where to buy fresh spot prawn?

just read that they're in season now. have never seen before, but i sure could go for some fresh shrimp. i've seen fresh gulf shrimp available, but would rather get something from the west coast.

[angelo c]

i sell them at a few farmers markets around the bay area. www.potluckseafoods.com

[itadakiMAN]

Somewhat random question. If I wanted to purchase the prawns that sushi chefs make Amaebi with, which prawns are those, specifically?

[RaenD]

They are called, 'California Spot Prawns'. :3 I only know this because my husband works in a sushi restaurant, and I've been working 9 years with my family in British Columbia fishing B.C Spot prawns. (Which are larger than the California variety.)

[K K]

Actually what your local sushi restaurant gets as amaebi depends on what his (or her) local wholesaler offers, whether it be the current two giants (IMP and True World) that supply seafood for sushi restaurants, or through other local distributors/vendors.

Some really use spot prawns, really large and thick tasty meaty pieces.

Some sushi restaurants are able to source a prawn for amaebi from Boston (e.g. Kitsho in Cupertino). Probably not spot prawns, or prawns for that matter, these are smaller and scrawny, but very sweet. At Nijiya supermarket you can find frozen raw shrimp of this size for amaebi, but they don't look terribly interesting. I wouldn't cook them but they aren't bad for raw shrimp cocktail or home snacks with soy sauce and wasabi.

Chinese supermarkets are your best bets for these, though I wonder how clean those tanks are. High end Cantonese seafood places like Koi Palace no doubt can offer these up as sashimi as well.

Other markets outside of California that have their own supply of shrimp/prawn for amaebi include Pacific Northwest and the coastline around Gulf of Mexico.

[Food4Thoughts]

Thank you, Bong.
We will try Oakland. If not, certainly will stop by Manilla Oriental Market.
Best of wishes,
Q.

[bong]

Saw some live spot prawns at: Manilla Oriental Market, 4175 Mission St, San Francisco (Mission @ 280):
http://www.yelp.com/biz/KTCJ3-cYhFVEN...

[Food4Thoughts]

My friend bought these (The clear, round body prawns with 2 red spotted stripe-one on each side of the prawn) on June 15th for my Birthday. I don't know if it's season now. But when he brought the box over, these prawns were still alive and jumped around in the box. I don't know how the market stock them. I only heard my friend said they sold box by box for 99.99 USD each. I am contacting some of my dead friend's friends. I hope they will call me back and I can find out where to go in Oakland. Otherwise, I would have to drive all over the place this Saturday...
Thanks ya'll for your attention and feedback.
Q.

[rabaja]

There are some seafood wholesale houses out in Oakland that will sell to the public. You have to call and order ahead though.
I bought a box of regular, medium prawns this way several years ago, they were terrific, but not alive. Maybe they can spot prawns for you?
Check the yellow pages?

[brian j]

Are these even in season now? Back when I first posted about these I eventually found some at the Fish Company in the Ferry building for $10/lb, I believe. But they certainly were not alive.

[jbsirkin]

BC spot prawn season starts May 2007 and usually runs through July. But they may be available out of Alaska earlier than that. I think Quince has them on their menu right now.

[Food4Thoughts]

My friend used to buy a whole styrup foam box 24x12x12 for about $100.00 out of Oakland,CA. He recently passed away. I am currently looking to buy such as sale, but don't know which market in oakland to go to. Can anyone help me please?
Q.

[Melanie Wong]

Live spot prawns sold in a box? Are they in sea water?

If you live in the East Bay, Hudson Fish has them right now. They sell at the El Cerrito Saturday farmers' market, as well as the Thursday Berkeley market. I like to support these guys because they're local fisherman, with amazing stuff, and they're probably pretty hurting right now since their main business this time of year is normally salmon, and the salmon season has been pretty much shut down this year. You can contact them to reserve an order at: [e-mail]

Link: http://www.hudsonfish.com/

Spotted prawns, my favorite! In Oakland Chinatown you can sometimes find them live at the large market at 259 10th St. Used to be Good Luck Supermarket, now it's called Silver-something.

Is this the market that used to be called A-1 Thai or something like that? Across the street from the playground? A meat and fish counter all across the back of the store?

I used to shop there once a week but haven't been in some time now.

I got some really good spot prawns a couple of weeks ago at BBowl's fish counter but yesterday they didn't have them.

It is across from the playground and the meat/seafood counter runs along the back. Not much English spoken behind the counter but the offerings are fresh and the guys good natured. They have a parking lot, which is a big plus for me. They usually have fresh yuba (tofu skin), another reason to go. ... I don't think it's been called A-1 or anything-Thai for the ten years or so I've lived in Oakland.

Monterrey fish usually has Alaskan spot prawns. They are large, meaty sweet and delicious.

99 Ranch often has them live and swimming in tanks or at the self-serve section. I pick the medium sized ones because the flesh is more tender and sweet. All I do is dunk them in boiling water (flavored with green onions and ginger) for 1-2 minutes and eat them as is or with a bit of rice vinegar dipping sauce with minced ginger.

Bought some live ones from Ranch 99 in Milpitas, about $16.99/lb. Another variety I prefer is the "Coonstripe" shrimp, also sold at Ranch 99 for $9.99 a lb. Smaller but I prefer the taste and texture.

Link: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?s...

I didnt know they called "Coonstripe Shrimp"!
They taste better than those spot prawn imho.

Link: http://www.xanga.com/capriana94555

Image: http://www.stanford.edu/~wilsonl/Food...