Ordering sustainable seafood with confidence!

Last week, I had the good fortune of going out for a birthday dinner at Sea Change, the new restaurant at the Guthrie Theater, in the former Cue space. While this is not intended to be a restaurant review blog, I have to say that it was very very good! The design of the space is much brighter, more hip, and not as loud as when it was Cue. But the best part was being able to freely pick from the menu, knowing that the seafood on the menu was sustainably caught. I have always loved seafood...raw or cooked! But it has always been tricky to know what was ok to eat, both for environmental and health concerns, and what should be avoided.

Now...a restaurant that does the thinking for me! And nothing is sacrificed in terms of fine dining experience in exchange for being eco-friendly!

Of course, Sea Change is not the first nor only restaurant with a comitment to local or sustainable sourcing of its food. Lucia's, Spoonriver, Red Stag Supper Club, and many more are examples of other local fine dining establishments with such a focus, but Sea Change is (one of) the first such seafood places!

I ordered sturgeon, which I hadn't ordered in a long time because I thought it was a 'no-no'...and it was delicious!

Two other options for checking on your seafood choices when you're dining out (date night or Mom's Night Out):

• The Seafood Watch Guide from Monterey Bay Aquarium is available as a downloadable pocket guide to carry in your wallet, or a mobile application for iPhone or iPod touch! How cool is that?
• FishPhone from the Blue Ocean Institute will provide you with instant information about a seafood choice. Simply text "FISH" and the name of the fish in question to 30664 and they will text you back with their assessment and better alternatives to fish with significant environmental concerns! Blue Ocean’s Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood is also available for online and for mobile users (different sites).

If you buy fish to eat at home, look for label from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). This international nonprofit organization uses independent certifying agencies to make sure fisheries are catching their fish in the most environmentally friendly way possible. The label now appears on more than 180 frozen, fresh, and smoked-fish products sold in grocery stores across the country, including Whole Foods and Target.