- 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 含羞草研究社攐ne of Victoria含羞草研究社檚 most exciting new restaurants. He含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淚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,含羞草研究社� Peter says, smoke wafting out as he removes the sourdough bread from the top of the beef tartare smoke bowl.

It含羞草研究社檚 my first taste of what the Hotel Grand Pacific含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 d茅cor and menu are inspired by the ocean含羞草研究社攋ust like this Inner Harbour restaurant含羞草研究社檚 name.

含羞草研究社淎 fathom is a unit of measurement for how deep below the sea you含羞草研究社檙e getting, and we含羞草研究社檙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含羞草研究社檙e exploring the depths of the sea,含羞草研究社� 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.

含羞草研究社淲e have to tell people it isn含羞草研究社檛 an actual shell or they won含羞草研究社檛 eat it!含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 top hotels and eateries. He含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淲hen someone asks me what the concept of our menu is, I joke that it含羞草研究社檚 something I would love to eat. But we want something that will be well-received by locals and also very sustainable含羞草研究社攕omething that is ethically grown and sourced and harvested,含羞草研究社� Peter explains. 含羞草研究社淚 think it含羞草研究社檚 also the responsibility of chefs and the people in the industry to showcase items含羞草研究社攂oth in how they含羞草研究社檙e created and how they含羞草研究社檙e presented含羞草研究社攖o bring out the best flavours.含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a little twist with the Korean version,含羞草研究社� Peter says. 含羞草研究社淲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.含羞草研究社�

It含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淚t is a dish I含羞草研究社檇 collaborated on with chefs I worked with in Vancouver, but I含羞草研究社檝e added my own twist to it with a little bit of Korean in there and a little bit of Japanese fusion as well,含羞草研究社� he says. 含羞草研究社淚 think it含羞草研究社檚 something that含羞草研究社檚 really unique in the food scene here in Victoria.含羞草研究社�

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含羞草研究社檚 no such thing as perfection.

含羞草研究社淚f we say our menu is perfect, our restaurant is perfect, our team is perfect, then there含羞草研究社檚 no room for growth and there含羞草研究社檚 no more room for creativity,含羞草研究社� he explains. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙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.含羞草研究社�

FATHOM含羞草研究社檚 new hand-crafted cocktail menu is also taking its inspiration from the sea, with the help of brand and beverage consultant Soren Schepkowski.

含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檙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,含羞草研究社� Becca explains. 含羞草研究社淭he deeper down, the more spirit-forward, heavy flavours there are. Whereas at the top, in the sunlight zone, they含羞草研究社檙e lighter and more approachable.含羞草研究社�

I decided to splash down past the lighter zones to midnight for a cocktail called Don含羞草研究社檛 Say Rabbit, which is like a black Manhattan. A smooth sipper, it含羞草研究社檚 made with Jura 12 Whisky含羞草研究社攐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.

含羞草研究社淥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,含羞草研究社� Becca says.

As I decide to have one last piece of the chicken karaage, I know I含羞草研究社檒l be back for more.

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
Like Boulevard Magazine on and follow them on