How exactly does one eat a whole fish?

[OfCourseTheresAlwaysMyWay]

Doing a solo trip in October and I'm really focusing on food, specifically trying new things I've never had before like shrimp with the head still on or the whole fish that's served at Tiffins or Skipper Canteen.

Maybe this is a stupid question, but are instructions provided? I've never eaten a whole fish before, and when you Google it the fish don't look anything like the pictures I've seen from Tiffins and Skipper Canteen.

Just want to expand my horizons without embarrassing myself.

 

[karrit2000]

You are braver than me. I can't/won't eat anything that is looking at me. I don't think you are supposed to actually eat the heads of those items though.

 

[OfCourseTheresAlwaysMyWay]

Hehe. I've done enough Internet research to know that you're not supposed to eat the fish's head (although the shrimp heads are apparently delicious). More concerned about cutting it and getting the full experience. Especially in a setting where I'm already there by myself and the tables are super close together.

 

[Westcoastwild]

Haven't had it at Wdw but usually it's pretty easy. It's been cut open already to gut it, skin is usually easy to get off if not delicious anyway. Fish just kind of flakes off. The only reason I don't order it more often is I don't particularly like going through the effort of picking through the bones. Can be time consuming like crab or lobster in the shell.

 

[Bob Dolewhip]

I had to google... the fish that popped up look crazy. I order whole fish regularly from local restaurants and they don't look like that! I just take my fork and gently pull the meat off. I usually ask to have the head cut off before they serve it too. I also don't like food that is looking at me.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Haven't had it at Wdw but usually it's pretty easy. It's been cut open already to gut it, skin is usually easy to get off if not delicious anyway.

If it's not already laying on it's side do so using a fork and tablespoon or broad side of a knife. Either cut it lengthwise from the middle or use the center bone as your guideline. This will give you 2 fillets and allow you to avoid the fine bones for the most part. Taking the tail fin in hand, strip the fish of it's skeleton straight up to the head. Depending on the size of the fish I place the bones on a separate plate and ask that it be removed before I commence eating the fillets. I'm persnickety that way and a well trained waiter at a fish restaurant will know this.

OK, OK....I've observed the deboning of a whole fish since I was a child and excepting those unfortunate teenage wasteland years when I refused to eat fish with bones it's just a life long "thingie" for me that I'm not really good at explaining to others.

Here's an excellent guide that makes it easier than my words:

http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/07/technique-how-to-carve-whole-cooked-fish.html

HTH!

And the nice thing about eating a whole fish is it takes time to savour each morsel IMO.Plus you can eat the succulent and tender cheeks from the head which doesn't readily come off from the head.

 

[allsaintsatx]

By not staring it in the eyes...

 

[agavegirl1]

The fish is a Lion Fish, an invasive species that is becoming prolific in the Caribbean. In some countries, there is a bounty on them. They have no natural enemies in that part of the ocean. The spikes are a defense against predatory fish. They are delicious. The whole fish is very succulent and flavorful. There are other recipes too. Good thing in my humble opinion. I have seen reviews where your server will help you with taking in apart. I don't know if this is still true but you can ask before ordering.

 

[McKelly]

We just got back from vacation and when looking at menus, the rule was, no one is ordering anything with it's head still on. I think this was either at Tiffins or Skipper Canteen. We laughed, and agreed. So, we get to Morimoto, my DH orders the Sea Bass, and the head was still on!!! He quickly destroyed it and buried the head under other stuff on his plate. Good thing - my eyes just kept going back to that thing! Why???

 

[MoreTravels]

Chinese people eat the whole fish all the time. If you visit their supermarket, you can usually see lots of aquariums where you can pick the exact one you want buy. Most people pick the most active one meaning it is the freshest and healthiest.

Fish head is yummy. You can eat the eye balls just spit out the pit in the centre, I think it's some sort of cartilages. The fish cheek meat is usually very tender because those muscles are exercised frequently. Lastly, if you chew your way through the skull, you will get to the fish brain. It has a consistentancy of tofu, very delicious. It's like eating marrows from bones, not too many people know they can be even enjoyed.

Don't believe me? Go visit a Chinese supermarket, they sometimes even just have fish heads for sale, usually salmon heads. Many dim sum restaurants also serve fish head stew. Yummy.

 

[KennesawNemo]

I am Chinese and eat whole fish all the time. You just need to know how to spit out the bones. It's a fine skill requiring using your teeth and tongue, lol. My four year old does it like a professional. I don't usually recommend it to people who are not used to eating whole fish though.

And yes, you literally eat the whole fish. Eyeball, brain, roe and all that. I personally don't like those parts but many people do.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

You got some good advice on the whole fish, so I'll chime in on the shrimp. I just had a whole bowl of whole shrimp on our last vacation and, I will admit, when the waitress first put it in front of me I questioned why I had decided to do this. They looked super gross! But, I went for it! I simply cut off the heads one by one (you will see where the head shell meets the first tail shell. That's where I cut it) and then picked the tail up with my fingers and peeled it. It's a messy business, but they were delicious. If not provided, I would ask for some extra napkins or handi-wipes and a bowl for the shells. It's going to be messy. There's no way around it. It's part of the adventure!

 

[jdisnut]

Some of the best meat on a fish can be found in the cheeks. You have to work a bit to unearth it, but it's worth the effort. Don't be shy!

 

[GreatLakes]

I've had a whole fish many times, I even grill them myself. It isn't that hard. Cut the head off (no need to hide it or anything), open the filet and eat. If you don't want to eat the skin just peel it off. If it is a fish that still has the spine and bones you butterfly it and gently peel the flesh down away from the spine slowly making sure none of the needle bones are still in there. Depending on the fish there may be good meat in the cheeks.

Am I missing something? No one should need a manual for this.

 

[DeterminedOne]

Dang! I was hoping to see some pictures. I know I can Google it, but looking at them here is so much more fun. Great question, OP.
I too am going to try a few exotic things during our trip. Definitely getting the octopus at Tiffins. But I agree with some of the others. Can't eat anything looking at me. Last time we were in Vegas I tried so hard to eat a crawfish. I literally could not do it ...

 

[MinnieMSue]

Thanks for asking this question OP. I have been wondering. I am planning on ordering next skipper canteen stop and asking the waiter for help or guidance. I figure the worst that can happen is some teasing lol

 

[Mich123]

Definitely try it! My family often orders a whole fish at Chinese restaurants and my brother and nephew have ordered the whole fish at Skipper's Canteen and they liked it. I recommend that you use the spine as your guide and nudge the meat away from the bones at the center.

If you change your mind, but still want fish, I would recommend the sustainable fish--it was delicious!

 

[kaybird]

So tasty at Tiffins. Very tender and flaky, just start with your fork and keep going!

Restaurant is SO beautiful, and the forbidden rice with it I still dream about!

 

[wilkeliza]

Simple answer is ask them to filet it in the back. They'll bring it out full so you can see it then take it back to cut it off the bone for you.

 

[Sparty1833]

So tasty at Tiffins. Very tender and flaky, just start with your fork and keep going!

Restaurant is SO beautiful, and the forbidden rice with it I still dream about!

It looks like the knife in the pic is a fish knife used to separate the flesh from the stuff you don't want to eat