Best bison dishes in North America

Abigail's Party, Vancouver, 1685 Yew St.

This joint is a laid-back Kitsilano mainstay.

The chef: Graham Barber, whose casual locavore menu alternates between French classics (duck confit) and West Coast faves (fish tacos). The dish: Bison Short Ribs Hash. This mouth-watering brunch plate starts with super-slow-cooked meat, carmelized onions, potatoes, spinach and fresh herbs and brings them all up a notch with hollandaise sauce.

Weslodge Saloon, Toronto, 480 King St. W.

Owners Charles Khabouth and Hanif Harji are famous for their slick downtown clubs, but their newest spot has a western theme.

The chef: Stuart Cameron's menu features light seafood and leaner meaty fare that's full of flavour. The dish: Bison Bavette. The bavette (French for flank steak) brings out the bison's lean and earthy meatiness perfectly when cooked to rare. A fragrant juniper-berry rub and green olive tabbouleh finish it off.

Au Pied de Cochon, Montreal, 536 Duluth E.

This hot spot is famous among the international foodie set for chef Martin Picard's over-the-top dishes.

The chef: Emily Homsy is Picard's chef de cuisine, who can be seen overseeing the kitchen behind the bar. The dish: Tarragon Bison Tongue reflects the philosophy of nose-to-tail eating. Fine pieces of meat are served with seasonal vegetables in a veal reduction and topped with a creamy emulsion of tarragon, echoing a classic Béarnaise sauce.

Gentleman Farmer, New York, 40 Rivington St.

Set on Manhattan's Lower East Side, this intimate 20-seat restaurant attracts the serious food set and fans of hard-to-find "natural wines."

The chef: Karim Nounouh is known for taking the great bistro dishes of his native France and tweaking them to reflect local ingredients and North America's vibrant immigrant culture. The dish: Bison Tartar is a mound of chopped meat, served with capers and a quail egg.