beverage manager, Vishal Dewli, the dish has been a huge hit. He says the creation, which consists of a sautéed proscuitto and


sage wrapped salmon fillet served on a grilled rustic French bread slathered with fresh garlic aioli, topped with an Okanagan Sauvignon Blanc/roasted garlic sauce, is perfect for tourists who come to the West Coast. “It’s refreshing. It’s really light. The flavour combination is amazing,”


he says, adding “it has been well received by our guests.” Dewli says they currently serve the salmon dish for special


occasions and when they have banquets but during tourist season it will be a regular feature on their menu. “It is one of our choices for the buffet menu and special events.


This serving of Alberni Valley Signature Salmon was prepared by Bruce Gillis of the Cypress Restaurant at Chances Rim Rock Casino in Port Alberni. He presented it to Gail McCully, the creator of the award-winning recipe, which has been adopted by Alberni Valley Tourism as its official recipe. Photo courtesy of Brenda Gough.


Everyone loves it.” Like McCully, he too would like to see the recipe in the spotlight just like the layered bar which put Nanaimo on the dessert map of the world. “It would be great if it could get same notoriety as the Nanaimo


Bar. It has more complexity than a Nanaimo Bar,” Dewli admits. Launching the signature dish will take time, McCully explained,


because restaurants have to meet criteria to ensure consistency. "I’m pleased that people can dine on something I created," she


says. "To see something that just started as a simple idea go full- circle, and to bring it back home and donate it and have it become an official recipe for the city, is an honour." Along with Alberni Valley Signature Salmon, the Cypress


Restaurant offers an innovative menu that is ever evolving. Dewli says their goal is to do the 100 Mile Diet as much as possible and include signature dishes that honour local


farmers, fishermen,


and food producers. But the food is only part of the unique dining experience offered at Chances Rim Rock Casino. Guests are in for a memorable evening of fine West Coast dining


The Pacific Rim Banquet Room exudes elegance and can be booked for parties with up to 150 people. Photo courtesy of Brenda Gough.


from the moment they stand before the 500-year-old sentinels framing the fireplace in the Cypress Lounge. The intimate grace of the Cypress Restaurant is mirrored in the


out that she's not a chef. Instead, she's a food lover with a gift for


creating award-winning recipes. McCully also loves to travel the world seeking out inspiration


for her recipes and it was during a trip to Cambodia where she was giving a lecture at a cooking school that she had an ah-ha moment. While she was talking about her homeland and what types of food are eaten and grown locally, one student asked her for a recipe that reflected where she was from. "I downloaded a copy of the Nanaimo bar from the Internet,"


McCully explained. "That led to me thinking of having a dish for the Salmon Capital of the World." When McCully moved to the Alberni Valley, she spoke with


the city's manager of economic development, Pat Deakin, about promoting tourism. She then met with tourism and marketing co-ordinator, Sabrina Zimmermann, and decided to pair up and promote culinary tourism. After teaming with Alberni Valley Tourism, McCully's recipe got a name change. Now known as Alberni Valley Signature Salmon, it has been sent to many restaurants across the Valley. The first to launch the recipe was Chances Rim Rock Casino and according to food and


Pacific Rim banquet room which seats 150. Designed with elegance, the room is handsomely appointed. The oversized light fixtures that once hung at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas give the room a dramatic flare. Dewli, who worked for one of Toronto’s high end restaurants before he fell in love with Port Alberni and decided to stay four years ago, says the atmosphere they provide in their dining venues is equal to the fine dining establishments you can only find in major cities. “Suzan Coulson designed the place. She has a great vision,” he


says. The dining areas are designed with a quintessentially West Coast


flavour and every tree that grows in the Alberni Valley is represented in the distinctive décor. With an award-winning signature salmon dish among the many


creative entrées, and dining areas that are a feast for the eyes, Chances Rim Rock Casino in Port Alberni is a dining destination that should not be missed by travellers seeking a great food experience.


Visit www.islandtimesmagazine.ca to read this article and more. Send your comments to comments@islandtimesmagazine.ca.


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