Share Tweet Share Pin Despite spending ample time on Granville Island during my time at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, this was my first trip to The Vancouver Fish Company. It’s a spot my friends bring their out-of-town parents to, and you can see why: the combination of seaside location and fresh seafood implies 'Vancouver gem.' Like most Vancouverites, I’m also a sucker for a patio once summer hits—and Vancouver Fish Co.’s doesn’t disappoint.
Like any good patio evening, the meal started with margs . While my partner went with the classic, I strayed from my usual order and went strawberry when the server told me that it’s mixed with house-made strawberry puree—rather than the pre-bottled goop most bars sling. I made the right call. Light, refreshing and with just enough sweetness not to mask the underlying lime or the taste of tequila —this margarita was easy drinking.
This too was a smaller, tasting portion. The one on the menu is around double the size and comes in a large cocotte. To be perfectly honest, I think a tuna crudo should be the first course in a progressive meal, but that doesn’t take away from the delicate deliciousness of the dish. The albacore itself was tender without being flimsy and thicker than I’m used to for a crudo, but here the extra width was welcome: this was some of the best tuna I’ve had this year.
Our second main was the kasu-marinated sablefish which is sourced from the Sunshine Coast. Sake kasu is the fermented by-product of sake making, and the paste added dimension and depth to the fish with a light, fruity sweetness. But the star of the dish was the roasted tea dashi—umami-forward and light—when combined with ginger scallion oil and pomme purée it felt like a decadent embrace. Despite enjoying this on the patio, this is a dish I think would stand out come early autumn.