| We live on the Prairies, surrounded by grain farmers and cattle ranchers, and are resigned to our dining fate. For fresh seafood, we must pay exorbitant prices at restaurants decorated with disconcerting nets, plastic crustaceans and mermaids, or wait until our next trip to the coast. Unless, of course, you visit Calgary’s brand-spanking-new restaurant, where the prices may leave you wondering, "Hey, are we dining on some fish-abundant coast?"
No, you’re docked at 1112 Edmonton Trail N.E. (phone 277-3403), where Big Fish Dockside Food & Lounge promises to be one more restaurant success for food savvies Dwayne Ennest and his wife Alberta (already known for the neighbouring Diner Deluxe and Piato, among others).
At the urging of my dining partner, we dropped in on Big Fish on just its second day of business. However, you would never have known that based on the steady stream of customers and the smooth flow of food and drink. The 42-seat space offers two adjoining areas. Snuggle into the steamer-ship-style dining room with its antique walnut furniture from Inglewood, or slide up to the bar, lit with warehouse-style caged bulbs against a backdrop of whitewashed wood planked walls reminiscent of fishing boats, and be treated by the witty and well-informed bartender, Gary. We chose the latter from which to admire the beautiful artwork on loan from Alberta’s mother, Virginia Christopher of Virginia Christopher Fine Arts. As with each of their restaurants, Dwayne and Alberta select authentic decorative details that suggest, rather than clobber you with, a theme; we are invited into the ambience, not flung into it.
Within moments, we were presented with the most original drink list I’ve seen in awhile. Martinis (which cost "eight clams each") come in two categories: serious & whimsical. What isn’t fun about a martini made of bourbon with fresh grapefruit, late harvest Riesling and Turkish apricots? On the other hand, patrons can also smarten up with basil-infused vodka, an oven-dried tomato chip and a dash of the restaurant’s own Spiced Mary Mix. Impressed with the wine list put together by Alberta, we agreed to a suggested glass of wine, carefully paired with our first appetizer. Also appreciated was the simplicity of the wine list’s "two-tiered" (i.e. glass and bottle) pricing.
We sampled two kinds of fresh oysters ($2.75 each): Fanny Bay is a saltier oyster with a slight metallic taste. Lighter and more delicate is the Beau Soleil. The oysters are served with a choice of three sauces: lime black-pepper granita, warm caper chive mignonette (similar to vinaigrette, but made without oil) and four chili and tomato cocktail. Delicious!
Peering into our fresh East Coast mussels ($9), we were treated to a steamy facial of hard apple cider, leek and garlic flower that we immediately sopped up with fresh-baked bread. My friend enjoyed the smoked trout on wild rice blinis for the perfect balance of lemon zest in its herbed goat cheese. I preferred the house-cured organic salmon (yeah! Finally a farmed salmon raised on organic feed and no antibiotics) and sea scallop on arugula for the flavour and sheer size of the portion ($9).
Next was my favourite: snow-crab-stuffed portobello mushroom cap with snow-pea shoots ($11). It consists of savoury crab with a small nip of onion nestled into a crunchy green bed of snow peas, all atop a delicious meaty mushroom. Great care was taken in preparing the lobster bisque ($8) – a fresh stock of lobster, corn and saffron was reduced to perfection, and then served slightly chunky, displaying the kind of attention to culinary texture for which Dwayne is known.
We only made it through some of the appetizers. For my next stop at Big Fish I’m getting involved in the mix-and-match choices of "Surf and Turf" – that is, food from sea (lobster tail, salmon or prawns) and land (lamb, chicken, pork and steak), respectively.
Living in Calgary doesn’t mean we’re restricted to steak sandwiches, thanks to restaurateurs such as the Ennests, who travel about and bring home clever, ambient dining experiences that contribute to Calgary’s growing "big city" feel. They’ve brought us the past with Diner Deluxe, the Greek Mediterranean with Piato and now offer us the coast with Big Fish. Bravo! |
Copyright ©2005 FFWD. All rights reserved.