Hooked

PHOTOS COURTESY OF EAT MAGAZINE | BY CHARLES TOWNSEND BESSENT

By Kim Fuller Published in EAT Magazine

Leave it to Hooked to make you feel close to the ocean while you’re in the middle of the mountains. The fresh fish house in Beaver Creek receives the best-of-the-best sushi-grade fish from Japan, Hawaii, California, New Zealand, Spain and beyond.

Guests can order appetizers like oysters and ceviche, then entrées of fish tacos, king crab legs, and for the turf lovers, 7x steak. But what Hooked is really known for is its whole fish preparation. Pick a fish for your table, like a New Zealand Tai, and the chefs will prepare it in a variety of raw and cooked renditions.

Daily fish selections are on display.

“We have everything from big ol’ groupers that taste like butter, to itty bitty flying fish that are steak-like,” explains Evan Biner, front-of-house manager,” so we have a big variety.”

Start with the chef’s variation of your raw fish, like a sushi roll filled with avocado and cucumber, topped with roasted serrano aioli and bacon. Try the hand-grated wasabi for an authentic taste of spice.

“Our chefs get really creative and bring out some really cool, fascinating stuff,” says Biner. “We have some fun here.”

Thank local owner and chef, Riley Romanin, for the unique experience he has created at Hooked. While he was originally trained in French cuisine, he fell for fish and was determined to elevate ocean flavor in the mountains.

Choose between eight different cooked techniques for your table fish, like pan seared or steamed, flame broiled or flash fried. Purists will like Beachside — served simply with extra virgin olive oil, charred lemon and sea salt. Most fish are served on the bone, so you can pull off the tender pieces yourself.

Seafood lovers shouldn’t stop there, but enjoy ocean specialties of oysters, king crab legs or a steamed lobster. Check the chalkboards to see what in-season specials are in house for the evening.

Order a bottle of sake to share, like the Dreamy Clouds Junmai Nigori, or a draft craft beer from one of the bar’s five rotating taps.

Dessert can be a drink: the barrel-aged Mai Tai made with rum and house-made almond puree. The sweet ending leaves you with a taste of Tiki, so you can linger “by the sea” for a little bit longer.

Hooked can be your off-the-slopes lunch or après ski stop as well. Tacos and sandwiches dominate the menu from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and happy hour on the patio rolls from 3:30 to 5 p.m. •

Price
Dinner appetizers:
$8-$30; Large plates: $22-$55; Whole fish preparation: Market Price
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Ambiance
Fresh fish house
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Signature dish
Half raw and half cooked whole fish preparation
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Kid-friendly?
Yes