Beyond salmon or served with chips, local restaurants offer fish in unique dishes: Andrew Coppolino
CBC
When it comes to ordering fish during a dinner out, many people likely think of one of two dishes: salmon or fish and chips.
But as Canadians' access to fish products has increased in the past few years, consumption has also increased.
People see it as a sustainable food option that is high in protein, low in fat and an alternative to red meats, says Sylvain Charlebois, a professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax and director of the school's Agri-Food Analytics Lab.
And, he says, people have embraced making the protein at home in their own kitchens.
"Ontarians have somewhat fallen in love again with fish and seafood cooked at home. It is yet another sign consumers are getting more adventurous," Charlebois said.
When fish is on local restaurants menus, consumers are buying it.
Bhima's Warung in Waterloo has a relatively large selection of fish and seafood on the menu, according to chef and owner Paul Boehmer.
"We have always sold a lot of fish and seafood," he said. "Our menus have always been heavy on that side."
The Walper Hotel's TWH Social prepares crispy trout with gnocchi, sorrel, yeast butter and grilled lemon that is something of an anomaly as a sales leader.
"It's Cole Munro trout, and it's currently our best selling entrée. That is interesting given that it is usually a beef dish that's the bestseller," said Nicole Hunt, executive chef at the Walper. Cole Munro is a rainbow trout producer near St. Thomas, Ont.
Though it has spent six decades as the premier steakhouse in the region, Kitchener's Charcoal Steak House has 11 fish and seafood dishes, but that high number if fish dishes is a rarity.
A popular fishmonger based in Kitchener, T&J Seafoods, has been supplying fish to the region since 1967. Owner Jeff Tailby says he's seeing increased demand for fish generally during the pandemic.
"People may have learned to cook at home, but they are now wanting that dine-in atmosphere at restaurants. We're picking up sales from restaurants," said Tailby.
Caudle's Catch owner Ron Caudle says he's seeing seafood gaining more sophistication on many restaurant menus.
A holiday event that began in 2020 during the pandemic with three floats on pickup trucks has now become one of Kelowna’s big winter events, drawing thousands to the city’s downtown core.
WARNING: This story details allegations of child abuse.
It’s been hard to keep track of how many legal challenges and active court proceedings the United Conservative government has tried to quash or pre-emptively block in the last six weeks, but let’s try to tally:
Margaret Walker, the emcee of a Waterloo vigil commemorating the victims of the Montreal massacre, doesn't feel enough is being done to reflect on the killings and address gender-based violence.
The P.E.I. Humane Society says it is doing far more fundraising than it used to, and rising expenses — including the cost of animal medications — are a big reason why.
Ottawa is staring down a court-ordered deadline to submit a new plan to reform the on-reserve child welfare system, as a group of First Nations leaders and children’s advocates prepare a competing proposal.
An underpass revitalization project that was meant to pay tribute to the people of Parkdale has instead deteriorated into “a garbage dump,” according to nearby residents.
A young man has been charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm after a fire at a frat party near Western University that injured five sorority sisters, including two seriously, late Tuesday night.
The massive deal to combine one of Hollywood's oldest studios with a streaming giant hasn't even been approved yet, but it's already riling multiple related industries and politicians concerned about monopolies and media concentration.
Mi'kmaq chiefs and a former Nova Scotia justice minister are criticizing the provincial government for directing police to crack down on illegal cannabis, saying the order undermines relations with Indigenous Peoples.
For years, there has been “glaring inequity” in the way the province has allocated the millions of dollars in its county roads budget, according to Department of Transportation Minister Chuck Chiasson.
Six months after passing a law aimed at making it easier for new grocery stores to open, Manitoba's premier says lower grocery bills could be on the horizon.
Timothy Smith was acting in self-defence when he punched Landon Waddell, and shouldn't be found guilty of manslaughter, his lawyer says.