Araxi Restaurant + Bar 604-932-4540, araxi.com

“There are certain things you play with and others you don’t,” says James Walt, Executive Chef at Araxi.

For him, caviar’s briny purity is best enjoyed with a simple approach. He serves it the classic way – in the tin on a bowl of ice with crème fraîche, chives, smoked salmon, chopped egg (yolk and white separated) and crostini on the side so diners can taste and layer as they wish.

Although Araxi carries farmed osetra and Siberian baerii, the local white sturgeon from Northern Divine is its biggest seller, available in 10-gram ($59, with a vodka martini) or 30-gram ($125) tins.

“It’s surprisingly good,” says Walt, extolling the caviar’s clean flavour and creamy texture, which still packs a pop. “They use the right amount of salt, only 5 percent. The eggs have good shape. It’s very similar to osetra. Everyone is impressed, especially the Europeans, when they taste it.”