A fishing tale from the Fish House

Mina’s Fish House is billed as a “line-to-table” restaurant that prides itself on ultra-fresh seafood.

The concept was manifested precisely last week when chef Michael Mina went out on a fishing boat, hooked a 60-pound yellowfin tuna and brought it back to prepare several ways for that night’s dinner.

“We got a story,” he said. “We got a fish.”

An even bigger fish, though, got away. Mina said another yellowfin, which the crew estimated at 80 pounds, also was hooked, but the line broke.

Still, Mina was plenty happy with the one he reeled in after a 40-minute battle off Kaena Point.

The Fish House opened along with the Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina in 2016; Mina took over the menu in December.

The restaurant is so serious about its seafood that it has a fish sommelier, Jared Chang, a local fisherman whose job is to present diners with each night’s whole fish on ice.

Chang said he questions the diners about their tastes, makes recommendations about preparation and works with the wine sommelier to pair a wine with the meal.

Mina’s catch was not offered whole, but rather sliced up and served to the night’s guests, including a group of food writers who were previewing Mina’s new menu.

Mina, who has a house in Kailua but is based in San Francisco, said he grew up doing some lake fishing — bass, trout and the like — but has never wrangled anything this big.

“What an experience!” he said.