Lobster $4.99/lb at Toms River ShopRite

[Njchicaa]

They'll also steam them for you for free. My father bought 4 of them tonight and had them cooked. 2.5 for him and 1.5 for my mother. Cost = $26. You can't go wrong! Planning a lobster dinner here for this weekend

[JustJake]

Enjoyed the post Thanksgiving day special of their being $4.99/lb again, and they were 'HARD SHELL' for a change (as I ordered 2 1 3/4 lbers a few weeks back as the family was out and I treated myself - big disappointment).

Ordered a 3 and a 2 lb'er for Sat. nite (for the bride and I) as the kids were 'out' and I couldn't have been more delighted. Full and delicious. By the way, they no longer cook them for you 'gratis' anymore as managment will be applying NJ sales tax as it is 'prepared food'. No big deal as I steamed them at home (it would have cost me an additional $1.75 had they prepared them - and I find that I cook them 'just right' and they're sweet as hell coming out of the pot rather than waiting till one gets home (15-20 minutes after check out and drive home)

[steinpilz]

Also $4.99/lb (with card) at the Brielle/Manasquan ShopRite, they're very good with other seafood as well (best around here IMO).

[MGZ]

I have been to that market many times and have even bought some jumbo lump a time or two when it has been on sale. Nevertheless, given the quality seafood markets in Point Pleasant (Point Lobster, Shore Fresh, even Spike's) I don't do more than briefly glance at most of the fish offered. I know they do frequent sales on frozen shrimp, but they only carry the farm-raised, Asian product that I typically avoid. What have I been missing? Have you tried any of the mongers I mentioned?

[MGZ]

OK. Oddly enough I wound up there today and they were offering "Caught in the USA" wild shrimp for $9.99 a pound. They appeared to be 16-20s and I thought it a good deal. I didn't buy any because we prefer the wild caught 10-15s at Point Lobster, which admittedly are at least a few bucks a pound more. Likewise the "Caught in the USA" swordfish looked quite solid.

I also passed on the lobsters as I have no interest in someone else steaming them and I would rather pay a bit less at Point for the "local business" and slightly lower price factors. I did buy some $5.99 a pound snow crab legs. I picked some pretty decent sized ones and spent well under twenty bucks. Nonetheless, the rest of the counter looked pretty passable to me. If you want fluke, flounder, salmon, cod, clams, soft shell crabs, and perhaps a few other things (including whole fish), I submit that the places I mentioned are superior.

[steinpilz]

Hi MGZ. Just went to ShopRite this morning and got some very good looking grouper, I saw it a week ago and regretted not getting some then! The swordfish did look good, they also have good looking sockeye salmon and have had great fresh tuna loins recently. There's a display of freshly cut and packaged fish to the right which can be very convenient.

I like comparing markets and have been to Shore Fresh (liked their soft shell crabs better than ShopRite) and also to Point Lobster this week since I saw that you mentioned it but haven't bought anything, I occasionally get something good from the A&P. I'd like to see some bluefish, mackerel, and striper, but maybe it's early? I liked Red's Lobster Pot but haven't tried Spikes yet.

[MGZ]

For mackerel or blues, I'd try calling Shore Fresh or Klein's in Belmar. As to bass, you're gonna need a boat or a little luck at daybreak on the beach.

All in all Point is my favorite, but I'm kinda a lobster, scallops, and fluke guy in the summer. Spike's is my least favorite, but they sometimes have things I want that no one else does. BTW - the best hard shell crabs are going to require a trip to Mantoloking Road in Brick.

[steinpilz]

I do remember a fish market by the Mantoloking Bridge (and crabbing under the bridge as a kid) but I haven't been there in many years. I've never been to Kleins and will stop by there. Do any boats bring in scallops around here? I've seen some scallops labeled "NJ Fresh."

[MGZ]

I know there are guys going out of Barnegat Light for scallops. I have been told there are also boats out of Point Pleasant.

[stillnotdon]

Not a big deal, but at the Pennington Shop-Rite they now charge tax if they steam 'em, but not if they don't!

[MGZ]

It would seem, given New Jersey law concerning taxation of foods, that all of the SRs should be doing that since the steamed lobsters are "prepared."

[JustJake]

Most definitely a great price and I picked up 4 over the weekend. They're soft shelled ( I was breaking the shell barehanded) with the claw holding maybe a 1/3 of what would normally be meat in a non molting lobster. The knuckle was nearly devoid of any meat.

Still a bargain, but the claw is my favorite - bummer to find hardly anything there..

[Njchicaa]

Bummer. The ones we bought 2 weeks ago definitely had hard shells.

[JustJake]

Two weeks ago, they were 5.99 and they were fine. These at 4.99 are softies.