This recipe was originally adapted for 1859 Magazine’s March/April 2025 issue, as part of the cover story, “Foodie Road Trip on the Oregon Coast”

This sandwich has been a staple of Local Ocean’s menu for many years. It originated during a year when Chinook salmon was not widely available -- Captain Don Snow of F/V Summerplace challenged Executive Chef Enrique Sanchez-Rodriguez to create something special with the Coho he had caught that year in SE Alaska. “Primo” means “the best” in Italian. Suffice to say, Captain Snow agreed with the name; we continue to buy the majority of our yearly salmon from Don and his boat, and he still orders this sandwich every time he joins us for a meal at Local Ocean. In Don’s own words:

“When in Newport, my go-to place for lunch is always Local Ocean Seafood on the bayfront. There are so many appealing choices on the menu, but their Coho Primo sandwich catches my eye. The fresh-baked ciabatta bun and a nice big piece of wild Coho, along with just the right veggies makes it irresistible.”

This tuna poke recipe is a great utilization of the end pieces of an albacore loin – use the center cuts for an entrée on the grill, and the ends and pieces after portioning to create this delicious snack. Tuna poke became popular in Hawaii in the 1970’s, and traditionally uses ahi tuna. Our recipe trades the ahi for our local darling, Oregon Albacore. You can serve this dish over steamed jasmine rice for a hearty, healthy meal, or serve with fresh tortilla chips for scooping.

We strive for zero waste at Local Ocean, and our tuna kabobs help achieve this goal by allowing us to utilize small - but perfectly tasty - pieces of trim. This dish incorporates two of our homemade sauces - the fish is marinated in teriyaki and the veggies are sautéed in our sesame chili sauce.

Niçoise salad is considered by some great chefs to be the finest summer salad of all time. Our take on this French classic features local Albacore tuna. Oregon Albacore, once relegated to tin cans, here shines in the center of the plate. Enjoy with a glass of Oregon rosé, some crusty bread, and good friends.