Air Flown Fresh Red Alfonsino ~ Kinmedai ~ 900g

Texture: Very Tender. Almost Melts in your Mouth    Taste: Light, Clean, Tender, Silky

Common Names: Imperador, Golden Eye Sea Bream, Kinmedai

Kinmedai (金目鯛）is the Japanese name for these red fish with large eyes.

‘Kinme’ (金目) means ‘golden eye’ in Japanese, and ‘dai’ (鯛）is the Japanese word for ‘sea bream’ (although kinmedai are actually unrelated to sea bream). In English, the fish are called ‘splendid alfonsino.’

Kinmedai are deep water fish, typically residing between 400 and 600 meters below the surface.

This is what gives them their distinctively large eyes that sometimes appear to have a golden color.

Red Alfonsino  / Kinmedai (金目鯛)  Taste

Kinmedai season is said to be in the winter, although the fish have the highest fat content (fat = delicious) right before laying their eggs in late spring.

Kinmedai is a white-fleshed fish with a fairly high fat content and balanced flavor.

The meat is not overly fishy, but is rich with umami flavor. Thus, kinmedai is highly versatile, and is prepared in a wide variety of ways.

The fish is often simmered in broth (nitsuke), partially dried and then grilled (himono), grilled fresh (shioyaki), or prepared as sashimi or sushi.

Another characteristic of kinmedai is its thin skin that is often eaten, even when served raw.