619825 Thu May 14 10:16:35 -0700 2009 24 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 4683484 I recently saw a wonderful recipe for pasta with uni. I need a good reliable source for fresh uni for the recipe. What sources would you recommend? Thu May 14 10:16:35 -0700 2009 170008 chadders 1 4683521 I saw that same dish, in the New York Times. I imagine any large Japanese market would have fresh uni. I do often use Catalina Offshore Products in San Diego (when I lived elsewhere I often had them ship me their stuff.) Uni comes fresh and packed very well and yes, it is still live when it arrives if you order the live stuff. http://www.catalinaop.com/Sea_Urchin_Uni_s/70.htm Making the dish myself on Saturday... Thu May 14 10:24:15 -0700 2009 4683484 141689 Ewilensky 1 4683557 yesterday's NY Times, right? i was really digging that recipe too. if any of them are convenient for you, try one of the Japanese or fish markets listed in this thread... http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/364273 Thu May 14 10:32:49 -0700 2009 4683484 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 4683604 The San Francisco Fish Company in the Ferry Building has had live uni most of the times that I've checked. Thu May 14 10:47:32 -0700 2009 4683484 11277 Paul H 2 4683682 the nyt article was about the uni that you get in japanese markets, already cleaned and neatly laid out on trays, making it especially convenient and easy to use. as other posters have said, a good japanese market will have fresh uni and sometimes live uni. Try Tokyo Fish Market in Berkeley. They almost always have it. Thu May 14 11:05:56 -0700 2009 4683604 23014 katnat 3 4689377 This week, good looking 1/4-trays were $8.99. It seemed to me about 4-6 times as much uni as on a 2-piece sushi order. Sat May 16 09:54:01 -0700 2009 4683682 10406 twocents 2 4684667 New May Wah at 719 Clement in SF has uni in trays (refrigerated section against eastern wall of western half) and also, sometimes, live sea urchins in the seafood section. Thu May 14 15:21:09 -0700 2009 4683604 201672 BaraXan 3 4686832 Have you bought it there? I've purchased it in the same type of tray at Niji-Ya supermarket in Japantown, but worried the turnover in a chinese market would not be high enough to keep it fresh. I have actually seen live urchins at New May Wah in the fish department too. Fri May 15 10:10:20 -0700 2009 4684667 17221 SteveG 4 4686852 Well no, I haven't. But I will when I try that NYT pasta recipe, and I'll let you know. Fri May 15 10:19:11 -0700 2009 4686832 201672 BaraXan 4 4689493 Actually bought a couple live ones at New May Wah just last week. Both of them were much livelier than the examples I'd bought from San Francisco Fish Company a while back, and provided for a far better experience. In particular, one of the two, with deep orange hued roe, was absolutely amazing: crisp on a first bite, immediately yielding to a creamy, briny center as the roe melted away in my mouth. I've never bought the ones in trays at NMW, but the trays at nijiya are passable. I've given up on buying them there, sating myself with trips to Ino once in a while instead. For a pasta dish, though, it seems that it'd be much more practical to buy a tray... Sat May 16 10:46:51 -0700 2009 4686832 158479 drinkmoretang 4 4798834 I finally made the pasta with uni. It was wonderful--luxurious, creamy, pretty, and full of flavors (the garlic and tomatoes take the uni taste in an unexpected direction). I did buy the uni at New May Wah and it was just fine. Tue Jun 23 12:34:09 -0700 2009 4686832 201672 BaraXan 5 4802750 Thanks for reporting back. I'm always entertained how the checkout people evaluate me (a gweilo) quizzically for my unusual selections there. Sounds like they're carrying live uni and more uni generally due to increased awareness or demand, which is always a good thing in my book. Wed Jun 24 13:19:56 -0700 2009 4798834 17221 SteveG 5 5151660 BaraXan, I'd be interested in that pasta recipe - where can I find it? Tue Nov 03 07:11:45 -0800 2009 4798834 24783 Kosmonaut 1 4686870 I saw live ones at 99 Ranch the other day. Fri May 15 10:25:46 -0700 2009 4683484 11369 Robert Lauriston 2 4695331 Richmond branch? Mon May 18 15:58:40 -0700 2009 4686870 43515 adrienne156 3 4710813 The Richmond 99 Ranch, right. Sun May 24 10:45:25 -0700 2009 4695331 11369 Robert Lauriston 1 4690591 Always available at Nijiya Market in Japantown. Sat May 16 20:45:07 -0700 2009 4683484 16933 Carrie 218 2 5094907 Not available at Nijiya when I went there 10-10-2009. I was home alone and craved some Uni with rice I made. Drove down to J town and did not find it at Nijiya, headed across the street to the market next to San Wang but there were closed at 7:45 p.m. Went to the Korean store on Fillmore and obtained some cucumber kim chi and dried anchovies and mixed it with rice.... Will try the supermarket next to San Wang next time... Sun Oct 11 08:59:00 -0700 2009 4690591 15466 badbatzmaru 1 4693018 Uni is generally available weekdays at the source, right where it comes off the boat at Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg. There is a small factory with about 50-100 workers processing the urchins and packaging it. The owner will sell you a very small box for $5 and a bigger one for $20. Can't get fresher than that. Sun May 17 22:28:01 -0700 2009 4683484 270083 Thomas Nash 2 5151665 Ft. Bragg is a long drive - are there any other places closer to San Francisco where uni comes off the boat? Tue Nov 03 07:12:52 -0800 2009 4693018 24783 Kosmonaut 1 4708209 Just bought some today from Tokyo Fish Market in Berkeley/Albany on San Pablo. 9 for 9.00. I love this place! Fri May 22 20:33:48 -0700 2009 4683484 266379 snospra 2 4708315 I second Tokyo market....best Uni in the Bay Area...period. Trays are $38...not too bad considering that is a quite a large portion...they get the fresh stuff on Thursdays so shop early.... Fri May 22 22:29:27 -0700 2009 4708209 19117 Pollo 1 5091974 I just noticed that Sun Fat Seafood on Mission has begun carrying trays of uni at a very good price (also rolls of ankimo!) I hope they will do enough business to keep stocking it. Fri Oct 09 14:37:02 -0700 2009 4683484 201672 BaraXan 1 5151668 Manila Oriental Market on Mission sometimes has live uni. Also, the seafood tent at the San Rafael Farmer's Market will sometimes have live uni and they will cut and remove them from the shell for you while you wait. Sorry, I didn't make note of price. Tue Nov 03 07:14:05 -0800 2009 4683484 24783 Kosmonaut 1 5152284 FYI -- I saw some at May Wah on Clement St. this weekend. It looked fine, but I did not try it and am not sure I would buy it there... Tue Nov 03 10:22:02 -0800 2009 4683484 276743 pauliface