Only My Fish Monger Knows For Sure

Last night KCRA channel 3 (Sacramento) reported on an investigation into what some area sushi joints are passing off as red snapper. Turns out red snapper is very expensive since it is over-fished. All places, except Mikuni, substituted talapia (most cases) or white bass (one case) for what was on the menu as red snapper. Also turns out that talapia costs about a buck a lb., New Zealand red snapper is about 6 bucks a pound, while Red Sea Bream, or Tai, is about 16 bucks a pound.

No one seems to really know if the restaurants buy the "false fish" knowingly...however channel 3 reported that one restaurant showed them a bag of the frozen fish they were serving as red snapper.. and it was clearly marked talapia. Hmmmm.

I guess it all depends on if you are being charged for the higher priced red snapper, or maybe you like eating raw talapia, or maybe you just want the menu to reflect what they are really selling.

What do you say? I say if I want red snapper, I am going to Mikuni..and I'll pay what I expect to pay for it.

Here is the list from KCRA website:

Izumi, Roseville: tilapia
Umisaka, Rocklin: white bass
Miyagi, Sacramento: tilapia
Mikuni, downtown Sacramento: red sea bream (red snapper)
Oshima, Sacramento: tilapia
Fuji Chef, Davis; tilapia
Sushi Nobu, Davis: tilapia
Daruma, West Sacramento: tilapia