The Granville Entertainment District has meant many things to me over the years. In high school we’d come to Vancouver from Kelowna to shop and pick up numerous pairs imported black cloth sandals made cheaply in China, probably the only non-designer thing we wore. We knew you could score “pot, shrooms or acid” outside McDonald’s from the calls of the drug dealers as we walked by (frequently) in a fit of giggles. In University we gave it a miss preferring the more “alternative” clubs such as the Ghandi Dancer and Luv-A-Fair, and in later years, I have to admit, we’d end up at the Roxy after serving shifts when it was the only thing busy on a school night and the city’s major pick up joint. I think greyhounds or some sort of cheap industrial cider were my drink drink of choice then.

 

The strip has played host to many nightclubs and restaurants. A few “higher end” types have opened and shortly thereafter closed, it seems still to be ruled by pizza joints, falafel huts and the odd cool diner. When the highly successful Glowbal Group ventured out of Yaletown onto Granville they launched Sanafir, a clubby restaurant with a flashy middle eastern interior. Sanafir served variety of ethnic cuisines and it was frequented by high rollers and those following the city’s trends. You could get bottle service up on the beds on the top floor and despite how really uncomfortable it was to drink on a bed, I spent a few pretty rad nights there.

As the trend followers moved on to the newest spots and the fashion of showy dining slowed, the Glowbal Group switched things up a bit and reinvented the room as the Fish Shack, a casual seafood-centric room. From the buzz in the room during my last few visits, it seems they’ve made the right choice.

Recently we went for lunch at The Fish Shack and of course started with some fresh oysters. Do note that the Fish Shack does buck-a-shuck on select oysters daily from 3-6 pm; 3 hours of happy, not just one.

The menu is varied as is the crowd and while seafood-focused there’s lots for meat lovers including steak, burgers and tacos. We tried some surf and turf gyoza with pork and shrimp, the buffalo shrimp tacos with just the right amount of kick and a serving of the seafood poutine, which tastes far better than it looks below.

The burgers are tasty with nice fresh buns and stocked full of meaty goodness; I’ll have to come back to fully enjoy. I just now noticed a filet-of-fish shack sandwich and the oyster poor boy as I glance over the menu which are calling out to me right this minute. I’ll report back on that and the steamers, mussels, clams or both in a variety of broths. There’s much to be had at Fish Shack for someone so very found of ocean bounty.

Just as we were about to leave Chef Craig Scherer appeared with an Asian-influenced dish of whole fish atop a salad with spuds, ginger and fresh herbs a dish that should now be on the regular menu. Healthy greens dressed with flavours of the tenderly cooked fish were a nice finale to the meal, although I could only manage one or two bites.

Menu tasting can be difficult and there’s never room for everything, hence I must also return for that sticky toffee pudding.