Entertainment

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Friday, October 30, 2009 Tin Fish: Mukilteo restaurant will warm and fill you up By Jessi Loerch Herald Writer I think I’ve finally accepted that fall has arrived. Denial is no longer working. I’ve pulled out my warm clothes and even worn a hat a few days. While I’m mourning the end of the glorious summer, I’m celebrating the things that fall brings. Best of all are long, leisurely meals full of friends and laughter. We had our first big fall dinner at Tin Fish in Mukilteo recently. We chose a perfect spot for our gathering. Six of us gathered at a big, round table. Our group of friends hadn’t been in one place for a couple of months and it felt good to be together in a cozy restaurant on a rainy October evening. As we all settled in, our server brought out chips with pico de gallo on the side. “A little treat for you,” he said. It was. The chips were hot, fresh and thick. The corn and flour mixture makes for an excellent start to a meal. We chewed on those while telling stories and trying to decide what to eat. I ordered mini crab cakes ($7.50) to start us off. Along with the chips, there was enough for us to share all around. The crab cakes were a hit with everyone. I enjoyed that the fried outer edge of the cakes held together well. I love crab cakes and I appreciated not having to chase tiny crumbs all over my plate. For the main course, I settled on the shrimp taco plate ($7.95). The taco was a great value. The taco itself was really large, nearly a burrito rather than a taco. The taco can be ordered by itself or as a plate with fries and coleslaw. If you’re feeling hungry, you can order a two taco plate. Prices are reasonable, especially for the size of the tacos. The cost ranges from $4.29 for a single cod taco to $14.50 for the double halibut taco plate. A nice detail that I appreciated is that the fish in the taco can be ordered grilled or deep-fried. My taco came with a generous serving of delicious fries, which are made at the restaurant. The coleslaw was also good, without the cloying sweet taste that ruins too many coleslaws. I added a little vinegar to mine — I love malt vinegar — and it was even better. I tried a small bite of the fish and chips, which I enjoyed. The fried fish was lightly crisp without being greasy. I’d like to pick some up before I catch the ferry the next time I go to Whidbey Island. It would make a lovely ferry meal. My friend pointed out that a good fish place needs really good sides to go along with the fish. “You can only do so much with fish,” he said. “Good amenities really make it.” Tin Fish certainly offers that. The fries are delicious, some thick, some thin, with a lot of real potato flavor. Add malt vinegar for the true fish-and-chips experience. The crab cake po’boy ($8.95) my friend ordered came with a hearty bread that held up well as he enjoyed the sandwich. As the meal finally wound down, we went back to talking and laughing in earnest. We admired the paintings on the wall, by local artist Rolf Oversee. As we slowly wandered out into the night, the rain didn’t seem so bad. We were all warm, full and happy to have shared a happy meal together. Tin Fish 204 Lincoln Ave., Mukilteo; 425-353-9549 Specialty: Seafood Hours: 11 a.m. Tuesday through Thurday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday; noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, noon to8 p.m. Sunday. Price range: Inexpensive to moderate Accepts credit cards: Yes Alcohol: Beer, wine, some liquor READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

1. Trooper rear-ended by suspected drunk driver north of Tulalip 2. Marysville accident backs up I-5 for miles 3. Democrats split over choice for Snohomish County prosecuting attorney 4. Damage persists after off-roading ban in Reiter Foothills 5. Snohomish County stores dangle discounts to grab shoppers 6. New Age of extra income 7. Thanksgiving tradition flourishes at Everett church 8. Transformed Silvertip 9. Toys that reflect racial diversity haled as ‘about time’ 10. Tips for Christmas-tree buying in Snohomish County 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Ruling in the pool • Holiday Lightings & Santa Sightings • Archbishop Murphy takes title • A season of performing arts • Budget numbers have official fuming • Wildcats move on to 2A semifinals • Holiday Bazaars & Fairs Calendar • Edmonds’ Westgate Chapel serves up hospitality for holiday • Mavericks fall • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million