Hot food trend: Smoked fish

From Montreal to Vancouver and beyond, restaurants everywhere are concocting palate-pleasing dishes with smoked fish. These are some of our favourite plates worth travelling for.

1. Le Filet, 219 Ave. du Mont-Royal O., Montreal

With windows overlooking Mount Royal Park and funky murals of life under the sea, Le Filet serves seafood to Outremont's young professionals.

The chef: Yasu Okazaki presents a playful small-plates menu that can be easily shared.

The dish: Smoked Mackerel Rillettes is a pescatarian take on the rough pork pâté, brightened by lemon oil and served with thin toasts for spreading.

2. Edulis, 169 Niagara St., Toronto

With a cracking husband-and-wife team at the helm, Edulis opened last year and topped many best-new-restaurant lists.

The chef: Michael Caballo quietly works gastronomic classics into elegant dishes for modern tastes.

The dish: Lightly Smoked Herring à L'Huile comes in a vibrant terrine dish and is brimming with sunflower oil, carrots, onions and tender fish, all accompanied by a little pot of creamy boiled potatoes flecked with chives. Simple, fresh and flavourful.

3. Raincity Grill, 1193 Denman St., Vancouver

By the beach, overlooking stunning English Bay, Raincity Grill holds a place in the hearts of Vancouver locavores who come for its famous tasting menu composed of ingredients from within 100 miles.

The chef: Hot young chef de cuisine Nicolas Hipperson is passionate in his commitment to sustainable seafood.

The dish: Smoked Salmon Pâté comes with brioche, chili mayo, crispy fried capers and watercress salad.

4. St. John (Smithfield), 26 St. John St., London, England

Fergus Henderson and Trevor Gulliver's famous restaurant not only celebrates less-popular cuts of meat, it also showcases overlooked smaller fish.

The chef: Chris Gillard will nearly always have smoked fish on the menu, including eel, sprats and Scottish haddock.

The dish: Arbroath Smokies are haddock fillets served on a mash of potatoes or parsnips and topped with a poached duck egg or a creamy butter sauce.