Raw fish still the top choice for New Year’s
Local vendors hurry to fill sashimi platter orders for smaller gatherings
With New Year’s Day just around the corner, stores are pushing to fill sashimi orders that are still in high demand in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s really crazy, people are desperate right now,” said Kaohu Store manager Brad Yokouchi on Wednesday. “I’m getting calls left and right, they want to put in their orders. We’re going to sell over 100 plates of sashimi alone, so it’s crazy around New Year’s Eve. I can’t wait for it to be done,” he said with a laugh.
With social gatherings downsized to meet county and state protocols, Yokouchi said that his big sashimi platters are not “flying out” like last year, but he has been selling plenty of small platters.
Kaohu Store in Wailuku had to stop taking platter orders Monday due an overwhelming desire for sashimi, although stopping orders a few days out from the holiday is normal, he said. Variety packs of ahi, saba, tako, salmon, ika and shrimp, and daily plate lunches are still available.
There is also only three full-time fish cutters trying to prepare orders in time, Yokouchi said, and his 13-year-old son, Brady, has been helping to cut hamachi and poke all week.
Fish markets say that orders for New Year’s are often higher than Christmas. At Kaohu Store, the business sold about 1,000 pounds of fish for Christmas, with the most popular being ahi at 800 pounds sold. Yokouchi said
he anticipates to go through 1,500 pounds of ahi, salmon, and hamachi combined for New Year’s Eve.
Overall revenue for local fish markets and businesses are down, he said, but noted that local traffic is keeping the store afloat.
Around 95 percent of sales this year are from residents, Yokouchi said.
“We’re pretty busy for the holiday season because of all the local support. Like I really appreciate the locals coming in and supporting us. That’s who’s really holding us up,” he said. “Hopefully it’ll end soon and we can get back to normal, but super thankful for the local people.”
Takamiya Market Meat Department Supervisor Margie Domingo said Wednesday morning that she expected the crew to cut more than 300 pounds of ahi to fill New Year’s sashimi and poke orders.
The market is known for making 12-, 16-, and 18-inch round platters of sashimi, a hamachi-ahi-tako combo, maki sushi, a combo sashimi and more. Shoyu ahi, sesame tako, smoked pork and kimchee tako poke are also popular.
“It’s not easy, but New Year’s Eve is the most busy time,” said Domingo, who has been working at the market since the ’70s. “I was expecting less orders, but it’s about the same.”
Takamiya Market and its food preparations and catering arm, Dani’s Catering, is as busy as ever for the holiday. However, like Kaohu Store, she said the style of orders she has received reflects how there have been fewer big parties and more smaller ones.
“There are not as many orders for big platters, but I have a lot of orders.”
The pandemic also brought a difficult obstacle for local fishermen and vendors since there’s “nobody to sell the fish to” with restaurants and businesses closed, Yokouchi said.
Depending on the grade and fish, the retail pricing in the previous years have ranged from $20 to $25 per pound, but could be slightly less this year, he added.
“It’s a hard mix and match,” Yokouchi said. “A lot of the vendors are fighting for your business so I think that’s why the prices might be a little lower than usual.”
A worker who answered the phone Wednesday at Tamura’s Express in Wailuku said that a 12-inch platter now starts at $62 and a 16-inch platter is $125.95, depending on the day and fish available.
Ahi poke is currently priced at $16.99 per pound, she said, and that all fresh seafood items are still available for purchase today.
At the Foodland Kehalani, Pukalani, Lahaina and Sack N Save Wailuku, a pan filled with 6 pounds of previously frozen ahi is available for $54.99 or a 12-inch platter of ahi with three select styles costs $35.99. Online orders are available for pickup Friday at these locations.
Spicy salmon poke was priced at $16.99 per pound Wednesday at Foodland Farms, and any style ahi poke was on sale for $11.99 per pound (down from $15.99), but the sale ends today.