Woodhouse Fish Company

  

Having two locations in San Francisco makes this restaurant, specializing in seafood, twice as good. My introduction to it came about through a contest on Foodspotting.com . Working my way through 32 restaurants, ordering a specific dish from each to photograph, I was relieved to eat something as simple and familiar as fish & chips. I liked it well enough to explore the menu a bit further within a month of my first visit to their Market Street restaurant. My second trip, and those since, was to their Fillmore Street location. The decor is a bit less inspired by a crab shack and more visually appealing. In truth, I really covet the squid sculpture that hangs above the entrance door. 

A two piece basket of their light and flakey deep fried cod with French fries was very filling, and I’m not certain I could actually eat more, but it is available for anyone needing it. Fish was placed over a generous serving of fries and came with a small cup of coleslaw, a small serving of tarter sauce and a metal bucket filled with condiments including ketchup, Tabasco sauce, and most importantly malt vinegar and salt. How the British came up with that idea might make for a good Google search. All I know is that it really tastes good especially on impeccably fresh fish with crisp fries.

A simple Iceberg wedge with a blue cheese dressing makes their salad an old classic, but the toast and tomatoes take it a step further. In truth, I found the bread a bit odd. Was I supposed to break it into croutons? The Woodhouse combination clam chowder was enlightening, as it was new to me. It was a clever way to create a 3rd soup option for the menu. Definitely a good taste and once stirred together, a beautiful color. My recollection is a bit faint, but I do recall tasting a spice that was not usual for a clam chowder no matter what style. It was distinctive and now I’m compelled to try it again, not a problem, in order to report back. It may have been cinnamon, but I’ll edit this post later when it’s known for certain. Whatever it was, the addition made the chowder all the better and original. You won’t find it elsewhere.

How does a lobster roll sound? No visitor from the West to the Northeast could ever have imagined that a good lobster roll could be found in California. That’s probably why we eat so many of them when we’re on the other coast. Thanks to efficient, timely transportation services, and the will to import them, Maine lobsters make the transcontinental crossing, so Woodhouse can serve them  to their customers, and on the proper shaped roll too. Woodhouse Fish Company should be in business for a very long time because this is a restaurant that really wants to please clientele, and it seems they do it effortlessly. Even at Fish in Sausalito, there are only crab rolls.

Did I just say “only” crab rolls, as if they were poor relations? That was purely unintentional, I assure you. The Dungeness crab rolls are spectacular in their own right, fresh as a sea creature can be, they are served up on the same roll used for the lobster. They are anointed with just the slightest amount of mayonnaise, with such a light hand, that I may just be imagining it. Did you notice the “take out” box? These make a spur of the moment picnic like no other! But the fish and chips would be just as much fun at less than half the price.

  

Ah, but we’re not done with the rolls yet. On my last visit the daily special board listed a soft shell crab sandwich and I bit, hook, line, and  sinker. It was delicious with the added feature of being served warm on the toasted roll. The crab barely fit into the roll and I needed to encourage it back in several times. It was so good, I still find myself perusing these photos from time to time in a nostalgic state of bliss. Did I mention that it came with bacon? You can see it peeking out between the roll and the soft shelled crab.

 

Here’s your chance to make a selection, go ahead and pick something! Besides sandwiches, salads and soups they have a lovely selection of grilled and baked fish.

Woodhouse Fish Company Website

2073 Market St, San Francisco CA 94114 11:30a.m. – 9:30p.m. daily (10p.m. F&S ) 1914 Fillmore St, San Francisco CA 94115 11:30a.m. –10p.m. daily (10:30p.m. F&S) Walk-ins only, call for daily specials (415) 437-CRAB (2722)