paired with Hoyne Brewing’s Pilsner
Chef Matheus Cunha says living and working in Tofino is all of the inspiration he and the culinary team at Shelter Restaurant need when it comes to creating innovative menus.
“I’m a big runner and big surfer and it’s just such a beautiful place to live,” said Cunha. “I love it. I’ve gotten pretty healthy these last eight years and living in Tofino has a lot to do with it.”
Shelter Restaurant first opened in 2003, quickly becoming a staple in Tofino’s dining scene. Built on a commitment to fresh, locally sourced ingredients and warm, West Coast hospitality, the concept was to create a space where locals and visitors could gather over thoughtfully prepared food and good company.
After a fire at the restaurant’s original location in 2022 , Shelter moved to a stunning waterfront home with views of Tofino Inlet, which offered an opportunity to create an open-concept design with a patio overlooking the ocean where guests can enjoy a casual drink or full meal.
Cunha says that view, teamed with Shelter’s commitment to serving only the freshest, seasonal ingredients available, is a winning combination. Ingredients are sourced from as close to Tofino as possible.
He adds Shelter owner Jay Guildenhuys, who also owns Shed restaurant in Tofino, is so dedicated to the eat-local movement, he helped found the Tofino Ucluelet Culinary Guild as a way to make locally produced food both accessible and affordable, while ensuring fair compensation for the hardworking individuals who supply it.
“So, they gather a list of farms on Vancouver Island and the mainland of BC, and then we can order directly from them and they can deliver local products to us all year-round,” says Cunha. “It’s not just for Shelter, but for everyone in town. So, we try to shape our menu based on whatever we have available in terms of produce and shellfish or seafood in general.”
For example, he says, salmon typically comes from Tofino, while mussels are sourced from Salt Spring Island. He notes, while the Shelter menu does change with the seasons, there are some favourites that remain year-round.
“Shelter has been around for a long time, so there are some classic dishes that are always on the menu,” says Cunha. “Of course, we do change some items based on the season and whatever we have available, but there are some classics that are just untouchable and the salmon is part of that.”
Cunha adds, a rotating food menu also means rotating beer and cocktail offerings.
“We have two taps that are rotating, and then all the others are fixed pints,” said Cunha. “And then we have two rotating pints that change according to the season and to the menu.”
Fish and chips and fish tacos are also popular dishes, with ingredients sourced as locally as possible. Cunha recommends pairing the fish tacos with Hoyne’s Brewing Pilsner.
—Sandra Thomas
Ingredients
Deep fried tempura-battered ling cod
• ling cod (cut into 30g pieces)
• 100 g rice flour
• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 10 g baking powder
• 15 g salt
• 15 g sugar
• 2 tsp water
• 100 g canola oil
Chipotle crema
• 100 g mayonnaise
• 100 g sour cream
• 10 g lime juice
• 10 g of chipotle chili in adobo sauce
• 5 g salt
• 20 g water
Pickled onions and jalapeños
• 1 red onions
• 1 jalapeño pepper, halved and seeds removed
• 100 g water
• 75 g white vinegar
• 25 g white wine vinegar
• 25 g rice vinegar
• 5 g sugar
• 5 g salt
Morita chili oil
• 50 g seeded dry morita chilis
• 400 g grapeseed oil
Assembly
• Grilled flour tortillas
• Deep fried tempura-battered ling cod (see step 1)
• Chipotle crema (see step 2)
• Shredded red and green cabbage
• Pickled red onion & jalapeños (see step 3)
• Morita chili oil (see step 4)
• Micro cilantro
Directions
1. Fry the ling cod
Make the batter by combining all-purpose flour, baking pwder, salt, sugar, water and canola oil and stirring until smooth. Dip the cod in rice flour, followed by the batter, remove the excess batter and deep fry for 2.5 minutes at 325ºC.
2. Make the chipotle crema
Add all the components to a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Make the pickled onions and jalapeños
Thinly slice onion and jalapeño. Heat water, vinegars, sugar and salt to boiling, then add onions and jalapenos. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
4. Make the morita chili oil
Blend chilis and oil in a blender, strain into a jar using a fine strainer or a cheese cloth.
5. Assemble
Place a piece of fried ling cod on the tortilla and drizzle with chipotle crema. Add shredded cabbage, pickled onions and jalapenos, a drizzle of morita chili oil and top with micro cilantro. Serve with a slice of lime and enjoy.
