The Salmon House has been a (West) Vancouver mainstay for 45 years, which is a lifetime by today’s restaurant standards. In that time, they’ve accumulated numerous accolades, including positive word from the likes of the Vancouver Sun, VanFoodies.com, Lonely Planet and North Shore News, to...name but a few. While I don’t often agree with the critics and pundits, I do think Lonely Planet gets it right with respect to Salmon House: An “old-school destination restaurant” that “doesn’t rest on its laurels.” Indeed, far from coasting on its name recognition, Salmon House delivers a classic seafood-based menu with little to no fuss!
I first became aware of Salmon House in 2010. At the time, I flagged it as a “must try” place by virtue of its association with other restaurants in the Geoff Howes group – Aqua Riva (closed in 2011) and Horizons (closed in 2020); however, I failed to note the “West” in Vancouver (an area I don’t frequent). Thus, visiting this establishment fell on the backburner for the better part of 11 years . . . odd how it took a pandemic for me to decide “now’s the time!”
Anyway, the family and I attended Salmon House for dinner in the final week of August. The hostess was pleasant and showed us to our table – a lovely booth near the impressive floor-to-ceiling windows. Upon being seated, I couldn’t help but be drawn to the deck and thus made my way outside to enjoy the unobstructed cliff-top city views of Vancouver. Walking outside, Burrard Inlet and Stanley Park immediately grab your attention and highlight, only too clearly, why Salmon House has become a destination restaurant for many: The setting can’t be beat and the food highlights some of BC’s best.
Reviewing the menu at Salmon House, it’s clear the focus is on fresh (seasonal) BC seafood and that, to me, is exciting. Why place emphasis on elsewhere when there’s so much to offer in our own beautiful Province? That said, we ordered a number of different items. To start, we had the homemade bread, Pan-Seared Scallops, Chili Prawn Spring Rolls, and a Caesar Salad. For our mains, we ordered the Salmon House Chowder, Lobster Pappardelle and the Seafood Tower for 2 (can you tell we were hungry?).
I won’t comment on each and every item, but there were some definite highlights:
House-Made Bread: I know it seems almost silly to comment on bread, but Salmon House’s ability to execute something so simple so well highlights, in the clearest possible way, their tendency towards a high quality product. The bread was warm and soft and came served with a beautiful smoked salmon butter. The salmon flavour was prominent, worked well with the bread and provided a preview of the deliciousness yet to come.
Pan-Seared Scallops: These were $6.50 each and came with an eggplant tomato confit, candied salmon (atop the scallop), Basil pesto and micro greens. We enjoyed the scallops – they were cooked to perfection and their presentation was spot-on; however, I do feel they might’ve been a little pricey for their size.
Chili Prawn Spring Rolls: Utilizing a simple and straightforward presentation, the ingredients were able to take center stage. The passion fruit vinaigrette worked well with the prawn and its accompanying fennel slaw.
Salmon House Chowder: Served in the Manhattan style, the House Chowder came loaded with fish, complemented by shrimp, carrots, celery and onions. It was hearty – as any good chowder should be – and highlighted some of Salmon House’s best qualities, namely their skill at bringing together a plethora of flavours into a single, delicious soup.
Seafood Tower for 2: Designed for those who’d like a bit of everything, the seafood tower gives you chilled and grilled fish as well as the “seafood feast bowl.” It’s a lot of food – I’d argue more than enough for even 3 people – but it places a strong emphasis on both fish and shellfish, making them the central ingredients. No fancy fillers here!
I’d be remiss if I failed to mention the service we received over the course of dinner. In short, it was exceptional. Our server checked in regularly – though not enough to be intrusive – to ensure everything was to our liking. Importantly, too, our water and beverage glasses were never left empty. Salmon House clearly understands the value of good customer service and the role it plays in the overall dining experience.
FOOD: 5/5
SERVICE: 5/5
VALUE: 5/5
RECOMMENDATION: With its relaxed atmosphere, superlative service and outstanding food, Salmon House has demonstrated how and why it’s been around for 45 years. The menu is straightforward BC-inspired seafood, but the execution is deceptively complex. The end result is an experience not soon forgotten. My only regret? That it took me 11 years to finally get here!
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