Live uni / sea urchins in Steveston

[jcolvin]

For any uni lovers, there is now (finally!!) a live urchin boat at Steveston warf. Prices *very* reasonable....$10 for 3 big reds or 5 greens...and he will usually throw an extra or 2 in, especially if late in the day. The uni is in fantastic condition right now...big, firm, sweet pieces, fresh out of the ocean. He (Kuroshio boat) seems to be there most saturdays ; he comes out of Victoria. You could always call him at 250 812 1252 to check when he will be there if you are thinking of making the trip. We just made about 10 inari cones and I'm still buzzing.

[fmed]

That's a phenomenal deal. Thanks for the tip!

[jcolvin]

Even better, he gave me three big reds *and* three greens for $10, cause it was the end of the day and he was about to leave. YMMV :) There were actually *two* boats there on Saturday. I recommend Kuroshio because he fishes them himself, and they are straight out of the ocean. The other boat is retailing urchins fished by others, so likely not quite as fresh (but still live). But if Kuroshio isn't there, the other boat can satisfy your craving.

[fmed]

My kids and I will be in Richmond today so we may just have some time to see if he's there.

[fmed]

We didn't make it to Steveston. Next week perhaps.

[repartee]

Thanks for the info. I'm going to try and get there.

What's the difference in taste between the red and green?

[fmed]

Red sea urchins are usually larger than green ones. Taste wise? I haven't done a side by side which makes it even more interesting.

[jcolvin]

The uni in a red urchin is much larger than in a green one, so you do get a lot more bang for your buck. However the uni in a green urchin tends to be firmer and has a more refined taste. If you were going to eat the uni as sashimi green is probably best; if you are making inari cones or rolls then you can't beat the quantity you get in a red one. I like to get a combination of both.... It's a bit like the difference between a large beach oyster and a little kumamato...