Goldfish Pacific Kitchen is located in the Yaletown neighborhood, and offers a modern atmosphere, tasty food, and novel cocktails. You can find it on 1118 Mainland Street, and you can make a reservation by calling 604.689.8318, or visiting their website. This is an interview with Andrea Maglajlija, the marketing manager for Goldfish Pacific Kitchen and Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House.

Q. How did you do in 2008?

A. 2008 was a great year for Goldfish.  We have been honored with the 2008 Wine Enthusiast Award of Unique Distinction as well as Wine Spectator’s 2008 Award of Excellence.  We have quite the neighborhood following.  Goldfishers love our contemporary, sophisticated setting and the seafood-focused clean, fresh-flavoured dishes.

Q. What was your most popular dish in 2008?

A. Our most popular dish of 2008 was the miso sake sablefish with sautéed gai lan and lemongrass broth.  The texture of sablefish melds very well with the flavors of miso and sake; this combined with the lemongrass broth creates a great balance of flavors. 

Q. Are you taking part in the "Dine Out Vancouver 2009" event? If yes, please give us a scoop of your special menu for the event?

A. Yes, we are always happy to participate in Dine Out – it’s an opportunity to offer something different to our guests and at a great value.  This year we are doing a $38 three course menu with items such as sugar cane skewered prawns (appetizer), duck breast with mushroom thyme risotto (entrée) and warm spiced pear crumble streusel topping, pear sorbet (dessert).  We also have a Wine Out Vancouver promotion on Sundays and Mondays, with special pricing on most of the wines from our regular wine list. 

Q. Any special plan for 2009?

The Goldfish experience is uncomplicated and uncommon.  We strive to provide our guests with a distinctive menu, lots of variety, superb service and highest quality product at a reasonable price.  That’s our bottom line. We will continue to listen to our guests and keep things exciting with new menu items, interesting cocktails, fun events and unique value based menu promotions.  You’ll have to keep checking our website and our facebook page for news!  

Q. What is your recommendation?! From your menu, of course! 

A. Hmmmm, that’s a tough one…I love our JASMINE TEA SMOKED LING COD with edamame bean & mushroom ragout.

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These are the winners of the Georgia Straight’s readers’ choice for best food and drink in Vancouver for the year 2008.

Reader’s choice for New Restaurant:

1. Italian Kitchen
1037 Alberni Street

2. Boneta
1 West Cordova Street

3. Burgoo (Main Street location)
3096 Main Street

Reader’s choice for Patio:

1. The Boathouse Restaurant
Various locations

2. Bridges Restaurant
1696 Duranleau Street

3. Earls
Various locations

Reader’s choice for Fine Dining:

1. Bishop’s
2183 West 4th Avenue

2. West
2881 Granville Street

3. The Cannery Seafood House
2205 Commissioner Street

Reader’s choice for Restaurant (chain):

1. Cactus Club Cafe
Various locations

2. Milestone’s Grill and Bar
Various locations

3. Earls
Various locations

Reader’s choice for Restaurant To Work For:

1. Cactus Club Cafe
Various locations

2. The Keg Steakhouse & Bar
Various locations

3. Earls
Various locations

Reader’s choice for Late-night Takeout:

1. Fritz European Fry House
718 Davie Street

2. The Naam Restaurant
2724 West 4th Avenue

3. Wendy’s (tie)
Various locations

3. McDonald’s (tie)
Various locations

Reader’s choice for Brunch:

1. Milestone’s Grill and Bar
Various locations

2. Provence Marinaside
1177 Marinaside Crescent

3. Sophie’s Cosmic Cafe
2095 West 4th Avenue

Reader’s choice for B.C. Wine/winery (red Wine):

1. Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
100 Burrowing Owl Place, Oliver

2. Mission Hill Family Estate
1730 Mission Hill Road, Westbank

3. Quails’ Gate
3303 Boucherie Road, Kelowna

Reader’s choice for B.c. Wine/winery (white Wine):

1. Mission Hill Family Estate
1730 Mission Hill Road, Westbank

2. Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
100 Burrowing Owl Place, Oliver

3. Gray Monk Estate Winery
1055 Camp Road, Okanagan Centre

Reader’s choice for Local Microbrewery:

1. Granville Island Brewing
1441 Cartwright Street

2. Storm Brewing
310 Commercial Drive

3. Russell Brewing Company
202-13018 80th Avenue, Surrey

Reader’s choice for B.C. Beer:

1. Granville Island Brewing

2. Kokanee

3. Okanagan Spring Brewery

Reader’s choice for Wine Store:

1. Liberty Wine Merchants
Various locations

2. B.C. Liquor Stores
Various locations

3. Marquis Wine Cellars
1034 Davie Street

Reader’s choice for Restaurant Wine List (international Wines):

1. Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill
1133 Hamilton Street

2. La Terrazza (tie)
1088 Cambie Street

2. West (tie)
2881 Granville Street

3. Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar
1095 Hamilton Street

Reader’s choice for Restaurant Wine List (local Wines):

1. Raincity Grill
1193 Denman Street

2. Aurora Bistro
2420 Main Street

3. Earls (tie)
Various locations

3. Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar (tie)
1095 Hamilton Street

Reader’s choice for Teahouse:

1. Steeps Tea Lounge
895 West Broadway

2. T
1568 West Broadway

3. Secret Garden Tea Company
5559 West Boulevard

Reader’s choice for Fair-trade Coffee Shop:

1. J J Bean
Various locations

2. Bean Around the World
Various locations

3. Ethical Bean (tie)
1315 Kootenay Street

3. Salt Spring Coffee Co. (tie)
Various locations

Reader’s choice for Coffee Shop (independent):

1. J J Bean
Various locations

2. Café Artigiano
Various locations

3. Continental Coffee
1806 Commercial Drive

Reader’s choice for Coffee Shop (chain):

1. Starbucks
Various locations

2. Blenz Coffee
Various locations

3. Tim Hortons
Various locations

Reader’s choice for Gelato Shop:

1. Mario’s Gelati
88 East 1st Avenue

2. La Casa Gelato
1033 Venables Street

3. Mondo Gelato
Various locations

Reader’s choice for Fresh Seafood Store:

1. Granville Island Public Market

2. Seven Seas Fish Market
2328 West 4th Avenue
103-2990 152nd Street, Surrey

3. T & T Supermarket
Various locations

Reader’s choice for Bakery (pastries):

1. Fratelli Bakery
1795 Commercial Drive

2. COBS Bread (tie)
Various locations

2. Notte’s Bon Ton Pastry & Confectionary (tie)
3150 West Broadway

3. Sweet Obsession (tie)
2611 West 16th Avenue

3. Terra Breads (tie)
Various locations

Reader’s choice for Bakery (breads):

1. COBS Bread
Various locations

2. Terra Breads
Various locations

3. Uprising Breads Bakery
1697 Venables Street

Reader’s choice for Brew Pub:

1. Yaletown Brewing Company
1111 Mainland Street

2. Steamworks Brewing Company
375 Water Street

3. Granville Island Brewing Taproom
1441 Cartwright Street

Reader’s choice for Bar To Watch The Game:

1. Shark Club Bar & Grill
180 West Georgia Street

2. Library Square Public House
101-300 West Georgia Street

3. Boston Pizza (tie)
Various locations

3. Earls (tie)
Various locations

Reader’s choice for All-day Breakfast:

1. Denny’s
Various locations

2. IHOP
Various locations

3. Bon’s Off Broadway
2451 Nanaimo Street

Reader’s choice for Veggie Restaurant:

1. The Naam Restaurant
2724 West 4th Avenue

2. The Foundation Lounge
2301 Main Street

3. Bo Kong Vegetarian Restaurant
3068 Main Street
80-8100 Ackroyd Road, Richmond

Reader’s choice for Restaurant To Eat Meat:

1. The Keg Steakhouse & Bar
Various locations

2. Memphis Blues Barbeque House
Various locations

3. Gotham Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar
615 Seymour Street

Reader’s choice for Restaurant For Cheap Eats:

1. Hon’s Wun-Tun House
Various locations

2. Stepho’s Souvlaki Greek Taverna
1124 Davie Street

3. McDonald’s
Various locations

Reader’s choice for Restaurant To Take Out-of-town Guests:

1. The Salmon House
2229 Folkestone Way, West Vancouver

2. The Boathouse Restaurant
Various locations

3. The Cannery Seafood House
2205 Commissioner Street

Reader’s choice for Romantic Restaurant:

1. The Cannery Seafood House
2205 Commissioner Street

2. Seasons in the Park Restaurant
Queen Elizabeth Park

3. Le Gavroche
1616 Alberni Street

Reader’s choice for Kid-friendly Restaurant:

1. White Spot
Various locations

2. McDonald’s
Various locations

3. Red Robin
Various locations

Reader’s choice for Restaurant Bathroom:

1. Cactus Club Cafe
Various locations

2. Moxie’s Classic Grill
Various locations

3. Joeys
Various locations