Let There Be Fish!

Artic Cod Fish & Chips

On a quick dash across the border to pick up a few items at the outlet mall, we stopped by for a late lunch at Red Robin's along Burlington Blvd. Much as I would have wanted a more exciting seafood dish, the menu was an entry level to seafood quick meals. I opted for the Artic Cod Fish and Chips, and a locally brewed beer, Scotch Ale from Boundary Bay Brewery, to drown the oil from the food.

The cod tasted fresh, (most probably came from Alaska), sweet and juicy. Its thickness indicates it came from a 4+pounder whole pacific cod. The crust was a bit thick, with an almost neutral flavour that avoided masking the flavour of the cod. I'd recommend this to anyone who has dared try a McDonald fish sandwhich (meaning strarting to take an adventure into seafood meals) and discover that fish can taste good without smelling fishy or experiencing an after taste.

The serving was a bit large, with four pieces of generously cut cod. That dark, full body, with a woody fragrance, Scotch Ale helped me observed my commitment to sustainable fisheries: "no leftovers, buy only as much fish as you will consume."

And for those who have been following my blog, the BCFishmonger is getting back into his waders and will be posting more often from here on.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Misto de Mariscos @ Madeira Restaurant in East Providence, RI

Mike was very excited to show us one of his favorite restaurants located in the heart of a little Portuguese community in East Providence, Rhode Island: The Madeira. And for entree, a serving of "Bombero", jumbo Iberian sausage on flambe'.

 
I could not remember the name of the white wine he ordered; it was a local with a soothing, soft sparkling flavor. Then we had the Misto de Mariscos: combination of shrimps, scallops and mussels on a bed of yellow rice.
Everything tasted so good. The shrimps were sweet and crunchy, the scallops were juicy with a firm gelatin texture and the scallops were mildly briny. The rice could have used some safron and chopped fresh dill.

Legal Seafoods @ Boston: How good is the lobster?

My colleague, Juan A. Kanapi, PhD, just sent me some pictures taken when they ate at Legal Seafoods Restaurant in Boston, MA. They had just completed attending a 3-day OD workshop at Otto Scharmer's Presencing Institute and rewarded themselves with a treat to New England's seafood industry.

One of them ordered the traditional dish: New England Lobster. Verdict, not as tasty as lobsters back home (Indonesia).

 

That person probably meant one of these lobsters:

 
Sometimes, a good seafood gets hidden with the ingredients mixed into it. You've got to close your eyes and taste it so the flavors will be revealed. Also from Legal Seafoods are these two dishes: Crab Omelet and Fried Cape Cod Clams.

 
A few days later, Juan traveled to New Jersey and ordered eel from Tai Lake Restaurant. He claims it tasted so good. I'll take a bet that it is blackbean sauce braised freshwater eel.

 

Roasted Garlic Prawns @ Anthony's

The menu said, "Roasted Garlic Prawns: baked with garlic, butter, lemon and sprinkled with gremolata". Definitely, the guys at Anthony's know their stuff. The prawns had a crunchy texture oozing with the mild sweet juice of the prawn meat, lightly tempered by the garlic-lemon-butter mix. The garlic rice and grilled asparagus just capped the meal with a feel of being on the white sands of Boracay leisurely nibbling a seafood lunch.

 

It would have been an extra delight if they used the fresh, succulent wild Spot Prawns.

 

New England Style Crab Cake at University of Rhode Island

On our visit to Rhode Island, our host, Prof. Michael Rice, PhD and wife, Ping, took us for our first dinner, where else, but in the Faculty Lounge of the University of Rhode Island. Mike, who also serves as a State Assemblyman in Rhode Island, is a distinguished professor of marine fisheries and specializes in bivalves (oysters, clams, mussels, scallops...). Our friendship started when Mike came to the Philippines as a Peace Corp volunteer during the 80's. He was there, too, to gather data for his dissertation studies on oysters. I was then into fishfarming in the province of Pangasinan (translated into English: 'a place where they make salt') culturing groupers, snappers, baramundi while trading in oysters. We had a common interest in marine culture.

Mike proudly offered us an appetizer: the New England Style Crab Cake. Must have been seared quickly as the inner part was still moist with the sweet juicy flavour of freshly harvested east coast crab.

 

On St. Patrick's Day, we braved the inclement weather to see the mansions of Newport. Our hosts, Mike and Ping, and my wife, Maridel. Later, we walked along the coast and got drenched with showers of Atlantic Ocean seawater as strong winds whipped up the waves against the rocks.

 

Crab Cake at Cafe Adrift: Avocado jollie and Sweet Chili Sauce

Last month, we drove down to the Skagit Valley in Washington to gawk and play in the tulip fields. The yearly festival of tulips is a tourist mecca.

 
Later in the day, we took a short drive to Anacortes to look for, what else? a seafood restaurant. The tourist information office suggested Cafe Adrift so we took their advice, hoping to be surprised. Yes, Cafe Adrift did have a seafood menu but you could choose only among three types of fishes. What a great choice. The place was a hub for sandwiches and they did offer real good beef burgers.

Not to be disappointed, I ordered a serving of their fresh Dungeness Crab Cake with Avocado jollie and sweet chili sauce. The veggies were a delightful accompaniment to the crab cake. It rivaled the New England crab cake at the Faculty Lounge of University of Rhode Island.

 

Lantaka by The Sulu Seas: Freshly Caught Seafood Daily

When I go to do my monthly graduate teaching sessions at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University, I would always look at the weekend engagement as an opportunity to enjoy the the best seafoods in the Philippines. The vast coral reefs in the nearby Sulu seas yield abundant and diverse species. The best place to stay and eat is Hotel Lantaka by Sea.

 

The table by the sand bar gives you a view that will soothe away the strains and stress of the crowded urban life in Manila.

 

My favorite dishes? Sweet and Sour Deep Fried Whole Red Grouper and Grilled Whole Yellow Spot Siganid (local name: malaga, kitong) with a vinaigrette dip fired up by minced bird's eye chili!

 

Seafood Suprema at Paliotti's in Abbotsford (BC)

After an awesome tour of the modern, technology driven, 'green' compliant, animal compassionate Bakerview EcoDairy at Abbotsford, BC located in the vastly fertile Fraser River Valley, we went for a late lunch at the nearby Italian restaurant, Pallioti's.

 
The lunch crowd had gone by then so we had the place almost to ourselves. There was still an hour's drive back to West Vancouver and for some of us, a closing work shift was waiting at the store. We then had to forego with the wine that would have just fit a truly Italian dinner.

Predictably, I ordered for a seafood dish. The menu said: Seafood Suprema - prawn and scallop in lemon garlic cream served with alfredo pasta.

 

A fishmonger's standard can really be strict. The scallops were done just a bit before becoming dry and the prawn's sweet juicy flavor was just on the point of migrating. The rest of my friends were having a heyday with their pastas, lasagna. Two quietly devoured their lamb racks. Restaurant service was prompt, good and attentive to our needs. The place was ideal for a quiet, leisurely dinner.

Fresh Halibut Cheeks: How Do you Cook Them?

There are only two cheeks in a Halibut. Until recently, this part of the fish was thrown away together with the head and collar. Then came the immigrants from Asia whose practice for preparing seafood dishes was to use as many parts of the body. You go to Hongkong and one of the prized dishes is called: "Fish Lips".

Now we are getting a good supply of Halibut cheeks. It is one indication of the amount of Halibut being commercially extracted from the Pacific Northwest ocean. The cheeks can be considered as a rare delicacy. That poses as a challenge to me because my current recipe is only for a quick stir fry.

How would you cook the Halibut cheeks?

 

Flip Side of Ahi Tuna Steak . . . Tuna Collars

There's a flipside to the familiar Ahi Tuna steak . . . grilled succulent tuna collars.

Here's a picture of a young Ahi (Yellow Fin) Tuna. . . . see the yellow fin?

Beyond the familiar 1-pounder tuna steak, there's another great grill dish from tuna . . . the Ahi Tuna Collar. Marinated in a mix of soy, vinegar, garlic, bird's eye chili, crushed whole black pepper and Calmodin ('Calamunding', 'Kalamansi') citrus juice for 30-60 minutes, then grilled medium done. Lots of cold beer to go with the fish. See the video to know what a tuna collar looks like.