Want fresh seafood? New SLO County market sells locally caught fish ‘right off the boat’
At a new seafood market and deli on the edge of an Avila Beach pier, customers can watch freshly caught fish dart around a glass tank.
They can also purchase the same fish — this time as fresh cod fillets — from a display case less than a foot away.
Harford Seafood Company opened its doors at 3989 Avila Beach Drive on May 25. The business sits on the end of Harford Pier at Port San Luis in Avila Beach, behind Mersea’s seafood restaurant.
“We’re really focused on quality, sustainable seafood,” owner Shaun Corrales said. “It’s important to us to be supporting the local fishermen.”
The seafood market offers different species of locally caught rock cod and rock crab year-round, while other offerings vary by season.
Central Coast salmon and halibut are currently on the menu.
“Basically, it’s the fish coming right off the boat,” Corrales said. “They come off the boat and go into our tanks.”
According to Corrales, local seafood makes up about 50% of the market’s offerings.
Harford Seafood Company also imports some of its seafood, including Maine lobster and East Coast oysters.
Corrales said he buys seafood from vendors with high scores on the Monterey Bay Aquarium seafood rating system, which ranks fishermen and fishing companies by how sustainably they fish.
“The idea is we don’t want to be destroying the ocean,” Corrales said. “Any companies that are dropping these huge nets and scouring the floors — out of the question.”
Asked about his favorite offerings at Harford Seafood Company, Corrales talked about the wide variety of cod the market offers — from grass to gopher to “black and yellows.”
He also recommended the sea snails.
“They are excellent baked, barbecued, steamed in oil,” Corrales said, or served with pasta in a pesto or Alfredo sauce. “You can eat them very similar to escargot ...”
Harford Seafood Company also has a deli, where customers can enjoy shrimp cocktails, ceviche, smoked fish, oysters and sashimi prepared by in-house chefs. Prices range from $10 to $20 depending on the cost of the fish, Corrales said.
Corrales said the market is still developing its deli offerings, and plan to eventually add clam bowls to the menu.
Harford Seafood Company is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday. For more information, call 805-596-4444 or follow the business on Facebook.
This story was originally published August 1, 2022 at 2:13 PM.
