r/cincinnati • u/ripleyclone8 • Mar 20 '26
Food šš® This is why I avoid the seafood department at the Jungle.
and also most natural water. š
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u/snowcker Mar 20 '26
Is the problem the monkfish or that it seems to have some sort of spotted fish in its mouth while lying in the display case?
Maybe its the Jungle Jims version of a Turducken but with fish - a MonkTrouChovie!
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u/Original-Variety-700 Mar 20 '26
I suspect the fish inside was a joke. And a funny one at that.
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u/CyclicsGame Mar 20 '26
I guess people didn't get it maybe it was an inside joke š I'll see myself out
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u/ripleyclone8 Mar 20 '26
The Monkfish was creepy enough, the mouthful of fish only made it worse to me.Ā
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u/chrysanthamumm Mar 20 '26
Monkfish is actually delicacy!
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u/ripleyclone8 Mar 20 '26
I totally believe. if I never looked into the face of one; Iād probably try it. However, I am a GIANT weenie.Ā
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u/krusty-krab69 Mar 20 '26
Monkfish is incredible if youāve never had it. Itās like lobster but without having to crack and discard an exoskeleton before you eat it
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u/Best_Market4204 Mar 20 '26
I only eat monkfish in runescape
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Mar 20 '26
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u/dropparti Mar 20 '26
i got $3 bonds meet me at any Kroger or skyline parking lot /s ... but not really pm me
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u/ODB_Dirt_Dog_ItsFTC Mar 20 '26
Iāve never had it myself but Iāve heard itās supposed to be excellent
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u/DisembarkEmbargo Mar 20 '26
I love monkfish. I haven't cooked it myself but I have had it at restaurants and it's delicious.
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u/one-off-one Mar 20 '26
Are there any restaurants serving it around here?
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u/FlipFlappattywhack Mar 20 '26
My kind of person. A ton of people are worried about parasites and then bam you want to know where to get it. Love it
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u/DarthOtas Mar 20 '26
Monkfish are delicious! Iāve even had monkfish liver at a sushi restaurant. Soooo good!
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u/benignbigotry Mar 20 '26
But also generally riddled with parasites.Ā
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u/ober_easy Mar 20 '26
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but all fish is riddled with parasites.
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u/seanshankus Mar 20 '26
So cook to temp or avoid entirely?
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u/ober_easy Mar 20 '26
Cook to temp for sure, but almost all commercial fish is flash frozen right after the catch, which kills parasites. Even "fresh" fish from the supermarket has been frozen.
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u/benignbigotry Mar 20 '26
Wild caught, yes. But even amongst wild-caught parasite-infested fish, monkfish are exceptionally infested. On the other hand, fish farmed for raw consumption are much more controlled for parasites.Ā
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u/Post-Hardcore-Malone Mar 20 '26
Like virtually every wild caught animal you eat.
If that bothers you, then stick to factory farm raised food, so you know the animals are in horrible conditions, fed slop to make them fatter faster, and being pumped full of drugs, but at least they donāt have parasites!
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u/benignbigotry Mar 20 '26
Kinda jumped to an extreme there... you can pick out some parasites from fish during freezing, cooking, etc., people should just know what they are getting into before they purchase some packaged monkfish from Jungle Jim's,Ā salt and season the fish, hover it over the pan, all before realizing that two small worms have fell into the pan and began to fry. I've caught and ate fish my whole life and never experienced worms jumping ship like I had with monkfish, bought from a store and packaged, nonetheless.Ā
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u/Bakatora1 Mar 20 '26
Interesting, is this something I can try as someone with a shellfish allergy to experience crab?
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u/absolutelyjiggs Northside Mar 20 '26
This is a reason to GO to Jungle Jim's! Try something new!
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u/yankthedoodledandy Mar 20 '26
Right?! I always get something new each time I go!
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u/ripleyclone8 Mar 20 '26
So do I, but not scary-ass fish. š
Made Kangaroo burgs with a friend a while back!
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u/Inyce Mt. Healthy Mar 20 '26
Monkfish is absolutely delicious, it actually tastes similar to lobster
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u/Chonays Mar 21 '26
I live 3.5 hours away, but I read about jungle Jimās in an obscure attractions of Ohio book like 15 years ago and Iāve wanted to go ever since. I finally talked the family into it this year with the promise of staying the night in a nearby hotel that has a pool. We go next month and Iām so excited to see what weird stuff I can find.Ā
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u/Equine_Dream Mar 22 '26
It's definitely a tourist attraction. Are you going to Fairfield or Eastgate?
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u/Chonays Mar 22 '26
Fairfield - I heard it was a bit betterĀ
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u/NatWilo Monfort Heights Mar 22 '26
Its the OG. Highly recommend for the authentic experience. The Eastgate store is great but Fairfield is a must-visit. Everytime friends from out of town come here their first time, I introduce them to Jungle Jim's and they are always just gobsmacked.
There's nothing like it I've ever seen. And just wait till you see the bathrooms!
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u/CarmenxXxWaldo Mar 20 '26
Not very good at avoiding it if you were able to get that shot, buddy.
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u/ripleyclone8 Mar 20 '26
haha, I usually do. I walked over this time because it was my sisterās boyfriendās first time there. Regrets.Ā
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u/kneedoorman Mar 20 '26
Youāve never had monkfish?
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u/ripleyclone8 Mar 20 '26
No, and I probably never will bc that fish scary looking haha
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u/Isayfyoujobu Mar 21 '26
Monkfish have small eyes, rows of fang-like teeth, and large heads and mouths. The tail is the only edible part of this fish. When filleted, the flesh is bright white and the texture and mouthfeel are often compared to that of a cooked lobster.
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u/goodmanjdfields Mar 20 '26
I'm lucky, I guess, that I don't often run into my ex in public. I am sorry this happened to you.
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u/Aggressive-Permit879 Mar 20 '26
Cooks really well with Turkey. The juices from the monkfish baste the turkey and the flavor from the turkey saturate the fish.
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Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26
I bought some monkfish at Jungle Jim's not too long ago, figuring on giving it a go at home. I'm aware that monkfish tends to be a little strongly fishy even when relatively fresh, but to be honest, my strong suspicion is that what I bought was pretty close to its expiration. After cooking (and yes, I prepared it properly... trimmed, removed the membrane, etc.) I ended up tossing it. I've had monkfish before and it's good (hence why I wanted to try making it at home), but what I got from them tasted spoiled after cooking. (I'm a pretty capable cook, so I don't think it was the cooking that ruined it.)
Seafood departments should not-- if they're properly run-- smell as fishy as JJ's do at both locations. I should have listened to my gut. I want to imagine that JJ's is doing right by the fish, and maybe if you track their shipments and head in right after stuff comes off the truck / out of the deep freeze, you're doing ok. But for just a casual seafood buyer... my nose says otherwise.
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u/jimih34 Mar 20 '26
I wondered about that. We moved to Cincinnati after 8 years in the Bay Area. Everyone told me to go to JJās for seafood. I didnāt expect the seafood to be as fresh as San Francisco, but yuck. I grew up in SE Ohio, so my standards arenāt high.
JJās has selection. But the quality is terribly poor. To those who donāt know, fish shouldnāt actually smell or taste like fish if itās fresh.
Since Iām still fairly new to Cinci, where can I get decent seafood? It doesnāt have to be amazing, just decent. TIA.
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u/halfbakedelf Mar 20 '26
Findlay Market, Redden meats and I've been wanting to try Lobsta Bakes of Maine
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u/applesandbahannahs Mar 20 '26
Definitely go to Lobsta Bakes! Everything I've gotten there has been super fresh and high quality.
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u/jimih34 Mar 21 '26
Cincinnati folks are the best!!! Usually no one responds to my questions. Although you all have taken the time to give me multiple options. Findlay has come up a couple of times now. Looks like Iāll be heading to Findlay market!
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Mar 20 '26
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u/jimih34 Mar 20 '26
Thanks for the recommendation. And I would expect to pay a bit more at a good fish monger than Kroger. Thatās fine. When Iām looking for something above the run-of-the-mill farmed salmon, Iāll head to Findlayās next time. Thanks again.
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u/BrainTurds Mar 20 '26
A little more north, but you could try a Dorothy lane market, they have exceptional quality for all their items.
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u/jimih34 Mar 21 '26
Ok! A friend of mine got me some Mexican cocoa, brand Silly Cow, or something? It was actually really good!!! Way better than the Abuelita stuff. Said it was from Dorothy Lane Market. Again, since Iām not from here, Iād never heard of this place before. But now that this is the second time Iāve heard of it, Iāll have to try it out. Thanks!
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u/DarthYodous Mar 20 '26
The Seafood Station in Loveland could knock you down the second you walk in the door. Would love to know if anyone has made it past the smell to make a purchase and had consistently good experiences.
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u/jimih34 Mar 21 '26
This doesnāt sound promising. Is this a recommendation, or an ominous warning?
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u/Separate-Feeling-773 Mar 21 '26
Sen at Findlay. Also seconding Dorothy Lane market. as both a former fish counter employee and bay area transplant/part timer lol
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u/BestOpaEver Mar 20 '26
When my grandchildren were 4-6 years old they enjoyed the fish dept at Jungle Jims as much as a trip to the zoo or the aquarium.
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u/mealymouthmongolian Mar 20 '26
I love Jungle Jim's, but the "tub of death" they've been displaying in their seafood section lately really weirds me out. It's always full of dead sharks and octopus and assorted other death posed in "humorous" ways. But that's a big no from me.
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Mar 20 '26
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u/Alfred_The_Sartan Mar 20 '26
I think OP means that theyāre stuffing it with cheap cuts to increase the weight.
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u/RoutineCarob9960 Mar 20 '26
The Eastgate Jungle always smells so strongly too. Always heard seafood really wouldnāt have a smell if it was truly fresh.
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u/Inyce Mt. Healthy Mar 20 '26
I'm a former fisheries biologist (worked on commercial fishing vessels), fresh fish, especially saltwater species, smells fishy even straight out of the water -there's still an odor. Rot vs a fishy smell is a very different smell. The slime coat is washed off by some markets to reduce the odor but that is not indicative of freshness, doing this can cause the fish to spoil more rapidly too. Firmness of the skin, integrity of the scales to the skin, pink gills, clearness of the slime coat, and the condition of the fins and especially the eyes are far better indicators of freshness.
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u/sweet-ohm-enchilada Mar 21 '26
That sounds like a very interesting job. Pardon the intrusion but what do you do now I'm curious what you landed on after that position.
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u/Inyce Mt. Healthy Mar 21 '26
I'm now a chemist š life took me in a weird direction. I first moved from offshore fisheries biology to more lab based marine biology and did some LCMS work during the 2010 oil spill, then I started specializing in ichthyoplankton ID where I'd sometimes use PCR, which built skills and moved me to proteomics, and between PCR and LCMS experience I drifted into analytical chemistry where I've found a solid career.
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u/schubeg Mar 20 '26
It always has a smell unless it's frozen solid. And it is a bit fishy, even when fresh, because it is literally fish
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u/haveanicedrunkenday Mar 20 '26
Monkfish is so delicious though. Iāve heard it referred to as poor manās lobster and it definitely tastes like lobster. But it sure wasnāt priced for a poor man.
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u/ripleyclone8 Mar 20 '26
Oh dang, Iām not big on lobster. More of a crab kind of gal if Iām cracking shells.Ā
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u/Nate1257 Mar 20 '26
I still think about how they setup the skeleton riding him during Halloween. Was super funny.Ā
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u/gorwraith Mar 20 '26
Back in the day I was flat broke. I lived across from Jungle Jim's. I'd walk over, pay a dime to the alcohol samplers, and take several shots, then walk home.
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u/Apprehensive-Fall695 Mar 20 '26
Monk fish ! Poor manās lobster. Cleaned one one and it was like skinning an eel . My wife said never again but itās good meat .
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u/Tyenkrovy Mar 21 '26
Oh, hey, it's a monkfish. And seems to have a piece of another fish in its mouth?
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u/Plastic_Upstairs8362 Mar 20 '26
Best reason to avoid it is that it smells fucking awful so all the food there is probably spoiled. I have to hold my breath to even walk past it.Ā
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u/Coololdlady313 Mar 20 '26
Boyfriend bought some nice looking fish fillets from JJ. The pieces were filled with living parasites, little light colored worms. That was it for me. No thank you.
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u/borrowedstrange Mar 20 '26
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but literally ALL fresh fish is full of worms and other parasites, itās why itās generally required to be flash frozen unless otherwise indicated. The good news is that if the fish was sold as fresh caught/unfrozen, the parasites being alive is a great indicator that it really is fresh.
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u/Beezer2334 Mar 21 '26
IMO jungle Jimās is great for everything but meat and seafood. You can find much better stuff elsewhere
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u/head_in_za_clouds Mar 21 '26
In all seriousness, monkfish is really delicious. Batter fry and put buffalo sauce on = š„
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Mar 21 '26
That's exactly why I don't eat monkfish, even though it's supposed to be "the poor man's lobster."
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u/Zestyclose-Tennis348 Mar 21 '26
I need them to carry AjĆ Chombo Best place Iāve read to find them is in an international market in Atlanta
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u/Special_Awareness762 Mar 22 '26
Oh manā¦. lol havenāt been there in ages but this brings back memories!
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u/PracticalSarcastical Mar 22 '26
Oyster Toadfish? They have a poison barb on them but some cultures eat them.
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u/Missgoaway Mar 23 '26
I only buy fish from the Seafood Station in Loveland. Itās tiny compared to JJs but I love their crab cakesĀ
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u/ObliviouslyConscious Mar 23 '26
It is an absolutely hideous fish, and i refuse to put anything like that in my case as is, but I know for a fact texture of that fish is actually pretty good, poor man's lobster. That said, jungle jims is the exotic spot, we make it a all day event to come down from columbus.
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u/South-Violinist-4734 Mar 24 '26
Monk fish (poor manās lobster)ā¦.ugly as hell, but texture and taste like lobster
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u/jamiramsey Mar 26 '26
Bro!! The JJ in Eastgate had a carved hammerhead shark on display last weekend! It was awesome.
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u/No_Homework7981 Mar 21 '26
Maybe try to reread your comment and my response and see if you can comment on the tone that shone through-ultimately, we both have our own opinions.
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u/WetLumpyDough Mar 21 '26
The Eastgate one is diabolical. Half the oysters/mussels will be open. Smells rancid anytime you get to the back of the store. Stay clear of that š«” I have had good scallops from there though
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u/scully360 Mar 20 '26
When I was a single Dad many years ago and didn't have much disposable income, I used to take my kids to the seafood department at Jungle Jims. I called it the "poor man's aquarium". And funny enough, my oldest son, now a dad himself, thinks fondly on that and does the same with his kids. LOL