VanFoodies.com

Overview

Who would’ve known grilled oysters with coleslaw all wrapped up in a soft taco shell would be so damn delicious? I certainly didn’t before Red Fish Blue Fish.

Red Fish Blue Fish is a little Fish & Chips stand located on the pier in the heart of downtown Victoria. It’s below street level and not easy to find, but the line up starts well before lunch time and extends into late afternoon. According to them, the seafood they serve is 100% Oceanwise (if you don’t know what that is, google it). They also have an earth friendly reuse and recycle system, using wooden utensils and paper products instead of plastic.

The Shack

A fateful day couple years ago, I had the good fortune of stuffing myself with all you can eat fish & chips. For days after it felt like I had downed a few pitchers of grease, except chunkier.  And for a long time I stayed away from fish & chips. But as they say, time heals all wounds; since then I can once again enjoy these deep-fried goodness.

What went in

The Food

Jo and I shared a piece of salmon, a piece of halibut (they gave me 2 for my incredible charisma), and a couple BBQ Fanny Bay Oyster Tacones.

Let me just start by saying grilled oysters in tacones are bloody awesome (note the British accent)! I’m not a huge fan of oysters, but I prefer them cooked over raw. Somehow, grilling them, and putting them in a soft taco shell with coleslaw brings out all the good flavours, and suppresses all the fishy vomit inducing ones.

The halibut was good, but it’s of the “I’ve had it before” variety. The batter was nice and crisp on the outside, and not overly seasoned. The halibut was meaty and moist. I’ve never had salmon with fish and chips before, and I think I’ve missed out. The salmon meat is soft and flaky, and in my opinion works much better with the tartar sauce than cod or halibut. This is definitely going to be the fish of my choice for frying for now on.

The chips were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They were seasoned similarly to the batter, and abundant.

What came out

At $16.50 for the fish and chips and $10 for two tacones, this wasn’t cheap, especially considering it’s sold from a stand. Sure the quality of the food was great, but I’m sure the hype of the place is what sustains their pricing.

Service

The cashier was friendly enough and (Jo don’t read this) pretty easy on the eyes. But in the end of the day it’s a stand. I wouldn’t even call it service.

Conclusion

Great food—simple but delicious. I’m not crazy about the price tag, but overall I’d say give it a try if you are ever in Victoria.

Rating
(Max Score: 10; Base Score: 5)

What went in (+/-2, 0) = 2
What came out (+/-1, 0) = 0
Service (+/-1, 0) = 0
Mr.’s Bonus (+/-1) = 1

Total Score – 8/10