Fish Cafe

It seems by default, we head into Richmond for eats after softball whenever we play in Oakridge.  I guess it makes sense as it doesn't take long to get there and by the time we're done, the traffic is light (which makes it infinitely safer).  But hold on here, there are plenty of restaurants nearby that we ignore much like pedestrians with blinking red hands...  Yes, it's very frustrating when trying to make a left turn!  I digress.  So for once, we decided to hit up something in Kerrisdale in the form of the Fish Cafe.

As its name suggests, the place is all about the seafood, namely fish.  But before we got to that, Chill was super famished and made the executive decision for all of us to share the large Grilled Calamari with garlic butter.  These were prepared masterfully where there was a balanced texture between chewy and tender.  Due to the high heat, the sear was impactful with little crunchy bits and plenty of lemon, garlic, butter and spice.  For myself, I started with a large bowl of Clam Chowder.  As shown in the picture, this was one thick concoction.  I  wasn't sure if this was normal or that it was because we were the last table of the day.  Beyond the consistency of the broth, the flavours were mild and creamy with only a touch of brininess.  There was no shortage of ingredients including tender clams.

Due to her busy schedule, we haven't seen much of Hot Chocolate as of late, other than the times we've eaten in Richmond (no comment).  Well, she was with us this time and went for the Crab Cakes.  She found them rather small and flat for the price.  However the quality partially made up for that fact.  Other than some sweet corn niblets, there was very little filler.  Comprised mainly of fluffy crab, the exterior was lightly crisp and dressed with a mild roasted red pepper sauce.  Miss Y decided on the Grilled Scallops with garlic butter and rice.  Although there were 8 buttery scallops, they were quite small.  They were nicely seared and completely seasoned by the garlic butter.  Underneath, the rice was serviceable if not a bit wet.

For myself, I had the 2pc Steelhead and Chips.  Although often confused with salmon, the rainbow trout definitely ate differently.  It was expertly fried where it was flaky and super moist.  The batter was a touch thick, yet crunchy throughout and easy on the grease.  I found the tartar sauce creamy while lacking acidity.  Combined with the underseasoned fish, I was yearning for salt. As for the thick-cut fries, they were crispy with plenty of soft potato goodness inside.  Milhouse, on the other hand, did order the Sockeye Salmon with lemon butter and fries.  It turned as good as my trout where it was flaky and not dried-out.  It sported an excellent sear on both sides including crispy skin.  Similarly to the other dishes so far, the salmon was not longing for any flavour as it was properly seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon butter.

Chill opted for the Grilled Halibut with garlic butter and fries.  From its appearance and ultimately its texture, the halibut was definitely fresh.  With whole flakes and a surprising butteriness, the fish was flawlessly prepared.  It featured an appealingly crisp sear as well as being seasoned fully.  For dessert, the 2 choices were carrot cake and Chocolate Oblivion.  We knew they weren't made in-house, but decided to try the latter anyways.  With 3 layers consisting of ganache, mousse and cake, there was different textures at work.  The cake ate pretty firm where it was surprisingly semi-sweet.  It didn't scream out chocolate either despite the visuals, yet it was decent nonetheless.  However, if we focus on the fish only, the place truly lives up to its name with masterfully prepared fresh fish.

The Good:
- Fresh seafood
- They know how to cook it
- Generally seasoned properly

The Bad:
- Is a bit pricey, but the quality justifies it