Seafood and the Happy Maritimer

There is a lighthouse on Calgary Trail just south of 76th Ave. No it doesn't ward off ships and there isn't a light. But for landlocked Maritimers who sometimes miss a taste of home it is a beacon.
Billingsgate is not only a great place to get seafood, all kinds of seafood, but it is a great place to eat it and you certainly don't need to be from either coast to appreciate that.
The inside of Billingsgate is quite charming. You have to pass through the sales area to get to the Cafe but that just gives you an opportunity to cast an eye over the ice packed trays of fresh seafood as well as the long line of freezers and a myriad of varieties of frozen edibles from the sea. For those of us who love to cook, the possibilities are seemingly endless. But I digress. I was about to rave about the lighthouse at the end of the building and the wonderful seafood dinner we enjoyed.
A dry land lighthouse is a quaint idea in the middle of Edmonton but the inside is charming and very reminiscent of many of the restaurants you find down home. There are fishnets and model boats and the walls are covered with bric-a-brac of the type tourists pick up in places like Peggy's Cove but it is charming.
The service was great even though the place was packed. Our server warm and hospitable. And the food delicious.
Our hostess had been to Billingsgate just a couple of weeks earlier so she had much to recommend. When my husband opened his menu his first discovery was the Paella at the top of the page. Too much of a temptation but so was the Cod and Sweet Potato Fries or the Halibut with the same. So we turned the Paella into an appetizer and shared it. It isn't your traditional service coming in a big heavy frying pan with the rice crisp around the edges but it was stuffed with seafood and yes it was delicious.
I could not resist the Halibut and Heather the Cod, both with their wonderful Sweet Potato Fries. Our fish were wonderful, light batter and generously sized. No previously battered and frozen fish. Both are served traditionally with Cole Slaw and Tartar Sauce on the side. You have the option of one or two pieces of fish but one was more than plenty for me. Randy raved over this Alaskan King Crab, cooked to perfection and split lengthwise for easy eating. He scarcely noticed the vegetables and rice that accompanied his Crab.
So if you are feeling like something from the sea for lunch or dinner we highly recommend Billingsgate, just watch for the lighthouse.