The new face of sustainable seafood

by Martha Thomas
photo by J.M. Giordano
Originally published in Urbanite Magazine October 31, 2011

It may be a grave mistake to look at a snakehead if you’re thinking about eating one. Before heading to Alewife, where Chef Chad Wells had promised to feed us a meal of invasive species—including the Asian native also known as “Fishzilla” and “Frankenfish”—we searched for pictures on the Internet.

The long, eel-like fish—with its menacing expression and gaping mouth filled with pointy teeth, not to mention its ability to breathe air and wriggle on land—is an “apex predator,” says Steve Vilnit of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “It lives at the top of the food chain and eats everything.”

The snakehead doesn’t look like something I’d want to eat, and even for those of us who believe in embracing our food at its source, I don’t think I’ll be hugging a live one anytime soon. But I had agreed to try the fish, so I headed to the downtown restaurant feeling a bit squeamish.

As it turns out, my fears were unfounded. The snakehead Po’ Boy that Wells brought out could have been made from any other flaky white fish—breaded and fried, it was served on a French baguette with spicy Creole remoulaude sauce. In fact, the meat was mild and didn’t have the fishy flavor I was expecting. My 12-year-old daughter, who generally turns up her nose at all things aquatic, proclaimed it “delicious.” Yes, she confirmed, unfamiliar with the cliché, “it tastes just like chicken.”

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