Copper River salmon from Alaska makes annual migration to Dallas

by Teresa Gubbins

If you're a fish fan, you may possibly have the end of May highlighted on your calendar with the words "Copper River salmon are here!!!" written in red. Or maybe blue. No insight here on your stationery preferences.

If you're a fish fan, you may already know that Alaska king salmon are the first wild salmon on the market and are thus prized. If you're a fish fan, you may believe that wild salmon has a better flavor, because they have to swim for a long time so they have a lot of body fat, which makes them taste good.

Wild salmon from the Copper River in Alaska starts showing up every May and is only around until June. It gets the most attention, which many fish purveyors say is unfair, since wild salmon NOT from the Copper River has the same high concentration of oil, dark flesh, and good flavor.

Truthfully, to say that Copper River salmon are migrating to Dallas is a misnomer. They're actually headed to Alaska to spawn. Enterprising fishermen snatch them from the ocean and ship them here.

Anyway, Copper River salmon is a huge deal in Seattle, but it's also pretty big in Dallas, too, with a surprising number of local seafood and high-end restaurants jumping on board the Copper-River-salmon train. Here's a list:

• Aurora
• Abacus
• Chamberlain’s Fish Market and Grill
• Fish City Grill
• Go Fish (on weekends)
• Kenny’s Wood Fired Grill
• Mainstream Fish House (on weekends)
• McCormick & Schmick’s
• Nicola’s
• Oceanaire Seafood
• Palomino Euro Bistro
• Rockfish
• Truluck’s

You can also buy it to cook yourself at Whole Foods and Central Markets, and at seafood markets including TJ's, 1661 Preston Road, 214-691-2369; Rex's Seafood, 5200 W. Lovers Lane; 214-351-6363; and Sea Breeze Fish Market, 4017 Preston Road, Suite 530, Plano, 972-473-2722 ("CRAB" -- cute).

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