Most Americans don’t know black cod, also called sablefish, and in Hawaii, butterfish. The Japanese know it, and for decades have paid top dollar for its white, flaky flesh. Like Copper River salmon, black cod is high in fish oil (and calories). Comparing black cod to Japan’s famous high-fat, high-dollar beef, a local marketer calls it “the wagyu of the ocean” — “a premium white fish known for its large petal-like flakes as much as its rich, buttery flavor.”
At fish markets, fresh black cod caught in season (mid-March through November) usually goes for more than $20 a pound. If smoked, it can be double that. In Seattle, a few restaurants have it: Manolin, Local Tide, Sushi Kasiba and some others. Ray’s Boathouse has a black cod entrée at $52 a plate. At Canlis, black cod is part of a $175 multi-course feast…
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