finding fish

russ parsons · August 12, 2003

for a piece i'm working on: where are your favorite places to buy fish and why.

mixmaster b · August 12, 2003

Santa Monica Seafood is my favorite. The quality is amazing, the freshness and selection can't be beat, and the advice is good. I go there specifially for their lovely blocks of frozen sushi tuna-- beatifully trimmed, full of flavor, and reasonably priced.

My other stand by is the Bristol Farms on Doheny and Beverly. Lots of nice fresh fish, and on my way home from work.

I am sure there are cheaper places to get really good fish, but I haven't found them yet.

hollywood · August 12, 2003

Russ, I assume you've seen this thread. http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...=0entry348516

Yeah, you must have since you contributed to it.

russ parsons · August 12, 2003

christ hollywood, i can't remember what article i wrote last week, much less which thread i contributed to last month. seriously, i was wondering if people had anything beyond the usual suspects (santa monica seafood; fish king; etc.). they'll be covered, but i want to make sure i'm not missing the one great spot everyone knows about but me.

JFLinLA · August 12, 2003

I work downtown and I always see those places in the industrial area (Alameda, Central, etc.). Some even say normal folks like us can walk in but I assume you'd have to get a whole salmon or whatever.

I also assume you are only talking fresh fish, right. I've got a great place for smoked.

hannahcooks · August 12, 2003

I've been buying most of my fish at the Sunset/Fairfax Bristol Farms lately, not only because it's reliable and nearby, but because the guy behind the counter is always ever so patient and helpful with my usual endless debates with myself on what fish I want that day. I've seen him talk more than one customer through how to cook the fish they buy, too.

JFLinLA · August 12, 2003

I've heard good things about Gordon's on Pico.

I miss ABC Seafood (not the restaurant in Chinatown). They used to be on the east side of Sepulveda between Santa Monica and Olympic.

FoodZealot · August 12, 2003

I like buying fish at Marukai in Gardena. It's a membership place ($10/year) but the fish department has a variety of cuts for the mostly Japanese clientele. I often walk in and see 2 or 3 grades of toro (otoro, chutoro, etc. - not that I'm buying it!) plus the normal grades of tuna filets, tuna scrape, air-flown yellowtail and so on. Good selection of specialty items like uni, kazunoko, and seaweed. Impeccably clean, unlike some others. Not cheap, but good value, I think. The rest of the market is fun for exploring as well.

~Tad

hollywood · August 12, 2003

You can get whole fish reasonably at Bangkok Market on Melrose.

JFLinLA · August 13, 2003

Russ -- There are places in Chinatown but I don't know a thing about them.

dfunghi · August 13, 2003

99 ranch markets , Nijaya or Safe and Save on Sawtelle. Anjin II at SM farmers markets. For large purchases go to 5th and San Pedro to any of the fish wholesalers. International marine or Phillipes are my favorites. Supermarkets by their nature are going to have older fish due to the supply chain.

D

p.s. Is this really Russ Parsons from the Times????

JFLinLA · August 13, 2003

99 ranch markets , Nijaya or Safe and Save on Sawtelle. Anjin II at SM farmers markets. For large purchases go to 5th and San Pedro to any of the fish wholesalers. International marine or Phillipes are my favorites. Supermarkets by their nature are going to have older fish due to the supply chain.
D
p.s. Is this really Russ Parsons from the Times????

I can confirm that this is in fact the same Russ Parsons from the LA Times, and we're darn lucky in LA to have him.

While I have not met him in person, we have communicated via PM here on eGullet and as a result of my weekly digests of the LA Times Food Section.

russ parsons · August 14, 2003

I can confirm that this is in fact the same Russ Parsons from the LA Times,

hey jfl, you don't know that. this is the internet. i could be russ parsons' dog.

hollywood · August 14, 2003

I can confirm that this is in fact the same Russ Parsons from the LA Times,
hey jfl, you don't know that. this is the internet. i could be russ parsons' dog.

Wow! Russ Parsons has a word processing dog!

tanabutler · August 14, 2003

word processing dog

I wonder what type dog.

really bad pun, unworthy of print, so sue me>

russ parsons · August 14, 2003

I wonder what type dog.

a chow, of course.

tanabutler · August 14, 2003

BWAH!!!

JFLinLA · August 14, 2003

So, maybe I have been fooled. (Certainly wouldn't be the first time.) :huh:

Russ you never did clear up the mystery. Is it really you, your dog, or is it memorex? Inquiring minds want to know.

But, what about the fish?

FoodZealot · August 14, 2003

99 ranch markets , Nijaya or Safe and Save on Sawtelle. Anjin II at SM farmers markets. For large purchases go to 5th and San Pedro to any of the fish wholesalers. International marine or Phillipes are my favorites. Supermarkets by their nature are going to have older fish due to the supply chain.
D

I guess I'm a wuss, but the "iced" fish section at 99 Ranch is a little too old world for my taste. I don't have a problem with the live stuff or the cold case - just the fish on ice. Never seems like it would be cold enough, plus there's no sneeze guard or anything.

I think 99 Ranch is great in general.

~Tad

SWoodyWhite · August 15, 2003

I'm not much of a fish person, Russ, so I can't say for sure. However, I recall some of the farmers markets in the area having trucks with very fresh fish on ice. Tomorrow (Friday) is the usual day for the market along the Promenade in Long Beach. If anything, asking the guy running the truck could at least give you a few good opinions. (And it will give you a good excuse to get down to Long Beach, to pursue any other leads you've had in the area. Good hunting!)

russ parsons · August 15, 2003

(And it will give you a good excuse to get down to Long Beach, to pursue any other leads you've had in the area. Good hunting!)

uh, swoody, i live down in long beach. no getting to it. the fish guy at the farmers markets (at least the long beach ones) is pete siracusa. i've been buying from him for years. great stuff if you shop carefully. there's also a good fish person at the torrance saturday market and the pv sunday market.

i've just started researching the project, so i'm not anywhere near ready to make any declarations, but i do like marukai and mitsuwa ... very japanese, tuna trimmed in perfect little blocks just right for sashimi, lots of small whole fish for grilling, everything very arranged: octopus tentacles each curled exactly the same. they are fairly close, both physically and quality-wise. also had a big surprise at the fish market at redondo beach pier. it's on the boardwalk, not the actual pier itself. a huge assortment of whole fish, some in better shape than others. also, alas, it looks like fishworld in pico is no more.

JFLinLA · August 15, 2003

also, alas, it looks like fishworld in pico is no more.

Damn. :sad:

dfunghi · August 16, 2003

I would guess there are really great Mexican Seafood shops which are out of my radar for sure but I would love to find. This would be more along the lines of shrimp, squid, octopus, etc. type "cocktails" Great ceviche served on those crispy little shells like in Baja. Plus maybe fesh tuna for the grill. Ensenada style so to speak.

D

russ parsons · September 3, 2003

thanks to everyone for their contributions. the package ran this morning.

hollywood · September 3, 2003

thanks to everyone for their contributions. the package ran this morning.

Good stuff, Russ. And good for you, too.

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