Asian seafood markets

[dshnarw]

Looking for some good Asian markets with live seafood in the area. Hoping that I can find some coldwater livestock - chitons/barnacles that hiked in with the oysters and other food critters. Anyone know of a good spot to try?

[El Camaron]

there is an asian market close to me in Germantown, its called balle. They sell live tilapia, lobsters, eels, conch and other stuff.

Edited February 3, 2010 by El Camaron

[extreme_tooth_decay]

The corner of Beauregard and Duke/Little River Turnpike has a Grand Mart.

 

I saw a bunch of live stuff there this week end. Clams, eels, crabs, lobsters, fish and such. They seemed to have a bunch of live stuff. I didn't look over it too closely. They probably had oysters and mussels. I recall some kids playing with the crabs.

[dshnarw]

Thanks for the locations. I'll be sure to check them out.

[Charlie]

Thanks for the locations. I'll be sure to check them out.

 

There's also a Grand Mart in Laurel that might be closer to you than the Little River Turnpike. It's right on 197 where the Giant used to be (about a mile north of the Parkway and one light north of Contee Road). The also have some (a few) live fish like Fluke, Talapia, Lobsters and Dungoenous (I know that I can't spell :-P) Crabs in tanks and clams, cockles, oysters and blue crabs in trays.

[jaesun]

The 3 major chains in the DC area are the following:

 

H Mart

Lotte Plaza

Grand Mart

 

But if you're looking for dirty oysters all crudded up with barnacles, your best bet will probably be the Maine Avenue Seafood Market. A dozen oysters from the Chesapeake will set you back about $8. You can probably get them cheaper depending on your bargaining skills. They'll definitely have live blue crab and lobster, but I'm not too sure about anything else.

[dshnarw]

Thanks everyone. Probably just going to look for the shellfish - most of the fish and large inverts aren't well-suited for the tank. Crabs would just end up eating the nems, and a lobster wouldn't make it past the boiling pot.

 

I'll try out that Maine Ave. market too, thanks!

[davelin315]

I can't remember which one it is, but I was at one of the markets, I think Grand Market or H Market, and they had live abalone in a tank, too. I would think that Lotte wouldn't have as much that would live for you as they pack most stuff in a lot of ice and I have yet to buy something that would survive long term.

[dshnarw]

I can't remember which one it is, but I was at one of the markets, I think Grand Market or H Market, and they had live abalone in a tank, too. I would think that Lotte wouldn't have as much that would live for you as they pack most stuff in a lot of ice and I have yet to buy something that would survive long term.

 

abalone would be perfect! thanks for the heads up on lotte - no reason to stop there it seems.

[Hoyden]

Looking for some good Asian markets with live seafood in the area. Hoping that I can find some coldwater livestock - chitons/barnacles that hiked in with the oysters and other food critters. Anyone know of a good spot to try?

 

There are two in Rockville - Maxim, which is right on Rockville Pike (460 Hungerford Drive) and Kam Sam (300 N Washington) which is almost directly behind it across the old safeway parking lot. IIRC, both have live seafood.

 

Jackie

[gsedlack]

The Grand Mart in Centreville had Stonefish and Octopus - live

[dshnarw]

Well, tried out Kam Sam, Maxim, and the H Mart on Georgia, but struck out.

 

All had clams, but no hitchhikers.

 

 

 

If those stonefish are smaller temperate species, that would be awesome. They were pretty big, though, right?

[jaesun]

I used a few oyster shells that I got from Capt White's in Maine Avenue when I cycled my tank. These shells were uncleaned and had barnacles with the largest about the diameter of a nickel. One shell had was totally covered with tiny barnacles. They all died eventually but some survived for a few weeks. They were also unwashed, so I had all sorts of mud whip worms coming up from the mud-caked crevices of the shell, but most of these disappeared once I added peppermint shrimp to the tank. If you're not a fan of eating them, on a busy weekend, you'll find plenty of discarded shells if you don't mind the cocktail sauce.

 

I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but you won't find whole oysters in most of the Korean grocery stores. Fresh oysters are usually already shucked or frozen in bags - makes it easier to make kimchi with them. The best local source for oysters will be Whole Foods, but they do a pretty good job at cleaning the shells. Around this time of the year, you'll find them for $1 each for the wild caught oysters.

 

If you're ever on the Eastern Shore, there are aquaculture companies for live oysters and shrimp.

 

Choptank Sweets

Marvesta Shrimp Farms

 

 

Well, tried out Kam Sam, Maxim, and the H Mart on Georgia, but struck out.

 

All had clams, but no hitchhikers.

 

 

 

If those stonefish are smaller temperate species, that would be awesome. They were pretty big, though, right?

[davelin315]

abalone would be perfect! thanks for the heads up on lotte - no reason to stop there it seems.

I want to say it was an H Mart because I was looknig for a Grand Mart but didn't find it, found this one instead. I think I was on my way back from the Rockville area but can't say for certain. I'm fairly sure it was the Fairfax one as the picture looks familiar with the tanks that are underneath the counter in their picture (I believe this is a very old picture they have since everything is new). They had abalone the size of a palm there and packed them in water per my request, too. You might want to call to see if they have them. They also had other live stuff that was interesting, but it was late at night when I stopped in and everything had been sitting out all day so it was pretty far gone. I think if you got there when they got new shipments in you could find some really cool stuff.

[davelin315]

The Grand Mart in Centreville had Stonefish and Octopus - live

Hey George, when did you see those there? That would be a cool buy! What kind? I'm assuming coldwater but that can be accomplished...

[dshnarw]

I used a few oyster shells that I got from Capt White's in Maine Avenue when I cycled my tank. These shells were uncleaned and had barnacles with the largest about the diameter of a nickel. One shell had was totally covered with tiny barnacles. They all died eventually but some survived for a few weeks. They were also unwashed, so I had all sorts of mud whip worms coming up from the mud-caked crevices of the shell, but most of these disappeared once I added peppermint shrimp to the tank. If you're not a fan of eating them, on a busy weekend, you'll find plenty of discarded shells if you don't mind the cocktail sauce.

 

I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but you won't find whole oysters in most of the Korean grocery stores. Fresh oysters are usually already shucked or frozen in bags - makes it easier to make kimchi with them. The best local source for oysters will be Whole Foods, but they do a pretty good job at cleaning the shells. Around this time of the year, you'll find them for $1 each for the wild caught oysters.

 

If you're ever on the Eastern Shore, there are aquaculture companies for live oysters and shrimp.

 

Choptank Sweets

Marvesta Shrimp Farms

 

thanks for the ideas!

 

i assume i'll have little luck in most places i try, but well...thats better than waiting for a vendor to come along

 

I want to say it was an H Mart because I was looknig for a Grand Mart but didn't find it, found this one instead. I think I was on my way back from the Rockville area but can't say for certain. I'm fairly sure it was the Fairfax one as the picture looks familiar with the tanks that are underneath the counter in their picture (I believe this is a very old picture they have since everything is new). They had abalone the size of a palm there and packed them in water per my request, too. You might want to call to see if they have them. They also had other live stuff that was interesting, but it was late at night when I stopped in and everything had been sitting out all day so it was pretty far gone. I think if you got there when they got new shipments in you could find some really cool stuff.

 

thanks dave - i'll give them a call once the snow gets out of the way and see what they have and when it comes in.

 

 

 

all was not lost today, i will admit. i now know where to go to get the biggest selection of pocky i've ever seen

[davelin315]

Daniel, the Grand Mart in Centerville, just off of 28 and 29, has live abalone as well, they're $1.99 each. I was in there today and couldn't resist the urge to save an octopus that was in there - there were plenty of dead ones and this one was crawling around looking to get out so I bought it and got them to put in a little bit of water in the bag. Trying to figure out what the heck I was thinking buying it and what the heck I'm going to do with it if it actually lives (very much in doubt - that was a pretty ghastly sight for those that love octopuses).

[davelin315]

Oh, and they had some dirty oysters and clams, one even had a bunch of coral skeleton fused to it, not sure if it would have recovered if introduced into water.

[dshnarw]

Thanks Dave - I'll head out there sometime next week when the weather is a bit more friendly.

 

good luck with the octopus

Edited February 5, 2010 by dshnarw

[davelin315]

Thanks Dave - I'll head out there sometime next week when the weather is a bit more friendly.

 

good luck with the octopus

Thanks, it's currently in a bucket with a bubbler that's sitting in a sink full of cold water. I'm going to have to see the temp for this guy. Let me know if you'd like me to pick up some of the abalone for you instead and some of the dirty oysters and clams. I'm probably a much shorter trip than going there, a difference of about 20 minutes if you're coming from MD.

[dshnarw]

Thanks, it's currently in a bucket with a bubbler that's sitting in a sink full of cold water. I'm going to have to see the temp for this guy. Let me know if you'd like me to pick up some of the abalone for you instead and some of the dirty oysters and clams. I'm probably a much shorter trip than going there, a difference of about 20 minutes if you're coming from MD.

 

If it's the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris), any temp you can keep steady is fine for him, but I don't know about any other species

 

If you wouldn't mind picking some stuff out for me, that would be great! The more hitchhikers you can find, the better! How big were the abalone?

Edited February 6, 2010 by dshnarw

[gmubeach]

Can you guys use oysters as filters for your cold water tanks. You'd probably have to give your tanks calcium but the benfits would be cool.! As for the octopus I saw a video on the web of a otupus over at the aquiruim on the westrn coast that was snacking on sharks at night. The oddest thing I saw at the asian market at fairfax was live turtles and frogs, these frogs weren't bull frogs.!

[dshnarw]

Can you guys use oysters as filters for your cold water tanks. You'd probably have to give your tanks calcium but the benfits would be cool.!

 

If they can be gathered healthy, then it has potential. I might spare a few of the oysters from shucking and see if they make it, but I'm going to be cautious until I know the chances of survival...no need to make a dirty system into a filthy one.

[gmubeach]

I'd raise them in a bucket first to make sure they live... they remove them from the water when they ship them.... anyway best of luck!

[dshnarw]

I'd raise them in a bucket first to make sure they live... they remove them from the water when they ship them.... anyway best of luck!

 

i was just reminded that my old 10g cw tank is sitting unused and still covered in styro. guess i could hook up the backup chiller and do a proper QT.