You may have never heard cat owners talk about their pets with half the affection El Gaucho uses to describe their Yukon River salmon whose fat content is enormous — the highest of the entire king salmon species at 24 to 34 percent.

And although there is much ado about salmon caught from the Copper River in Alaska, El Gaucho is a bit partial to the gems harvested from the Yukon River, which is longer and farther north than the Copper. Yukon River salmon are fattier and tastier because they bulk up more in the Bering Sea in anticipation of their longer journey. The extra fat offers more omega-3 fatty acids, compounds associated with lowering the risk of cancer and heart disease in humans.

Who cares about reducing heart disease? Last Friday I could have died happy polishing off my huge filet of Yukon River salmon in El Gaucho’s elegant dining room. It’s prepared with a lemon vinaigrette, herb butter, salt and pepper, then flame-grilled over Kingsford briquettes. The bright pink fish melts in the mouth.

El Gaucho Corporate Chef Ken Sharp traveled to Alaska this month to hand-pick the salmon from the Yu’pik natives who mastered the freezing process of the salmon that run two to three weeks in the late spring. Mackey Restaurants, which includes El Gaucho, Tacoma’s Sea Grill and the Waterfront Seafood Grill in Seattle, claim to be one of the only restaurants in American to buy frozen Yukon salmon. 

Who cares if they are the only ones? Last Friday I was the only one that mattered, or so it seemed with the outstanding service I received.  El Gaucho does it right, folks.

El Gaucho has paired the salmon perfect with Saint Laurent’s award winning Syrah Rose, a 2007 San Francisco Wine Competition Silver Medal winner. It’s fruity, crisp finish allowed the salmon to shine.

[El Gaucho, 2119 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.1510]