on occasion, beak gets whole alaskan king salmon, wild-caught by bluewater alaskan seafoods locally, in sitka sound. when we get it in, it’s a real delight. known as the “king” for good reason, this premium fish offers a melt-in-your-mouth experience that truly embodies the taste of our wild state.
when we do get king salmon in, guests can upgrade either of our coho fillet dishes (the sitka salmon slab for lunch or the blackened salmon for dinner), which are otherwise typically cooked with coho salmon.
compared to our coho salmon, which has milder and slightly more delicate flavor and a firmer texture, king salmon has greater fat content and a richer flavor overall.
there are three different types of king salmon we tend to get—all three varieties are all the same species of salmon, but they have different colors and distinct flavor profiles, based on how the fish process their food pigments.
red king is the most common type of king salmon, with flesh ranging from reddish-orange to pinkish-red. they efficiently metabolize carotenoids like astaxanthin from their food (shrimp, krill, crabs), which gives their meat its vibrant color. the flavor is typically rich and robust, and the texture is firm yet succulent due to its high oil content. to upgrade from coho salmon costs an additional $5.
white king (also called ivory king) are the least common type of king salmon, and it’s a real treat when we get one in. these salmon have a genetic inability to fully break down and store carotenoids in their muscle tissue. as a result, their flesh is white or ivory, sometimes with a very pale pink hue. historically, they were less commercially desirable due to the unfamiliar color, but today, they are highly sought after for their delicate, mild, and buttery flavor. their texture is typically soft and silky, and they can be even richer in healthy oils. to upgrade from coho salmon costs an additional $8.
marble king is like a mix between red and white kings, as they have a limited ability to metabolize carotenoids, resulting in a marbled appearance of their flesh. you’ll see streaks or patches of both white and reddish-orange/pink throughout the fillet. often, the flesh is more reddish towards the spine and whiter near the belly. the flavor and texture are generally described as a perfect balance between red and white king salmon, offering a milder taste than the red but perhaps not as distinctly buttery as the white. to upgrade from coho salmon costs an additional $6.
