<img src="https://www.thestranger.com/binary/1b35/1433375867-chow-570.jpg" alt="Warner Lew of Icicle Seafoods holding herring in front of the Poseidon." title="Warner Lew of Icicle Seafoods holding herring in front of the Poseidon.” width=”500″ height=”386″ />
Warner Lew of Icicle Seafoods holding herring in front of the Poseidon. KELLY O
When Lexi, who owns Old Ballard Liquor Co. and goes by only her first name, was a kid growing up in the 1970s, herring was abundant in Seattle. She remembers when you could pull it out of Puget Sound yourself and grill it over a beach fire. But when she tried to find fresh herring to serve at her Nordic-inspired pop-up restaurant, Tumble Swede, earlier this year, she was surprised to find that it was nearly impossible. “I had to hunt high and low to try to find herring for the restaurant,” said Lexi. “It was super frustrating. People assume that it’s around, but it’s not…”