Invasive species. You can't live with 'em. You can't eat 'em. Oh wait, sometimes you can, and that's exactly the point of tomorrow night's Sustainable Feast: Into the Lion's Den event, happening at East End Market.
IDEAS for Us, Hanson's Shoe Repair and Kappo are teaming up to serve a Mottainai meal – that is, a meal in which nothing is wasted and everything gets eaten – with lionfish as the main course.
Lion fish is a highly invasive species that's popular with saltwater aquarium keepers. The species has been introduced to Florida waters, where it competes with native fish, like grouper and snapper, for food. Lionfish spawn year round, and they reportedly have voracious appetites, so the state encourages people to hunt them – and if you're going to hunt them, you might as well eat them.
Despite their venomous spines, people say lionfish is delicious. What does it taste like? According to the Virtual Lionfish Hunters Lodge, they're a mild-tasting white fish, not unlike grouper or mahi mahi.
Try it for yourself at Kappo tomorrow night. According to the Facebook event page, tickets for the sustainable meal are $75 and there are still some available.
