1. Buy from vendors who sell most of their stock on a daily basis.
2. Buy fish on the bone whenever possible (it’ll stay fresher longer).
3. If you buy a piece of a fillet, ask for your fishmonger to cut it from the section near the head. The tail is usually leaner and less flavorful, as well as being more fibrous and having a greater proportion of the strong-tasting bloodline. This is especially true for tuna.
4. If you’re buying whole fish, look for clear eyes, reddish gills and shiny skin. If you have a chance to smell the fish, do so. It should smell clean and briny.
5. If you’re buying fillets that still have the small pinbones still in them, the pin bones should cling tightly to the flesh of the fish.
John Broening cooks at Duo restaurant, .
