Where the Trees Eat the Fish

On the whale tour yesterday, we talked about seafood, appropriately. Killer whales are meat eaters, as are eagles along the shore line. But did you know that the fish even feed the trees? When birds and bears leave fish parts on the ground, the trees absorb their remains along with other minerals from the shore. It is very common here for scientists to study trees to calculate their age, and to find fish remains within the rings. Usually salmon. Isn't that wild?

Since so many people come here for the seafood, especially the salmon, Canada is making huge efforts to fish sustainably and we were told what signs to look for when picking restaurants. Like, literal signs. We have done that and the food has been amazing. There's just no other word for it.

Above is a Beet and Burrata Salad. Seafood aside, it is my favorite dish in Vancouver so far. The flavor combination was perfect: fresh, tangy, robust, and topped with just a bit of crunch. There were dollops of Balsamic on the side which provided a zing every now and then.

Sashimi, of course. The best I've had since Hawaii, oh, and Japan. Sushi Den (in Denver) comes close. But really, there's no comparison; it's so, so good here.

One of our desserts was a big macaron. Two almond-flavored cookies sandwiched a dark chocolate and mint cream, topped with fresh cream and fruit. We savored every bite (not kidding).

Today I outdid myself with seafood. I had a tuna stack, which was tuna poke (ahi, avocado, mandarin oranges, tomatoes, cilantro, and sauces, topped with panko breadcrumbs and served atop won ton strips). 

I also had a tuna sushi cone (ahi, avocado, fresh ginger, rice, spices, and cucumber, in a soy cone wrap).

Here's a special shout-out to G, who found all of these excellent - truly superb - restaurants, and he's not even the foodie!

Cheers!

We've also had some killer drinks, in addition to what is pictured above, some amazing Italian food, and great coffee roasts. More to come! One more day before we drag ourselves back to Denver.