Shrimp, salmon, and tuna are available at most supermarkets. But what about something more intriguing? Have you tried kindemai?
"It's super tasty," User exclaims, holding a superb alfonsino, a red-skinned fish with protruding eyes. "It's like a snapper with a more robust flavor."
The newest Wegmans store in New York City opened today at Astor Place with fishmonger Hutchins. The snapper-like creature he's holding exemplifies what makes this new grocery shop distinctive.
Wegmans claims to be the only US retailer to sell fresh seafood from Japan's famed Toyosu fish market.
On Wednesday, the new store displayed 18 Japanese fish kinds, a 110-pound wild-caught blue fin tuna from Spain—"a small one," Hutchins said—and many locally produced seafoods.
"I think we do a really, excellent job with seafood at Wegmans, but we want to improve on what we already do," says, who's been practicing cutting and preparation with Japanese professionals for the new store's launch.
"Japan has centuries and decades of tradition and respect especially when it comes to seafood," adds. "What makes Japanese seafood best? Is water different?
Do they eat differently? Maybe that's a lot, but also how it's treated. From the boat to the table, it's respected."
Wegmans' 110th and first Manhattan shop is on Astor Place. Rochester, N.Y.-based business established its first NYC location in Brooklyn in 2019.