# Seafood
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 5, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342 "2015-05-05T23:16:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342/61 "2015-05-06T21:39:59Z")
> [@Potestas](#):
>
> If you swallow a caviar will it hatch in your insides? Ive always been leery of caviar for that reason
No, it is taken from the ovaries of various fish and has never been fertilized. In addition, it has been processed with a large amount of salt. If you would like to try fish eggs without the salt processing, you can buy the entire ovary pair of various lesser fish. Sturgeon are highly expensive fish and I have never seen the ovaries for sale in the US other than as already prepared into caviar.
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#):
>
> Where’s that like button already? 😃
+1
> [@Potestas](#):
>
> I’ve never had fish, I am in my 20s and I’ve never had seafood because ive always been combination grossed out or simply not interested in it. I didnt think it was that surprising that someone has never had seafood before but I guess it is.
>
> Now as ive thought more about it the more curious ive gotten about seafood
Not unusual if you don’t hang out with people who like and prepare fish.
> [@Senegoid](#):
>
> Well, what are you waiting for? Get thee to a good restaurant that serves good seafood and try some!
>
> If you want to try this real slow, consider this: Go to an all-you-can-eat buffet style restaurant (like Hometown Buffet or whatever you have in your area). .
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Never start someone off at a Barftown Buffet! Go to a reputable grocery store with a good seafood section. Take the advice of the people here and start out with the mild whitefish - sole, pollock, cod. Buy the smallest piece that you can, for sole it would be a single fillet about the size of your hand and about 1/3 of an inch to 1/2 of an inch thick. Take it home and immediately cook it. [This recipe](http://www.barefootcontessa.com/recipes.aspx?RecipeID=388&S=0) calls for 4 fillets for 2 people, but it can be cut down to 1 fillet for one person. The next fish would be farmed salmon. Again, you can buy a single salmon steak and I would recommend this [recipe](http://hapanom.com/salmon-en-papillote-with-edamame-mash/). I can not say what the edamame mash is like, but go with your own side dish =) . Tuna is odd. Most people grew up with canned tuna, which is absolutely nothing like fresh tuna. I like to do fresh tuna just like the previous salmon recipe. I won’t get into shellfish and crustacians right now, those can wait for after the mild fish =)
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### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2015, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342/62 "2015-05-07T02:56:07Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#):
>
> The only reason this is done is so restaurants can save money on menus and not to have a billion categories of food listed.
In the USA each year (I’m certain European figures would agree) 55% of all new seafood restaurants fail. Of these failures, 87% are due to menu expense over-runs.
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### Author:  [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2015, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342/63 "2015-05-07T14:54:01Z")
For those of you that have issues with cooking calamari try this [method](http://www.deandeluca.com/recipes/recipe_fried_calamari.aspx), it always works for me…
As to the OP, I second (third?) going to a good seafood place and trying something well prepared. You may even want to try sushi as your first excursion, then you get to try a bit of everything. I particularly like tobiko (flying fish roe) as it has this really neat pop and you get this little salty burst.
As noted, go forth and explore!
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### Author:  [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342/64 "2015-05-07T15:08:20Z")
I agree that the OP should let somebody else prepare his first seafood. Since apparently none of his friends or family do so–knowing something about his community would help.
What’s the restaurant scene like? All chains? A cafe on courthouse square? Any ethnic eateries? How hard is it to get to the coast–Gulf or Atlantic?
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### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2015, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342/65 "2015-05-07T17:22:07Z")
[QUOTE=kayaker]
In the USA each year (I’m certain European figures would agree) 55% of all new seafood restaurants fail. Of these failures, 87% are due to menu expense over-runs.
[/QUOTE]
I wonder what the seafood places are doing to be so successful. A 55% failure rate in the first year is better than average.
> [@restaurants.com](#):
>
> American Express estimates that 90% of restaurants fail in the first year, but Cornell University asserts that a more likely estimate is 60%, with an increase to 80% in the first three to five years of operation. In short, only 10% to 20% of all restaurants get to see the end result of their five-year business plans.
(From [https://www.restaurants.com/blog/why-do-restaurants-fail/#.VUudMXJOXuM](https://www.restaurants.com/blog/why-do-restaurants-fail/#.VUudMXJOXuM) )
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [May 7, 2015, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342/66 "2015-05-07T17:58:59Z")
I’m surprised that the OP, assuming he’s being sincere, never had fish sticks as a child, either at home or in the cafeteria at school. That’s one of the classic children’s foods, along with macaroni and cheese, tater tots and grilled cheese sandwiches.
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### Author:  [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2015, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342/68 "2015-07-10T07:59:27Z")
I’m sure the OP will pop over to Mumbai right away to try your restaurant. Reported
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### Author:  [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342/69 "2015-07-10T19:30:04Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#):
>
> I wonder what the seafood places are doing to be so successful. A 55% failure rate in the first year is better than average.
Generally, seafood places charge higher prices than other restaurants. Possibly the extra cash flow allows them to make it through crises that otherwise would close them?
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2015, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342/70 "2015-07-10T20:13:08Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> Generally, seafood places charge higher prices than other restaurants. Possibly the extra cash flow allows them to make it through crises that otherwise would close them?
It’s in line with the Cornell figures he cited. The 90% figure is dubious, and even higher than most figures I’ve seen after 3 years.
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### Author:  [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2015, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342/71 "2015-07-11T02:39:12Z")
> [@Potestas](#):
>
> What kind of fish does McDonalds fry? Is it salmon?
Cod, I think. Maybe haddock. Neither is fishy, and it’s a very mild taste.
If you live in the southeast, for the love of pete, go somewhere that sells fresh-caught shrimp. NOT farmed shrimp. Fresh. The stuff is caught offshore, so you should be able to get it practically off the boat. Boil or steam it. Eat with butter and lemon. (Remove the shells first).
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### Author:  [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2015, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seafood/719342/72 "2015-07-11T02:41:03Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#):
>
> No I wouldn’t because trout isn’t seafood.
That’s kind of pedantic.
Oh, wait…I forgot where I was. 😛
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