- 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 B次元官网网址攐ne of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 most exciting new restaurants. HeB次元官网网址檚 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.

B次元官网网址淚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,B次元官网网址� Peter says, smoke wafting out as he removes the sourdough bread from the top of the beef tartare smoke bowl.

ItB次元官网网址檚 my first taste of what the Hotel Grand PacificB次元官网网址檚 new restaurant, which opened earlier this year, has to offer. Decorated in muted greys and greens and a deep, sea blue with gold accents, FATHOMB次元官网网址檚 d茅cor and menu are inspired by the oceanB次元官网网址攋ust like this Inner Harbour restaurantB次元官网网址檚 name.

B次元官网网址淎 fathom is a unit of measurement for how deep below the sea youB次元官网网址檙e getting, and weB次元官网网址檙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, youB次元官网网址檙e exploring the depths of the sea,B次元官网网址� 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.

B次元官网网址淲e have to tell people it isnB次元官网网址檛 an actual shell or they wonB次元官网网址檛 eat it!B次元官网网址� 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 cityB次元官网网址檚 top hotels and eateries. HeB次元官网网址檚 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.

B次元官网网址淲hen someone asks me what the concept of our menu is, I joke that itB次元官网网址檚 something I would love to eat. But we want something that will be well-received by locals and also very sustainableB次元官网网址攕omething that is ethically grown and sourced and harvested,B次元官网网址� Peter explains. B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 also the responsibility of chefs and the people in the industry to showcase itemsB次元官网网址攂oth in how theyB次元官网网址檙e created and how theyB次元官网网址檙e presentedB次元官网网址攖o bring out the best flavours.B次元官网网址�

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.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a little twist with the Korean version,B次元官网网址� Peter says. B次元官网网址淲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.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 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.

B次元官网网址淚t is a dish IB次元官网网址檇 collaborated on with chefs I worked with in Vancouver, but IB次元官网网址檝e added my own twist to it with a little bit of Korean in there and a little bit of Japanese fusion as well,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 something thatB次元官网网址檚 really unique in the food scene here in Victoria.B次元官网网址�

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 thereB次元官网网址檚 no such thing as perfection.

B次元官网网址淚f we say our menu is perfect, our restaurant is perfect, our team is perfect, then thereB次元官网网址檚 no room for growth and thereB次元官网网址檚 no more room for creativity,B次元官网网址� he explains. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙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.B次元官网网址�

FATHOMB次元官网网址檚 new hand-crafted cocktail menu is also taking its inspiration from the sea, with the help of brand and beverage consultant Soren Schepkowski.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙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,B次元官网网址� Becca explains. B次元官网网址淭he deeper down, the more spirit-forward, heavy flavours there are. Whereas at the top, in the sunlight zone, theyB次元官网网址檙e lighter and more approachable.B次元官网网址�

I decided to splash down past the lighter zones to midnight for a cocktail called DonB次元官网网址檛 Say Rabbit, which is like a black Manhattan. A smooth sipper, itB次元官网网址檚 made with Jura 12 WhiskyB次元官网网址攐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.

B次元官网网址淥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,B次元官网网址� Becca says.

As I decide to have one last piece of the chicken karaage, I know IB次元官网网址檒l be back for more.

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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