(Image: Renée Suen)
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.
297365 <b>Fresh Off The Boat</b> is located at 404 Queen West, just west of Spadina. (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Fresh Off The Boat https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-01-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-01-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-01.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-fresh-boat-can-asian-seafood-sandwich-shop-queen-west/slide/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-01/ fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-01 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
297366 The restaurant has all the trappings of an East Coast sea shanty (ropes, nautical trinkets, etc.). Also: an entire shelving unit crammed with bottles of Sriracha. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-02-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-02-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-02.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-fresh-boat-can-asian-seafood-sandwich-shop-queen-west/slide/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-02/ fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-02 0 0
297372 The aforementioned nautical trinkets. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-08-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-08-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-08.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-fresh-boat-can-asian-seafood-sandwich-shop-queen-west/slide/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-08/ fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-08 0 0
297367 And Sriracha shelf. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-03-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-03-416x624.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-03.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-fresh-boat-can-asian-seafood-sandwich-shop-queen-west/slide/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-03/ fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-03 0 0
297371 The short menu consists mainly of seafood sandwiches and salads. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-07-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-07-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-07.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-fresh-boat-can-asian-seafood-sandwich-shop-queen-west/slide/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-07/ fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-07 0 0
297368 The signature "FOB" sandwich is an "Asian po'boy banh mi." https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-04-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-04-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-fresh-boat-can-asian-seafood-sandwich-shop-queen-west/slide/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-04/ fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-04 0 0
297374 Here it is. It’s a battered-catfish sub topped with kimchi and “burned” aioli ($12). The price includes sides of fries and broccoli slaw (not shown). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-10-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-10-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-fresh-boat-can-asian-seafood-sandwich-shop-queen-west/slide/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-10/ fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-10 0 0
297373 Classic halibut fish and chips with tartar sauce, fries and broccoli slaw ($15). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-09-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-09-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-fresh-boat-can-asian-seafood-sandwich-shop-queen-west/slide/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-09/ fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-09 0 0
297375 Grilled halibut can be ordered over spring mix (as pictured), with kale salad, or as a sandwich ($15). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-11-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-11-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-fresh-boat-can-asian-seafood-sandwich-shop-queen-west/slide/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-11/ fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-11 0 0
297369 The most visually impressive dish is this soft-shell crab sandwich. The crab is battered in a proprietary blend of spices (including cayenne and paprika), deep-fried, and stuffed in a brioche bun ($16, with fries and slaw). The whole thing weighs over a pound. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-05-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-05-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-fresh-boat-can-asian-seafood-sandwich-shop-queen-west/slide/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-05/ fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-05 0 0
297370 Owner and chef <b>Quinten Tran.</b> https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-06-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-06-624x416.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-06.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-fresh-boat-can-asian-seafood-sandwich-shop-queen-west/slide/fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-06/ fresh-off-the-boat-toronto-restaurants-06 0 0
Was just here yesterday and had the soft-shell crab…I haven’t stopped thinking about it since the last bit of slaw was devoured. It haunts my dreams! I ate it so fast i forgot the sriracha! I live 5 damn minutes way from FOB..so obviously .this is where all my spare $$ will go now. Goodbye Aritzia, hello Addition Elle. Thanks FOB! LOL
“Sodas”? What the hell? Are we not in Toronto? It’s pop, for crying out loud.