Salmon has been a primary food staple of the Pacific Northwest for thousands of years. That tradition continues today and is nowhere more prominent than at Seattle's Tillicum Village. The Northwest Coast Native salmon preparation featured at Tillicum Village was the catalyst that inspired Founder, Bill Hewitt, to create this special attraction dedicated to preserving and sharing this incredible culinary delight. After being introduced to this ancient cooking process, Bill Hewitt expressed his delight with not only the showmanship and visual impact of the cooking method but even more impressively the wonderful flavor of the product. It was by far the best he had ever tasted.

At Tillicum Village, guests have the rare opportunity to savor this centuries old treat! The flavor of salmon baked around alder wood fires held vertically on four-foot cedar stakes is unlike anything you have ever tasted. Taking approximately one hour to bake slowly to perfection, the salmon cooked this way retain their moisture and take on a wonderful mild flavor unique to this style of cooking.

The Tillicum Village feast begins with a sampling of another Northwest delight, steamed clams in a tasty nectar broth. The First Nations People would gather clams at low tide, build a fire on the beach to heat rocks that were then dropped into a water filled cooking basket along with the delicious clams, bringing the water to a boil and cooking the clams. After eating the clams, Tillicum Village guests are encouraged to drop the empty shells on the pathway and crush them before continuing on into the Tillicum Village Longhouse.

Salmon have been baking for an hour in anticipation of your arrival! Standing around the fires in the lobby fish pit are the salmon, ready to be removed from their cedar cooking stakes, basted with a light coating of lemon butter and served up to hungry guests. Be sure to observe the salmon prior to entering the buffet lines to collect the rest of your feast! Fresh salad with a variety of vegetables, tasty toppings and garnishes, steamed baby red potatoes, (much like the native camas root), seasoned wild and long-grain rice, and a delicious dark bread made specifically for Tillicum Village complement the Northwest Coast Indian style baked salmon. Entering the longhouse dining room, you will find the tables set and waiting for you. Tully's Coffee, water and lemonade are preset on the tables, servers bring decaf-coffee and tea for those who prefer those beverages, all included in the cost of your tour. Additionally, Tillicum Village has a variety of delicious Washington State wines specially bottled for us and available for purchase, allowing guests to sample some of the best wines produced anywhere in the world. Beer, bottled water and soft drinks are also available at additional cost. As a final touch, a delectable chocolate salmon, created especially for Tillicum Village by Boehm's Candies in Issaquah, Wa. is served for dessert. The relationship between Boehm's and Tillicum Village is an example of Tillicum's emphasis of working with local companies and providers. We are sure you will find their fine Swiss chocolate salmon a wonderful way to finish off your Tillicum Village feast!

While not an "all you can eat buffet", Tillicum Village guests are invited to return to the buffet lines for second helpings if they wish. Following the stage show, "Dance on the Wind", produced by world famous Greg Thompson Productions, guests are treated to a demonstration of how the salmon are laced onto the cedar cooking stakes to be barbecued around the lobby fire pits.