RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK
A PERSONAL REVIEW OF RESTAURANTS AROUND THE WORLD

A KETTLE OF FISH
VANCOUVER, B.C.

There are many excellent dining choices in Vancouver on the west coast of Canada but this one's our favorite.

As the restaurant's name would suggest, this place specializes in fresh fish although you can also find steaks and chicken.  For salad lovers, you'll find a nice selection to choose from.  The appetizers are great and include a tasty and chunky fish soup (red base) and a traditional cream based clam chowder.  I started my meal with a little bucket of steamed manila clams.  Wunderbar! My wife had the fish soup and raved about it.

On another visit to the restaurant my wife and I started off with a whole Dungeness crab (off the entrée menu) divided in two as an appetizer.  A bit luxurious but hey, you only live once!  This is a perfect starter for us since I love the meat out of the legs and claws and my wife craves the internal lump meat.

The atmosphere is really "homey" with lots of plants and flowers.  The waiters are helpful, courteous, quick and seem to genuinely enjoy being employed here.

I would say the signature dish here is the wild salmon from British Columbia waters.  Personally, I selected the halibut and it was wonderful and simply prepared, as I requested.

We used to live in the San Francisco Bay Area of California and got hooked on a fishermen's stew there called cioppino  and they had something similar at this place called  "West Coast Bouillabaisse."  My wife had it on one visit and it was great.  On a second visit she went with the salmon and it was perfect, too.

Winding down I gave into temptation and ordered a cheese plate.  My wife enjoyed some profiteroles.  Both were good.

From our two visits, we can highly recommend A Kettle of Fish!

They're located at 900 Pacific Street.  They do take reservations (a good idea, believe me!) and their phone number is (604) 682-6661.

ADDITIONAL RESTAURANT REVIEWS FROM CANADA:

Bangkok Garden - Toronto, Ontario
Chandler's Seafood Restaurant - Victoria, B.C.
Fine Kettle of Fish - Niagara Falls, Ontario
Floata Seafood Restaurant - Vancouver, B.C.
Joe Fortes - Vancouver, B.C.
Hy's Encore - Vancouver, B.C.
Keg Steakhouse & Bar - Niagara Falls, Ontario
Mamma Teresa - Ottawa, Ontario
Milos - Montreal, Quebec
Moulinere - Quebec City, Quebec
TBQ - Tunnel Barbecue - Windsor, Ontario