Black Cod?!?

[GyroBall]

Black cod at Rasika. Miso black cod at Nobu. Both amazingly buttery and the highlight of the meal. Where can I find this fish for purchase in the DC area? That is, where can I buy it raw and cook it myself?

[Night Owl]

I love it and have a hard time finding it, too. Once in a blue moon, Whole Foods carries it.

[MakingSense]

Look for sable or sablefish. Not sure that black cod is actually codfish.
Another name is butterfish but there's an East Coast fish that goes by that name so that might get you off track. Local butterfish is terrific but usually small, looks like a tiny pompano or John Dory. Same shape as a flounder but it swims upright.

Call Black Salt on MacArthur Blvd., Southern MD Seafood at Eastern Market on Capitol Hill, or Slavins in Alexandria.

[ChewFun]

Yes, it's also known as sablefish. Go to a Jewish supermarket and ask for Smoked Sable . It's expensive, but super worth it. It's pure heaven.

[Dmnkly]

Delicious, yeah, but you can't (well... shouldn't) use smoked sable for most recipes that call for black cod (which seems to be what the OP is talking about). That's like using lox in place of fresh salmon.

[ChewFun]

I know that, I'm just saying that if the person liked black cod, they would probably also like smoked sable. I didn't mean to imply that it could be used as a substitute.

[Dmnkly]

That's what I figured, I just thought -- without meaning to cast aspersions on the OP's food IQ -- that it might be worth clarifying in case s/he wasn't aware :-)

[GyroBall]

Thanks everyone!

[Dakota Guy]

I see it at Harris Teeter (Arlington) all the time. Sometimes at Whole Foods. Usually at Black Salt fish market. Often called sablefish in restaurants (sounds more appealing?). You shouldn't have much trouble finding it.

[irenieberg]

which harris teeter? i have the hardest time finding it. whole foods sometimes, slavin's if you call ahead has it ocassionally