The Least Useful Guide to Fukuoka

Cobia (probably…but I’m not sure...) JPY800/ a quarter of the fish

A big shopping failure!

At first glance, I thought it was a shark, which we don’t usually put onto the table.  But the fishmonger told me that it was Sugi, a kind of white meat fish, and rarely caught around here. But he did not strongly recommend (at this point I should have known).

I decided to give it a try, not realising why the fishmonger seemed to avoid eye contact with me. 

Back home, I show off my shopping to my husband boasting how clever I was shopping such a big chunk of an exotic fish at this price.

Then, I cooked it in the safest way: deep-frying—oil or fat makes everything tastier.

While I was frying the fish, my husband started making noise: “it’s outrageously smelly! isn’t it rotten?  what are you going to feed me? ” As usual, I ignored him.

Tasting!

Not until did I actually taste it, I knew how unpleasant the smell of the fish would be. Yes, there are some fish that are really fishy (eg. mackerel), but their smell is in a way appetising (for person who was brought up on blue-skinned fish, like me ). This one was completely different. How could I describe it? A mix of rusted metal and rotten seaweed left on beach for several days under Augsut sunshine?

Lesson from this disaster: 1. I must read fishmongers’ face expression; 2. Following his suggestion is safer way to get nice fish than believing my own judgment; and 3.  When it comes to choosing fish, be conservative—don’t leap at something looks novel.