- Words by Tess Van Straaten Photography by Don Denton

I can smell the woodsy, campfire-like aroma well before I see executive chef Peter Kim coming out of the kitchen at 香蕉视频直播攐ne of Victoria香蕉视频直播檚 most exciting new restaurants. He香蕉视频直播檚 carrying what looks like a large glass ball filled with smoke and a bed of shells, stones and moss cradling my appetizer and invoking the ocean and forests of Vancouver Island.

香蕉视频直播淚t not only gives the show aspect, it also gives a nice, very pleasant taste with the grilled bread, and the hickory goes very well with the beef tartare,香蕉视频直播� Peter says, smoke wafting out as he removes the sourdough bread from the top of the beef tartare smoke bowl.

It香蕉视频直播檚 my first taste of what the Hotel Grand Pacific香蕉视频直播檚 new restaurant, which opened earlier this year, has to offer. Decorated in muted greys and greens and a deep, sea blue with gold accents, FATHOM香蕉视频直播檚 d茅cor and menu are inspired by the ocean香蕉视频直播攋ust like this Inner Harbour restaurant香蕉视频直播檚 name.

香蕉视频直播淎 fathom is a unit of measurement for how deep below the sea you香蕉视频直播檙e getting, and we香蕉视频直播檙e a seafood-centric restaurant. So, the idea for the design is that it goes from lighter to darker, like the ocean, and as you get into the lounge, you香蕉视频直播檙e exploring the depths of the sea,香蕉视频直播� explains Hotel Grand Pacific marketing guru Becca Penner.

I decide to dive right in, sampling the sweet and juicy scallops served on a spring pea risotto with ginger scallop mousse and accented with an edible shell hand-crafted from phyllo dough and pressed against an actual scallop shell to make the perfect impression.

香蕉视频直播淲e have to tell people it isn香蕉视频直播檛 an actual shell or they won香蕉视频直播檛 eat it!香蕉视频直播� Peter says with a laugh.

Peter came to the hotel from Vancouver almost a year and a half ago after working in some of the city香蕉视频直播檚 top hotels and eateries. He香蕉视频直播檚 also worked throughout the Pacific Rim, including San Francisco, Singapore and Australia. He says his inspiration for FATHOM was to create dishes that are unique and sustainable.

香蕉视频直播淲hen someone asks me what the concept of our menu is, I joke that it香蕉视频直播檚 something I would love to eat. But we want something that will be well-received by locals and also very sustainable香蕉视频直播攕omething that is ethically grown and sourced and harvested,香蕉视频直播� Peter explains. 香蕉视频直播淚 think it香蕉视频直播檚 also the responsibility of chefs and the people in the industry to showcase items香蕉视频直播攂oth in how they香蕉视频直播檙e created and how they香蕉视频直播檙e presented香蕉视频直播攖o bring out the best flavours.香蕉视频直播�

My next dish, a delicious chicken karaage, packs a flavour-packed punch with some heat, some crunch from crushed cashews, and just the right amount of crispy coating for a unique take on Japanese fried chicken.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a little twist with the Korean version,香蕉视频直播� Peter says. 香蕉视频直播淲hile we marinade it in the traditional Japanese style, we toss it with the gochujang glaze, so it gets a nice balance of the heat, but a lot of taste with the ginger and garlic.香蕉视频直播�

It香蕉视频直播檚 already a huge hit among staff and patrons, but Peter says his absolute favourite item on the menu is the sablefish, which is served with a kabayaki glaze and a house-made prawn cake with a cauliflower puree and nori sand.

香蕉视频直播淚t is a dish I香蕉视频直播檇 collaborated on with chefs I worked with in Vancouver, but I香蕉视频直播檝e added my own twist to it with a little bit of Korean in there and a little bit of Japanese fusion as well,香蕉视频直播� he says. 香蕉视频直播淚 think it香蕉视频直播檚 something that香蕉视频直播檚 really unique in the food scene here in Victoria.香蕉视频直播�

Taking my first bite of the sablefish, I experience layers of flavour. It almost has a deep smokiness to it. I can see why Peter loves it, but he says there香蕉视频直播檚 no such thing as perfection.

香蕉视频直播淚f we say our menu is perfect, our restaurant is perfect, our team is perfect, then there香蕉视频直播檚 no room for growth and there香蕉视频直播檚 no more room for creativity,香蕉视频直播� he explains. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e continuously evolving and looking to create new seasonal dishes to use what the harvesters, growers and forager who we work with provide, and make something that is edible as well as beautiful to the eye.香蕉视频直播�

FATHOM香蕉视频直播檚 new hand-crafted cocktail menu is also taking its inspiration from the sea, with the help of brand and beverage consultant Soren Schepkowski.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e going to go with the fathom idea, separating the cocktails into different zones: so, the sunlight zone, the twilight zone, the midnight zone, the trenches and the abyss, depending on how adventurous you want to be,香蕉视频直播� Becca explains. 香蕉视频直播淭he deeper down, the more spirit-forward, heavy flavours there are. Whereas at the top, in the sunlight zone, they香蕉视频直播檙e lighter and more approachable.香蕉视频直播�

I decided to splash down past the lighter zones to midnight for a cocktail called Don香蕉视频直播檛 Say Rabbit, which is like a black Manhattan. A smooth sipper, it香蕉视频直播檚 made with Jura 12 Whisky香蕉视频直播攐ne of the 160-plus whisky options on the menu. FATHOM is also working with Devine Distillery on the Saanich Peninsula to create its own house whisky.

香蕉视频直播淥ur goal now is to become a local hot spot and more of a go-to spot for locals, especially people in the foodie community, as well as a must-do for tourists,香蕉视频直播� Becca says.

As I decide to have one last piece of the chicken karaage, I know I香蕉视频直播檒l be back for more.

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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