Where to buy bacalao / baccala in Manhattan?

[Vishne]

I'm not looking for a restaurant that makes the dish, I'd like to buy salt cured cod fillets to cook at home. Anyone have any tips on where I can get it in Manhattan?

[UES Mayor]

Fairway definitely has it-they have the real salt cod. Costco has it too-but the dried pollock ones . I much prefer salt cod-preferably w bone in which is impossible to find-anyone seen?

[sugartoof]

I second Whole Foods (I've seen it at the Houston, and 14th St. locations), and Essex Market

[Cheese Boy]

Sea Breeze Fish Market --> http://nymag.com/listings/stores/sea-...

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Sea Breeze Fish Market
541 9th Ave, New York, NY 10018

[EV_Eats]

Essex Market is where I go. Not sure of the exact name of the stall, but it's to the back & on the right. I've never gone wrong there!
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East Village Eats http://www.eveats.com

[Vishne]

Thanks hounds! Obviously I wasn't looking hard enough.

[small h]

I think pretty much any Manhattan supermarket would carry it. My local Fine Fare has it, as does Essex Market.

[polimorfos]

Fwiw, they call it Bacalao, but all of the supermarket brands are Canadian pollock, not cod.

[small h]

This is good to know, but in your experience, is the difference significant? I've never prepared salt cod at home, but I've eaten it in restaurants and would be hard pressed to make a useful distinction between cod and pollock. One flaky white dried and salted fish is kind of like any other, as far as my (admittedly unsophisticated) palate can tell.

[penthouse pup]

Yes. there is a difference in my opinion. The Canadian dried pollock is a step below real dried cod. If you have ever had the real thing abroad (as in Barcelona's many restaurants that really know how to prepare and serve it), then you'll know how hard it is to find the product as well as a decent rendition here. When done correctly, it's moist and almost indistinguishable from fresh fish...Sevilla does an acceptable version with its Bacalao Vizcayana but in Ironbound, Newark restaurants, it's going to be better...Getting it from La Tienda on-line is the best way to ensure you get the real thing--their on-line cod is from the best part of the fish... (I haven't checked Despana in a while but they may well have it, as well...and if they do, I am sure it won't be Canadian pollock.

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Despana
408 Broome St, New York, NY 10013

[polimorfos]

Yes, I agree. Big difference.

The pollack is passable for certain preparations where it is shredded (in caribbean style dishes for example) but nothing like the real thing.

[small h]

I see. I think I've only had salt cod shredded in a salad or a patty. And I don't remember eating it when I was in Barcelona, although I may have. Thanks for the information.

[loratliff]

The Whole Foods at Columbus Circle has it.

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Whole Foods
10 Columbus Cir, New York, NY 10019

[kathryn]

I saw it at Eataly last week, in the seafood department. Despana should have it as well.

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Despana
408 Broome St, New York, NY 10013

Eataly
200 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

[ferret]

Fairway should have it. Give 'em a call. In a pinch you can order from latienda.com. As a general note, you can find salt cod in lots of ethnic markets but it tends to be inferior. The salt cod loins are the best/meatiest, but also the most expensive. Often by far.

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Fairway Market
2127 Broadway, New York, NY 10023

[bob96]

Yes, Fairway always has it, at least the Harlem location.