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Dining: Don't Eat the Barracuda
Bonaire Talk: Dining: Archives: Archives 1999 -2003: Archives - 1999-05-07 to 2002-08-02: Don't Eat the Barracuda
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Shealer on Wednesday, April 10, 2002 - 9:07 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

We were surprised to see barracuda on the menu at several restaurants during a recent visit. Barracuda and other predator fish accumulate toxins when they feed on reefs which can cause serious illness when consumed by humans. In fact, one guest at the facility at which we were staying had to be hospitalized after eating barracuda.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan on Thursday, April 11, 2002 - 8:39 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Maybe it is foolish but I still eat most reef dwelling fish that can give Cigueterra poisoning..so far so good..My ex hubby go very ill after eating King Fish..Snapper, BTW is one that can be dangerous..not just cudas.

Annie
Cape Cod

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By seb schulherr on Thursday, April 11, 2002 - 12:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

But if you can get Dorado or Wahoo or other fish I don't understand why you wouldn't avoid them Annie. I don't freak if I realize i am having some grouper or snapper but I don't seek it out.

Seb
NYC

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ann Phelan on Thursday, April 11, 2002 - 12:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I love to live on the edge I guess..truthfully I could never give up snapper but can live w/o cuda..do not love wahoo..is Dorado nice?

I love sushi (raw fish) and an Armenian dish my Mom makes with raw beef so my tastes are rather eclectic..you would think having seen Ciguaterra I would NOT eat reef dwelling fish..even my ex still eats anything after his horrific experience.

Annie
Cape Cod

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jan Klos on Thursday, April 11, 2002 - 6:18 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I had heard that barracuda caught off the coast of Bonaire is one of the few places in the world that what ever they feed on does not cause them to be toxic. Any experts out there?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marcel Nahr on Thursday, April 11, 2002 - 10:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I have lived and worked on Bonaire in the food-industry for 20 and never heard of any cases of ciguatera from Barracuda on the island even though I have actively tried to find out about it. If anyone should know about it, it would be the locals and they catch and eat them with fervour.
As you can read from the publication by the center for disease control (link below ) There has to be a certain algae present in the coral, which we apparently do not have.
As a matter of fact I prefer Barracuda over Wahoo or Dorado for it's taste and texture.

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~mow/chap36.html

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By scott and sharon barlass on Friday, April 12, 2002 - 12:04 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Marcel,

Some of the best meals I've had on bonaire were at your place. And some of the best I've had at your place include barracuda...never have had a problem. Maybe you are right about the algae!

Scott

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By seb schulherr on Friday, April 12, 2002 - 10:15 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

See, this is why I LOVE these discussions, where hopefully we can all pool our grey matter and come to a truer understanding. I think Marcel is right,that the Ciguetera is site specific. So if this means I can eat grouper and snapper w/o fear on Bonaire, I will commence at once!
Now I have long beeen a Dorado fan, I could eat it daily. The Italians loved it so much that they have them on many if not most of their fountains in Rome. But I have never tried barracuda, I thought there was some additional health risk if it is prepared incorrectly. But I am ready to try! Forgive my ignorance, but what eatery is Marcels?
Seb
NYC

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By scott and sharon barlass on Friday, April 12, 2002 - 11:24 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Seb,
I always had the same concerns about Barracuda as you have...until I spoke with Marcel about it. Marcel owns Rendez-Vous...right in town. The first time I saw Barracuda on his menu I questioned him about it...he guaranteed my safety and I now eat it at least once per trip...when he has it available!

For those who might have tried Rendez-Vous in the past...Marcel really changed the environment last fall..I liked it before...but really love it now...all inside with airco...very tropical interior design and very open.

We had two great meals our last trip down (March) while enjoying live jazz on Saturday nights.

Rendez-Vous is a nice break and change of pace from some of the more "touristy" ocean-side restaurants (I like most of those also).

So..next time down...take a bite of Barracuda!

Scott

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mary pequinot on Friday, April 12, 2002 - 9:05 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I first had barracuda in Barbados-my husband ordered baby barracuda (maybe that's safer-less chance to accumulate?) and it was delicious. When we have been in Bonaire, it has often been on the menu of the Mona Lisa. I've eaten it several times, as has my husband. Have never had a problem. It is absolutely delicious! I love wahoo as well-dorado a little less. I've never gotten sick from any of it.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech on Sunday, April 14, 2002 - 1:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

While I don't like Barracuda (not wild about the flavor, and having lived in Florida where ciguatera is a very real concern in barracuda, I'm nervous about that too - call it a mental aversion - I have a similar aversion to mushrooms), I will say that as far as I know, Bonaire is free of the toxin, much of which comes from excess nutrients in the water (e.g. manmade pollution for the most part). I gladly eat snapper and grouper here when I come across it (or catch it in the case of snapper), and I've yet to know anyone who has gotten ciguatera here on Bonaire.

For more links (some true, some hype) on the disease, look at:

http://google.yahoo.com/bin/query?p=ciguatera&hc=0&hs=0

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By thomas brossard on Sunday, April 14, 2002 - 8:34 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

All of my employee's are Cuban and they all love barracuda...And they're all healthy...I have always heard not to eat it but...

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kay Powers on Sunday, April 14, 2002 - 8:40 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ricardo is a great waiter at the Rendez-Vous. Ask for him when you dine there. He's a great lil guy.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marcel Nahr on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 2:11 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sorry, but Ricardo doesn't work for us or anywhere else in the food-industry anymore.
He is now the private chauffeur for the Lieutenant-Governor...........
I guess he liked his jokes as well !

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Brian Schoepflin on Monday, April 22, 2002 - 4:24 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Having lived near a coast for the most of my life, I've heard of ciguatera, but never encountered it. I've eaten the fish caught in the Gulf of Mexico, and several restaurants on Boniare, including Marcel's. It's a personal favorite. Indeed, I've convinced several fussy friends to try it, with excellent results. While it's usually wise to be cautious, it's good to see folks asking these questions, and getting a clearer perspective on a concern. See you in late May Marcel.
The Clownfish.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Davison on Monday, April 22, 2002 - 4:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

>> barra cuda ....ciguatera, <<

The toxin builds up over time. The larger and older the fish the greater the possibility. So stick with smaller cuda and there is little chance of a problem.

Bob

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan Graham on Sunday, May 12, 2002 - 11:39 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

I had damn good barracuda at De Tuin back in November.............

 


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