red fish blue fish.

Red Fish Blue Fish is pretty much a Victoria landmark up there with the Parliament buildings as far as I'm concerned. If you live in Victoria and haven't been... What? Get yourself there immediately before they close for the winter season on October 31. If you don't live in Victoria and haven't been... get yourself there immediately before they close for the winter season on October 31. Maybe even arrange a trip around it. Stranger things have been done.

 
Not convinced? Let me tell you why, in list format. Because I'm feeling lists this week.

1. Because it's so "West Coast." A tiny, completely eco-friendly shack on a dock in the inner harbour, serving up sustainable seafood caught fresh that day (you can literally see the fishing boats docked nearby).

It never loses its charm for me, and I've been going for years. 

 Judging by the ridiiiculous lineups at any hour of the day (see my disgruntled friend waiting at the front of one, below) which are a mix of tourists and hippie-ed out locals, a couple others feel the same way.

2. The tuna tacones. I could leave this point at that and once you'd tried one, you'd understand, but I'll elaborate. Fresh grill-seared albacore tuna wrapped up in a warm, grilled flour tortilla stuffed with crunchy slaw and pea shoots, lemon pickled onions and spot prawn infused mayo. These are to freakin' diiie for. For starters, the never-fishy, always fresh tuna literally melts on your tongue. It's buttery and light and seared medium rare to perfection. It is perfection. Wrapped up like the best present santa ever brought you.

The Grill Seared Albacore Tuna, above, remains my all time favourite (despite the fact that it's sooo un-photogenic). I recently tried the special of the day, a Toro (tuna belly) Tacone with shrimp, horseradish lime aioli, sriracha, slaw, peashoots and lemon pickled onions, below. While it was a nice change from my regular order and had a lot of flavour, the tuna was cooked through (lesson: always ask!) which took away from it, for me. When you're dealing with tuna this good, you want it rare. Even so, you can't go too wrong at Red Fish Blue Fish.

3. They have some pretty unreal seafood poutine. Perfectly-crispy, perfectly-salty hand cut, twice-fried Kennebec chips topped with local baby shrimp, smoked tuna belly 'bacon bits', crispy shallots, green onions and a miso-clam gravy. The smoked tuna belly bits are unbelievably delicious and the slightly sweet miso-clam gravy is flavourful and unique. A must try for seafood lovers who also happen to be poutine lovers.

And if you want to get real crazy like we did, have it (or anything, really) with the...

 

4. Candied salmonaise. Oh. My. Lord. Sadly, this little container may have given me the most butterflies of anything in this post. I've told you about my love for candied salmon. It's a sweet, smoky, juicy delicacy that's one of my favourite things B.C. has to offer. Mayo... is also one of my favourite things that life has to offer. Red Fish Blue Fish combines the two. And I could eat it with a spoon every day for the rest of my existence. I know I always talk about sauces and mayos, but this is one of the best and craziest combos I've tried. Don't just listen to me wax poetic. Try it for yourself.

5. Oh, and also? Their Pacific Rim Chowder, with chipotle coconut, sweet corn and and sweet garlic'd Pacific white fish confit is the bomb.

I'm gonna round this list that could go on forever off at 5, because I like round numbered lists. Capiche?

Go, go, go, go, GO!

P.S. Sometimes when we're feeling really rebellious, we bring wine in thermoses to drink on the dock with our dinner. Shhhh!

Red Fish Blue Fish

1006 Wharf Street (at the foot of Broughton on the pier below Wharf Street) 

Victoria, BC
250-298-6877

www.redfish-bluefish.com