AlwaysTraveling: Go Fish (Napa, CA)

Jeff Zalaznick — August 18, 2009

Between Mustard’s Grill and more recently, Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen, Chef and restaurateur Cindy Pawlcyn, has been veteran of Napa Valley for more than 25 years. In 2006, Pawlcyn joined partners Ken Tominaga and Sean Knight to create Go Fish, an unpretentious St. Helena foray into West Coast seafood, which many hoped would fill a niche the area has surprisingly lacked: sushi. Executive Chef Victor Scargle’s menu ranges from sushi and sweet shrimp macaroni and cheese, to raw bar and cioppino. The kitchen draws on the restaurant’s garden, which is supplemented with regional produce and fish flown in fresh daily.

Pawlcyn’s restaurant certainly fills a void. Special care is taken to make the food visually appealing— even the edamame looks beautiful. But this cuisine has still not been done with the precision and expertise the area still deserves. When it comes to sushi in the Valley, unfortunately, the name ‘Go Fish’ is a sage piece of advice.

Restaurant: Go Fish (view site)
Address: 641 Main St, St Helena, CA, 94574‎ (view map)
AlwaysHungry Grade: B
AlwaysHungry Recommends: Special Lobster Roll

At the time of our visit, Mustard’s Grill was being renovated after a fire and several of their signature dishes were being served at Go Fish. Some are pictured below.

Edamame
Boiled Baby Soybeans.

 

Mustard Grill’s Maine Crab Cakes
Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli, Arugala Salad and Molasses Vinaigrette.

 

“The Louie”
Crisp Lettuce, Olives, Cucumber, Caper Berries, Avocado, and Hard-Boiled Egg, “Loaded” with Shrimp and Crab.

 

Crispy Spicy
Yellowtail, Green Onionm Tobiko, Tempura Fried, Spicy Mayonnaise.

 

Mustard Grill Special
“Ever-Popular Seafood Tostada.”

 

Ken’s Noodles
Hana broth, Tempura Prawns, Udon & Bok Choy.

 

STC
Spicy Tuna on a California Roll.

 

Special Lobster Sushi
Lobster Roll with Shrimp Tempura and Spicy Sauce.