Sherman's Food Adventures: Supermarine

Supermarine

*Restaurant is now closed*

A long time ago, no not in a galaxy far away...  Rather, in Kits there was a late night spot named Abigail's Party.  We visited the place one day after Friday night hockey where we were greeted to a club-like atmosphere that was almost as pitch black as Dark Table.  We never did see what we were eating nor could we hear each other.  It was only after that we looked at the pictures and figured out what our dishes looked like.  Fast forward to the present and Supermarine had taken over the spot offering a simple menu featuring plenty of fresh seafood (and more light).  Sean and I dropped by to check it out.

Since we arrived during happy hour, we were able to snag 2 snack items for half off. The first to arrive was the Prawn Tacos sporting beautifully prepared Argentinian prawns.  These were meaty and naturally sweet with a taste of the sea.  The grilled tortillas held up well to the moisture of the slightly spicy pablano salsa verde.  Add in the acidity of lime and pickled onions as well as the crunch from the roasted peanuts, this was pretty complete in terms of texture and taste.  We also got the Fish Sticks which were actually croquettes consisting of potato and smoked fish.  These were crunchy with minimal grease.  I enjoyed the soft potato, but wished there was more fish.  When I found some, they were smoky and tender.  On the side was a lightly spicy jalapeno aioli.

Moving onto the actual appies, we got the both the Octopus Ceviche and Tuna Crudo. Bright, acidic and lightly sweet, the ceviche was large in portion and big on impact.  Tender with an appealing chew, the sweet octopus was completely marinated in the tart lime juice.  Textural variation was provided by the crunchy cucumber and red onion bits as well as the creamy and smooth avocado puree spiked with cilantro.  This was accompanied by crispy plantain chips.  I really wanted to like the Tuna Crudo, but the fried chili vinaigrette was far too potent and completely overwhelmed the delicate buttery tuna.  Adding to the acidity (which was already too strong) were orange segments and pickled fennel.  On the other hand, I loved the puffed wild rice as it added crunch and nuttiness.

For our larger plates, we foolishly ordered the Ling Cod Banh Mi.  As you can see in the picture, it was more like a ling cod burger.  This was key as the lack of a crusty baguette made a big difference.  The dense brioche bun took away from the fish.  In fact, the pickled onions, carrots and slaw all served to hide the cod. Moreover, the fish itself was blackened with a smoky and spicy rub that was too strongOn the flipside, the Royale with Cheese (say that Pulp Fiction style!) was money.  We found the burger patty to be nicely charred while still moist and somewhat juicy.  The sweetness of the caramelized onions combined with the salty crunch from the bacon as well as the aged cheddar made for a textural and flavour delight.  Even the thick-cut fries were money being firmly crunchy with the natural texture of potato.  Banh Mi withstanding, the rest of the dishes featured fresh and well-prepared seafood that were subjected to impactful flavours.  It was a double-edged sword though as somethings got lost in the process.

The Good:
- Fresh seafood prepared right
- Impactful flavours
- Friendly and warm service

The Bad:
- Some flavours overwhelmed the delicate ingredients
- Banh Mi needed a real baguette
    

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