BC spot prawn season: when it is and how to eat them in Vancouver

For a few weeks every spring, Vancouver gets excited about one ingredient. BC spot prawns are sweet, tender and briefly available fresh, and the start of the season is a genuine event in the city's food calendar. If you are here at the right time, they are the thing to order.

When is spot prawn season in BC?

The fresh season usually opens in May and runs for about six to eight weeks, often ending in mid to late June. The exact opening date is set each year, so watch for announcements in early May. Outside that window, spot prawns are available frozen, which is good, but fresh ones are noticeably sweeter and softer.

If it is May or June and you see spot prawns on a Vancouver menu, order them. That is the whole tip.

What are spot prawns?

Spot prawns are the largest prawns found on the BC coast, named for the white spots on their shells. They are caught in traps, and the fishery is often described as a sustainable choice. Raw, they have a delicate, sweet flavour and an almost creamy texture. Cooked, they firm up quickly, which is why the best cooks barely cook them at all.

Where can you buy spot prawns in Vancouver?

During the season, you can buy them straight off the boats at False Creek Fishermen's Wharf, near Granville Island, where fishers sell their catch at the dock. Fishmongers across the city also stock them, and many places put them on special menus.

What is the Spot Prawn Festival?

Each spring, the Chefs' Table Society of BC and the Pacific Prawn Fishermen's Association hold a Spot Prawn Festival at False Creek Fishermen's Wharf to celebrate the season. It has included cooking demonstrations, family activities and the chance to buy prawns directly from the people who caught them. Dates change every year, so check the festival's announcements.

How should you eat spot prawns?

Style	How it works
Raw, as sashimi or sushi	The sweetest way, often at Japanese restaurants during the season
Quickly boiled or steamed	A minute or so in salted water, then into ice
Grilled or broiled	Whole, with butter, garlic or chili
Wok-fried	With garlic, ginger and scallion at Cantonese restaurants
In pasta or risotto	Added at the very end so they stay tender

How do you cook spot prawns at home?

1. Keep them cold and cook them the day you buy them.
2. Remove the heads soon after buying if they are live; it helps keep the meat from going soft.
3. Cook them very briefly. Thirty seconds to a minute or so in boiling water is often enough, until they just turn opaque.
4. Do not throw away the heads. Many cooks fry them crisp or use them for stock.

Why are spot prawns more expensive than other prawns?

They are seasonal, caught by trap, and sold fresh for only a short window. Prices vary from year to year with the catch. Buying from the dock or a good fishmonger and cooking them at home is the most affordable way to eat a lot of them; ordering them in a restaurant is the easiest way to taste them at their best.

Are frozen spot prawns worth buying?

Yes, if they were frozen properly. Spot prawns are often frozen right after they are caught, sometimes at sea, which preserves them well. They are a good way to enjoy them out of season, especially in dishes where they are cooked with other flavours, like pasta, curry or a stir-fry. For eating raw, or for a simple boil with butter, the fresh season is still the time.

Can you eat spot prawns if you have a shellfish allergy?

No. Spot prawns are shellfish, and crustaceans and shellfish are on Canada's list of priority allergens. If anyone at your table is allergic, mention it when you order, since restaurants often cook prawns in shared pans and woks during the season.

Where else can you eat spot prawns in Vancouver?

During the season, look at:

• Japanese restaurants, for raw spot prawn sashimi and sushi.
• Seafood restaurants, which often build seasonal dishes around them.
• Cantonese restaurants, which may cook them live with garlic or in a soup.

Ask whether they are fresh or frozen; a good place will tell you straight away.

Mosey is built around rating the dish, not just the restaurant. Spot prawns are the perfect example: a seasonal special can be the best thing you eat in Vancouver all year, and it is gone by July.

More guides to read next:

• Holiday dining in Vancouver: the Christmas Market, festive menus and booking tips
• The best neighbourhoods for food in Vancouver, and what to eat in each
• Brunch in Vancouver: where to go and how to beat the weekend lines

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.