast of Fields event- their Tequila Cured Sockeye Salmon- and it was fantastic. Other amazing sounding items include Calamari Steak Salad, Hot and Sour Coconut Thai Chowder, BC Pan Kissed Jumbo Scallops with Arugula Pesto/ Chorizo Vinaigrette/ Jalapeno Corn Bread/ Grilled Artichoke.
We ended up ordering one of their more basic dishes and one of their higher-end options to share.

Wild Pacific Salmon on the Grill Sandwich with Side Shrimp Mayo, Japanese Style Pickle, Organic Style Greens served on a toasted fresh daily Portugese Bun with coleslaw and Kennebec Fries $11

This sandwich was light and flavourful. The salmon was fresh tasting with a slightly smoky flavour and perfectly cooked. The bun was a good match- light and fluffy, it let the salmon be the star. The coleslaw was amazing with a fresh burst of citrus flavour....I should've put in on the sandwich! And the fries were stand-out amazing: fresh, hot, crispy, tasty.

Pan Seared Pacific Halibut Fresh with Mango Beurre Blanc, Banana Leaf Black Sticky Rice, and Shitake Mushroom Stir Fry $20

This was another great dish. The halibut was rich and buttery with every bite. The Mango Beurre Blanc was more mango than butter and not too sweet- which I was a bit concerned about. The mushroom stirfry had a really nice tang and texture and the black rice (which I had never had before) was really sticky with a deep earthy flavour. There was a salsa verde sauce on the side that I loved...it gave all of the flavours in the dish just a little extra burst when added. My one complaint would be that this was a beautiful plate, but the portion size was pretty puny.

This place is great: funky, casual, fresh, fun and unpretentious. It's seafood fusion and very Vancouver. This would be a great place to take an out of town guest for a taste of our city.