Fish Markets, are they rare?

[Sarek]

Ok so when i travel i notice most areas only sell fish at the supermarkets or at restaurants.

I would like to know how many of you have small local stores that just sell fresh fish and nothing else.

I love fish markets and find that fish sold in supermarkets is of much lesser quality.

 

[Tabascocat]

They are not rare if you live pretty close to one of the coasts. There are many around Houston and the whole region. There are a lot around here in LA too but I don’t live that dangerously

 

[DFWJC]

Dallas has some outstanding fish markets--which is suprising based on the geography.
TJs is really good
5 star

I've been to some great ones in San Franciso, North Carolina, and Boston....obviously

You're right....so much better

 

[Chrispierce]

I don’t go to fish markets,cause I don’t cook em...I’m only good at eating them,but I do go to Fishermans Warf and get fresh king shrimp cocktails and clam chowder bread bowls on weekday evenings before closing. That cocktail is darn good too boys and girls. There’s a couple of things I spoil myself on now and again,and that shrimp is one of them. (And the chowder bowl,may be one of the most fattening dishes known to man west of the Mississippi)

 

[Tabascocat]

I don’t go to fish markets,cause I don’t cook em...I’m only good at eating them,but I do go to Fishermans Warf and get fresh king shrimp cocktails and clam chowder bread bowls on weekday evenings before closing. That cocktail is darn good too boys and girls. There’s a couple of things I spoil myself on now and again,and that shrimp is one of them.

As in pier 39 in SF or some other wharf?

 

[Chrispierce]

As in pier 39 in SF or some other wharf?

No,that’s the one I mean.

 

[Tabascocat]

No,that’s the one I mean.

Next time, go to the first restaurant on the left facing the pier(Eagle Cafe). Get you a bowl of lobster bisque and thank me later. It is the best this side of the Mississippi

 

[Chrispierce]

Next time, go to the first restaurant on the left facing the pier(Eagle Cafe). Get you a bowl of lobster bisque and thank me later. It is the best this side of the Mississippi

Pier 39? Yeah,I dont go there,it’s not for locals. I just pop into Fisherman’s Warf and hit the fish market vendors,the bakery,and I’m out. But you’re right,there’s some really good food spots. I’d actually like to spend some more time investigating the area for hidden little gems. It’s just total chaos in the day there,so I’ll need to put a formidable defensive plan together.

 

[Tabascocat]

Pier 39? Yeah,I dont go there,it’s not for locals. I just pop into Fisherman’s Warf and hit the fish market vendors,the bakery,and I’m out. But you’re right,there’s some really good food spots. I’d actually like to spend some more time investigating the area for hidden little gems. It’s just total chaos in the day there,so I’ll need to put a formidable defensive plan together.

That soup is worth fighting through the tourists, easy in and out. Also, Acme bread Co at the Ferry Building is a must for me

 

[CouchCoach]

The Crab House in SF was a must stop for us on every trip. Pan roasted cracked Dungeness crab in cast iron with a slurry of chopped garlic, butter, wine and lemon poured on it at the table. They do mussels the same way. I do the mussels that way on my grill and they're great.

Seafood markets are really risky with the spoilage and if they don't have a lot of traffic, the expense can put them under. I try to get my shrimp out of the market in Galveston, which is owned by the guy that owns the boats and it doesn't get any fresher or cheaper than that. I freeze the 10-15's in plastic containers with the shrimp covered in water and I can't tell them from the fresh ones. The key, according the the shrimpers, is getting them in the water and freezer asap.

Loved the fish markets in New Orleans and Baltimore and Dallas for being land locked has a couple of good ones. I agree about the grocery store seafood quality except for Central Market in Austin, DFW and San Antonio where it's as fresh as transporting can be and Whole Foods has some very fresh seafood and they're getting better.

 

[Sarek]

The Crab House in SF was a must stop for us on every trip. Pan roasted cracked Dungeness crab in cast iron with a slurry of chopped garlic, butter, wine and lemon poured on it at the table. They do mussels the same way. I do the mussels that way on my grill and they're great.

Seafood markets are really risky with the spoilage and if they don't have a lot of traffic, the expense can put them under. I try to get my shrimp out of the market in Galveston, which is owned by the guy that owns the boats and it doesn't get any fresher or cheaper than that. I freeze the 10-15's in plastic containers with the shrimp covered in water and I can't tell them from the fresh ones. The key, according the the shrimpers, is getting them in the water and freezer asap.

Loved the fish markets in New Orleans and Baltimore and Dallas for being land locked has a couple of good ones. I agree about the grocery store seafood quality except for Central Market in Austin, DFW and San Antonio where it's as fresh as transporting can be and Whole Foods has some very fresh seafood and they're getting better.

Whole foods does have good fish but they charge almost double the price for some of their stuff. They sell their scallops for 30$ a lb, i get better ones for about 17$ a lb from the local fish market.

 

[CouchCoach]

Whole foods does have good fish but they charge almost double the price for some of their stuff. They sell their scallops for 30$ a lb, i get better ones for about 17$ a lb from the local fish market.

There's another twist to that, Whole Foods is watched closer than local fish markets and will err on the side of caution and "throw it out when in doubt" rather than face the publicity of selling seafood that sickened customers.

I would bet your fish market turns a lot more product than any grocery store. When I frequented the two in Dallas, Capn's and TJ's, I would call ahead because they would run out so frequently and I think it is easier for them to maintain their inventory because they could forecast it better.

The other thing that places like Central Market, H Mart and Whole Foods have done is to make sure they have educated and knowledgeable people working the seafood area instead of just clerks.

 

[Tabascocat]

The Crab House in SF was a must stop for us on every trip. Pan roasted cracked Dungeness crab in cast iron with a slurry of chopped garlic, butter, wine and lemon poured on it at the table. They do mussels the same way. I do the mussels that way on my grill and they're great.

Seafood markets are really risky with the spoilage and if they don't have a lot of traffic, the expense can put them under. I try to get my shrimp out of the market in Galveston, which is owned by the guy that owns the boats and it doesn't get any fresher or cheaper than that. I freeze the 10-15's in plastic containers with the shrimp covered in water and I can't tell them from the fresh ones. The key, according the the shrimpers, is getting them in the water and freezer asap.

Loved the fish markets in New Orleans and Baltimore and Dallas for being land locked has a couple of good ones. I agree about the grocery store seafood quality except for Central Market in Austin, DFW and San Antonio where it's as fresh as transporting can be and Whole Foods has some very fresh seafood and they're getting better.

The Crab House is excellent and those mussels are top notch

 

[CouchCoach]

The Crab House is excellent and those mussels are top notch

Now I have made myself crave them and have to replace the menu for tonight's draft. That and some sourdough for soppin' and a nice chilled chardonnay and I don't care who we pick.

The last time I did them on the grill in a cast iron skillet, I put on my glove and touched the skillet with my other hand, a brand new kind of stupid and a long line of conjoined cuss words these poor folks down here have never heard before. Some are still dazed and make sure I am inside before they come outside.

Sarek has done flung a craving on me and we need to see some of our fav recipes. Since he started this, it is only fair that he begin with his scallops.

 

[Sarek]

Now I have made myself crave them and have to replace the menu for tonight's draft. That and some sourdough for soppin' and a nice chilled chardonnay and I don't care who we pick.

The last time I did them on the grill in a cast iron skillet, I put on my glove and touched the skillet with my other hand, a brand new kind of stupid and a long line of conjoined cuss words these poor folks down here have never heard before. Some are still dazed and make sure I am inside before they come outside.

Sarek has done flung a craving on me and we need to see some of our fav recipes. Since he started this, it is only fair that he begin with his scallops.

I usually use them to make that San Marzano fish sauce I've told you about. Sometimes i do a simple scampi baked - shrimp scallops a little butter with a little bread crumbs on top. When i start using the grill again soon i make bacon wrapped scallops.

 

[CouchCoach]

I usually use them to make that San Marzano fish sauce I've told you about. Sometimes i do a simple scampi baked - shrimp scallops a little butter with a little bread crumbs on top. When i start using the grill again soon i make bacon wrapped scallops.

I get the dry scallops and dust them with sea salt and either lemon or orange zest, put half butter and olive oil in a very hot cast iron skillet and when I flip them after only 1 minute, pour 2 ozs of dry vermouth in and let them go a minute.

The bolded.....OMG, Sarek, my man, don't tell me that you are one of those!!! A seasonal griller, say it ain't so!!!

When I moved to PA, my first time to live in the area of the actual Civil War winners, I first encountered ":Grilling Season" and was appalled, flabbergasted and just plain put out. The season was explained to me as Memorial Day weekend, when the grills are rolled out and Labor Day, when the grills are rolled back in. I was mortified but also motivated.

Where we lived in PA, they didn't have fences like I was accustomed to in the south and we all shared a large open area in the back where we could all see onto each other's patio's, theirs only occupied during Grilling Season. So, on the first day of snow, I ventured forth on my patio attired in shorts, t and flip flops and began to grill steaks. I was motivated but not stupid enough to do something like ribs that took longer. I took out my boom box and cranked it to draw attention and began to act as if it were a nice sunny summer day, you know smack dab in the middle of Grilling Season.

My wife thought I had lost it, lost whatever she thought I ever had but she did get a kick out of it when the neighbors asked if I was really cooking out on Saturday and was there something wrong with our oven. She told them no, he cooks out year round. I somehow think that anytime those folks ventured forth on their patios, from that day on, they always kept a wary eye on our patio and my whereabouts.

 

[DallasEast]

They are not rare if you live pretty close to one of the coasts. There are many around Houston and the whole region. There are a lot around here in LA too but I don’t live that dangerously

I think it depends on the particular locale. There are several long-time fish markets here in northeastern Louisiana, which is around 300 miles from the Gulf.

 

[Tabascocat]

I think it depends on the particular locale. There are several long-time fish markets here in northeastern Louisiana, which is around 300 miles from the Gulf.

That's close enough, still a Gulf state. Doesn't take much to move fresh seafood up North a bit

I was referring to those land-locked states like Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, etc etc. However, the closer to the oceans the fresher they are with abundant selections

 

[CouchCoach]

That's close enough, still a Gulf state. Doesn't take much to move fresh seafood up North a bit

I was referring to those land-locked states like Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, etc etc. However, the closer to the oceans the fresher they are with abundant selections

I live in one of those states, the first thing I am giving up, after an accent, is seafood. Those states are why they have Red Lobster. I would also give up seafood if I had to eat in one of those, what crap. Their TV spots look good cuz that ain't their food!

 

[Sarek]

I get the dry scallops and dust them with sea salt and either lemon or orange zest, put half butter and olive oil in a very hot cast iron skillet and when I flip them after only 1 minute, pour 2 ozs of dry vermouth in and let them go a minute.

The bolded.....OMG, Sarek, my man, don't tell me that you are one of those!!! A seasonal griller, say it ain't so!!!

When I moved to PA, my first time to live in the area of the actual Civil War winners, I first encountered ":Grilling Season" and was appalled, flabbergasted and just plain put out. The season was explained to me as Memorial Day weekend, when the grills are rolled out and Labor Day, when the grills are rolled back in. I was mortified but also motivated.

Where we lived in PA, they didn't have fences like I was accustomed to in the south and we all shared a large open area in the back where we could all see onto each other's patio's, theirs only occupied during Grilling Season. So, on the first day of snow, I ventured forth on my patio attired in shorts, t and flip flops and began to grill steaks. I was motivated but not stupid enough to do something like ribs that took longer. I took out my boom box and cranked it to draw attention and began to act as if it were a nice sunny summer day, you know smack dab in the middle of Grilling Season.

My wife thought I had lost it, lost whatever she thought I ever had but she did get a kick out of it when the neighbors asked if I was really cooking out on Saturday and was there something wrong with our oven. She told them no, he cooks out year round. I somehow think that anytime those folks ventured forth on their patios, from that day on, they always kept a wary eye on our patio and my whereabouts.

Sometimes the season is longer. I’ve grilled in nov and dec a few times when we’ve had warmer weather.