California commercial Dungeness crab season has been further delayed until at least Dec. 16 but, in the Mission, there are plenty.
No matter the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s decision to delay the crab season, thanks to poor meat quality and whale-entanglement risks, local Mission seafood markets have simply gone further north for their supplies.
It’s too big a business to pass up. At three markets on Mission Street, patrons line up for the uniquely San Francisco tradition of buying crab for Thanksgiving and, on a recent Tuesday, they found tanks full of them. Layers and layers of Dungeness crabs floated next to live lobsters and tilapias, bubbling up with claws tied with green elastic bands and a price of $10.99 a pound.
“They always have them,” said Anthony John, a patron for 20-some years who dropped by the Fresh Meat Seafood Market on Mission near 23rd Street.
Workers said their crabs came from Canada, Washington and other northern spots that have earlier seasons.
“California crabs taste sweeter,” said Khuu, a worker at nearby Sun Fat Seafood Co as he stepped on a short ladder and yanked one out of the tank with a pair of tongs.
With Thanksgiving approaching, the demand increases, he said, and added that some customers had already dropped by the market and placed orders for a Thursday pickup.
Yangtze Meat & Fish Market, a butcher shop and seafood market at 2026 Mission St., next to the 16th Street BART station, has a smaller water tank and fewer crabs, selling for $9.99 a pound, slightly lower than its competitors near 23rd Street.
Crabs aren’t Yangtze’s main product, said Liang, a worker there for more than a decade. Their crabs come from Washington and, once the local season starts, the price will drop even more, Liang said as he chopped up pork ribs for customers.
Jose Avila walked into Sun Fat on Tuesday morning with his brown chihuahua, Coco, buying Dungeness crabs for the second time in a week. Will he come again on Thursday? Probably, he said. For him, crabs, among other seafood, are not just for special occasions like Thanksgiving, but also just everyday meals.
“Chinese-style,” Avila described how he likes to cook them. “With ginger, green onions, garlic and chili flakes.”
Avila actually likes crabs from areas further north, he said, citing pollution risks in areas closer to home. On Thanksgiving, he’s preparing a dinner for 10, serving steaks, mashed potatoes — and crabs from Sun Fat.
All three markets will remain open on Thanksgiving Day: Sun Fat from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fresh Meat Seafood Market from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Yangtze Meat and Fish Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
That is cruel the way they are piled on top of each other in that tank. Just fkg steam them and sell them. This is disgusting.
Hello,
A good read.
h.
What state seafoods market?