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Los Angeles Area

Tips for Dining, Eating, and Food Shopping in the Greater Los Angeles Area (including Orange & Ventura Counties and SW San Bernardino County)

smoked fish

I want some chubs, smoked sable, lox, whole smoked white fish. Where's the best place to go?

34 Replies

  1. In Irvine, Wholesome Choice supermarket carries a large selection of smoked fish. They're vaccuum packed, and from the supplier (name escapes me now) up in Glendale.

    Wholesome Choice is on the SE corner of Culver & Michelson, just south of the 405.

    1. re: Professor Salt

      Gravlax is ridiculously easy to make from Costco's big salmon filets. Email me for recipe and you'll get 3 pounds of lax for $12-14.

      1. re: wizzle

        Gravlax is deceptive. You are not factoring the amount of liquid that is released from the salmon when you add the curing seasoning. You lose almost 1/4 of the weight of the fish. It would be hard to beat the price of the smoked salmon at Costco and also the quality.

    2. Any deli for smoked cod or whitefish
      Go to Costco or Sam's Club for lox and smoked salmon-1/3 the price of delis.

      1. the packaged 1.3lb slabs of lsmoked salmon from Costco are damned good, especially for the price. We've served it for years.

        1. Surfas has excellent smoked salmon, (prepackaged).

          1. We buy chubs and whole smoked white fish at Nate N' Als.

            We buy lox and sable at Barney Greengrass. BG is expensive but at least you get what you pay for. The fish is truly excellent. They also have H&H bagels if you like them.

            1. I believe Art's in Studio City has sable. call and ask.

              1. Now that I've learned to use the search function; hope it's ok to post this past information.

                QUALITY LOX AND OTHER SMOKED SALMONS

                Homarus Lox [Midtown]
                9340 West Pico Blvd
                Los Angeles 90035
                310-273-3004

                Greenblatt's Delicatessen [Hollywood]
                8017 W Sunset Blvd
                West Hollywood 90046
                323-656-0606

                Barney Greengrass Restaurant [Beverly Hills]
                9570 Wilshire Blvd, inside Barney's NY
                Beverly Hills
                310-777-5877

                Santa Monica Seafood Co [Beaches]
                1205 Colorado Ave
                Santa Monica 90404
                310-451-8844
                http://www.santamonicaseafood.com

                Santa Monica Seafood Co [South OC
                ]1700 N Main St
                Orange 92865
                714-921-2632

                Santa Monica Seafood Retail [South OC]
                154 E 17th St
                Costa Mesa 92627
                949-574-8862

                Trader Joe's [Citywide]
                http://www.traderjoes.com

                Costco [Citywide
                ]http://www.costco.com

                Homarus brand offers wondrous smoked salmons, says *Jerome*. And, blessed be us,
                there's a Homarus store in town:

                Says *JudiAU*: "We usually get our salmon at Greenblatts on Sunset. I generally
                prefer products marketed as 'smoked salmon' to products labeled 'lox' because
                they are less fishy, less salty, and have better texture. When we splurge on
                fish it is sable from Barney Greengrass [see also ChowNews #39]. Ah, that fish!"

                More info: "The difference between cold-smoked salmon and hot-smoked salmon is
                that the cold-smoked stays raw and the hot-smoked is actually cooked. As a Jew,
                the only proper smoked salmon for a bagel is cold smoked as it is not suppose to
                be cooked," says *Eric*. Adds *Just Larry*, "Cold-smoked is actually brined
                before smoking so it is technically cooked. In hot smoking, the brining is
                optional."

                Santa Monica Seafood (see also ChowNews #7, #16, #20) has some nice smoked
                salmon.

                Best low-priced lox in town: Trader Joe's and Costco's. Costco's slabs are the
                way to go for parties, most agree

                1. re: ciao ny

                  Sadly, Homarus is long-defunct, and missed badly.

                  Gordon's on Pico is a Kosher fishmonger with a limited selection but what I've seen there has been reasonably good. a shade cheaper than the most expensive places.

                  The best quality smoked fish I've seen since the demise of Homarus is at Santa Monica Seafood and at Barney Greengrass--neither is cheap. (Bristol Farms can also be a useful resource for the expensive stuff.) I have not been impressed by the TJ's offerings.

                  1. re: PayOrPlay

                    BTW- We purchased smoked salmon from Santa Monica Seafood last year and were badly dissappointed. It was really quite expensive and really quite unimpressive at that price. We would have done better with the pre-packaged products from TJs and Ralphs.

                    Greenblatts is near our house and so we purchase their fish sometimes. It is good but I would rather spend a little bit more and have a huge leap and quality at Barney Greengrass.

                    1. re: PayOrPlay

                      Really good smoked salmon and white fish salad have been two of the hardest things for me to find in LA. Even though I live here only a few months, I've been going between LA & NYC for almost 20 years; and still can't find good smoked fish.

                      I've contacted a friend in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, family has been in the "smoking" business for almost 100 years; will update here when he gets back to me. Their products were often available at Costco in NYC. 2 or 3 times year he'd send a rep to Costco and you could buy a sampler of their products; 1 lb. assorted (gravlox, peppered, reg. & I think a "pastrami" smoked), for $10. I'd buy a few lbs for the freezer.

                      1. re: ciao ny

                        Barney's Greengrass in BH should cure your Smoked Fish needs. The best in LA.

                        1. re: russkar

                          You're so right. I will try BG in Beverly Hills.

                          Years ago when I lived on the UWS of NYC, went to BG 2 or 3 times a month for Sunday brunch. It was here a friend introduced me to their incredible whitefish salad. The smoked fish plate and BG's scrambled eggs were perfection. Often the best meal of the week.

                        2. re: ciao ny

                          Ciao ny -

                          Okay it's yaers later but - any news on the fab sampler you liked at Costco? Maybe here in LA? I was a huge Homarus fan, now that it's gone, I use TJ's and the reg costco, which are nice, but Homarus gave you amazing quality for not much more money. Sigh.

                          1. re: happybaker

                            You're replying to a post that is nearly 4 1/2 years old. Ciao ny has not registered on the "new" Chowhound so it's extremely unlikely you'll get a response.

                            Sorry.

                            1. re: Das Ubergeek

                              DU -

                              I can dream, can't I? I miss Homarus so.

                              In the meantime, I'll hit Costco for the best blend of cost and quality. And for cheap thrills I'm going to try Le Market on Burbank.

                              1. re: happybaker

                                I was looking for good white fish salad since I returned from NY last month. I bought a 2-lbs box of Blue Hill Bay Smoked White Fish Salad from Costco for $7.99 last week. It's distributed by a company in Brooklyn. I was a little skeptical at first because it's really inexpensive comparing to Russ and Daughters' for $13.96/lb. I have to say the one from Costco is pretty good for the quality and price. I'm enoying it with bagels from The Bagel Factory everyday.

                                1. re: fdb

                                  Where in the store is this stocked?

                                  1. re: JAB

                                    I get it from the Culver/Marina Store. It's in the cold case right outside of the produce room. I looked on the Manhattan board. Acme who distributed these salads might also be the supplier for Russ and Daughters.

                                    1. re: fdb

                                      russ and daughters make their salads in-house, but i believe ACME supplies the whole whitefish they make it from. They also put baked salmon in their whitefish salad.

                                      1. re: NYCnowLA

                                        Good to know. Thanks.

                                        1. re: NYCnowLA

                                          "They also put baked salmon in their whitefish salad."

                                          That doesn't make me want to run to COSTCO like I had planned.

                                    2. re: fdb

                                      the tastiest whitefish salad i found is at Sam's Bagels on Larchmont.

                                      1. re: NYCnowLA

                                        I'll be sure to try it next time I'm in the area.

                                      2. re: fdb

                                        Blue Hill Bay is Acme Smoked Fish of Williamsburg

                                  2. re: happybaker

                                    No, Acme Smoked Fish in B'klyn has never sent a rep to the Costcos here. I've slowly gotten used to Costco's smoked salmon. Cheap, fairly tasty, and I think 1 1/2 lb pkg. Bagels from Bagel Broker because I can walk over. BTW, Costco does sell Acme's white fish salad in large, (for me), containers, not too salty. BB on Beverly at Fairfax.
                                    I'm now sated with Bob's custard donuts....

                                    -----
                                    Bagel Broker
                                    8718 W 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA

                                    1. re: ciao_ny

                                      I used to live near the Bagel Broken adn was addicted (OK - I still am) to their whitefish salad. ACME makes a very good smoked WF salad. They usually have it at Cambridge Farms (Whitset and Burbank) and the Western Bagel @ VB and Coldwater also serves it.

                                      -----
                                      Bagel Broker
                                      7825 Beverly Blvd 5, Los Angeles, CA 90036

                            2. Not to be overlooked is Broadway deli. The BEST smoked salomon selection!!!

                              1. re: c-kow

                                Costco's smoked salmon used to be a favorite, but with having to buy 1.5 pounds at $9.99 a lb I think it is now over priced.

                                Thank you whoever recommended Smart and Final. If I lived in Westwood I'd buy from a small guy.

                                Anyone ever try Trader Joes?

                                1. re: jasonw

                                  Traders joes is nice - but not dirt cheap either....

                                  Though cheap compared to Barney Greengrass I'm sure!

                                  -----
                                  Barney Greengrass Restaurant
                                  9570 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

                              2. If you can make it down to Orange County, there is only one place to go... The Crab Cooker has been brining and smoking their own Scottish Salmon and Albacore for over 50 years.

                                It will blow your mind... They have a take-out counter at the front of the Restaurant. The prices are almost too cheap and you will certainly need some Chowder to take with. Take a look at my Flickr page for photos here:

                                http://www.flickr.com/photos/mistermu...

                                -----
                                The Crab Cooker
                                2200 Newport Blvd, Newport Beach, CA 92663

                                   
                                1. Has anyone checked out the new franky and Johhny's seafood outlet by the stadium?

                                  Their website looks interesting, but I haven't been able to mosey over there yet to check out their smoked fish....

                                  www.fjseafoodoutlet.com

                                  1. re: happybaker

                                    I was a lover of Homarus back in the day. The closest I have found in the LA area is; The Grill on the Alley of all places. Boy it was a surprise. It had that glasssy texture, it didn't have the pepper on top.I ate it on two occassions at the one in Westlake Village. I have not tried it in Beverly Hills. It is absolutely the closest to the original Homarus. Boy I wish they would come back.

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