The month of May marks the two year milestone for Fishbar (Twitter: @_fishbar, Facebook: Fishbar). Fishbar on Ossington is a proud partner of Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Wise Program and serves a seasonally-evolving sustainable seafood menu. To celebrate its second birthday, Fishbar revamped its menu with a host of new and exciting dishes. I was invited to their media tasting last week to sample some of the restaurant's latest plates.
To execute the new dishes and evolution of Fishbar, owners William Tavares (left) and Renata Andreazza (right) have enlisted Chef Miro Lelas. The Croation chef's background includes stints as Chef de Cuisine at Rosewater Supper Club and Catering Chef at Atlantis Pavilions.
The front of the restaurant lets in a lot of natural light. Love that.
The back of Fishbar
"Fish-centric" art.
DRINKS
Octopussy Martini
Vodka or gin, dry vermouth, oyster brine, and fresh shocked oyster
STARTERS
Oysters
Anchovy Crostini with caramelized onions and an olive and lemon gremolata on a thin crostini
FIRST COURSE
Tuna Sashimi with toasted almond and mango slaw, radish, sesame seeds and soy glaze
Ecuadorian Tilapia Ceviche with pineapple and chili salsa and avocado oil
SECOND COURSE
Spiced Lentil Salad with lobster creme fraiche, micro greens and crispy papadum
Wild Pacific Salmon Tartare with pickled cucumbers, hot ginger, tempura vidalia onions and sweet basil aioli
SECOND COURSE REPRISE
Oysters Rockefeller with smoked bacon, arugula, Permod cream and Grana Padano
INTERMEZZO
Apple and Campari Sorbet
THIRD COURSE
Maple Miso Glazed Wild Pacific Salmon with poached teardrop tomatoes, asparagus and sweet pea sauce
Diver Caught Sea Scallops with cumin and coriander roasted pork belly, apple chutney and sesame-soy dressing
FOURTH COURSE
Rowe Farms Grilled "Petite Tender" and Lobster topped with truffle-scented hollandaise sauce
Sicilian Gnocchi with freshwater prawn, shiitake mushrooms, wilted arugula and first cold pressed olive oil
DESSERT TRIO
White Chocolate Mascapone Mousse with espresso soaked lady fingers
Lemon Curd with vanilla cream and shortbread crumble
Caramel and Coffee Gelato with cinnamon foam
served with White Port
I think Fishbar's new menu is a vast improvement compared to its original one. My dinner at Fishbar a year and a half ago wasn't anything spectacular. In fact, my friends and I thought it was good but definitely not great. However, after sampling Fishbar's new menu last week, I can say with certainty that the restaurant is going in the right direction. The new dishes, in my opinion, are much more thoughtful and refined compared to before. Dishes that I wouldn't mind having seconds were 1) the thinly sliced tuna sashimi with a refreshing and beautiful mango & radish slaw, 2) the lentil salad w/ lobster creme fresh in a thin & crispy Indian papadum (great textures here), 3) the apple and Campari sorbet was a perfect palette cleanser, 4) the maple miso glazed salmon (I never order salmon at a restaurant but I'm glad I tried this one 'cause it was really tender and moist..not dry at all), 5) the large and plump scallops with a sweet apple chutney and lastly, 6) the dessert trio, my favourite being the lemon curd which had a creamy tang and a shortbread crunch. It was a delightful dessert in a glass.
Also worth noting is Fishbar's Happy Hour from Fridays to Sundays, 3:30pm to 5pm, with $4 beer and $5 wine specials, alongside $1.35 Malpeque oysters ($16 for a dozen). On Wednesdays, guests are invited to enjoy their own wine with no corkage fee in exchange for a minimum $2 donation to the Ocean Wise Program.
Also worth noting is Fishbar's Happy Hour from Fridays to Sundays, 3:30pm to 5pm, with $4 beer and $5 wine specials, alongside $1.35 Malpeque oysters ($16 for a dozen). On Wednesdays, guests are invited to enjoy their own wine with no corkage fee in exchange for a minimum $2 donation to the Ocean Wise Program.
*This meal was complimentary. The opinions and views expressed on this post are my own*
