fish man

[sandyman]

Anyone had the fish man round today? What did you think of him? Did you try any fish? Did you see any van?

[drew]

I saw a fish selling vans, but asking prices were too much!

[Jamma]

OK, neither of the above posts makes a huge amount of sense. Are you saying there's a chap coming round selling fish from the back of a van? If so I'm interested - where is he operating?

[sandyman]

He came round asking if we wanted fresh fish but had no van in sight so I wondered how reliable he was. Also we've had one before who claimed fish was fresh from a trawler in Hull/Grimsby but it looked like it had just come from the freezer counter in Iceland. No northern accents this time, wondered if this was the same company.

[Penguin68]

There is a legitimate (Geordie) fish seller (quite a tubby bloke if I recall) who does sell round ED and does have a van - he calls round no more than every couple of months, and I haven't bought from him for a long time (always turns up when I already have a food for that day, and no plans for fish the next). When I did buy the fish was OK, but not that exciting (or, frankly, as outstandingly fresh as I was expecting). Of course modern trawlers (except for the smallest) now freeze on board, so 'freshly landed' in Hull might mean caught several days/ weeks previously and immediately frozen.

[*Bob*]

Two things to avoid buying from the back of a van in London:

1. top quality fish

2. top quality loudspeakers

[sandyman]

Bob, That's the usual one i was thinking of, though I think he likes to give the impression he has driven non-stop overnight with the catch that he's caught himself on his own little boat with his own little net.

This one was new so I wondered a) if he was bona fide b) if so, if he was any good - can't be any more expensive than Moxons, which is very close to us.

[Narnia]

Trust a penguin to have the most information on this subject.

[Alec John Moore]

However, it's more likely to be regurgitated. So, who knows the source. Pathetic joking aside we ocassionally bought from someone who fits the description when we lived in Camberwell. Not the best way to buy fish, on reflection.

[Narnia]

Mine was pathetic......yours was quite good AJM.

[*Bob*]

If you listen carefully you can still hear it thrashing about in the back of his van.. apparently.

Fish is expensive in the first place, and Moxons is a bit more on top. But their fish is rockin'.

[PeckhamRose]

3. carpets.

4. CDs

If you want fresh fish go to Sopers in Nunhead. I do not benefit from mentioning them.

[louisiana]

In my experience it's not fresh, and it's not cheap. Complete white van man territory, with all that that entails.

You're better off buying from the various local fishmongers (Moxon's, North X Rd market stall, Soper's in Nunhead...)

If you're on a tight budget, there's plenty of *budget* and really fresh fish to be had e.g. the ever-brilliant mackerel, which is like a quid per (person-meal size+) fish. Mackerel is nutritionally superior to white fish, much cheaper, tastier... It's one of my favourite fishies. And if you're not on a tight budget, buy fresh fish from the local guys who are at the market early doors every day. It's the best.

Recipe idea: bake mackerel with red and yellow peppers, onions and generous sprigs of thyme. Accompany with rice cooked in caradamom/cumin/coriander/onion (Madhur Jaffrey recipe - PM me for details if you are interested), and some lightly-done green stuff (mange tout, green beans or whatever).

[treehugger]

If you get up very early on a Saturday morning and get to Billingsgate (through Rotherhithe tunnel and down the limehouse loop) for about 5.30 you can get VERY cheap and VERY fresh fish and have a great experience at the same time. It doesn't take long to get there at that time in the morning and when you get home you can go back to bed. I really recommend it.

[HonaloochieB]

I haven't seen the bloke himself but I think I saw his wife giving someone dog's abuse on LL the other day.

[njc97]

A second for Sopers if you want fresh and cheap fish. Just avoid monkfish and other expensive types.

[Annette Curtain]

Chinese supermarket in Camberwell green ( opposite Barclays bank )

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/Sparus_aurata.Dourada.jpg/220px-Sparus_aurata.Dourada.jpg 5 x bream/sea bass ?10

1x kilo good size shell on prawns ?10

Very clean, very fresh 7 days a week.

We love it ....yay

( no connections to b/ness BTW )

Nette.:)