"We call them 'fries with eyes,'" says the server, setting down a bowl brimming with golden-crusted finger-sized pieces that, at first glance, look exactly like a bowl of french fries.
But they aren't fried potatoes, they're smelt, a tiny fish from Canada's Pacific waters, that aren't often served at fine dining urban restaurants.
Every February at veteran Vancouver restaurant Blue Water Café, lesser-known seafood, like smelt, gets its moment in the spotlight as part of an annual celebration called "Unsung Heroes."
Executive Chef Frank Pabst has long been passionate about showcasing these "unsung heroes" of the ocean and finds new and exciting ways to make all kinds of seafood that might typically be unappealing have massive appeal.
Case in point: An octopus corn dog. Or, rather, a "Corn Dog-topus," as the Blue Water menu reads.
Pabst has a mischievous grin when he suggests the dish, explaining that the corn dog has proven a playful - and tasty - way to get diners enthusiastically trying octopus and loving it. It's hard not to love anything cornbread-battered and deep-fried, but it's really the slightly smoky, tender, meaty "wiener" made of octopus that steals the show. Piping hot under its fluffy, golden blanket, the mini corn dogs are a revelation dipped in mustard, paired with furikake-dusted house-made potato chips for the perfect elevated take on carnival fare.
Glassy ribbons of jellyfish lend a noodle-like bite to slaw of cabbage, carrots, and celery tossed in a sesame, soy, and garlic dressing. Sea urchin whipped with mascarpone is the creamy layer sandwiched by tender slices of green sponge cake stacked like a tiramisu for a dish Pabst calls an Uni "Tira-miso" thanks to the addition of miso for an extra note of umami.
The "Unsung Heroes dishes are small and share-able, and are designed to offer something a little extra to go with Blue Water's award-winning seafood and raw bar fare, such as torched sablefish pressed sushi, seafood towers, or seared scallops with vibrant veggies. This means pushing the boundaries is low stakes thanks to the dishes' clever approachability but high impact when it comes to flavour and presentation.
The spirit of "Unsung Heroes" is rooted in whimsy but the mission is serious. To support the work of Ocean Wise, 10 per cent of the proceeds from every "Unsung Heroes" menu dish sold goes to the sustainable seafood organization.
The "Unsung Heroes" menu at Blue Water Café is available through February. The restaurant is located at 1095 Hamilton St and reservations are recommended, though walk-ins can often be accommodated at the bar.
Video: Trying classic and quirky dishes at one of Vancouver's top seafood restaurants
@forkingawesomevia One of Vancouver’s top seafood spots gets a little creative. Would you try these dishes? #forkingawesome #vancouverbc #seafood ♬ A lonely R & B - table_1
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