Our threesome dinner club is ending, since L is moving to Fort McMurray for work. We had one last meal together, choosing Big Fish so we could have seafood with a bottle of white wine that L had saved for a special occasion. The bottle of wine was from 1999, and it travelled all the way from Australia with L when he moved here. The Semillon from Tyrrell’s Wines in Hunter Valley was buttery and complex – way better than I expected for an old bottle of white!
This was our first time at Big Fish, although I have been to its sister restaurant Open Range twice. I think it’s funny (or business savvy?) that the owners of Open Range (meat), Big Fish (fish & seafood), also run The Coal Shed (smoke house) and White Rose (vegetarian). They’re definitely covering all their bases!
Big Fish – the restaurant itself – is truly nothing to get excited about. With plain wood chairs and tables, it’s outdated and boring. Nondescript is a good description for it! But, the food that comes out of their very small kitchen is unique, good looking and very tasty! They smoke their own seafood, much of which we got to taste in the platter.
We shared the Smoked Oyster Po’Boy Sliders with lemon oyster mayo and house citrus seaweed slaw ($12). Three per serving, it was perfect for the three of us. A unique take on a slider, the very large smoked and fried oysters are served between 2 housemade potato chips. The chips crumbled a bit when eating them by hand, but it was neat that the dish focussed on the oysters by reducing the carb load.
We also shared the Seafood Platter with smoked oysters, house cured trout pate, char gravlax, smoked sturgeon, smoked mackerel and wood fired tomato chutney. It was served with bread crips, not in the photo. For $22 the dish kept us occupied and our tastebuds intrigued while we waited for our main courses (which did take a while). If you like smoked fish I’d recommend you try this. The wood fired tomato chutney was awesome, with a nice spicey kick to it.
C got the Chili Crusted BC Halibut with dill chimichurri and fresh asparagus ($32). The dish was very green, but quite tasty. I tried the halibut and it was well cooked, but I found it a little too salty. C called it ‘well seasoned’… I took a photo but it turned out blurry so I’m not going to share it. Sorry!
L got the Lamb & Lobster Burger with cambozola cheese, guacamole and oven dried tomato mango salsa for $25. I was so torn – I wanted this too! But, I figured I should have some kind of fish the first time coming to a restaurant called Big Fish! L said the burger was a bit overcooked but the pile of lobster on the burger made it a unique and tasty treat. They make their own ketchup here as well.
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