Dining review: Sustainable seafood still the hook at Fish
Fish restaurant, on the water’s edge of Harbor Drive in Sausalito with views of Belvedere and Richardson Bay, is known for its searing commitment to serving only über-sustainable fish and seafood. The single-minded vision of co-owners Kenny Belov and Bill Foss to serve no seafood below Belov’s exacting standards is terrific for the future of our oceans and our food supply, but tells you just the beginning of this fish story.
Open since 2004, the restaurant offer fish and seafood in an unadorned, formerly industrial space with a warm, homey vibe. Order food and drink at the front or pick up fish to cook at home at the adjoining market counter.
To walk into Fish is to walk into a casual, harborside joint as might be found in Wiscasset, Maine, or Valparaiso, Chile, or Valencia, Spain. Blues and classic rock standards tumble from the loudspeakers and soften the scrape of picnic table benches across concrete floors. Bathrooms are outside and around the corner from the patio. Payment is cash only. Wine is served in unlidded canning jars. Families of all sizes are welcome.
A glass fireplace in one corner adds ambience and needed warmth on a foggy summer afternoon. It feels like a fisherman of any class with any size boat could walk into Fish in his work clothes, hose off his boots at the door and receive a warm greeting from the friendly staff. And you would be right.
In such a setting, you expect
the portions to be ample and the food to be home-style, free from swagger and boast. It is that and more, thanks to chef Chris Ball. Tuscan white bean and tuna salad ($15), flecked with shaved fennel, carrots and Kalamata olives, is lightly dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, and was enough food for four. Ceviche ($8 cup, $14 bowl) was dense and saucy with chunks of avocado, salmon and other fish, hints of citrus and cilantro and is served with a stack of sturdy tortilla chips. A cup of ceviche with a side of mayonnaise-free cole slaw would make a satisfying lunch.
Fish may best be known for its fish and chips ($23 for in-season halibut), an chef Ball hits it out of the park. The focus is deservingly on the flaky, tender halibut, cooked to perfection and served piping hot, neither heavily breaded nor soggy. Two slabs of halibut were perched atop a bed of steakhouse-style French fries, fluffy inside and slightly crisp on the outside. Tartar sauce? Yeah, it’s there, but it is unnecessary and not particularly flavorful next to that gorgeous halibut.
We chose tilapia over pasta for the daily fish grill (prices changes, $17 the day we visited) and were happily surprised to find the olive oil-dressed pasta studded with garlic and the nicely cooked tilapia gently infused with smoky oak notes. Oysters ($3 each), which also change daily — ours were Hog Island sweets — were lush and creamy, served with a tangy cilantro mignonette.
There was just one disappointment — the side order of cauliflower ($8), which at first glance appeared beautifully caramelized and was fragrant with fried lemon wheels and shaved Parmesan. But it was a soggy mess on the plate and disappointing on the palate. This plate, too, could feed a multitude.
Of course, there is a burger on the menu for the die-hard meat eater in every group. The dessert list is short and changes regularly — lemon meringue pie and chocolate pudding were recently offered — but why bother with these when the setting and the view demand another anchovy bruschetta ($12) and glass of wine?
Chef Ball, formerly of Yankee Pier (another conscientious seafood spot in Larkspur), is clearly comfortable working with great ingredients, and is able to enhance the natural flavor of his water-bound proteins by keeping the rest of the story simple — great ingredients beget great food.
Evidence abounds at Fish that care is taken with the food and the flavors are subtle yet classic. Many a chef have gone a long way with this approach to cooking. There is a reason this place is packed day-in and day-out — the food is good, the setting is beautiful and all-welcoming, and you drive away at meal’s end with your conscience a shade lighter.
A Marin raconteur and passionate cook, Christina Mueller Welter writes about food — restaurants, chefs, products and trends — for local and national publications among other industry clients. Send her a tweet @EatDrinkThink or an email at [email protected].
review
FISH
Address: 350 Harbor Drive, Sausalito
Phone: 331-FISH (3474)
Website: www.331fish.com/index.html
Cuisine: American Continental, seafood focus
Service: Counter
Noise level: Moderate
Recommended items: Fish and chips, daily fish grill, crab roll
Liquor selection: Beer and wine
Corkage: $15
Heart-healthy and vegetarian selections: Yes
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily; limited menu available between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.
Credit cards: Cash
Prices: $10 to $18
Summary: Known for its commitment to sustainable seafood, Fish serves American-style fish and seafood dishes with a welcoming vibe and little fuss. Portions are ample, service is friendly and efficient, and everyone is welcome to share a meal at one of the broad picnic tables inside or out on the patio.
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