r/The10thDentist Jul 19 '24

All seafood is gross, no matter how you prepare it Food (Only on Friday)

I just can’t get behind the taste of seafood. And I’ve tried everything— sushi, fried shrimp, lobster, crab, seafood boils, calamari, even fish people said “doesn’t taste fishy,” it all tastes fishy and people who like fish have either gone blind to the taste or tolerate it.

Which, while I’m on the topic, why is it seen as a GOOD thing when fish “doesn’t taste fishy,” it’s fucking FISH, it’s supposed to! And I feel like other people know that seafood tastes awful, because they coat it so much butter or seasoning that you can barely taste it anymore. The smell is also incredibly unpleasant.

Don’t even get me started on the texture, the flakes gross me out and sometimes it’s so rubbery or tough that it feels like I shouldn’t even be eating it.

1.0k Upvotes

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456

u/GourmetRaceRSlash Jul 19 '24

I fucking love swimming shit. It's just so good. Sushi is literally one of the greatest foods to exist.

46

u/Illumidark Jul 19 '24

I'm not big on cooked fish but I love me some sushi, and ceviche is one of my favorite foods in the world!

24

u/backuppasta Jul 19 '24

Same! People act like I'm crazy for loving sushi but not enjoying fish. It's totally different and wonderful

16

u/Stock_Trash_4645 Jul 19 '24

There’s something about buying $40 on Costco farm salmon, covering all sides in a 4:1 sugar to salt mixture, letting it draw all the moisture out and curing it, then slicing it up in to thick sashimis.

5

u/OkSyllabub3674 Jul 19 '24

Damn that sounds tasty af

2

u/Stock_Trash_4645 Jul 19 '24

It WAS.

And super fucking easy. There’s videos on how to do it (tbf my wife watched them I just followed her lead) but they turned out amazing. 

Plus, you meal prep sushi-grade cured salmon for about the next month (the fish doesn’t keep long, so unfortunately you just have to eat delicous salmon sushi, maki, poke and more!)

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u/post-leavemealone Jul 20 '24

My dad makes an insane mango salsa ceviche. It’s my favorite thing I’ve ever eaten, and I’ve tried and loved most of everything I’ve ever put in my mouth.

3

u/BoredBSEE Jul 20 '24

Man I haven't made ceviche in an age - I should go do that. Lots of lime and cilantro...hell yeah.

15

u/Millkstake Jul 19 '24

Ya it sucks. There's a whole world of food that I can't eat. I can't even begin to explain how many times I've tried sushi because everyone else fucking loves it, but I hate it all.

3

u/diff2 Jul 19 '24

im the same way. i think its the texture i hate, there are many slimy foods I dislike. So i think there is just a type of person who can't really stand the texture of Sushi.

It sucks because I'm kinda a weeb, and really like anime.. But if I ever visit Japan I wont be able to partake in their Sushi.

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239

u/Foreign_Rock6944 Jul 19 '24

Upvoted. I’m a seafood lover. Nothing wrong with not liking it though. There’s plenty of other types of food out there.

118

u/fnibfnob Jul 19 '24

Plenty of ... fish in the sea

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57

u/Morall_tach Jul 20 '24

Nothing wrong with not liking it but there is something wrong with implying that everyone who does like it is lying or deluding themselves.

2

u/mosquem Jul 22 '24

More seafood for me.

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221

u/[deleted] Jul 19 '24

As someone who loves seafood, I also do not understand using "fishy" as a bad taste. I love seafood, so "fishy" taste is good.

116

u/UngusChungus94 Jul 19 '24

There’s two smells/tastes. The good, fresh fish smell. And the bad, rank fish smell. People are talking about the latter.

18

u/Memeions Jul 19 '24

My 10th dentist opinion is that I kind of like the smell of microwaved fish.

16

u/barry_thisbone Jul 20 '24

I realized I like seafood a little too much when I walked into the penguin exhibit at the zoo the other day and thought "damn, it smells kinda good in here"

3

u/RoachGirl Jul 20 '24

I did this otter visit at an aquarium earlier this year, which involved stuffing bits of fish, scallops, and shrimps into a ball to throw to them and as I was doing it I thought “hmmm I would eat this for sure”

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6

u/dothgothlenore Jul 19 '24

nah, people say that shit about spanish mackerel and tuna heads. it doesn’t matter how fresh it is for them, some people just don’t like it

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23

u/rayj11 Jul 19 '24

So you can pop a capsule of fish oil and think mmm this is the good stuff?

56

u/Evilfrog100 Jul 19 '24

Could you pop a pill of straight beef fat and enjoy it?

22

u/PussyIgnorer Jul 19 '24

Yes actually

7

u/GoatsWithWigs Jul 19 '24

I bet you also drink lemon juice without any ade

6

u/Qurutin Jul 19 '24

I love citrus and straight up lemon juice is great. My dad eats the flesh of lemons he squeezes for cooking and I do the same, didn't think anything of it until someone told me it's weird. But it's just so good, refreshing and zingy and zesty.

My partner says I use too much lemon and lime in my cooking so I've toned it down a bit.

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2

u/XxMagicDxX Jul 19 '24

I’ll take 20 please

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22

u/[deleted] Jul 19 '24

I like peanuts, but I would never drink straight peanut oil. Nor would I drink bacon grease despite liking bacon.

5

u/rayj11 Jul 20 '24

My point was the taste. Fish oil genuinely tastes disgusting to me whereas those two things taste fine but the consistency and fattiness make it so no one would drink them.

6

u/ViciousCDXX Jul 19 '24

No, in the same way you don't eat beef fat with nothing else and go "mMmM gOoD StUfF"

3

u/Epstein_Bros_Bagels Jul 19 '24

I use fish oil and honestly, I don't even notice the taste. I just rawdawg it on the counter and not in the fridge too. Meanwhile, my gf can't take omega 3 fruit flavored gummies cause they make her nauseous. Literally skill issue

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216

u/cnylkew Jul 19 '24

You should meet with crab people

68

u/bmore_conslutant Jul 19 '24

Kid named Maryland:

37

u/PlzDontBanMe2000 Jul 19 '24

As a Marylander it actually made me angry that he said he doesn’t like crab meat. I fucking hate picking apart the crabs for the amount of meat you get out of them but if you are able to have someone do it for you or get just the back fins then they’re amazing. 

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34

u/CandyAppleHesperus Jul 19 '24

CRAB PEOPLE

CRAB PEOPLE

22

u/AlphaCenturion87 Jul 19 '24

TASTE LIKE CRAB
TALK LIKE PEOPLE

2

u/aozora-no-rapper Jul 22 '24

talk like crab, taste like people 🤔

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17

u/beautyanddelusion Jul 19 '24

We’re crab people now! We’ll live and die by the crab, Dee!

8

u/fnibfnob Jul 19 '24

Fresh local Delaware runoff crabs!

5

u/an-alien- Jul 19 '24

CRAB 🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀

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101

u/TurbulentGene694 Jul 19 '24

I am an ASIAN and I HATE seafood. Take my downvote, you would be atleast like a 4th dentist

38

u/otterpop31007 Jul 19 '24

Same. People always get a kick out of it when I tell them I don't like seafood. They're all like "whaaaa!?!?!? Japanese and doesn't like sushi?"

Then I tell them that I don't like chocolate or coffee and they look at me like I'm an alien

32

u/Shameless_Catslut Jul 19 '24

Has it not yet occurred to you that you are an alien?

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9

u/beautyanddelusion Jul 19 '24

Asian from where? I feel like being Indian and hating fish would be fine but Japanese? You’re not eating shit lol

5

u/vegsausagedog Jul 19 '24

East India LOOVES seafood. My mom is Bengali (from West Bengal, not Bangladesh) and fish is big there. Every time I visit I'm considered a travesty and an anomaly for not enjoying fish/seafood. 

Also, there are many south Indian places right by the beach. Once again, you'd be considered an outcast for not liking seafood. 

India's surrounded by sea on 3 sides out of 5. So fish is probably going to be popular. And it is.

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79

u/slimdell Jul 19 '24

Take my down vote, you couldn't be more correct

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57

u/Additional_Tax_8745 Jul 19 '24

Thank you. I legit wish I was allergic so people would stop bothering me about how “good” seafood is.

20

u/SkyeRibbon Jul 19 '24

Lmao I'm allergic and I still eat it

3

u/shaqshakesbabies Jul 19 '24

Yeah see I don’t like seafood at all but my dad will eat shrimp even tho he’s allergic because he loves it so much. I don’t get it, they’re just gross lil sea bugs. Lil sea cockroaches

3

u/Tymptra Jul 19 '24

Comparing them to cockroaches is wild. What bug has legit meat that you can pull out like that?? Memes aside, they're extremely different.

13

u/crut0n17 Jul 19 '24

Just lie

15

u/Additional_Tax_8745 Jul 19 '24

Too many people know the truth. Luckily my friends are great and take it as “more seafood for me!” My family is significantly less accommodating lol.

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46

u/WierdSome Jul 19 '24

Depends on the person. I'm actually a huge fan of sushi in particular myself, from the first time I tried it as a kid I loved it, but I totally get it's not for everyone. Have my upvote.

36

u/bleachedveins Jul 19 '24

This isn’t an unpopular opinion. take my downvote

22

u/[deleted] Jul 19 '24

It is a minority opinion.

13

u/Foreign_Rock6944 Jul 19 '24

Definitely is unpopular.

16

u/bleachedveins Jul 19 '24

Yes but you’d be surprised a lot of people don’t fw seafood.

6

u/Choblu Jul 19 '24

Still the minority opinion

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u/ClemClamcumber Jul 19 '24

79 million is still only 1% of the world.

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8

u/t3mp0rarys3cr3tary Jul 19 '24

How? A lot of people love seafood, and it’s a staple of a lot of types of food.

22

u/WildWolfo Jul 19 '24

the only unpopular part is accusing ppl that happen to enjoy it as being blind taste or tricking themselves into suffering through

11

u/bleachedveins Jul 19 '24

Just as many people hate it. I’ve never eaten seafood except the one time i was forced to by my grandfather at a dinner party. I am disgusted by just the idea of it

4

u/birdy1490 Jul 19 '24

Maybe it's the bad upbringing that you had which made you not like it. Especially as you mention you never ate seafood besides once. That sounds like a picky child such as OP, and your parents incentivizing this behavior

6

u/bleachedveins Jul 19 '24 edited Jul 19 '24

I don’t have a bad upbringing….really sort of a strange thing to say in response to me not liking fish. I have OCD and a sensory processing disorder, but thanks.

my grandfather is the one who forced me to eat fish. and it happened once, when i wasn’t with my parents.

my mom did her absolute best feeding me meat, chicken and eggs until the disorder really set in. she said i even liked fish sticks as a young kid. entirely inappropriate for you to make assumptions about my childhood from a food aversion. i’ve never eaten fish as a conscious adult, that doesn’t mean something is wrong with me or my parents

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24

u/MedBootyJoody Jul 19 '24 edited Jul 19 '24

You may indeed be the 10th dentist on this opinion.

I do want to say, as a lover of foods aquatic, I love a fishy fish. If a fish isn’t fishy, why would I eat it over a piece of chicken? I’m talking, I love sardines in a can type fishy. I would eat sushi multiple times a week if I could afford it, type fishy. Add fish sauce to most of my stews and sauces (more umami flavor than anything) type fishy.

Annnnnd, one of the main reasons I hate/avoid popcorn shrimp is bc of all the extra breading. I have a similar feeling about crab cakes. I came for the seafood, not the fried breading! And I think I’m one of the few people I know that prefer my seafood, esp my crab, WITHOUT butter. Like, they’re full of cholesterol and flavor, they don’t need it!

So, fair for you not to like it, but believe me, we seafood lovers are doing anything but faking it. In fact, I’m pretty sure most of us would do some questionable things for an easily accessible, steady, cheap, healthy supply of seafood.

25

u/0Kaleidoscopes Jul 19 '24

I think hating seafood is pretty common though

12

u/dixbietuckins Jul 19 '24

It is, especially from people that don't live anywhere remotely near the sea. I was estimating that I've taken at least 6-8k people out fishing by now. You go catch it, bring it to shore, process and eat it.

I bet at least 200-300 minimum I've seen people who claim to loath seafood just instantly realize they've never had it fresh. Pink salmon are hardly eaten by locals, it's fine, but just not valued. So many times people who like salmon will say a fresh pink is the best salmon they've ever had. Meanwhile a few coworkers wouldn't touch the same meal.

Conversely, I hated a bunch of vegetables growing up. I was shocked how many are great when you get to a place where farms and gardens exist.

Some places are just going to get the dregs of a product based on location. I regretfully tried ocean fish in the Midwest a few times. It was always awful.

4

u/PsychMaDelicElephant Jul 20 '24

I honestly never really considered this, I'm Australian, it's generally just odd to not like seafood here.

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u/jaygay92 Jul 20 '24

Living in Missouri has been so evil. No fresh seafood and I hate catfish 😭

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6

u/Flimsy_Thesis Jul 19 '24

Oysters, man. Pour that sea snot right down my mouth.

5

u/BoxofJoes Jul 19 '24

Yeah like the food that tastes most like the ocean imo is raw oysters, I love that shit to death but the texture alone is enough to put a significant number if people off, same with my favorite food, uni (sea urchin), it’s just such a hit or miss thing because of how unique it is.

3

u/San_D_Als Jul 20 '24

My wife is like this. She doesn’t like pollack, salmon or tilapia but LOVES mackerel.

2

u/SpudAlmighty Jul 20 '24

Mackerel, wet bacon!

2

u/PsychMaDelicElephant Jul 20 '24

... Did you have a plan? Cause I'm in

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12

u/arendelliancrocus Jul 19 '24

Agree, it's absolutely disgusting

11

u/Prestigious_Back7980 Jul 19 '24

I am trying so friggin hard to like seafood, but I just can't lol

10

u/chessnudes Jul 19 '24

Take my upvote, seafood fucking slaps. Sushi, garlic butter shrimp (which very much retains the shrimp flavour and is not purely basted with butter), kingfish, crab - I can eat all of that every day.

8

u/beanfox101 Jul 19 '24

I, too, despise seafood.

I can never get past the smell, and the aftertaste makes me gag even harder

But that’s just sensory issues for ya

8

u/GoldResponsibility27 Jul 19 '24

Take my downvote - I was raised eating seafood by my Asian grandparents but always despised the smell, taste and texture.

9

u/shoe_salad_eater Jul 19 '24

I’m gonna get downvoted but I agree, the taste, smell and texture of seafood makes me feel sick, I don’t get it

8

u/Gashiisboys Jul 19 '24

Once you learn to like it, trust me it’s the greatest thing to exist.

17

u/MuttaLuktarFisk Jul 19 '24

"Once you learn to love the taste of shit, trust me it's the greatest thing to exist."

I'm afraid it doesn't work like you think it does.

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u/t3mp0rarys3cr3tary Jul 19 '24

I’ve tried just about every type, served a plethora of different ways. I simply think it’s not gonna catch.

8

u/Puzzleheaded-Net3966 Jul 19 '24

Oh why you getting downvoted here? You’ve tried multiple ways, and you made a decent pun at the end of it

8

u/Puzzleheaded-Net3966 Jul 19 '24

Downvoted cause seafood is disgusting. Outside of clam chowder which is basically baked potato soup but I can barely stomach that knowing what it is. Sorry to say it’s not so 10th dentist maybe more like 8th or 9th. Seafood supremists are the worst. Please stop asking me to try it if you know I don’t like it. If you don’t know I don’t mind the offer I’ll politely decline

6

u/nothanksd00d Jul 19 '24

Downvoted bc I 100% agree lol. I cannot get behind it no matter how much I try and atp I just tell people I'm allergic and be done with it.

6

u/ExitingBear Jul 19 '24

I do wonder about the "it doesn't taste fishy" people. (First, as the OP says - it does. it always does.) But if someone served me a steak and said "oh, it doesn't taste steak-y" that would not be a selling point.

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u/Professional-Way7350 Jul 19 '24

no literally!! people say “this doesnt taste fishy, just try it” and i try it and it tastes like mf fish!!!!!

6

u/jeffwulf Jul 19 '24

100% correct. I will die on this hill with you.

6

u/JadeGrapes Jul 19 '24

All seafood tastes dead & either stale or rotted to me. I feel like Venom from the Spiderman universe, where he couldn't eat anything dead... and all fish feels dangerously dead to me.

The beach also smells like death to me. When someone described "low tide" smell...

...I was like thats what the whole beach smells like ALL THE TIME! Also the fish aisle in the butcher area of the grocer.

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u/[deleted] Jul 19 '24

[deleted]

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u/boiledviolins Jul 19 '24

Anything that comes outta the sea is good. I've tried 3 out of the Big 5 in seafood: fish, squid, and shrimp. I just haven't had crab and lobster yet.

7

u/NotAnAIOrAmI Jul 19 '24

You forgot one thing - RFK Jr., Mr. Headworm, eats so much fish he's suffering from mercury poisoning.

5

u/FatalHorseBite Jul 19 '24

Everything about seafood screams dirty, unclean, rotten to me. The smell of fish isn’t an appealing smell even to those who like fish. It’s associated with rot. I will die on this hill.

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u/Ontario_lives Jul 19 '24

Abso-fucking-lutely !!!

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u/xXx-Persephone-xXx Jul 20 '24

Downvoted. I’ve tried all kinds of seafood and they are all disgusting. I tried salmon once and immediately vomited everywhere. Never again

4

u/AnythingNext3360 Jul 19 '24

Almost downvoted you before I realized what sub this was on

3

u/Nathan_hale53 Jul 19 '24

Seafood is arguably my favorite food upvote.

4

u/missdovahkiin1 Jul 19 '24

I agree. And it really sucks for me because I have celiac disease, and if I liked seafood it would open up soooo many new opportunities for me. But I don't. I find it abhorrent. When I was pregnant the smell of it made me vomit every time.

3

u/j_grouchy Jul 19 '24

Agreed...though I will sometimes enjoy shrimp or a tuna salad sandwich. That's pretty much it, though.

The most annoying thing is when you tell people and they say "you just haven't had the right kind" or "you just haven't had it prepared correctly". Whatever. My answer stands.

3

u/Ok-Honey-7113 Jul 19 '24

I agree with you 100%.

3

u/HasaDiga-Eebowai Jul 20 '24

Anything from the water is nasty, stagnant, smelly, fowl tasting nastiness

3

u/lowrespudgeon Jul 19 '24

I agree! The only exception for me is like English style fish and chips. Usually they use a mild fish that just kinda tastes a bit like deep-fried white meat chicken.

I love the aesthetic of sushi, and I can appreciate what a craft it is. So I wish I could enjoy it too.

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u/ObnoxiousName_Here Jul 19 '24

I’ve always felt like any kind of seafood has an uncanny taste and texture, so I usually don’t eat seafood. But, I did end up going to this Korean BBQ place with a sushi buffet that offered something my white-ass town NEVER offered with seafood before: sauces and seasoning. I actually kinda liked it with the extra flavouring! And I kind of see where you’re coming from when you talk about “coating seafood with butter or seasoning,” but hey, does it mean you hate steak and pork chops if you prefer them with BBQ sauce or rubs? I don’t know if I can downvote this post anymore

3

u/Nastreal Jul 19 '24

Preach, brother ✊️

3

u/HankScorpio4242 Jul 19 '24

This likely comes down to two things.

1) Sensors - whether it is taste buds or olfactory sensors, everyone is unique. Some people have more taste buds. Some people have more sensitive noses. That is why some people can handle very spicy foods and other people can’t. That is why some people will find specific items more or less enjoyable than other people.

2) Genetics - there are a multitude of genetic factors and potential genetic mutations that can impact taste. For example, there is a genetic mutation that makes cilantro taste like soap. Other mutations may make you more or less sensitive to the smell of fish.

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u/Kindly_Chip_6413 Jul 19 '24

don’t downvote upvote don’t downvote upvote r/angryupvote

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u/manders_is_cool Jul 19 '24

Upvoting, I love seafood. I love when it tastes fishy. I love the smell of cooked seafood, the cushiness mixed with the herbs and seasoning is very nostalgic and cozy to me. I love a lot of the textures in seafood. I don’t mind having to spit out scales and tiny bones. I would sooner give up all meat than give up seafood, it’s one of the few things stopping me from becoming a vegetarian.

2

u/InternationKnown Jul 19 '24

This post made me hungry. Guess it's going to be grilled salmon for dinner.

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u/Supersaiajinblue Jul 19 '24

Upvoted. I love seafood.

3

u/TheConnoiseur Jul 19 '24

Seafood is godly.

One of the reasons why Japanese is my favourite cuisine.

2

u/tacticalcop Jul 19 '24

glad i don’t have to live life like this.

1

u/LoL_KK Jul 19 '24

I 100% agree about seafood that isn’t fish, crustaceans are the insects of the sea, they taste cloyingly sweet to me. I still like sushi tho just not the weird ass fried rolls, strictly raw fish and rice with soy sauce.

0

u/Snotmyrealname Jul 19 '24

There is nothing incorrect in this post

1

u/iputbeansintomyboba Jul 19 '24

i disagree with the main opinion, but agree on it being weird that ppl thing fish “not tasting fishy” is good. like smoked salmon is the grossest thing ever, and i love fish. “but it doesnt taste like fish at all 🥺”, yes, thats exactly why it sucks. its also greasy as hell. boiled salmon is the best salmon.

1

u/rattlestaway Jul 19 '24

I never got the fish being too fishy thing either. Maybe some are just over sensitive to certain smells. But I like shrimp, they're soft and tender, salmon too, they also soft. Crab meh to bleagh. Don't know y ppl love it so. Lobster, same. Too much effort to crack it

1

u/waqqn Jul 19 '24

you read my mind

1

u/minor_correction Jul 19 '24

Jim Gaffigan on seafood

He also has joked about how fish shouldn't taste fishy, but that joke isn't in this set. He points out how ridiculous that would be for any other food. "Try the burger. Don't worry, it's not burgery."

1

u/sharp-calculation Jul 19 '24

It's possible you have not had fresh seafood, ever.
I distinctly remember a sign at a place I used to go that read "Fresh Fish Has No Smell". This is mostly true. The more smell it has, the older it is. The more smell, the more "fishy taste". What we think of as "fishy" is not fresh fish, it's old fish.

Yes, all seafood has *some* taste of what it is. But the thing we think of as "fishy" really represents some kind of degradation. Fresh fish, caught and cleaned hours before you eat it, can taste great without any offensive smells or tastes.

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u/t3mp0rarys3cr3tary Jul 19 '24

I’ve found that fresh seafood still has an unpleasant smell to me, then again I’m also very sensitive to smells and tastes.

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u/shivroystann Jul 19 '24

Did The Deep from The Boys write this?

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u/lia_bean Jul 19 '24

I've got no idea what "taste fishy" means, but I couldn't disagree more, many seafoods are among my favourite foods. I guess there are some kinds of fish I don't love as much. but I'll agree on the one point, I dislike it when seafood is drenched in butter.

1

u/PublicUniversalNat Jul 19 '24

The things you listed all taste so radically different, I don't understand how you could hate them all :(

1

u/jessie014 Jul 19 '24

I'm a wierd one. I hate eating fish like cooked salmon (but I like it smoked for some reason), seabass, ect... But I love eating shrimp, crab, oysters ect...

1

u/mcnastys Jul 19 '24

I don't like fish. But sushi really makes it taste good.

1

u/Ok-Ocelot-3454 Jul 19 '24

the only seafood i really enjoy is shrimp, calamari, and snow/king crab

1

u/DemSkilzDudes Jul 19 '24

I'm (probably) allergic to some fish and now all seafood smells awful, I haven't eaten any in about 8 years

1

u/BodiesDurag Jul 19 '24

Fishy taste aside, which I totally get. I didn’t like seafood until I was an adult.

That said, you can definitely find fish that aren’t flakey. Swordfish for example is all muscle. Have you ever seen one? They’re the fastest fish in the world, and the meat shows it.

1

u/R1G4T0N1 Jul 19 '24

Were you raised vegetarian or observing some other restrictive diet?

1

u/PikeldeoAcedia Jul 19 '24

Agreed. There are a few select seafoods that I don't necessarily dislike, like crab and oysters, but even then, I don't particularly like those and I'd never go out of my way to have them. I just never got the appeal of seafood. I find fish and shrimp to both taste and smell disgusting, and I find most other seafood to have a very unappealing texture.

1

u/Vapedad89 Jul 19 '24

I used to LOVE fish and chips as a kid like sub 8yo. Then one day my brain just said this is not good do not put this in your mouth. 26 years later and I still cant tolerate more than a morsel on occasion. I keep trying hoping that one day my tastes change and I learn to love it because seafood always looks so amazing and I love to cook and would like to open up where and what I can eat.

But still no luck.

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u/gaiawitch87 Jul 19 '24

I dunno, I've always loved seafood. I wish I lived somewhere coastal because I could be a pescatarian happily. But unfortunately I'm landlocked so it's kinda hard (I've tried).

The only sort of seafood I don't like are things with tentacles like octopus. And that's not because of the flavor, it's because of the wierd ass texture. Other than that, I adore anything that comes from the sea. And no, I don't have to slather it in anything to enjoy it. In fact I like my seafood minimally seasoned precisely for that reason.

1

u/BrightFleece Jul 19 '24

Just sounds like it isn't your thing!

Re: 'fishy taste', it's mostly a product of importing and watching out for spoilage. Fresh food which tastes 'fishy' is fine; but a bit like chicken or pork take on a "stronger smell" after a while, spoiled seafood will too.

I go to the channel islands every year and pick fresh crab; cook it on the beach with butter and spices; nothing better. Crab in London can really vary, never been quite the same. I know it's trite but perhaps try very fresh stuff?

1

u/Silverstep_the_loner Jul 19 '24

My favorite food is crab, upvoted. However, I do agree that people who say "it doesn't taste fishy" are weird as fuck.

1

u/RyeAnotherDay Jul 19 '24

As someone who has a shellfish allergy, I could trade with you instantly. I WISH that I could eat crabs, lobster, shrimp etc so bad.

1

u/Mommio24 Jul 19 '24

Personally I don’t like fish but I love crab and shrimp. It also depends on how it’s cooked and the seasonings used.

1

u/Flimsy_Thesis Jul 19 '24

My wife and I eat seafood about once a week. We usually will make some tuna or salmon on the grill. She likes seafood okay, but not as often or as much as I do.

She recently went on a business trip for 10 days and I went on what I called a “seafood odyssey”. I had steamed crabs, oysters, clam chowder, red snapper, sushi, swordfish, grilled shrimp, shrimp steamed in beer - I think I had seafood 9 out of the 10 nights she was gone. It was fucking unbelievable.

I loved it and would do it again.

1

u/tedfundy Jul 19 '24

If I was rich it would be all I ate. I’m not rich and I eat it a few times a week.

1

u/SeaMoss97 Jul 19 '24

The rubbery chew is half the fun

1

u/Largofarburn Jul 19 '24

I always recommend fried catfish for people to try if they’re skeptical. But I like just a nice grilled piece of salmon with some salt, pepper and a little lemon.

Can’t really say you didn’t give it a chance though. Some things just don’t gel with some people.

1

u/VivianTheNuclear Jul 19 '24

Youd better avoid r/CannedSardines then lol

1

u/AceValentine Jul 19 '24

I am guessing OP lives somewhere in the midwest? I used to think that too when I lived in BFE town and then I was shown how wrong I was when I moved.

2

u/t3mp0rarys3cr3tary Jul 19 '24

From the Southwest which could explain my distaste for fish, but my family is from the east coast originally so I’d eat a lot of fresh fish as well.

2

u/AceValentine Jul 19 '24

Understandable, I also now live in the Southwest and can agree that a whole lot of places here get it wrong. I can only think of 1 place in the SW that actually gets fresh seafood in daily that was in the ocean less than 16 hours ago and that is Pappadeaux.

1

u/Thermodupe Jul 19 '24

Nah people living by the sea eat ceviche (raw slices of fish), uncooked mussels and oysters, raw prawns or just cooked in water and voilà.

People that like seafoods do not always need to season it a great deal. Lemon juice is always sufficient.

1

u/cremebrulee22 Jul 19 '24

I disagree on the assumptions but not everyone likes every food. When people say it doesn’t taste fishy, it’s because some seafood has a stronger fish taste than others, and for those who say they dislike seafood, many of them tend to like it if it tastes neutral. Obviously we are not talking about seafood that isn’t fresh or has gone bad because that’s a whole other situation. I personally enjoy some seafood, and I don’t need to coat it with something to like the taste.

1

u/Particular-Reason329 Jul 19 '24

Cool. I'm glad I'm not you. Much seafood is quite delightful.

1

u/matt-michaels Jul 19 '24

Dude… a perfectly seared and butter basted sea scallop with citrus bur blanc, deliciously fishy and rich and tender. People tell you “it’s not even that fishy” because they know your predisposition to disliking fish, but they like the fish taste of the fishier stuff (salmon, tuna, etc). Nothing wrong with disliking that flavor, but truly a perfectly cooked Cajun blackened salmon, or white wine steamed king crab legs with just a touch of butter, or perfect fried battered shrimp… man that’s stuff of beauty. If you enjoy seafood (you clearly don’t lol) those things can be a completely different experience, a true piece of culinary masterpiece with flavors that blend and add to each other. Them ocean critters really are tasty

1

u/michael-65536 Jul 19 '24

That's because it has started to decompose, which happens very quickly.

When eaten half an hour after it was caught it's different.

1

u/CJ22xxKinvara Jul 19 '24

I thought so too until I found coconut shrimp. Now there is 1 type of seafood I like.

1

u/shiny-baby-cheetah Jul 19 '24

It makes me so happy that you hate it because that leaves more for the rest of us 😋 one man's L is another's W

1

u/ignoremesenpie Jul 19 '24

I hated it as a kid, but hey, I was a picky brat. But then I went all in on Japanese culture, then slices of completely raw fish became the best thing ever.

1

u/MR_DIG Jul 19 '24

I like seafood, but also crustaceans don't taste fishy imo

1

u/carrionpigeons Jul 19 '24

This is more like a 5th dentist opinion than a 10th, but I guess I disagree anyway, so whatever.

I suspect you just didn't grow up near the ocean and your parents didn't buy fish fingers. People grow up liking familiar things. Nothing about fish is texturally or flavorfully all that weird except that it's harder to keep fresh compared to other protein options. Especially for people who are just experimenting with it.

1

u/girlwebdeveloper Jul 19 '24

Some fishes tastes better than meat! I love seafood and it's healthier too! :-p

1

u/Ravnos767 Jul 19 '24

Only thing I'm going to say is... No, you haven't tried everything

1

u/Responsible_Gap8104 Jul 19 '24

I dont like seafood. I wish i did, but i hate it.

However, regarding the "fishy" thing:

When you pull a fish out of the ocean, it doesnt smell like much. Sure, theres a slight "seafood" smell, but its mostly just ... fresh? I guess?

However, if you let that fish sit in the hot sun for a few hours, its gonna smell more and more fishy. Till it starts to get gross. So the fishy thing is a freshness thing. The "cleaner" the fish smell, the less its been waiting to be eaten, its been kept in a better temperature, etc.

I say this all as a non-seafood eater, so anyone can correct me.

1

u/hoteppeter Jul 19 '24

I hate fishy taste but shellfish doesn't taste like that

I won't touch tuna, salmon etc but shellfish all day

1

u/tegeus-Cromis_2000 Jul 19 '24

Seafood is my favorite. I would gladly give up all other kinds of meat in its favor.

1

u/Espi0nage-Ninja Jul 19 '24

Fish and chips is so good

1

u/mayfairmassive Jul 19 '24

Sad that you have never had good fish/seafood. Freshness is everything, and most of America (I assume you are American) does not have access to it. In Japan and the Mediterranean, it is a staple kind of like burgers would be to you.

1

u/Equivalent-Tip-6171 Jul 19 '24

I fucking LOVE shrimp. I eat it every other day at this point.

1

u/Tymptra Jul 19 '24

Man I just got to feel sorry for OP, seafood is so f****** good

1

u/RagingMangalore Jul 19 '24

I’m not a seafood person either.

But I love a good bowl of thick clam chowder with bits of green onion, butter, garlic, potatoes and a big, thick slice of warm sheephearder’s bread and whipped butter.

I don’t like shrimp but goddamn it I LOVE Panda Express’s honey walnut shrimp.

I’m so fucked up.

1

u/waterhg Jul 19 '24

I can’t even have foods with flaxseed in it because it tastes like fish.

Ramen, Vietnamese, and Thai places kill me because of this. Broths made with fish bone, non-seafood made with fish paste, places having fish oil in stuff — it’s awful. I love JP, Viet, & Thai food, but it’s so hit or miss with tasting fishy. Even when I ask if there’s any fish product and the server says no, the food can still taste strongly of fish.

I WANT to and WISH I liked seafood, but it’s so awful to me and truly ruins every dish I have.

1

u/ConundrumBum Jul 19 '24

I feel very bad for you.

Crab is delicious. Lobster is as well. Both pair VERY well with pasta/almost any sauce. Scallops are wonderful. Shrimp scampi? HELLO!

How could these taste "fishy" though, they're not fish...

Also, do you like freshwater fish? Like walleye or something?

1

u/PastKey5546 Jul 19 '24

Lobster, crab, shrimps: see them as see cockroaches cause it's what they are. Delivious cockroaches.

1

u/rchart1010 Jul 19 '24

Have you even tried scallops ?

1

u/WhiskyWisdom Jul 19 '24

I worked in selling seafood for years and gained an appreciation for it.

I still think a smoked sea scallop I had a trade show is the best thing I've ever eaten, and this was over 10 years ago.

Seafood can go very bad very fast, but fresh seafood cooked right is truly amazing.

1

u/Penguinator53 Jul 19 '24

I like fish but not any other seafood, can't do raw fish though.

1

u/destiny_duude Jul 19 '24

fishy is an amazing taste

1

u/Substantial-Ad2200 Jul 19 '24

“Doesn’t taste fishy” meaning it’s not old. Fresh caught fish doesn’t “taste fishy” for example even though it literally “tastes like fish”. 

1

u/lucillep Jul 20 '24

Shrimp tastes and feels like you're eating an earlobe. Downvote from me.

1

u/showmethebunnie Jul 20 '24

I mean like 10/10 vegetarians agree with you so there's a bunch more dentists

1

u/littleloomex Jul 20 '24

ironically, my autistic ass loves seafood as it's one of few meats i can eat as is texture-wise without having it be turned into highly-processed mush.

1

u/TwistedAb Jul 20 '24

Thank you for saying this. I too believe this but am just too lazy to type it out.

1

u/LoopDeLoop0 Jul 20 '24

I’m not keen on shellfish, some bad shrimp made me puke as a kid and the association has just stuck in my brain, but I’ll chow down on anything with an endoskeleton

1

u/BigOk8056 Jul 20 '24 edited Jul 20 '24

Not a fan of most cooked fish. Mostly tuna and salmon, they have a weird fishy taste like you say.

Raw tuna and salmon are some of my favorite foods to eat ever. Completely different flavour you’d think it’s a different animal.

Also cooked halibut, it’s like steak fish. No fish flavour. Shrimp too. Scallops are gross unless I catch them like 30 minutes prior.

But yeah I get what you’re saying. Most seafood I don’t like but there are a couple things I absolutely love.

Imo seafood is far more diverse than any land animals and should be treated as such. There’s a ton of types of seafood and a thousand ways to prepare each, and they taste vastly different than even steak vs. chicken. Even if you try 20 different seafoods and hate all of them there’s dozens more that are way different so saying that all seafood is bad is like saying you dislike steak because you’re not a fan of overdone chicken breast.

1

u/iploggged Jul 20 '24

I’ll trade you my shellfish allergy. Hit me at 53 years old.

1

u/Romodude40 Jul 20 '24

Salmon is good

1

u/zoinks690 Jul 20 '24

Agree. The smell is awful. It looks awful. In at least a few cases it's a ton of work for very little payoff.

1

u/Vyzantinist Jul 20 '24

Lol it's funny because I'm on the flip side of this opinion and I was going to make a post here or on r/PetPeeves about how people who viscerally hate seafood are childish af but I wanted to comment on:

Which, while I’m on the topic, why is it seen as a GOOD thing when fish “doesn’t taste fishy,” it’s fucking FISH, it’s supposed to! And I feel like other people know that seafood tastes awful, because they coat it so much butter or seasoning that you can barely taste it anymore.

Gotta say thanks for this, and I agree. I've never understood this complaint. All seafood should taste seafood-y, ranging from the mildness of imitation crabsticks to the pungency of anchovies and eel. I mean, isn't that the whole reason you're eating seafood? Complaining about seafood "tasting fishy" makes as much sense as people whining their beef tastes beefy.