anyone who tells me that there aren’t worms in even high end seafood is living in fantasy. Don’t get me wrong–I love fish. Long ago, I bought swordfish at a very reputable seafood place that services many LA and OC restaurants. Looked great and I placed it in a marinade, flipped it a few minutes later and dozens of worms–unhappy w he marinade, were wiggling out from between the muscle fibers.
A couple weeks later–pulled out some white stringy things from salmon–took two to the lab at the hospital where I work. Lab tech told me it was Anisakis, endemic in salmon–causes big issues when ingested alive by a human host.
So I didn’t eat seafood for years, gradually worked back to it.
Few weeks ago we were at a very well-known Hollywood seafood restaurant. Three of four had fish and chips–I ate something else. Daughter’s boyfriend tasted something weird and looked at the bit end–a still live worm wiggling. Restaurant apologized and comped their fish.
Tonight I cooked flounder I had ordered from E. Coast. Carefully inspected it before cooking. Cooked it and started enjoying. After 4 delicious bites, I pulled out a worm.
I think I am done with fish. Dead or not, worms aren’t my thing. And I know about aphids and broccoli, insects in hotdogs, etc.
Thank you Alan. A realistic, certifiable, documented with pictures reason why I don’t eat fish. It’s not psychosomatic that I can’t eat fish, it’s out of caution.
I’ve never seen worms before but I haven’t been taking a close look. Thought most fish was frozen first- in New York raw fish must be frozen before serving. Freezing supposedly kills parasites but could be left with a dead worm.
I couldn’t abandon fish myself. For me it’s by far the most preferable protein for a number of reasons. That said just thinking about finding a worm makes me squirm.
The funny thing is for years I never went and always had it in the back of my mind that I should. I genuinely do not understand why that restaurant has a following. My uncle used to LOVE that place.
Related and non-Orthodox. If I had to guess, he was attracted to the large portions. Personally, I can’t get past the fact that they have arrows on the floor, as if you were riding space mountain.