The Nanaimo Golf Club is offering up much more than the wings and dry ribs golfers crave, serving creative twists on old favourites. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

TASTY TWO

Signature Dish: Nanaimo Golf Club’s coconut prawns & blackberry halibut risotto

Feb 25, 2022 | 3:13 PM

NANAIMO — As part of a revamped, re-energized menu, the Nanaimo Golf Club has turned to some unique combinations to provide duffers and diners alike an unforgettable experience.

Bryce Forsyth, executive chef, said an appetizer featuring traditional Vietnamese flavours has proven to be a hit with customers.

“The coconut prawns is a dish I came up with after reading about some Vietnamese cooking techniques which use peanuts, tomatoes and coconut milk. I added prawns, chillis and lime juice with deep fried yam chips to turn it into an appetizer.”

It was a combination which Forsyth had leaned on before at restaurants and it always had people coming back for more.

The coconut prawns are a twist on the traditional deep fried classic.

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“It seems kind of different and sometimes people think the coconut prawns should be breaded with coconut but it’s the coconut milk in the sauce that’s made it what it is. It’s a good combination of flavours and that’s why the Vietnamese use it.”

Forsyth said the tomatoes, peanuts and coconut milk mixture could be considered the equivalent of a mirepoix, what western chefs would consider carrots, onion and celery.

The Nanaimo Golf Club’s twists on classic dishes extends elsewhere on their menu.

The restaurant’s Blackberry Halibut comes atop a bed of deeply flavourful risotto, infused with asiago cheese.

“We serve it with vegetables so the key thing is to make sure the risotto is ready, it’s cooked and moist and when you have that ready, you can cook the fish and the sauce in three minutes,” Forsyth said.

Normally a heavy dish, the risotto is carefully balanced to complement a lighter filet of halibut.

The richness normally attributed to the dish is largely negated by a blackberry sauce which pairs well with the caramelized rice, onions, garlic and white wine.

“People like rich stuff sometimes. I don’t reduce my cream as much as some people would reduce cream, I use less cream and reduce is less to the consistency of the sauce I like. The blackberries are the things that cut through all that heaviness, so that’s what really works with the dish.”

The Nanaimo Golf Club offers a wide array of dishes for its diverse customer base.

Forsyth conceded handheld items like wings or dry ribs fly out of the kitchen for golfers coming in from, or heading out for a round. The menu also features all the staples including burgers, steak, chicken, salads and pasta.

“It’s a diverse clientele, no doubt. Once you’ve realized it’s that diverse, it’s not that hard to figure out. Golfers want what golfers want, while people coming off the street who aren’t golfers, they just want to eat in a good restaurant.”

The restaurant is located 2800 Highland Blvd., just off the Island Hwy., and is open from 11 a.m. daily for lunch and dinner, with a special brunch menu available on weekends.

Take-out food service is also available.

More information on the club, including menus, is available on their website.

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