I don't have the slightest clue how to cook.
I don't even know where to begin. If there's a mistake to be made, I'll make it.
It's not that I don't have the potential ability, nor is it that I am too stupid to learn, it's that I've never been taught. The older I get, the more cautious my shopping habits have been because I don't want to be caught in a trap where I completely fuck up what's supposed to be a legitimately delicious meal.
Because of this, I've avoided fish stores like the plague.
Aside from the occasional BBQ'd salmon (which I invariably burn to a crisp), I lack the requisite confidence to shop for delicious fishies. I want to, but I don't.
Every time I go to grocery store fish counters I'm intimidated and feel completely at a loss. I do not know the typologies. I do not know the lexicon. I really have absolutely no clue.
Someone once mentioned to me that Hooked is the place to go when you don't know. It's amongst the best advice I've gotten in Toronto.
You walk in. The outstanding staff ask you what you're looking for. They know every single thing about every single dead animal in the store. They take the time to provide options and explain the preparation technique in 'for-dummies' detail. All with a smile.
The selection is outstanding and the fishes are delicious. But the staff are what really set this place apart. They make you feel well taken care of and provide you with the knowledge to defeat your fear of the mythical sea gods.
A true gem in the city. Worth every penny.