BEARFOOT BISTRO

West Coast Halibut with Butter-poached Spot Prawns and Northern Divine Caviar

“It’s an old-school way of thinking,” says Bearfoot Bistro’s Executive Chef Melissa Craig. “Years ago, there wouldn’t even be a conversation about the seasonality of seafood. Just as there are with fruits and vegetables, seafood has seasons too.”

When we speak at the end of June, B.C.’s all-too-brief spot prawn season is in full swing, and Craig admits that it’s a delicacy that she looks forward to every year. “We get our spot prawns direct from the boat from our old sous chef, who’s now fishing with his uncle. This year there are far fewer exports, so we’re getting some big, beautiful prawns.”

Along with spot prawns, another B.C. seafood star is halibut. “When they come into season, halibut has to be on the menu; guests really look forward to salmon season too. I like to roll with whatever comes into season,” Craig says. On the menu to celebrate B.C.’s sustainable seafood bounty, the Bistro offers pan-seared juicy halibut with butter-poached, sweet spot prawns, fresh snap peas and pea shoots garnished with pearls of Northern Divine caviar. “I’m a B.C. girl, so I’m proud that Northern Divine comes from the Sunshine Coast,” she says. “It’s a very Sevruga-like caviar — it’s got a good amount of salt but not too much, and the pearls have a good ‘pop.’ It’s spectacular! It’s great that we have sustainable caviar coming out of Canada.”

At the heart of it, making Ocean Wise choices on the menu is all about protecting the future. “The biggest reason for us to showcase what we have and focus on what’s sustainable is so that our grandchildren can eat fish,” says Craig. “We’ve been cooking this way for years, so it’s good to see it become bigger and bigger. Although I will always have local ingredients on the menu, I bring in different products for our guests from all around the world, but no matter what, it’s always going to be sustainable.”

604-932-3433 | bearfootbistro.com