Our entrees arrived in a timely manner — just as we were finishing up our chowder. The salmon was smothered in a delicious maple glaze and sprinkled with mustard seeds. I found that the flavor imparted by the wood-fire process of cooking, combined with the glaze, produced a fresh-caught, straight-from-the-campfire experience — a highlight of my meal and one I will certainly return for. The red potatoes, three in all, were left whole, buttered and sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley. The vegetable medley contained broccoli, yellow squash, red bell pepper, carrots, and cauliflower which was cooked to a very soft texture. I am not a huge fan of a vegetable mix prepared this way in a restaurant — it cools off far too quickly once it leaves the heat. A lemon wedge was on the plate, as well. Given the extraordinary quality of the salmon, I thought that the potatoes and the vegetables were not quite up to par to be paired with it — the salmon could hold its own if the accompaniments had more pizzazz to them. My dining companion enjoyed the seared ahi tuna salad, which consists of mixed greens tossed with wasabi dressing and topped with pineapple, red bell pepper, avocado, oranges, and candied walnuts with Cajun seared ahi tuna sliced and placed at the corners of the plate. She said the salad was an appealing and balanced combination of flavors and appropriately sized for a lunchtime appetite.
Another meal highlight was the dessert. It was everything a cobbler should be. The marionberry filling was a thick, soupy consistency of berry goodness that was sweet throughout and pleasantly absent tangy berry pieces. A layer of pastry was baked atop the berry mixture and, although it was not flaky like a turnover pastry, it had a flavor very similar. Three scoops of vanilla ice cream sat atop and progressively melted into the cobbler from the heat, adding a creamy flavor to the dessert.
Menu highlights beyond what I tried: In addition to the Columbia River salmon, the razor clams are a popular choice at the Vancouver McGrath’s. Rainbow trout is served and comes fresh from Idaho. Another alder plank-cooked fish is basa, a firm, white fish with a mild flavor. It is prepared Parmesan crusted or Cajun grilled. The stuffed prawns, butterflied and filled with a seafood mixture, baked, and topped with a lobster beurre-blanc, sounded intriguing, as did the Seafood Astoria, which consists of grilled cod topped with crab meat, petite prawns, and mushrooms in a white wine cream sauce.
Atmosphere: The decor has a somewhat nostalgic feel because of the absence of modern and trendy ideas, though it is quite fitting and attractively conveys an experience befitting a well-established fish house.
