Introducing: The Happy Hooker, a new fish sandwich and taco shop on Dundas West

Introducing: The Happy Hooker, a new fish sandwich and taco shop on Dundas West

Introducing: Happy Hooker

Name: The Happy Hooker
Neighbourhood: Trinity-Bellwoods
Contact info: 887 Dundas St. W., 647-769-4243, happyhookerfish.ca, @HappyhookerTDOT
Owner and Chef: Attilio Pugliese, previously of King West sandwich shop Tavolino and Queen Margherita Pizza.

The food: Fish sandwiches, tacos and other snacks, all made from sustainable seafood. The sandwiches include a blue marlin burger ($9) and a buttermilk oyster slider ($4), and the tacos come in grouper, shrimp, California Baja–style ($3.50 each) and organic tofu ($3 each) variations. There’s also fish and chips ($9) and shrimp corn dogs ($6 for two). Fans of the departed Tavolino will be happy to know that shop’s po’ boy and rib eye sandwiches will likely make an appearance on the menu here.

The drinks: The Happy Hooker is currently waiting on a liquor license; they plan to serve Ontario craft beer and a selection of bourbons and whiskeys.

The place: The small shop is outfitted with old paintings and seafood kitsch, like a mounted bass and a fishing rod (the huge marlin from the logo is mounted out on the street). Once the liquor license arrives, they’ll cater to the late-night Dundas West crowd, serving food until 2 a.m. on weekends.

By the numbers:
• 30 years, the length of time the space was home to a pizzeria (followed by a bong shop that lasted eight months)
• 14, the number of tofu tacos one recent patron consumed in a single sitting
• $11, the menu’s maximum price
• 2, the number of alternate names (Codfather and Off the Hook) Pugliese considered before deciding on The Happy Hooker