Let's start with Jennifer's Blackened Halibut with Crab.(what you see here is pretty much actual size).
Menu descriptions are so misleading. When you are at a Seafood House that specializes in seafood you kind of expect more. And we live on an island for Christ's sake! The menu described a grilled piece of halibut with crab and hollandaise and spring vegetables on the side. Mhhmm... Halibut, there. Crab, we think it was crab but man alive did it ever look like pollack! We were both expecting a crab leg or two. And have you ever had cold hollandaise? Very not delicious or appealing. I like curry. In an Indian restaurant. Where they know what to do with the curry. I do not like curry on my fucking giant piece of cauliflower or limp and flattened piece of... eggplant? Squash? I'm not even sure what the hell it was... We both had the same veg and the same gross seasoning. If you're going to curry anything- in a seafood restaurant, for the love of god say so. All this for the stunning cost of $37.00.
On to my Sooke Trout, stuffed with crab and brie (from a farm I'm sure) with gratin potatoes and the disgusting curry vegetables.
Again- actual size. Dry dry dry dry dry... it was dry. I'm guessing they sat awhile prior to the server bringing the plates. I liked the gratin potatoes though. Clearly done on the finest of mandolin settings and layered excessively. Did I find any brie? No. Crab? Yes, the same unclear crab on the halibut. The cheap ass button mushrooms on top were good though, most things are that are soaked in some oily substance. Vegetables? Pushed to side of plate where they stayed. Less than Jenn's though, only $27.We had a starter but the picture is AWOL. 5 (why 5? can't you see there are two of us and even out the amount? Asshats) Jumbo prawns with a chili dipping sauce. This was by far the grossest thing either of us have EVER EVER ordered anywhere! 5 Jumbo prawns battered and deep fried. They were so greasy when we lifted one out a drop of grease was hanging off the edge. Crispy? Not on your life. We tore them apart and ate the prawn, over cooked and rubbery. The chili dipping sauce... fucking hell. It was so oily that every time I tried to mix it, I lost. The oil won. I'm not even sure to begin to tell you what it tasted like as I'm still not sure myself.
Our server was kind enough, very meek, when she asked us how it was going. We told her, she wasn't even sure what to say. I think servers are very use to people just lying and not saying they're disappointed. We know it's not her fault, she didn't make anything. Unfortunately, she's the one dealing with us, she gets to hear it.
Was any of our shit fest dinner comped? Of course not. Tourist season has started you know. There will be endless suckers sent their way. This weekend... 55,000 tourists coming off of 8 cruise ships. Will they head there? Probably. Will they ever return? Probably not.
Local restaurants like Pescatore's really need local loyalty.
We live here all year around, so does everyone we know and dine with. Will we return to Pescatore's? Never again. And will I recommend it because of it's good location and long gone reputation? Just the opposite. I will be telling people about the most awful meal I've had in a long time.
