chilled fennel soup w/crab, avocado & grapefruit
clinic avocado & grapefruit” />
I had a perfect birthday. This year, advice it was on a Sunday and I was on vacation. I slept in, watched some Olympics, ate a Japanese hot dog, went shopping, toured the Vancouver Aquarium, took a nap and was taken out to a most fabulous dinner at Parkside. As with most meals on our Pacific Northwest adventure, Parkside is all about fresh, seasonal ingredients. Everything, including the wine, was responsibly farmed and delicious. The dishes themselves were simple, but interesting. For my appetizer, I had a very memorable chilled fennel soup topped with Dungeness crab, avocado and grapefruit. I knew I had to try to imitate it and noted as many ingredients as I could identify on my trusty iPhone.
I think I did an admirable job, though I definitely suffered from a lack of awesomely fresh crab. It’s just the wrong coast, I suppose. Next time, I think a juicy hunk of Florida Lobster tail will make a nice substitute for the crab, and is much more appropriate for the area. But the soup itself was Miami perfection. Light, refreshing and chilly enough to cool you off after a long, hot day on the beach.
Note: Where’s the crab in the picture? It sunk. I recommend using more shallow bowls if you’re trying for a nice presentation…