Flying Fish Science Pub

I had hoped, like probably most of the world, that we’d finally be on the other end of COVID-19 by now. Instead, the caution continues, and the feeling of interrupted lives. Because of the high transmission rate of Omicron I’ve found myself mostly focused on takeout and delivery and staying home, with limited dining out. The first exception I’ve made in 2022 though was for the inaugural Flying Fish Science Pub. They hope to hold more events like Flying Fish Science Pub and I wanted to share what the experience is like. Welcome to my recap of Flying Fish presents Science Pub 1.0, a seafood market and restaurant collaboration with Chef Andre Uribe and Chef Patrick Marg of Sustainable Meals Oregon and guest speaker PSU biology professor, deep sea marine biologist and director of CLEE (Center for Life in Extreme Environments) Dr. Annie Lindgren.

I’ve been a fan of Flying Fish Company since I first met the idea of the company in 2019 and first tried their smoked salmon and a family recipe smoked salmon dip at events like Cowabunga and Nicky USA’s Wild About Game. What impressed me then and what still impresses me now is the passion for talking about where the seafood comes from in terms of the specific seafood type (salmon, albacore, oyster, etc), the environment it was harvested from, the affection and simple care in bringing out the flavors that are naturally there when you have this kind of high quality product. I miss the oyster bar and seafood market at Providore Fine Foods (mainly it’s more convenient location to me), which they closed when they opened their independent brick and mortar market and restaurant at their current location in early 2020, just as the pandemic began to be realized here. Thankfully, their ability to offer groceries and the outdoor dining space they have has helped them survive so far.

Hands down Flying Fish is the best place in Portland to get seafood if you don’t fish for it yourself or have a line to a fisherman. They publish their “Fresh List” daily like an old fashioned shop that has a board but modern because you can find it on the web. You’ll find fresh fish and shellfish of course, and smoked fish, but also the best pantry of tinned seafood and some meat options if you want to put together surf and turf. They have a menu of prepared food to dine outdoors or enjoy as takeout that includes some pretty amazing small plates and fish and chips. They even have an event list that includes different kind of field trips such as fishing or oysters. When I heard they were offering a dinner event called Flying Fish Science Pub that includes nourishing four course meal and nourishing conversation about sustainable eating, and it included a female marine biologist professor oh yeah, I was all in.

I want to note this was Science Pub 1.0 so it was the first attempt at this type of event, so they may make changes to future events so your experience may not exactly be like mine. But here is what my experience was like.

Flying Fish Science Pub takes place on a Tuesday, when the restaurant is closed normally, which means only the attendees of this private event of 20 some people is who you will be sharing the space with. The event is held outdoors, but it is in a covered tent with plenty of heaters, so you don’t need to worry about the weather or being cold (in fact it was so warm I ended up having to remove my coat!).

Alcoholic drinks (wine, beer, cider) as well as non-alcoholic drinks can be additionally purchased throughout the night, with probably 75% or more being local selections. It was very casual – almost like being at someone’s party at their backyard with coolers and wine in some ice. The evening began with Flying Fish founder and second generation fishmonger Lyf Gildersleeve kicked off the Flying Fish Science Pub evening discussion with his history with Flying Fish Company and the importance of community and the support of small local businesses.

Chef Andre Uribe of Sustainable Meals Oregon was next in welcoming us and promoting family farms, and connecting personal health to community health and health of the environment. He also spoke about the powerful choice and impact in purchasing local. Sustainable Meals Oregon is trying to help forward the discussion as well as offer its solution to the dilemma of being able to have high quality food while also balancing financial affordability and time. All the dishes we had are also available from Sustainable Meals Oregon delivered in reusable mason jars as part of the meal kits that he and Chef Patrick Marg produce.

First Course

We started dining (using sustainable tableware and silverware) with Flying Fish Company Ling Cod, Lucky Crow Farm chimichurri sauce, Oregon wild rice pilaf. Chef Andre talked about Lucky Crow Farm, a woman owned and run farm. Besides offering a CSA, they run multiple urban farms and are exploring whether it is possible to put a farm in each neighborhood and feed everyone that way. Other local sources he introduced us to include Camas Country Mill and Lonesome Whistle Farm for grains that we would be able to enjoy in the coming courses. I am usually someone that eats jasmine rice sourced from Asia and maybe some Seeds of Change, but his mention about how amazing the wild rice in Oregon is gave me pause that I need to expand my rice sourcing.

Leif also took some time to talk to us about the cod as well as pushing back on the idea that all farmed fish is bad. Instead, we should ask questions about the whole ecosystem – husbandry techniques, how dense do they live, what is their diet and whether it has antibiotics or hormones or coloring, is it native or non-native. We also talked about choke species of fish – one of many notes I took all night of more things I wanted to google and learn about later.

Second Course

Next we took a journey to German influence with Carman Ranch Sauerbraten with warm potato salad and Red Bird Acres bacon braised red cabbage and beets with a touch of pickled mustard seed. This hearty dish is a recipe meant to warm us now, and then during the summer the menus from Sustainable Meals Oregon shift more into the fruits and vegetables – it is the reality of the seasons. This dish was already comforting as is, but he revealed a secret- the topping you see there gives it to a twist with pureed ginger snaps.

Flying Fish Science Pub Guest Speaker

Dr. Annie Lindgren also shared her history of how she fell in love with ocean life from her start in the desert/Arizona and finding hope as the oceans struggle now with knowledge of there are champions of the ocean who think of the ecosystem perspective that are out there, fisherman now working with scientists to know how to manage the whole community. She shared the simple philosophy to sustainable fishing – leave a lot of fish! Don’t just take all you can, take some but leave a lot of fish. We need to reinvest in the way we treat our ocean. In addition, she brought some props to share for us to examine that included Anglerfish, Pacific Dragonfish, and Pacific Viperfish

Third Course

Northern Italian style Pizzoccheri was our next stop, with Red Bird Acres braised pork shoulder, potatoes, cabbage and Camas Country buckwheat noodles. This dish sounds simple, and Chef Andre explained how the fact this traditional dish was created from what is available to be produced from the area is what inspired him to share it. The chefs made the buckwheat noodles themselves from the buckwheat flour from Camas Country Mill, and pork from Red Bird Acres who are Animal Welfare Approved certified and include free range chickens and pasture pigs along with heritage eggs.

Surprise! There was an Ocean Trivia quiz! This was a fun way to get us talking at the table some more as we made our guesses, eventually learned the answers (no red pen here- you can grade yourself) and saw who in the group got the most answers right

Fourth Course

Sudado de Pollo was our last course, and a nod to Chef Andre’s own roots that he and others grew up eating all the time. This included Colombian style chicken stew includes Aji verde sauce and Lonesome Whistle Abenaki corn polenta. The polenta here includes Abenaki corn as well as Black Indigo. Usually with polenta cream or butter or cheese is added to make it rich and tasty, but in this case this is just straight corn and that’s enough.

I left Flying Fish Science Pub with renewed hope in that all of us individually do have choice and agency in buying fish or any of our food purchase decisions. Support small and diverse number of businesses rather then the larger company with one main crop. It doesn’t mean you have to make a dozen stops of sourcing – look for businesses that source from all the smaller ones.

I also was feeling nourished at Flying Fish Science Pub not only with the food and drink, but being able to experience sharing food with others with friends and making new friends, opening my eyes and listening to other people’s perspectives and sharing our lives – nourishment for the soul. Dining at home or in my very small bubbles doesn’t make up for missing events like these that push me to learn and grow outside the people and conversations I already know. It was so good to be back to that for Flying Fish Science Pub.

Flying Fish Company and Sustainable Meals Oregon are doing an encore/continuing the Flying Fish Science Pub series with Science Pub 2.0 on March 15 – see their events page here for when details and signup are available for Flying Fish Science Pub. I hope this gave you a good idea of what you may be in for with Flying Fish Science Pub.