North End Fish Market & Oysters

North End Fish Market (Mercato del Mer)
99 Salem Street
North End, Boston, MA
http://www.northendfish.com/

For our 5-yr anniversary, we had to do something special, something new, so Joe shucked his first oyster, well his first dozen and half of oysters, which we picked up at the North End Fish Market. This is my first time  shopping here, and I must say that I really enjoyed it. The people are friendly and they seem to know their seafood. I always appreciate it when someone knows how to pack your seafood on ice or can suggest a fish that is close to the one you're looking for. Also, everyone seemed to know each other in the store, Liz (one of the co-owners) was saying "Happy Valentine's Day (insert name of customer)" left and right. I like that about a business, the personal touch is everything.

Also, the seafood selection looks awesome. Lots of variety and everything looks fresh. When you walk into a fish market, it really shouldn't smell fishy, that usually means things haven't been stored properly. This place was clean and did not stink. Sure you pay a premium, but I'm a fan and will definitely be back.

Look at those bad boys on ice: deliciousness. And to go with it, a simple Prosecco mignonette (basically shallots and vinegar) that I adapted from some recipes I saw online:

Prosecco Mignonette

1. Mix 2 T minced shallots with 3T champagne vinegar, 1 t salt, 1 t fresh cracker pepper. Let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Just before serving add 3T Prosecco.

It's a simple topping, but it's so much better than drowning your oysters in cocktail sauce. Horseradish is acceptable, but leave the cocktail sauce for the shrimp.

We also picked up some sushi from the market. It's not the best sushi I've had, but it's not bad either. Plus, the fish tastes pretty fresh, so the pieces were delicious. A table full of raw seafood is probably one of the best ways I could think of to celebrate a wonderful five years with this wonderful guy: