Grill & Vine Whistler at the Westin Resort & Spa 604-935-4344, grillandvinewhistler.com

While Target Marine Hatcheries, the makers of Northern Divine caviar, were waiting 11 years for their first sturgeon to spawn, they began farming land-raised salmon and selling the eggs. A delicacy in Japan where the roe is called Ikura, it’s also known as red caviar.

“Most Ikura comes from chum salmon; this is from Coho,” explains Bradley Cumming, Executive Chef at the Westin’s Grill & Vine. “The egg size is smaller. It’s cleaner and a little more delicate, but still tastes like ocean spray on your lips.”

The roe’s saltiness adds a touch of yang to the naturally sweet yin of pan-fried lingcod, which Cumming wraps in prosciutto and plates over a smoky white-bean cassoulet brightened with thyme, sautéed Swiss chard and a light tarragon-prawn sauce.

Finished to golden crispness in an open- fire Forno oven, this hearty dish garnished with red pearls is upscale comfort food at its finest.