Music and Memories Can Make the Meal
Photo by Yess Bryce
Music and Memories Can Make the Meal
BY YESS BRYCESummer is here and it’s time to go out and see the world.
The time spent hibernating in these cold northern winters leaves plenty of time to daydream. Mine were of seafood, so when spring hit, I went searching. Not unlike cruising the lake looking for a bite, I found Fish On.
Rathdrum, Idaho, certainly holds some gems — and co-owners Stephen Short and Pete Edge have a gem indeed.
Walking into Fish On, a small seafood restaurant in the northern reaches of Rathdrum, some common threads weave together. There’s good seafood and music. Posters from some fantastic bands’ shows are framed and hung on the walls. Reading the menu, my partner and I noticed a few nods to a specific band — I will let you go find out for yourself who it is. The two men have good taste in art as well, and the style shows through in both their artistic and culinary choices. Both of them have spent most of their working careers in the restaurant industry and created Fish On for several reasons near and dear to their hearts.
After my first meal here, I knew I had to write about these guys and their passion for what they do.
Starting with the Szechuan Fish Bowl, I can tell you that it holds some depth. Not only is it one of the recipes that inspired the formation of the restaurant, it is also one of the owners’ favorite dishes to eat. What better way to get your blood flowing after a deep, cold winter than a spicy bowl of goodness? Inspired by Short’s time in Seattle, it is one of those dishes that you think about years later.
Meeting with Pete and Stephen to get the history of their restaurant dream was comfortable and easy, and we chatted about food and music like we were old friends. Adding even more to my list of reasons to stop by and check them out — their hospitality is exceptional.
The guys met back in the day working at The Porch Public House in Hayden, another wonderful local spot still around today. Having spent most of their adult lives in the Northwest, the team at Fish On have a good grasp of what the area needed to expand the available offerings. Pescatarian or gluten free options aren’t that common up here, so they made sure to have that covered for us.
The real labor of love here? The grits.
Real grits are hard to come by — the stuff sold on shelves up here in the cold north isn’t what you find in the South at all. Pete takes the time to source his own corn, then mills it himself to make his own grits. His corn of choice is called Bloody Butcher, in all its red, glorious beauty. It elevates his Shrimp & Grits made entirely by hand up a notch. This is true dedication to his culinary voice.
Dedication to tradition is something I am fond of. In my early days of pop-up restaurants, I did “Bao Nights.” Steaming those little pillowy buns is another labor of love, and wouldn’t you know it, Pete makes those too. Delightful pickled veggies, melt-in-your-mouth pork belly or smoked salmon (also made in house) all wrapped in those light, slightly sweet, pillowy buns. The crisp sweet pickles and savory meat come together in a beautiful, decadent manner — another moment of culinary nostalgia.
Our existence up here in the Inland Northwest is at times a bit trying, especially when we dawdle on the border of winter, spring and summer all at once. Sunshine teases us, the ice and mud linger and we seek happiness wherever we can. Sitting in the dining room at my new favorite restaurant, savoring old nostalgia and new experiences, is good rejuvenation for battling the final moments of a season gone by.
A few good friends, a couple excellent drinks and even better food to share — I can’t think of a better way to usher in the new season.
They got me hollerin’ “Fish On!”
6613 COMMERCIAL Park AVE. SUITE 6
RATHDRUM, ID 83858