A few weeks ago, we were invited to the Duke’s Chowder House “Salmon Show n’ Tell” event at the Alki Beach location in West Seattle. The night was very enlightening and helped further my knowledge of sustainable fishing. The owner, Duke Moscrip, and Larry Andrews, of Alaskan Seafood, provided an educational segment on sustainability practices for fresh wild salmon. They talked about their experiences in Alaska, background on the various salmon species, and their advocacy for a longer salmon cycle.

In addition to the sustainability discussion, each species of salmon was displayed and filleted in front of us. The head chef, Bill Ranniger, expertly prepared each type of salmon for sampling. The salmon tasting featured King, Coho, Sockeye, Keta, and Pink. The spread of food was a real treat as it also included a generous entrée comprised of Duke’s signature dishes. The items highlighted were the baked salmon stuffed with gruyere and crab, the broiled blueberry and goat cheese salmon, a pesto salmon slider, and a salmon chowder. The whole meal was pleasantly paired with wine from King Estate and finished with a batch of the restaurant’s personally sourced whiskey.   

My favorites dishes were the stuffed salmon and the chowder. The stuffed salmon was succulent and the combination of gruyere and crab worked well. The salmon chowder had the right balance of savory flavor, perfect for a chilly day. We had a good time at the Duke’s event and it was very enriching to understand the restaurant’s passion for using fine quality components in their dishes.