This weekend I checked out Flying Fish. This is a combination restaurant, oyster bar and fresh fish marketplace. They specialize in fresh fish and oysters, and have a nice little menu plus a nice patio to sit and enjoy your food. With a good selection of beer and wine and cocktails, this is a great place to enjoy lunch or dinner. In the old People’s Pig spot on East Burnside and 30th. I believe Flying Fish used to be a food cart long ago at the original Hawthorne carts and I used to enjoy going there. Now they have evolved into their current state. I hear it gets busy at the expected times on weekends, especially when the weather is nice. I went on a Sunday around 3 and got a table right away.

I ordered the fish and chips of course (option of 3 or 4 piece). Fish and Chips is one of my favorite meals, when done right it can be transcendent. And they do theirs right. They opt for wild PNW Rockfish, which is different than the traditional cod or halibut. The batter is on the light side, which can make it fall apart when dipping in the tartar. The rockfish was light and flaky, without too much of a “fishy” flavor. Very well done. Their fries (or jojos) were well done as well, good size and well seasoned. I thought where they really shined was both the homemade tartar sauce and the slaw. That might be the best tartar sauce I’ve had, generous amount of dill, which I love. Tartar sauce is so key to fish and chips. Also their slaw was really tasty, and different than most places. Again, slaw is key to an order of fish and chips, a lot of places make pretty bland slaw. Here at Flying Fish it is refreshing, tangy and a bit spicy, and excellent foil to the rich fish and chips. They make theirs with kale, cabbage, a lot of cilantro and I think a bit of jalapeno for kick. I appreciate the plating on a wood plate as well. Horse Brass is still my ride or die for fish and chips in town, but this place is coming in high on the list. I give it a 9/10.