By Flavor & The Menu
September 10, 2019

Phil Kastel was first introduced to farmed seafood 25 years ago via trout grown in Idaho, which he still sources to this day. He notes the importance of understanding the process, from how the fish are fed to water usage, and the farm’s overall commitment to the product and to the environment.

At The Milky Way, Kastel features the fish as Trout Amandine, with panko crust, toasted almonds, tartar sauce and seasonal vegetables. “I took a classic dish that our beloved late owner Leah Spielberg Adler made for her family growing up, and I put my own spin on it,” he says.

“When the Spielbergs went camping, they would fish trout and cook over an open fire, so the dish was inherently part of their family life. Thus, it was naturally served at The Milky Way.”

Kastel also offers farmed salmon on the menu, pan-crisped with garlic-lemon butter. In fact, salmon is the No. 1 fish his guests order. “As much as we always want to serve wild fish, fresh wild salmon is only available certain times a year,” he says. The Milky Way features both farmed and wild seafood, including Alaska halibut and Pacific snapper.

“I teach my servers everything there is to know about farm-raised as well as wild seafood, and that way we are able to share the pros and cons of both.”