Calgary has a rich culture of delicious local restaurants and Big Fish (1112 Edmonton Trail NE) is no exception to that. Delicious seafood paired with a casual yet upscale atmosphere and friendly service made for a highly enjoyable experience.
My first impression was that the building itself was pleasantly warm, which made my experience that much better because I get cold really easily so I was able to actually take my jacket off. Secondly, as much as I’m a fan of ambient lighting, I do think that Big Fish took it a little bit too seriously. It was too dark and even another candle per table could have made it that much better. This was mostly problematic for when I was taking pictures, but wasn’t a big deal when I was eating. During the day, the big windows would make it nice and bright but at night it was too dark inside and a little brightening up would have made it better.
Our server was very pleasant and didn’t mind that I took a really long time to decide what I wanted (I’m really indecisive, okay!), not to mention was very accommodating when I asked to see the menu again so I could write down what we ate. Overall, the service was everything I could have asked for and no less.
The menu had a nice variety of seafood, as well as a small selection of dishes which would appeal to people who don’t eat/enjoy seafood as much. As starters, I had mussels and Crab Bacon Potato Smoked Cheddar Spring Rolls (which were from the daily specials from what I recall). The mussels were really juicy, not too salty and the white wine in which they were steamed made for great bread dipping. On the other hand, the spring rolls were quite unconventional, but were a breath of fresh air. You can never go wrong with bacon.
As for my main entrée, I had the seared Wild Salmon which was served on crispy polenta with flat leaf parsley lobster beurre and sturgeon caviar. The salmon was very tender and well-seasoned, but there was a bit too much lobster beurre, which made the whole dish a bit saltier than I would have liked. The polenta was crispy on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside, which I adored. Finally, I was expecting to be able to see the caviar, but after further inquiry, I found out that it was placed around the dish and I just couldn’t see it. Overall, my main course was very good.
For dessert, I caved in to my sweet tooth and ordered Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie. Words cannot even begin to describe just how delicious it was. The crust was light and flaky, the pecan filling was very sweet, but not too sweet and the Vanilla bean mousse on top cut the sweetness very nicely. If I wasn’t so full, I may have gone for another helping.
Although it was a more expensive meal, the portions were very filling and did not leave any room for more. It wasn’t like one of those pretentious fancy restaurants where you pay an arm and a leg and get only enough to feed a small child. I was not the person paying, but had I been the one with the chequebook, I would not have had a problem with what I would have had to pay considering the quality and quantity of what I was served.
All in all, Big Fish was a big hit. I really like seafood and I enjoyed every bit of my meal, even if there were some minor details I may have changed. I would wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant to anyone wishing to try a local place serving up some pretty killer seafood. Visit their website here to see preview the menu and make bookings.