Help me eat some tasty fish eggs!

firewaterword

So thanks to a helpful poster in D&D chat, I just realized I've never had the chance to try caviar.

Ergo, I'll be buying some this weekend. Knowing next to nothing - besides I should eat it with blinis - I turn to YOU, H&A!

What's up with tasty fish eggs? What should I look for? Any help, as always, is appreciated!

Passerbye

Knowing where you live might be useful in recommending the best kind for your area.

firewaterword

Whoa. Confluence of forums! I'm in the Bay Area, so selection shouldn't be a problem. Not spending a fortune may be, however, but what can you do?

Dread Pirate Arbuthnot

I had a dream where every weird twist and turn turned into me desperately trying to find a bathroom. I eventually ended up waking up and having such a good pee it hurt.

Passerbye

Arbuthnot - I think you're posting in the wrong thread?

Fire - Checking with my sources.

Edit: Ok, Salmon caviar is obviously a top choice for you, given your location. You might try Trader Joes for cheap and tasty varieties, but they don't always have it. European Market on Clement and 35th Ave also has good Salmon caviar. For Japanese style you can go to Uoki's on Post across from the Miyako Hotel, it's a little different in flavor and they don't always have it.

99 Ranch Market in Richmond also has a variety of caviars, though usually in bulk.

You can go to Indus Foods in Berkley for Greek Cod caviar, or most Greek food stores in San Fran.

If you want caviar in a restaurant setting (eventually, obviously not this weekend) you might try Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Cafe.

Hope that helps. Not sure where you'd be able to find Beluga or Sturgeon, but that tends to be more expensive anyway.

firewaterword

Holy hopping hell! That's fantastic, thanks! I had no idea TJ's carried caviar, but I'm not surprised. Is Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Cafe the place in the Ferry Building, or am I thinking of something else?

Also, 99 Ranch is so, so wonderful. Want to choose from 15 kinds of instant Laksa? No problem.

Anyway, thanks again!

Passerbye

Dunno. I just got all that from a Google search and a few well-placed text messages. Having friends in San Fran is useful.

poshniallo

I love caviar, but I do find it difficult to tell the difference between the cheap lumpfish roe and the proper beluga sturgeon caviar. I often buy little cans of lumpfish caviar from a deli. Now, I live in a totally different country to you, but it will probably work the same way: go to a deli. Find caviar. Notice that most of the caviar costs an astonishing amount of money, but that one lone can is about 1/10th the cost. Read that can carefully. Notice the word 'lumpfish roe' in really fucking tiny text. Buy it. Eat it on crackers. Be happy.

Salmon eggs are also nice, but I've never heard of people lumping them in with caviar - they're totally different.