Introducing: Fresh Off The Boat, a new seafood sandwich shop on Queen West
Name: Fresh Off The Boat
Contact Info: 404 Queen St. W., 416-603-3333, @FOTB416
Previously: IWing Pizza & Wings
Neighbourhood: Queen West
Owner/Chef: Quinten Tran, one of the founders of the Buster’s Sea Cove food truck
The Food: The chalkboard menu lists about a dozen seafood sandwiches, salads and other dishes, most of which have a slight Can-Asian flair. The signature “FOB” sandwich (described as an “Asian po’boy banh mi”) is a battered-catfish sub topped with kimchi and smoky aioli. Other options include a lobster roll, a grilled halibut salad and an entire soft-shell crab served on a brioche bun. Chunky fries and broccoli slaw are available on the side.
The Drinks: Canned sodas and other nonalcoholic drinks.
The Place: The restaurant’s name (which is firmly tongue-in-cheek) has a personal significance for Tran, who arrived in Canada by boat as a refugee. The space has all the trappings of a trendy sea shanty—ropes, lanterns, nautical trinkets—plus a few Asian elements, like a shelving unit crammed with Sriracha bottles. The focus is on takeout, but there are a handful of seats for dine-in customers.
