Shaina "formerly G." P.'s Profile

Crap, yet another review of New Deal from Shaina G.

I couldn't help but mention that my dinner tonight was immediately followed by some tuna sashimi from New Deal.  I was nervous at first, but the difference between the sushi grade and other tuna offering was clear as day.  Fat from the Big Eye Tuna marbled between each bright red grain of tender raw meat.  At $24.99/lb I figured not such a bad deal if ordering a 1/4-lb for one.  So, why not?  New Deal even supplies wasabi and pickled ginger (had to ask for the ginger).  Score.

At home, I was scared to eat the meat.  Direct from the wrapping, it had that fish scent, but after a minute out of the wrap, the smell just went away.  Must have been the store smell secured within.  So, I sliced 'er up, tossed a little soy with a lotta wasabi in a little dish, and dabbed my meat in the concoction.

Af first bite, it was love all over again, reminding me of the first time I truly started to enjoy sushi, except it was TEN times better, thanks to the price cheaper than at a sushi restaurant and to the utter butter texture.  If I see Big Eye in there again, I will surely purchase and you should, too.

Although New Deal will change its features fishies on occasion, some items that continue to be on the shelves include:

Fresh lump crab (Jonah Crab) - $11.99/10-12 oz. container as of yesterday, but it's best shit ever (go ahead, give it a smell test) and makes a superior crab cake, although it's so damn good, I'd eat it plain.

Scallops - I'm not sure where these're from, it might change from time to time, but they are consistently delicious cooked just until opaque (not stark white) with some butter, salt, and pepper.  I always order a specific number rather than a weight.  This way, they always hand choose the biggest/consistently sized meats.  By the way, their scallops are always dry stored, meaning no extra heavy weight of water to add to your already-high cost.  All you pay for is tender deliciousness.

Also, last night I bought a pound of PEI Mussels, medium in size, clean, and all perfectly alive.  Each one snapped shut (except for one) as I checked their liveness.  Steamed in a heavy beer, these mussels rock.

Thanks to many excellent reviews, I decided to check this market out.  And, boy, I was not disappointed.  The fish really is so fresh it's still frickin moving (nicely put, Apollo).  My eyes were drawn to the piles of whole snapper and that ugly, but delicious monkfish, fish parts from salmon, tuna that I've never hear of (or seen), locally collected shellfish (oysters, mussels, clams).  I can't wait to cook up crab cakes and sear the scallops that I purchased for tonight!

Besides the fresh selection of fish, highly qualified fish mongers, and great service, I was pleasantly surprised to find other excellent products offered here to round out the store.  Including, but definitely not limited to: olive oil, cheese, breadcrumbs, Taza chocolate, and spices!

I will undoubtedly stop here for all of my protein needs from this point forward.

UPDATED:  
So, are oysters difficult to shuck?  
'Yes.'  
Do I need a special tool for that?  
'Yes.'  
Can you ... show me?  
'How many do you want?'
How many does one pound buy me?  
'About four.'  
Ohhhh, no thanks.

Four for $9.99 puts you at $2.50 per oyster, or roughly equivalent to the price of freshly shucked oysters at any quality restaurant.  Just an FYI ...

Also, saw the biggest whole fish with a tongue larger than my own, I swear.  Two thoughts ran through my mind: whoa cool!! and eeewww