Swim Away Salmon, Let Barramundi in

It would appear, that Bangkok Bobs is only about meat, the best, finest quality beef available in Bangkok, or Thailand for that matter.

But no, because whenever and wherever I see or experience a quality product which is not available here I make steps to bring that to market here. You will find many examples of that at Bangkok Bobs, from Iberico Jamon, to Cantabrian anchovies and Tasmanian Mussels, Irish Oysters, to name just a few.

We wish to bring our passion to you and that is quality.

So, when I was offered a container of Bali Barramundi destined for the fish markets of Sydney and Melbourne, I jumped at the chance. For those of you who are not Australian, Barramundi is the Nation’s iconic fish, more highly regarded than Salmon.

A little research tells us that the specie Lates Calcarifer is found throughout the tropics from Northern Australia though Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and beyond. It generally lives in coastal areas and can live in both fresh and salt water, or a mixture of both. Such is the demand in Australia that the wild catch cannot satiate, so commercial farms have been established.

Here in Thailand this specie is known locally as Plakapong Khao. It is farmed extensively in ponds on land. Here however is the significant point. The natural habit of this specie is to lie in wait for its prey on the bottom. As such in still muddy water it will ingest mud and therefore does not have the same flavors as Bali Barramundi which is farmed in sea cages with a constant current. This requires the fish to be moving all the time resulting in a firm, nutty flavor cherished by many Australians. While I am not very partial to fish, I must say that the sweet firm white flesh is very pleasing. More so when one realises that our selling price is literally half of what people in Sydney are paying!

Sea Bass, the group to which Bali Barramundi belong, are the fastest growing fish in popularity in Europe where there are farms all around the Mediterranean Sea.

As a self-confessed beef man, I do not eat a great deal of fish, but when I do I want freshness. Danes have a saying, “fish, like visitors go bad after three days”! How often have I had to endure the pungent smell of fish, being too old, being fried! I am sure the reader will know what I mean.

So with sea bass here we have four choices:

1- Local fresh Barramundi with a muddy taste and indeterminate age,

2- Chilean Seabass, a protected species and very expensive,

3- Farmed European Seabass, age unknown and

4- Bali Barramundi is processed immediately out of the water and frozen, and thus always readily available. The price and the quality make the choice easy!

Bali Barramundi is available in 5 formats. Fresh Frozen Fillet, Fish & Chips, Honey Barbecue, Spicy Miso Ready Meals, and Bali Barramundi Wellington.

So that is why we are proud to offer such a high-quality food product to complement our other top food offerings.

Happy Eating,

Bangkok Bob