How to Pick the Freshest Live Seafood & Fish at Vietnamese Markets

The fresh seafood counter is undoubtedly the centerpiece of Vietnamese supermarkets such as Hoa Binh Supermarket, Saigon City Marketplace, and ABC Supermarket in Southern California. Unlike mainstream American supermarkets that primarily sell pre-packaged frozen fillets, Asian fish markets let you select live swimming fish from aerated tanks and have them cleaned, scaled, or even deep-fried on the spot.

1. Inspecting Live and Chilled Fish

When picking fish from live tanks (such as striped bass, tilapia, catfish, or pompano), choose lively fish swimming steadily in the middle or bottom of the tank. Avoid fish floating near the surface or leaning sideways. When selecting whole iced fish on displays:

• Eyes: Look for crystal-clear, bulging eyes with dark pupils. Sunken or cloudy eyes indicate the fish was caught several days ago.
• Gills: Gills should be bright ruby red or deep pink, free of sticky grey mucus or unpleasant sour odors.
• Texture & Scales: Scales should be tight and shimmering. Press your thumb gently against the flesh; it should spring back immediately without leaving an indentation.

2. How to Pick Shrimp, Crabs, and Shellfish

For shrimp, look for firm translucent shells tightly connected to the head and body. Discard shrimp with blackened feet or mushy texture. For blue crabs and Dungeness crabs, press firmly on the bottom apron; a hard, unyielding shell indicates plump meat, while a soft or spongy shell means a watery crab.

3. Take Advantage of Complimentary Cleaning Services

Almost all Vietnamese supermarket seafood counters offer free cleaning, scaling, gutting, and steak cutting upon request. Many stores will also deep-fry your whole fish in commercial fryers for a nominal fee, making crispy fish spring rolls effortless to prepare at home.