Happy New Year — 2025 Is the Year of Fish
Welcome to 2025. We are choosing to designate it the year of fish, and we intend to make it count.
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This Week's Bluefin — The Best of the Season
Don't miss this week's Nagasaki Bluefin Tuna. We say this carefully because we try not to use superlatives unless they're earned — and this week they are. The fish from Hosei Suisan's farm in Goto, Nagasaki is the best we have received this season. The cold January water has brought the fat content to its peak; the Ikejime processing at harvest preserved the texture and umami perfectly; the Miyazaki breakdown was precise. The Otoro is heavily marbled in a way that you see perhaps six to eight weeks per year. The Chutoro has the perfect fat-to-lean balance. The Akami is vivid and deeply flavored.
If you have been buying from us since summer, you know the difference between a seasonal Bluefin and a peak winter Bluefin. This is the latter. If you are new to our fish and considering a first order, there is no better week to start.
Full Lineup This Week
A strong week across the board from multiple origins:
- Hokkaido Uni — Bafun and Murasaki from Hokkaido, consistent quality
- Fujisan White Salmon — from Shizuoka, clean and delicate
- Hotate Scallops — Hokkaido, untreated, full flavor
- Kinmedai (Splendid Alphonsino) — from Chiba, deep-sea red fish with sweet white flesh
Fresh Wasabi available at the counter. Knife sharpening available — bring yours in.
Why January Bluefin peaks: Water temperature in the Goto Islands drops to its annual minimum in January and February. At these temperatures the fish metabolize minimally and store almost all caloric intake as intramuscular fat. The Ikejime process prevents lactic acid buildup at harvest — the fish doesn't fight, doesn't stress, and the muscle stays relaxed and umami-rich. The combination of cold-water fat accumulation and precise handling is what produces the fish you taste this week.