Am I the only one who thinks lionfish are kinda… cute? Either way, the invasive little dudes — venomous dorsal spines and all — have posed a serious threat to Gulf Coast marine ecosystems for quite some time (eliminating local species' food sources is one way lionfish wreak havoc underwater), which is why they're served up at Bay area restaurants when available.
It's also why this particular fish drives an upcoming culinary collaboration between downtown St. Pete's Locale Market/FarmTable Kitchen and The Club at Treasure Island. If you can't beat 'em, might as well eat 'em with a fork, right?
Scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at The Club (it's early, but there are a limited number of tickets available), executive chef Paul Liptak teams up with Locale and FarmTable executive chef Jeffrey Hileman to present a five-course lionfish dinner. Each dish is matched with a select wine curated by sommelier Julian Mayor of FarmTable and Locale.
The evening serves as an educational forum, too, as the voracious fish's rise to Certified Problem is highlighted alongside why chowing down on lionfish is necessary to combat the invasive species.
Proceeds will benefit the Florida Institute of Oceanography and its lionfish research efforts. To purchase tickets, which cost $75 per person and $125 with wine pairings, diners can simply give The Club a call.
This article appears in Sep 21-28, 2017.