イシガキダイ | Spotted Knifejaw
Type: Shiromi
Season: Summer-Fall
To say Ishigaki Dai flies below the radar would be an understatement. It doesn’t appear in any of the 12 sushi books I recommend, and a quick google search yields more results for Ishidai (which is barred knifejaw – yes, fish names can be confusing). Hilariously and mysteriously, even the few online sources have very, very similarly sounding descriptions.
Ishigaki dai is succulent, owing at least in part to its diet that apparently sometimes includes Uni (you are what you eat, which is why I probably taste like Ikura). It’s also beautiful – thanks to NYC-area seafood purveyor Yama Seafood for providing this picture. Ishigaki Dai can be found as far north as Hokkaido and occasionally as far south as the Northern Mariana Islands.
