Or Would You Rather Be A Fish?

Last night's foray into Kota Kinabalu featured a brief yet poignant encounter with a red snapper, whom I will call Harold.


I first met Harold as he swam circles in one of the many fish tanks at the Portview Seafood establishment on the waterfront. I first wrote, "swimming happily," but edited that out since I cannot presume to know whether a 900 gram red snapper can truly swim around happily in a 3' x 2' x 1' tank along with several of his friends and family. I think a snapper would be happier in open water, where Harold and kin probably did swim earlier in the day.

The Portview Seafood establishment is one of several popular KK tourist spots of similar ilk, combining  fish market features with a seafood restaurant. These establishments somewhat resemble those "choose your own steak" restaurants in the U.S. and Australia, wherein you select the particular cut of raw beef that you want the chef to cook just for you, according to your personal tastes for seasoning and cooking method. Of course in those steak restaurants you don't choose from live cattle roaming around on the hoof waiting for you to sentence them to the slaughter. At this seafood establishment, however, the fish are very much alive and can look you squarely eye to eye as you make your selection. Timid souls need not go to there. Unfortunately for Harold, I had my eye on him the moment I walked into the place.

The fishmonger made a valiant attempt to spare Harold from my palate. But he failed to know his target audience in attempting to convince me that Harold was too just small. "Our snappers are not even 1 kilogram. You should try grouper. Grouper are 1 kilo and larger. Grouper is our best fish." This fishmonger couldn't have known that I would instinctively opt for the underdog. I couldn't help but notice that grouper was 10RM (Ringit, Malaysian currency) per kilo more expensive than red snapper.


"No," said I. "I really want the red snapper," not daring to look in Harold's direction as I spoke his death sentence. For preparation style I chose "Steamed, Hong Kong style," having no earthly idea how that's done. But, being an adventurous eater, and having just enjoyed a visit to Hong Kong, I figured I'd try it. Then the fishmonger unceremoniously netted Harold from his tank and dumped him into a pink plastic bag. I had a few pangs of regret as he flopped around inside the bag before he finally went silent.

I then realized perhaps why most of my fellow diners had chosen shellfish. Shellfish don't flop.


At the table, Harold did not disappoint me. And I highly recommend Hong Kong style...but still don't know how it is done. Harold may have paid the ultimate price for being a fish, but in so doing he treated me to one of the best red snapper meals I've ever had...perhaps subliminally abetted by the sure knowledge that the fish was, indeed, really fresh.

My fellow diners also enjoyed their choices, as did I since we ate family style around a lazy susan. Did I mention that I'm an adventurous eater who likes to try new dishes?