Where to purchase good caviar (retail, not restaurant) (Chicago, Fulton: for sale, home)

[pidgeon92]

I know about Dirk's on Clybourn, and Binny's on Marcey Street carries some, but where else can I get high-quality caviar. We generally order an ounce of imported caviar from Marky's in Miami for Christmas, but delivery is very pricy on top of the already very expensive caviar. I'm looking for higher-end American and/or imported.

[marothisu]

I was at Ann's Bakery a few months ago, in Ukrainian Village, and noticed they had a lot of caviar for sale...Thought about buying some but don't remember the pricing.

[Chicagodan]

Saks Fifth Avenue carries the Petrossian line of caviar, but I don't know if it's available in-store. (Neiman Marcus used to carry it at their Michigan Ave store several years ago.) Home & Gourmet*-*Gourmet Foods*-*Saks.com

You may also want to try Issacson & Stein Fish Company, 800 W. Fulton Market, 312-421-2444.

[Attrill]

What type of caviar are you looking for? Strictly sturgeon or Salmon, Paddlefish, Whitefish, etc...?

With the large eastern European community in Chicago there are loads of different places to get many different types of Caviar. Collins Caviar is one of the best American brands and is widely available. They're just over the border in NW Indiana, and you might want to call them to find the closest store to you, I'm not sure if they do retail sales themselves.

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by Attrill

What type of caviar are you looking for? Strictly sturgeon or Salmon, Paddlefish, Whitefish, etc...?

Frankly, I'm really not familiar with a lot of the different kinds. I like to try different foods, so anything goes, really. I've been trying to find caviar reviews on the internet, but there don't seem to be a lot of recent ones floating around. I figured if I could find reviews, then I could search for local places that carry the stuff. I think caviar simply isn't very popular in Chicago. People eat it in sushi restaurants, but not at home.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

Frankly, I'm really not familiar with a lot of the different kinds. I like to try different foods, so anything goes, really. I've been trying to find caviar reviews on the internet, but there don't seem to be a lot of recent ones floating around. I figured if I could find reviews, then I could search for local places that carry the stuff. I think caviar simply isn't very popular in Chicago. People eat it in sushi restaurants, but not at home.

Well, considering Tru offers caviar flights, and there are Persian, Ukrainian and Russian populations in Chicago, I think there are likely a good number of caviar lovers in the city. But they probably know what they want, and where to get it. There probably aren't a lot of people like you - novices who want to get into caviar but really don't have any knowledge about what you're ordering and eating. If mean, to be blunt, if you don't even know the different species varietals, how do you even know what "high-quality" would be? For example, you say people eat caviar in sushi restaurants, but I don't think very many true aficionados of caviar consider the salmon roe and tobiko you see in sushi places to be caviar. Caviar is a super-premium product. Salmon roe is cheap - even used as fishing bait - and tobiko is also cheap and valued more for its crunch than its taste.

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by emathias

if you don't even know the different species varietals, how do you even know what "high-quality" would be?

I had the same question.

[pidgeon92]

You are correct, I really don't know of high-quality. That's why I asked, hoping that someone who is a caviar lover would be able to point out a good location or two in Chicago, and perhaps give me some pointers on their favorites.

[Attrill]

Originally Posted by pidgeon92

Frankly, I'm really not familiar with a lot of the different kinds. I like to try different foods, so anything goes, really. I've been trying to find caviar reviews on the internet, but there don't seem to be a lot of recent ones floating around. I figured if I could find reviews, then I could search for local places that carry the stuff. I think caviar simply isn't very popular in Chicago. People eat it in sushi restaurants, but not at home.

Caviar is strange, the better it is the less flavor it has. I have had a good amount of very expensive caviar (years ago I had a roommate who used to bring it home almost every night from his job at Harrod's). While it's certainly good, for myself I have a hard time justifying buying top of the line stuff at the prices they charge.

The basic rules are:
- Don't waste your time with anything shelf stable (unless you're just using it as a garnish).
- Purists only consider Sturgeon to be true caviar, but almost all chefs think that good salmon, paddlefish, and whitefish is very good and some even prefer them.
- Good caviar should not be too salty. The flavor is very subtle, and cheap caviar tastes like nothing but salt.

I've gotten good caviar from The Fish Guy on Elston, as well as Treasure Island. I have some friends who get it for special events and many of them go to a variety of Eastern European delis around the city. Whole Foods probably has it as well. I'd recommend getting two or three good American caviars of different types - definitely sturgeon, and then some paddlefish or salmon. Just go to The Fish Guy and they'll set you up.

Chicago is actually a major center for good caviar. The Great Lakes are the source of what most people regard as the best American caviars, and much of the good Russian caviar that is imported comes in through Chicago.

[pidgeon92]

Originally Posted by Attrill

I've gotten good caviar from The Fish Guy on Elston, as well as Treasure Island. I have some friends who get it for special events and many of them go to a variety of Eastern European delis around the city. Whole Foods probably has it as well. I'd recommend getting two or three good American caviars of different types - definitely sturgeon, and then some paddlefish or salmon. Just go to The Fish Guy and they'll set you up..

Thank you, this is exactly the kind of info I was looking for.