Where do you buy your seafood?

[Swankalicious]

What are some good places around here to buy fish? I want to grill out and my local Safeway's fishes are usually past their prime. Whole Foods is way too expensive, in my humble opinion. Anyone, anyone?

[mdt]

What are some good places around here to buy fish? I want to grill out and my local Safeway's fishes are usually past their prime. Whole Foods is way too expensive, in my humble opinion. Anyone, anyone?

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Where are you located? There is good fish to be had at Slavin's at Glebe and 395 in VA. In DC there is Black Salt. I am sure others will chime in with their favorites.

[mnebergall]

Harris Teeter has a decent fish counter. Also Canon's in Georgetown.

[chapeaulong]

dont be too stingy, if you want good seafood, you gotta be willing to pay the price. for me whole foods has really good stuff. slavins is iffy at best. i like the wharf downtown. but in order to get really good fish you have to know what it looks like. and yes plaese stay away from safeway and giant, they have wack fish.

[cigarnv]

As of late Wegman's in Virginia has had the best. Whole Foods is decent as is Sutton Place and Giant Gourmet in Mclean.

[cjsadler]

Also Canon's in Georgetown.

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Where exactly is this place? Never heard of it before.

[DCMark]

I think Slavin's is good. Canon is ok.

I love going to the waterfront though. It seems so old style. Whole fish, so many vendors. But you have to be a judge of seafood there. Remember to always tip!

[Mark Sommelier]

I have never been disappointed with Cannon's in Georgetown ( 31st and the Canal). Cooked shrimp or fresh shrimp, fish fillets, live lobsters, clams and mussels. Good, professional place.

[Malawry]

Cannon's Seafood Market sells from shops in many burbs, too. I've had good luck with their Silver Spring market in the past. But I buy most of my fishies from Han Ah Reum in Wheaton. Dirt-cheap and sparkling-fresh. Plus they'll dress them any of 9 ways for you.

[Fred]

Maine.

But if that's not an option I ususally go to Whole Pay Check and I really want to try Wegmans but on a weekend you can't get within 100 yards of the place.

[TedE]

In D.C. there is BlackSalt.

This has become my default place, even though it is a bit out of the way (I have to borrow a car to get to it). I haven't found better quality seafood in D.C. proper. Slightly more expensive than even WholeFoods, but leaps and bounds better.

[Busboy]

I have to say that Cannons seems to be performing below its peak years these days. The retail fish doesn't seem as fresh, and you rarely see some of the great stuff you used to see, like Belons or scallops in the shell. Great for lobsters and non-exotic shellfish, though.

Dean and DeLuca usually has only a tiny, expensive selection, but it's impeccably fresh.

And Whole Foods is tough to beat as a go-to spot, though you have to go in looking for what's fresh, not with a predetermined selection in mind. On any given day, some selections are noticeably fresher than other.

[dmede]

One of the salmon selections at the Glover Park Whole Foods last night was $24.99/pound! "Fresh Alaskan," if I remember correctly. At that price, it oughta sing to me while I grill it.

I got the perfectly good Icelandic at $10/pound, and, frankly, I can't imagine that other salmon being 250% as good.

[Meredith]

What are some good places around here to buy fish?

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The Asian markets for fish. Cheap, interesting stuff, and they clean them for you. In the summer, I stop along the side of the road in Charles County for shrimp. There's one guy right before 5 & 301 split that has the best shrimp *ever.*

[foodgeek]

I like WholeFoods Arlington for fish. I often get less expensive fish there, like bluefish. fresh. good selection. I wont get fish at giant or harris teeter.

Also, the fishstore across the street from the VA Square Giant is a wholesaler who has a storefront with a small selection. very fresh though, and scandinavian products as well. i think one of the names is Swedish Fish. It is on Washington blvd.

i hear M. Slavin and sons is good.

[Joe H]

I have shopped everywhere. I am a serious cook and at least once a month do some kind of seafood stew/bouillibasse/etc. Black Salt is extraordinary. Wegman's, Super H, Whole Foods, Jessup are all exceptionately good for specific things but if you are somewhat knowledgeable the absolute best you will do ANYWHERE is to go to Maine Avenue. But I am talking about buying a whole 2+ lb fish and having it cleaned/gutted/fileted there and using the frame and head for a fumet. For shrimp Super H is probably the best overall. Crisfield lump crab meat at Black Salt. Carolina lump crab meat for $21/lb at Maine Avenue. Whole Foods and Wegmans for farmed mussels but don't expect either of these to filet a three pound red snapper for you. If you ask for this and then request to have "the frame back" they will look at you with horror. Super H doesn't like to do this either which was a shock for me when I went there. At Super H the prices are outstanding but you are going to buy what is in their case-not that which can be fileted, etc. Same with Whole Foods and Balducci's. Jessup and Maine Avenue are different but Jessup is limited to ONE retail store out of the entire wholesale market. And, they don't have as much as you might expect! My one trip to Slavin was VERY disappointing.

Edited April 1, 2005 by Joe H (log)

[jmc8y]

a lot of people seem to like this korean place in VA called something like Ha Anh Reum. Never been myself.

[Joe H]

a lot of people seem to like this korean place in VA called something like Ha Anh Reum.  Never been myself.

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Super H.

[zoramargolis]

a lot of people seem to like this korean place in VA called something like Ha Anh Reum.  Never been myself.

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Super H.

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Han An Reum and Super H are owned by the same Korean company. While I have not been to Super H, I go to Han An Reum in Merrifield when I can get over there. I like the produce section even better than the fish department. The fish department there is overwhelming in its abundance of choices, with dozens of different varieties of whole fish (which they will filet), a smaller selection of fish filets, and many types of shellfish. The prices are generally very cheap. My big concern with cheap fish is provenance-- it is quite possible to assess freshness of whole fish by appearance and smell, and at Han An Reum, some of the options appeared quite fresh, and others had obviously been hanging around for a few days. But there is no information about where and how the fish were caught (or farmed). A rational consumer these days must needs by concerned about the sustainability of fish stocks and the overfishing of many species of fish in various parts of the world, and also concerned about levels of mercury, PCB and other pollutants in fish. Not to mention pathogens in shellfish. I want to know where and how my fish was raised, caught or harvested, and have some sense of how many days out of the water it is. Fish from far away, if it hasn't been shipped frozen, can only be really fresh if it was overnight airfreighted. And then it won't be cheap. Line-caught or harpooned fish will be of better quality than gill-netted. Lots to take into consideration.

[FunJohnny]

Is Han An Reum on Gallows or maybe slightly off of it? Oh heck-- what's its address?? I've heard many great things including that its produce section is wonderful. Just couldn't locate it...

[mdt]

Is Han An Reum on Gallows or maybe slightly off of it?  Oh heck-- what's its address??  I've heard many great things including that its produce section is wonderful.  Just couldn't locate it...

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If I am not mistaken it is right across the street form the Merrifield Garden Center. Clicky...

[captainjaroslav]

One of the salmon selections at the Glover Park Whole Foods last night was $24.99/pound!  "Fresh Alaskan," if I remember correctly.  At that price, it oughta sing to me while I grill it.

I got the perfectly good Icelandic at $10/pound, and, frankly, I can't imagine that other salmon being 250% as good.

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I think this is entirely possible, depending on what kind of Alaskan salmon it was. When I lived in Seattle, where salmon is taken very seriously, the Copper River (Alaska) salmon season (fishing for wild salmon on this particular river is legal for something like one month per year) was something people waited for all year round and would pay dearly for, despite very good salmon from more local sources. It's my understanding that some salmon have more of those Omega-3 whosawhatzits and thingies as well that are supposed to be so good for you.

[My Confusing Horoscope]

Cannon's Seafood Market sells from shops in many burbs, too. I've had good luck with their Silver Spring market in the past. But I buy most of my fishies from Han Ah Reum in Wheaton. Dirt-cheap and sparkling-fresh. Plus they'll dress them any of 9 ways for you.

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Where in Wheaton, please?

[JPW]

Cannon's Seafood Market sells from shops in many burbs, too. I've had good luck with their Silver Spring market in the past. But I buy most of my fishies from Han Ah Reum in Wheaton. Dirt-cheap and sparkling-fresh. Plus they'll dress them any of 9 ways for you.

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Where in Wheaton, please?

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On Georgia Ave. On the right as your headed north. Can't recall any landmarks off the top of my head.

[captainjaroslav]

Cannon's Seafood Market sells from shops in many burbs, too. I've had good luck with their Silver Spring market in the past. But I buy most of my fishies from Han Ah Reum in Wheaton. Dirt-cheap and sparkling-fresh. Plus they'll dress them any of 9 ways for you.

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Where in Wheaton, please?

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On Georgia Ave. On the right as your headed north. Can't recall any landmarks off the top of my head.

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12015 Georgia Ave.

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