Sweet, juicy, sustainable and delicious, the BC spot prawn season launches on May 8 and for a few glorious weeks the city will feast on this seafood equivalent of cherry blossom season; beautiful, much-anticipated and over far too soon. Although frozen prawns are available year-round, there is nothing like sucking the head of a zingy ocean-fresh spot prawn or the fun of a fresh-off-the-boat spot prawn boil. Here now, and in no particular order, are 20 places across the city to enjoy the best of the season's sustainable, Ocean Wise catch. Got a suggestion for a restaurant you think deserves to be added to the list? Drop us a line or leave a comment or contact our 100% confidential TipLine
Catch one of the best sunset views of the city at Pier7 with a friend so you can share spot prawns in two styles; pan-fried whole with either white wine and garlic butter, or in a spicy chipotle, lime coconut and tomato broth served with grilled focaccia bread.
Chef Chris Whittaker will be serving up a range of spot prawn specials - including his award-winning chowder. Spot prawn fans should try the top-to-tail tasting which includes sashimi (tail), bisque, deep -fried prawns heads, and a prawn noodle dish.
Vancouver's only 100% sustainable Ocean Wise sushi restaurant, tucked away in the delicious-smelling lobby lounge of the Fairmont Pacific Rim, will be serving up kobujime spot prawn sashimi, Spot prawn arbori nigiri
and a spicy spot prawn roll.
Bagging some of the precious first catch of the season - as delivered by Organic Ocean fisherman, Steve Johansson - YEW are hosting a special dinner for the launch of the season on Thursday May 8. After that spot prawns delivered straight from the docks of Granville Island will be featured in a variety of ways across the menu from innovative seafood-loving chef, Ned Bell.
Chef Frank Pabst and team will be serving up daily spot prawn features at the raw bar as well as in the main dining room. See what bar whizz Evelyn Chick can mix up to pair with them.
Letting the sweet flavours sing through, Pino Posteraro will be cooking spot prawns as simply as possible, prawn cocktail-style but with a gazpacho-like sauce with the head fried and the prawns cooked quickly in seawater with seaweed.
Try BC Spot Prawn and Scallop Tartare in the secret garden patio at the back of this Yaletown favourite, served with wasabi-tartare sauce, pickled garden vegetables and organic petit greens croutons.
Dive into a three course spot prawn feast with a water view for around $50 at Provence. Choices include
Lois Lake Steelhead and BC Spot Prawns summer pea risotto and
Yellow Tomato Gazpacho with avocado and spot prawn salsa.
Campagnolo ROMA and Campagnolo are offering four-course family-style menus: a BC spot prawn boil of BC spot prawns with house-made sausage and seasonal vegetables, plus pizzas, pastas, and dessert for $49 pp plus tax and gratuity. Both restaurants are taking reservations for tables of four or more from May 13 through to the end of BC Spot Prawn season.
Campagnolo ROMA and Campagnolo are offering four-course family-style menus: a BC spot prawn boil of BC spot prawns with house-made sausage and seasonal vegetables, plus pizzas, pastas, and dessert for $49 pp plus tax and gratuity. Both restaurants are taking reservations for tables of four or more from May 13 through to the end of BC Spot Prawn season.
Chef Scott Jaeger will be serving his popular spot prawn cappuccino, a prawn bisque with butter poached spot prawns and dashi custard, as well as other daily inspired dishes.
Celebrating their first anniversary with a spot prawn special, head out to New West for spot prawns poached with Thai aromatics and served on ice, prawn cocktail-style. Two beers and a 1lb bucket of prawns are $30. This spot prawn special will be available each Saturday starting May 17 to only 30 customers.
No surprise that co-founders of the Vancouver Aquarium Ocean Wise programme with be in full spot prawn flow. The team told us "We'll have live tank running and full of the freshest spot prawns every day and we'll be selling them in our poached prawn tacos. We will feature them in our signature seasonal salad, and probably have them in a ceviche, if the price of limes ever comes down!"
Combine two of the season's most delicious foods at the Faux-Bo. Spot prawns will be cooked live with their heads on and served with spring veg like ramps and peas and a new tomato Provençal.
Locavore champion, chef Andrea Carlson, will have spot prawns on the menu in a raft of different ways, such as served in a smoked fir broth or as crispy fried prawns with a pickled fir needle tartar at this Mount Pleasant neighbourhood favourite.
Catch one of the best sunset views of the city at Pier7 with a friend so you can share spot prawns in two styles; pan-fried whole with either white wine and garlic butter, or in a spicy chipotle, lime coconut and tomato broth served with grilled focaccia bread.
Chef Chris Whittaker will be serving up a range of spot prawn specials - including his award-winning chowder. Spot prawn fans should try the top-to-tail tasting which includes sashimi (tail), bisque, deep -fried prawns heads, and a prawn noodle dish.
Vancouver's only 100% sustainable Ocean Wise sushi restaurant, tucked away in the delicious-smelling lobby lounge of the Fairmont Pacific Rim, will be serving up kobujime spot prawn sashimi, Spot prawn arbori nigiri
and a spicy spot prawn roll.
Bagging some of the precious first catch of the season - as delivered by Organic Ocean fisherman, Steve Johansson - YEW are hosting a special dinner for the launch of the season on Thursday May 8. After that spot prawns delivered straight from the docks of Granville Island will be featured in a variety of ways across the menu from innovative seafood-loving chef, Ned Bell.
Chef Frank Pabst and team will be serving up daily spot prawn features at the raw bar as well as in the main dining room. See what bar whizz Evelyn Chick can mix up to pair with them.
Letting the sweet flavours sing through, Pino Posteraro will be cooking spot prawns as simply as possible, prawn cocktail-style but with a gazpacho-like sauce with the head fried and the prawns cooked quickly in seawater with seaweed.
Try BC Spot Prawn and Scallop Tartare in the secret garden patio at the back of this Yaletown favourite, served with wasabi-tartare sauce, pickled garden vegetables and organic petit greens croutons.
Dive into a three course spot prawn feast with a water view for around $50 at Provence. Choices include
Lois Lake Steelhead and BC Spot Prawns summer pea risotto and
Yellow Tomato Gazpacho with avocado and spot prawn salsa.
Campagnolo ROMA and Campagnolo are offering four-course family-style menus: a BC spot prawn boil of BC spot prawns with house-made sausage and seasonal vegetables, plus pizzas, pastas, and dessert for $49 pp plus tax and gratuity. Both restaurants are taking reservations for tables of four or more from May 13 through to the end of BC Spot Prawn season.
Campagnolo ROMA and Campagnolo are offering four-course family-style menus: a BC spot prawn boil of BC spot prawns with house-made sausage and seasonal vegetables, plus pizzas, pastas, and dessert for $49 pp plus tax and gratuity. Both restaurants are taking reservations for tables of four or more from May 13 through to the end of BC Spot Prawn season.
Chef Scott Jaeger will be serving his popular spot prawn cappuccino, a prawn bisque with butter poached spot prawns and dashi custard, as well as other daily inspired dishes.
Celebrating their first anniversary with a spot prawn special, head out to New West for spot prawns poached with Thai aromatics and served on ice, prawn cocktail-style. Two beers and a 1lb bucket of prawns are $30. This spot prawn special will be available each Saturday starting May 17 to only 30 customers.
No surprise that co-founders of the Vancouver Aquarium Ocean Wise programme with be in full spot prawn flow. The team told us "We'll have live tank running and full of the freshest spot prawns every day and we'll be selling them in our poached prawn tacos. We will feature them in our signature seasonal salad, and probably have them in a ceviche, if the price of limes ever comes down!"
Combine two of the season's most delicious foods at the Faux-Bo. Spot prawns will be cooked live with their heads on and served with spring veg like ramps and peas and a new tomato Provençal.
Locavore champion, chef Andrea Carlson, will have spot prawns on the menu in a raft of different ways, such as served in a smoked fir broth or as crispy fried prawns with a pickled fir needle tartar at this Mount Pleasant neighbourhood favourite.
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