SABOR Seafood Festival returns this Friday for its 4th annual month-long event. The seafood extravaganza this year is 100% certified Ocean Wise and continues to provide Edmonton with sustainable and ocean-friendly options.
For 2017’s SABOR Seafood Festival, co-owners Christian Mena and Chef Lino Oliveira have collaborated with Chef Ned Bell, Ocean Wise’s Executive Chef to bring a fantastic menu, available from Friday, August 4 until Sunday, September 3rd. I had the opportunity last night to attend the media preview of the event, an amazing showcase of sustainable seafood dishes.
SABOR Seafood Festival 2017
For those unfamiliar with the Ocean Wise, their seafood program
works directly with restaurants, markets, food services and seafood suppliers to ensure they have the most current scientific information regarding sustainable seafood and to help them make ocean-friendly buying decisions.
Restaurants participating in the Ocean Wise program have these options highlighted on their menus, which makes it easy for consumers to make ocean-friendly seafood choices.
Conservas in a Tin with grilled flatbread
Conservas in a Tin with grilled flatbread: Mussels with Escabeche, Octopus with Spicy Tomato, and Sardine Fillets with Salsa Verde. My favourite was the sardine fillets, densely packed with nutrients and full of flavour.
Chef Ned Bell’s Famous Crab Tacos
Scallop & Prawn Ceviche
Gull Valley Tomato Salad
Chef Ned Bell’s Famous Crab Tacos were a hit at the table. Made with maple, miso, and lemon, these tacos were absolutely delicious. I’m definitely coming back for another round of these. Our second course also came with a Scallop & Prawn Ceviche, and a beautiful Gull Valley Tomato Salad with corn bread crumble & mackerel crudo.
Wild BC Salmon
Kelp-Blackened Sturgeon Loin
Black Paella Rice
There’s a selection of main courses available as part of the Seafood Festival menu: a Wild BC Salmon with a kale & cashew pesto and heirloom tomato jam; Kelp-Blackened Sturgeon Loin with sea urchin cream; and Black Paella Rice with chorizo and vegetables. Of the three, I preferred the salmon. It was well-balanced and the sweetness of the tomato jam went well with the cashew pesto. By far, the Sturgeon loin was definitely the most interesting: visually enticing, the seaweed-encrusted loin was meaty, but it was the sea urchin cream that stood out for me.
I, unfortunately, missed out on dessert as I had to leave the event early, but Kelp Brownies and Soft Egg Sweets from Aveiro, Portugal are on the menu to order. I can’t wait to order the brownies, it’s not every day that you’ll see seaweed snuck into dessert.
Join SABOR this month to celebrate Iberian and Mediterranean flavours while supporting our oceans’ ecosystems. Don’t forget that there’s also live entertainment from Wednesday to Saturday evenings! Cheers to SABOR’s Seafood Festival!
Chef Ned Bell from Ocean Wise & SABOR’s New Oyster Bar
SABOR
www.sabor.ca
10220 103 St NW
(780) 757-1114
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