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Uni

post #1 of 15
7/8/10 at 10:33pm
Thread Starter 
I'm watching a re-run of battle Uni on Iron Chef - where can one buy Uni? I've never seen it in a grocery store, even ones with a great (well, good) seafood selection.

Should I head out to the suburbs and go to the Asian markets to see what I can find? They always seem to have aquariums.

Should I look for whole urchins or prepared?

I'm in DC if any locals know of a place.
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post #2 of 15
7/8/10 at 11:32pm
We can find them at the fish shop maybe once a month. Preparing them is simple, if a little gross. Fresh, from the shell is much better than what you see in sushi restaurants or Japanese groceries.
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post #3 of 15
7/9/10 at 12:20am
As seen in that episode, you can buy boxed (pre-harvested) uni, though it's pretty expensive iirc. A good Asian market may have it, but you have to deal with harvesting (suggest some thick rubber gloves for that). Oh, and it doesn't smell particularly pleasant I think the Japanese guy got robbed though, Simon just made non-uni tasting dishes and won over the guy who didn't like uni.
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post #4 of 15
7/9/10 at 12:43am
I will try just about anything but uni is the one thing that made a whole new level for repulsive for me. HAHA Just always amazed to hear people really like this stuff.

I live near an Asian Market so they always have it. Thats were I would go first if you have one near you.
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post #5 of 15
7/9/10 at 1:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by turboman808 View Post
I will try just about anything but uni is the one thing that made a whole new level for repulsive for me.

so you haven't tried it? It really is fantastic. Like, really good.

Last time at 15 East, I couldn't get enough of it and kept on ordering more and more. And then the bill came
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post #6 of 15
7/9/10 at 1:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KitAkira View Post
As seen in that episode, you can buy boxed (pre-harvested) uni, though it's pretty expensive iirc. A good Asian market may have it, but you have to deal with harvesting (suggest some thick rubber gloves for that). Oh, and it doesn't smell particularly pleasant

I think the Japanese guy got robbed though, Simon just made non-uni tasting dishes and won over the guy who didn't like uni.

Iron Chef America is fucking terrible.
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post #7 of 15
7/9/10 at 1:11am
Uni is so amazing. I really wouldn't recommend buying it from the Asian market. I'd only buy the whole urchins, unless I'm buying directly from a fish market. Had friends who bought a box at Tsukiji and ate it all over some rice.
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post #8 of 15
7/9/10 at 1:50am
uni and salmon roe over rice is amazing
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post #9 of 15
7/9/10 at 12:20pm
In Southern California, the some Japanese markets sell decent packaged uni. Nijiya is the best out the bunch for it, I think. If you want the live uni, they might sell them at fish markets at the beach pier. In Redondo Beach, they have live ones all the time.

Most sushi places probably just use the packaged, because the quality is more consistent. With the live ones, it's sometimes a hit and miss, maybe. Also, as long as it is fresh, the packaged is just as good. The live ones tend to have a little more "sea flavor" and probably best for just eating as appetizer directly out of the whole urchin.

Also I think the origin/type of urchin makes a big difference. The ones in the States are huge compared the ones in Japan, for example, and taste a little different too. There is a huge price difference as well (the tiny Japanese ones cost like 10 times more).
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post #10 of 15
7/9/10 at 12:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragon View Post
Also I think the origin/type of urchin makes a big difference. The ones in the States are huge compared the ones in Japan, for example, and taste a little different too. There is a huge price difference as well (the tiny Japanese ones cost like 10 times more).

Definitely true. One time at Sushi Yasuda I had an uni tasting with uni from Maine, Santa Barbara, Russia, and Hokkaido. Each were slightly different from each other. I generally prefer uni from SB or Hokkaido
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post #11 of 15
7/9/10 at 3:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragon View Post
In Southern California, the some Japanese markets sell decent packaged uni. Nijiya is the best out the bunch for it, I think. If you want the live uni, they might sell them at fish markets at the beach pier. In Redondo Beach, they have live ones all the time. Most sushi places probably just use the packaged, because the quality is more consistent. With the live ones, it's sometimes a hit and miss, maybe. Also, as long as it is fresh, the packaged is just as good. The live ones tend to have a little more "sea flavor" and probably best for just eating as appetizer directly out of the whole urchin. Also I think the origin/type of urchin makes a big difference. The ones in the States are huge compared the ones in Japan, for example, and taste a little different too. There is a huge price difference as well (the tiny Japanese ones cost like 10 times more).
Definitely ask the chef how it is before ordering, if he's any good he'll tell you straight up whether or not it's good that night
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post #12 of 15
7/9/10 at 4:05pm
i love uni, too. nijiya is good, but so is mitsuwa and there's a little mom and pop market on Sawtelle called Granada Market ... the guy goes downtown every day and picks what's best. They do have whole urchins at redondo pier and they are often good. but mainly, i buy the packed trays. look for the pumpkin-colored ones.
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post #13 of 15
7/9/10 at 5:18pm
Best ready to eat Uni, bar none. Rivals the best at the fanciest restaurant.

http://www.catalinaop.com/California...hi_roe_3a1.htm


Overnight Fed-Ex shipping to your door.
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post #14 of 15
7/9/10 at 5:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KitAkira View Post
Definitely ask the chef how it is before ordering, if he's any good he'll tell you straight up whether or not it's good that night

If he's any good, he'll only serve the good stuff that night anyway, so I don't ask. Rarely, I specifically order something in the display, and the chefs say "oh, that is just for display."
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post #15 of 15
7/9/10 at 6:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragon View Post
If he's any good, he'll only serve the good stuff that night anyway, so I don't ask. Rarely, I specifically order something in the display, and the chefs say "oh, that is just for display."
Well if it's out of season, the guy I go to still stocks it for people who must have it, he just won't recommend it and will advise against it if you ask, he's a good guy That being said, I'm not a huge fan of uni anyway lol
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