Shop Rite

[tommy]

but non-the-less shows, to me- that this is a scallop and not a cut-out from a skate wing.

has this happened even in the last 10 years? i'm thinking this practice is pretty outdated.

i never quite understood it anyway as skate is much different than scallops. the indicators, to me, would be pretty clear.

[phaelon56]

but non-the-less shows, to me- that this is a scallop and not a cut-out from a skate wing.

has this happened even in the last 10 years? i'm thinking this practice is pretty outdated.

i never quite understood it anyway as skate is much different than scallops. the indicators, to me, would be pretty clear.

Just last year I was foolish enough to order scallops in a Chinese restaurant - I can't prove it but I swear they were not real scallops. The size and shape was correct but the texture was slightly different and ther was not even the slightest hint of scallop flavor. Yet.... there was some other seafood flavor noticeable. I've never tried skate (knowingly) but these so-called scallops were very suspicious.

[jo-mel]

but non-the-less shows, to me- that this is a scallop and not a cut-out from a skate wing.

has this happened even in the last 10 years? i'm thinking this practice is pretty outdated.

i never quite understood it anyway as skate is much different than scallops. the indicators, to me, would be pretty clear.

I think the habit is generally outdated. The buying public is not easily fooled now. My DH was a kid when all this was going on, and it was a way to sell cheap skate as expensive scallops.

We know the meat of the scallop shreds/flakes top to bottom, but doesn't skate flake crosswise? I've had skate and it is fine, but it is NOT scallop.

[menton1]

Just last year I was foolish enough to order scallops in a Chinese restaurant - I can't prove it but I swear they were not real scallops. The size and shape was correct but the texture was slightly different and ther was not even the slightest hint of scallop flavor. Yet.... there was some other seafood flavor noticeable. I've never tried skate (knowingly) but these so-called scallops were very suspicious.

This sounds like they used "sea legs" or surimi, that awful stuff that is used in so many Asian products these days and routinely used in "Seafood salad" in delis. I can't stand the stuff, and it's reasonable to think that some unscrupulous Asian restaurants tried to use that stuff instead of real scallops.

They also routinely use those "sealegs" in Crab cakes, and only upon intense questioning can you find out that very little crab is used-- should be illegal!

[rlibkind]

Slightly off topic, but if you are in Center City Phila., Golden Seafood at the Reading Terminal Market always has dry scallops at $9.99/pound.

[Rachel Perlow]

So $6.99/lb at Shop Rite is a good price then.

[rlibkind]

So $6.99/lb at Shop Rite is a good price then.

Absolutely. I only posted the RTM price because they ALWAYS have it at $9.99, and it's at least 20-30% less than you'd pay at most other places for dry scallops. If Shop Rite has that price for more than a time-limited "special", please let us know.

Just checked the on-line circular for the Shop Rite I use in Cherry Hill and they also list the $6.99 special. I'll check it out on my weekly trip across the Delaware River for gas, booze and food. Though I've got to say, I've never been tempted by the fish offerings at this Shop Rite; perhaps I've been spoiled by the quality at the RTM.

[WHT]

They also routinely use those "sealegs" in Crab cakes, and only upon intense questioning can you find out that very little crab is used-- should be illegal!

In some states it is. I know NJ has a truth in menu law. I don't remember about NY.

[howard88]

In terms of shoprite and seafood; I frequent Newton, Hackettstown, Byram and Wharton and find Newton has an excellent department. The fish tends to be fresher than others and the selection is not too numerous which is a good thing for a supermarket fish department.

Many times I purchase scallops at the Costco across the street from the Wharton shoprite and have always been pleased.

The scallops run larger, usually 10 to 14 lb and cost is $7.49. I have found them to be sweet and tender with some milky liquid which is really fine when added to a finishing sauce or pasta. They are offered frozen, semi or thawed and I find them to be superior most times to supermarket ones. This week I'm a trying the shoprite scallops.

[Randi]

Last week I bought the dry scallops on special at Wegmans for $6.99/lb (with the tendon removed.)

The scoop on dry vs wet and tendon-on and -off can be found here

I cooked them using their pan-searing flour finishing them off with a scampi sauce, also bought at Wegmans. Hmmm...this "ad" for Wegmans has now concluded

[Kim WB]

Randi, thanks for that link. Rachel, thans for introducing scallops to the thread. I've been too busy to cook, but signed on this morning looking for dinner inspiration for tonight, when I'll finally have an evening to kick back a bit and open a botlle while preparing REAL food. Scallops it is, from Wegman's

[phaelon56]

Just last year I was foolish enough to order scallops in a Chinese restaurant  - I can't prove it but I swear they were not real scallops. The size and shape was correct but the texture was slightly different and ther was not even the slightest hint of scallop flavor. Yet....  there was some other seafood flavor noticeable. I've never tried skate (knowingly) but these so-called scallops were very suspicious.

This sounds like they used "sea legs" or surimi, that awful stuff that is used in so many Asian products these days and routinely used in "Seafood salad" in delis. I can't stand the stuff, and it's reasonable to think that some unscrupulous Asian restaurants tried to use that stuff instead of real scallops.

They also routinely use those "sealegs" in Crab cakes, and only upon intense questioning can you find out that very little crab is used-- should be illegal!

If I recall correctly the restaurant was in NY, not NJ but I know Surimi and whatever these little things were - it was definitely not Surimi. It's conceivable that they were farm raised scallops from the far east (as in China or Thailand) - right? I can remember a time 25 years ago when the tiny little "bay scallops" were intensely sweet with a strong and distinct flavor. In more recent years the large scallops still have that distinct scallop taste but the small ones I've tried from the supermarket have been become increasingly more bland over the years. Perhaps this was just an especially bland batch of small scallops.

[markk]

I will never go to Inserra again--

Well, the brand new Shop Rite of Hoboken is an Inserra store, and it's magnificent - big, bright, clean, and friendly. Primarily, it's stocked with all manner of very upscale foods of very high quality. The seafood counter pretty much rivals Whole Foods, and there's a great deal of whole fish as well, plus always a loin of incredibly beautiful swordfish and tuna and numerous other upscale items, including soft-shell crabs lately, all beautifully fresh. And the meat department carries the all natrual meats from Australia or New Zealand, plus venison and buffalo, and in addition they carry pretty much the entire line of D'Artagnan products - whole fresh ducks, plus magret breasts and confit legs, and all of the terrines and pates. They even had the fresh foie gras slices before the ridiculous ban came in. And to a one, everybody in this store is extra-nice, extra-friendly, and extra-helpful. For sure it's nicer than most of the Shop Rites I have ever encountered, but in terms of food selection and quality, it's better than the Kings and Wegmans I've encountered as well.

[Rosie]

Address in Hoboken?

[menton1]

That's interesting, because the fish departments in the Inserras both in Emerson and New Milford are AWFUL....

[rlibkind]

Picked up the $6.99/pound dry scallops and cooked them last night (sauteed with ginger, garlic, scallions, light soy/dry sherry.

For $6.99, they were a good deal...but...

Perhaps it's my local Shop Rite in Cherry Hill, but while the scallops certainly were not "off", they lacked the sweetness and complexity of flavor I usually find in dry scallops. My guess, and it's only a guess, is these may have been either (1) just a day or two off the boat longer than ideal, or (2) not optimally transported and/or refrigerated.

Again, they were't "bad", and the taste was neither off-putting nor mediocre. They were good. They just weren't as good as I know dry scallops (and I'm not talking diver scallops here; just standard dragger dry scallops) can be.

The Hoboken Shop Rite sounds like a good one. When I lived in hoboken (1975-79) the Shop Rite catty-corner from City Hall (or was in a Pathmark?) was pretty awful.

At Cherry Hill, Shop Rite has a fairly good store, but it's going to have to get a lot better if it is going to compete with the Wegman's to be built on an adjacent tract where Garden State Race Track stood until earlier this year. The Wegman's is at least 18 months away from opening, maybe more. Others to be built in South Jersey will be located in Turnersville and Mount Laurel.

[Taboni]

Address in Hoboken?

I think it is on Madison around 8th or 9th

[menton1]

That doggie is VERY cute, Taboni!

[Taboni]

Thanks. Thats my boy Benny at around 3 months old. He is near 100 lbs now!

[=Mark]

Just last year I was foolish enough to order scallops in a Chinese restaurant - I can't prove it but I swear they were not real scallops. The size and shape was correct but the texture was slightly different and ther was not even the slightest hint of scallop flavor. Yet.... there was some other seafood flavor noticeable. I've never tried skate (knowingly) but these so-called scallops were very suspicious.

Is it just me or is the texture of every type of meat & seafood (with the exception of shrimp) at Asian restaurants different than anywhere else?

[ghostrider]

Just last year I was foolish enough to order scallops in a Chinese restaurant  - I can't prove it but I swear they were not real scallops. The size and shape was correct but the texture was slightly different and ther was not even the slightest hint of scallop flavor. Yet....  there was some other seafood flavor noticeable. I've never tried skate (knowingly) but these so-called scallops were very suspicious.

Is it just me or is the texture of every type of meat & seafood (with the exception of shrimp) at Asian restaurants different than anywhere else?

It's not you, it's the cornstarch.

[Rachel Perlow]

I can't decide of ShopRite (Englewood) was being sneaky or just had a run on a sale item...

Check page 7 of this week's circular (click and enter your location), in the middle there was a special deal on Kraft cheese, which I'll admit to buying for burgers and other not so special occasions). Half price, but you have to buy all three products. I told Jason to look at the deal carefully, because if you don't buy all three correct products you pay full price. Well, you guessed it, one of the products he bought was the wrong size. He got the 8 oz shredded cheese, not the 16 oz (a smaller size), and ended up paying full price w/out realizing it at the store.

After dinner, I went back and corrected the gaff. They were restocking that section, and that is the only reason I was able to get the correct size. None were on the shelf yet. There were no signs indicating the sale and which products to buy. The stocker had to dig through a couple boxes to find me the right size package.

So, were they hiding the proper items in the hopes that people wouldn't catch on to the sale? Or, had shoppers earlier in the day wiped them out of the 16 oz packages?

[MsSumida]

You just hit the nail on the head with my biggest frustration with Shop Rite. Poor signage and never enough stock on the shelves to support a sale.

[Rachel Perlow]

I like to check the circular online, and just noticed that ShopRite now offers online shopping (pickup at your local store). Unfortunately the ShopRite from Home program is not yet at my local ShopRite (I usually go to Englewood), but click the link to see if it's available at yours.

I made up a small sample order to see how it works. Most everything available at the store is available online, if you don't see what you want there's a section for adding that. For example, I didn't see limes in the citrus section or by doing a search, so if I wanted limes, I could add them there. If they don't have what you want, you can authorize substitutes or not. You only pay for what you actually get, the payment is processed when you pick up your order.

There is a $10 service charge. But it seems a reasonable price to pay if you are in a hurry and have a large order. Especially considering they are doing curbside delivery of your order, loading it in your car for you, the sales prices are honored and highlighted online, and most importantly of all, you are avoiding impulse buying! I can easily spend an hour in a grocery store - and this would save lugging the soda and laundry detergent to the car.

Has anyone tried it yet? 10 stores in NJ and 3 in NY are offering it. If you try it, let us know how you liked it.

[lamb]

I like to check the circular online, and just noticed that ShopRite now offers online shopping (pickup at your local store). Unfortunately the ShopRite from Home program is not yet at my local ShopRite (I usually go to Englewood), but click the link to see if it's available at yours.

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I don't know that I am very optimistic about the accuracy of a service like this offered by ShopRite. I see that the SR in Spotswood is offering the service, so if I feel adventurous, I just might try it. Spotswood is a town over from where I live, so it wouldn't be too out of the way.

My town's ShopRite had gone decidely down hill over the past 3-4 years. It's about 15 years old, and was a beautiful "World Class" ShopRite when it was first opened. The owners have failed to make any upgrades to the store, and it sorely shows. The appy counters and slicers are not appetizing at all to look at! Even the parking lot needs repair. I make the trip to Woodbridge's Wegmans now on a weekly basis (not bad, only a 10 minute drive). Judging by the level of competence in ShopRite's current employee base, I cannot believe that I would receive my SR from Home Order as I had placed it.

Now if Wegmans offered that, I would jump at it in an instant!