Searching for Alaska’s fi nest bites? Start with seafood

The chef at the Crow’s Nest restaurant prepares the first of the season sockeye salmon.

SEARCHING FOR ALASKA’S FINEST BITES? START WITH SEAFOOD

Simon & Seafort’s in Downtown Anchorage.

PHOTO BY JIM LAVRAKAS

By MARA SEVERIN

Ilike to explore a new place fork rst. A destination’s culinary landscape is o en as interesting as its topographical one.

And Alaska is no di erent. If you want to break the ice with a local, ask them about their favorite pizza. Or burger. Or bowl of pho. You’ll de nitely hear about Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria, which might be described as one of the city’s most important social hubs. You’ll hear about the broth-to-noodle soup ratios at old school Vietnamese eatery, Ray’s Place on Spenard Road vs. the trendy Phonatik in South Anchorage. You’ll hear about Tommy’s Burger Stop, Lucky Wishbone, and Arctic Roadrunner, where the loyal locals have gotten their burger-and-fries xes for decades.

You’ll even hear spirited debates about the city’s best hot dog stands. Seriously: Reindeer sausage is not just for tourists. Alaskans eat it year-round and we take it seriously. Are you loyal to Yeti Dogs, past winner of the Mobile Cuisine Magazine’s Hot Dog Vendor of the Year (yes, that’s a thing)? Or are you a fan of International House of Hot Dogs, where you can order your reindeer sausage topped with ham and pineapple and served with a side of cilantro garlic fries?

Landlubbers, quit reading here.

For most visitors to Alaska, fork- rst travel means seafood. Seafood is at the top of our gourmet (and recreational) food chain. Many residents love to sh, and those who don’t make sure to befriend someone who does. How else will you keep your second freezer packed tight with salmon and halibut? However, if during your Alaska vacation you’re not lucky enough to nagle a dinner invitation from a well-stocked local, never fear. e seafood-savvy chefs at Anchorage’s best restaurants have got you covered. From sweet king crab legs to humble halibut tacos, dining out in Anchorage means eating the way many Alaskans dine in. Which is to say, beautifully.

SPECTACULAR SALMON

Salmon, in Alaska, is both a luxury and a staple. Flaky, fatty (the good kind of fat) and full- avored, salmon stands up to a wide range of preparations, including the smokiness and heat of an open ame. ere are ve salmon species found in Alaska but the king variety is, well, king.

If you’re going to tuck into a glistening piece of Alaska king salmon (also known as chinook), you might as well get the royal treatment at e Crow’s Nest, the elegant restaurant at the top of the Hotel Captain Cook in downtown. A recent king salmon preparation is served with

Salmon burger from Salmon Hookup Truck.

PHOTO BY MARA SEVERIN

a cauli ower emulsion, roasted orets, couscous, and crispy chickpeas with a raisin and sherry jam. Food comes to the table with air and nesse, and every dish comes with 360 degrees of stunning views.

For similarly beautiful views with a more relaxed vibe, check out the 49th State Brewing Co., downtown on ird Avenue, where you can pair your grilled salmon let with a lemon cream sauce and a housebrewed IPA. Bonus points for grabbing a spot at the best deck in town.

Or keep your eyes peeled for the Salmon HookUp Truck, which makes appearances at festivals, breweries and food truck fairs around Anchorage throughout the summer. Owned and operated by commercial shermen, the salmon in their sandwiches, quesadillas, tacos and kebabs is as fresh as it’s possible to get anywhere. It’s like a taste of the ocean on wheels.

For a meal with a little Latin air, duck into the chic and trendy Tequila 61 downtown on Fourth Avenue for salmon tacos garnished with crispy fried onions, grilled pineapple and chipotle slaw. Make sure to wash them down with one of their top-notch scratch margaritas.

Or get your seafood x at the most important meal of the day and hit up Snow City Café (1034 W. Fourth Ave.) for a Ship Creek Benedict made with smoked salmon cakes. is local favorite also o ers a Kodiak Benedict with Alaska red king crab cakes. Or go all out with the Deadliest Catch Benedict, which is a sampling of each. When it comes to Alaska breakfasts it’s go big or go home.

HEAVENLY HALIBUT

Considering the size of this behemoth catch (some exceed 400 pounds), Alaska halibut is prized for its delicate, buttery avor. Its name derivation comes from half (holy) and butte ( at sh) and a beautifully prepared let can indeed be a spiritual experience. Its immaculate white esh, rm textured and clean tasting, lends itself to a wide variety of avor pro les.

At Simon & Seafort’s Saloon & Grill (420 L St.), a downtown Anchorage seafood landmark with a classic culinary sensibility, halibut cheeks are crusted in asiago and served with a velvety beurre blanc. is upscale eatery also boasts a bustling bar with beautiful views of Mount Susitna (known locally as the “Sleeping Lady”). e halibut let at Glacier Brewhouse (737 W. Fi h Ave.) is coated with basil pesto and spent grain breadcrumbs. And for a playful take on this revered sh, head to Haute Quarter Grill for halibut served with a citrus glaze and strawberry salsa (525 W. Fourth Ave.)

At the new downtown hot spot, Tent City Taphouse, try the Halibut Alaskana served Olympia style with fresh dill, lemon crème fraiche, smoked lemon pan jus, and braised fennel. Just across Sixth Avenue, Pangea serves up a banana cashew crusted halibut with green curry and mango chutney on jasmine rice.

But if you want to eat halibut like a true local, look for the hand-held variety. e White Spot Cafe (109 W. Fourth Ave.), established in 1946, is an old-school lunch counter that serves up a lightly battered halibut sandwich revered by Anchorage residents for decades. At El GreenGo’s food truck, you can customize your sh tacos with either halibut or salmon. At F Street Station (325 F St.), a thick slab of perfectly grilled halibut is served as a classic sandwich with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce. (Also, make sure to check out the bar’s famous block of cheese.) And Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse (610 W. Sixth Ave.) serves up ever-popular halibut tacos that most locals could describe from memory.

THE KING OF CRAB

Alaska king crab legs have such a subtle and unique avor that I’m resistant to experimental recipes. Drawn butter and perhaps a few lemon wedges are, for me, the ideal accompaniment to this peculiarly

The halibut sandwich is one of the favorites at the White Spot Café on Fourth Avenue in Anchorage

PHOTO BY BOB HALLINEN

HugeAlaskanaSection!

Fishing&HuntingGuides•TravelGuides &Maps•Foraging&PlantGuides •Kids&YoungAdultBooks OpenMostDaysUntil8pm 1360W.NorthernLightsBlvd. 907.278.9283

sweet delicacy. Happily, many of Anchorage’s best restaurants share my view. Haute Quarter Grill, Glacier Brewhouse, 49th State Brewing Company, Simon & Seafort’s, and Tent City Taphouse all o er this decadent treat, by the pound, in its simplest form. And if you want your old-school dish served in an old-school dining room, head to Club Paris, which has been serving seafood and steak since the 1950s, and where you can eat your crab with a side of nostalgia and a dash of “Mad Men” air (417 W. Fi h Ave.). at said, I’m not always crabby about creative crab and I’m charmed by the king crab fritters on the appetizer menu at e Crow’s Nest. I nd it hard to resist a fritter of any kind but one that’s served with a pickle juice aioli? Resistance is futile.

SHRIMP AND SCALLOPS

A ne-dining destination with low-key charm is e Marx Brothers Café, located in a diminutive, freestanding, historic house on ird Avenue in downtown. A bit of planning is called for to snag one of the 14 tables at this cozy culinary gem. Once there, try the pan-seared Kodiak scallops with leeks, tomatoes, tarragon, and sa ron served over a house made spinach pasta. Marx Brothers also boasts one of the best wine cellars in the state and will be happy to help you nd the perfect sip for your scallops.

Other upscale but comforting takes on the sweet and savory scallop can be found at Crow’s Nest, where Kodiak scallops are served with fennel cream, chorizo, and sweet corn succotash made with brown butter and tarragon. Or head over to Ginger Restaurant where seared diver scallops are served atop a basil-pine nut crusted three-cheese pasta, tomato brunoise, and nished with tru e oil and fresh basil (425 W. Fi h Ave.). is is not your grandma’s mac and cheese.

OUT-OF-THE-ORDINARY OYSTERS

As my family will tell you, I love oysters. Every year, I dutifully bring my family to the Alaska State Fair in Palmer. I like giant pumpkins and baby piglets as much as the next person, but secretly, I go for the oysters. When I arrive, I saddle up to the Pristine Products oyster booth and down a quick dozen of Prince William Sound’s nest while watching the pros shuck the next plateful. At the end of the day, a er my family has stu ed themselves full of funnel cake and onion blossoms, I’ve been biding my time. My farewell gesture to the fair is to slurp back another dozen oysters. ey’re that good.

If you aren’t lucky enough to be in town during the Alaska State Fair, you’ll just have to suck it up (so to speak) and get your x in a more civilized manner.

Many restaurants serve fresh-shucked local oysters with a traditional mignonette or cocktail sauce, including F Street Station and Sullivan’s Steakhouse (320 W. Fi h Ave.). For something more re ned, Haute Quarter Grill o ers a cold oyster dish served with a strawberry, cucumber and ginger mignonette. Ginger serves their oysters with a kick, freshly shucked into a shot glass with a spicy sake tomato water.

For more oyster options, throw an exclusive oyster party at e Bubbly Mermaid, a hip and quirky little oyster bar that is, literally, ship-shaped. ey’re o ering a private, pre-book only chef-to-table experience with over a dozen hot and cold oyster choices. From the traditional mignonette and Rockefeller preparations to funky shooters like kale, sriracha and Pabst Blue Ribbon. Oysters are accompanied by carefully curated champagnes. Booking must be done by noon for same day dining (417 D St.). at said, the cold salt waters of Alaskan’s coast produce the most delicious oysters in the world — plump, sweet and briny — so a er dabbling with dips, toppings and sauces, do yourself a avor and end your meal with at least one oyster eaten au naturel. A little taste of the sea is the perfect dessert.

NOTE: Hours, occupancy, COVID-19 mandates, and (most importantly) seasonal specials can change, so be sure to check ahead before checking out Anchorage’s best dining destinations.

King crab legs and blue cheese stuffed fi let at the Club Paris in downtown Anchorage.

PHOTO BY BOB HALLINEN

A raw oyster from Simpson Bay, near Cordova, at the Bubbly Mermaid Champagne and Oyster Bar

PHOTO BY LOREN HOLMES