This Week's Fish
A full lineup this week. Madai (真鯛, Sea Bream) from Ehime arrived this morning — firm, clean, and versatile across preparations. Kinmedai (金目鯛, Splendid Alphonsino) is back for the second week running, which reflects both strong demand and consistent supply from our Chiba source. Fujisan White Salmon and Ikura Shoyuzuke are now both regular weekly items — the Ikura is in its element in late autumn, when the richness of the roe pairs naturally with the season.
We are also scanning the market for additional weekend catches and will update the counter as they come in. Nagasaki Bluefin Tuna in all cuts is available as always — and the winter fat content is now clearly building. The Otoro this week is noticeably richer than October.
Closed Tomorrow — Happy Thanksgiving
We will be closed on Thursday, November 28th for Thanksgiving. All other days this week remain 11:30 am – 8:00 pm at Rice Market DC.
A genuine wish for a good Thanksgiving to all of our customers — the ones who have been with us since the beginning in Northeast DC, and the ones who found us after we moved to 14th Street. We are grateful for this community. Please don't spend everything on Black Friday. Keep some budget for fish.
Fresh Yuzu — Now at Rice Market
Rice Market is now carrying fresh yellow Yuzu (柚子) — the fully ripe winter fruit, which is what most people think of when they think of Yuzu flavor. Yellow Yuzu has a sweeter, more rounded fragrance than the green autumn fruit that was available in October: less sharp, more floral, with the classic citrus-bergamot character that makes Yuzu irreplaceable in Japanese winter cooking.
Yuzu is a genuinely seasonal ingredient — it is available in meaningful quantity only from November through February, and it is not reliably available outside Japanese specialty grocers in the United States. Having it at Rice Market is an opportunity worth taking. Some ideas for using it:
- Yuzu-Pon (柚子ポン酢) — squeeze the juice, add soy sauce in equal parts, and you have a dipping sauce for sashimi and shabu-shabu that is fundamentally different from plain soy
- Yuzu zest over sashimi — a few strips of yellow peel grated over white fish or Sasshu Salmon immediately before serving
- Yuzu bath (Yuzuyu) — the Japanese tradition of floating whole Yuzu in the bath on the winter solstice. The oils released into the hot water are warming and deeply fragrant
Yuzu is available in the produce section at Rice Market. Seasonal — get it while it's there.
Madai preparation note: Sea bream has a delicate flavor that rewards restraint. For sashimi, slice thinly across the grain and serve with fresh wasabi and a few drops of Yuzu-Pon rather than plain soy sauce. The citrus lifts the fish without competing with it. Alternatively, try it as Kobujime — kelp-cured for 12 hours — which concentrates the flavor and firms the texture beautifully.