The San Francisco Bay Guardian’s Paul Reidinger stopped by Weird Fish, “a distinctly Mission-style seafood joint.” In a fairly laudatory review, he remarks on the surprising lack of “weird fish” (was he expecting this?) yet appreciates the stress on sustainability, as well as the audacity to strongly season the fish:
Seafood takes far better to spicy handling than conventional wisdom — with its delicate sauces of butter, shallots, and white wine — seems to understand, and Weird Fish isn’t afraid of laying it on. A catfish po’boy ($7) wouldn’t be much without its bayou-style rémoulade, just a slab of breaded, deep-fried fish filet on soft bread. But the sweet heat of the sauce, essentially a mayonnaise reinforced with mustard and cayenne, provided enough voltage to power the sandwich. For an extra $2.50 you can get a side of fries — a blend of potato and yam sticks — but, given the scale of the handsomely bronzed stack, sharing is a thought to consider. Salting up is another. In this connection, the vegetarian black-bean chili ($3 for a cup) deserves a mention; it was dotted with corn niblets and was excellent in a mild-mannered way once a few good licks from the saltshaker had been applied. A few good licks of chipotle pepper would have been nice too, but I didn’t see that shaker.
In the end, Weird Fish seems to occupy a unique little niche in the San Francisco dining scene. It’s got the personality of the Mission (read: hipster) and the feel of a modern eatery. As Reidinger concludes, “It is not the obvious descendant of such old-timers as Tadich Grill and Sam’s, nor is it the clear relation of such temples of luxe as Farallon and Aqua — but it does, perhaps, have some wisdom to impart to these august places despite being a whippersnapper.” [SFBG]
The rest of the reviews, post-jump.
Michael Bauer heads to Oakland and bequeaths an enthusiastic(“a destination for discriminating diners everywhere”) three stars upon Wood Tavern, the Tablehopper discovers the perfect place for a first date at Mission Beach Cafe, Amanda Gold checks out San Rafael’s Apadana and the Chowhounds really, really like Burmese food at Larkin Express Deli.
[Photo courtesy: Flickr]
