Fish Fraud

"But the menu just says 'daily fish special,' " I protest.

"Then there's nothing I can do," says Bhatt.

Deron Neblett

Deron Neblett

Consumers have to understand that there's a correlation between price and quality, says Cafe Annie's Robert Del Grande (left), show here inspecting his fish.

Related Content

• Meat Market
  January 19, 2012
• Cattle Prices Doubling, While Experts Predict the Beef Industry May Need 5 Years to Recover
  May 15, 2012
• Meat Market: Sorry State
  January 19, 2012
• 10 Fish You're Eating That Are Endangered Species
  September 27, 2011
• Cover Story: Is the Blood-Thinner Pradaxa a Savior or a Killer?
  May 23, 2012

More About

• Food and Drug Administration
• Robert Del Grande
• Chirag Bhatt
• Food and Cooking
• Eating Out

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Dining Newsletter: The week's top local food news and events, plus interviews with chefs and restaurant owners, dining tips, and a peek at our print review.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

"Why don't you let me take you to lunch?" I suggest. "You can listen to the waiter describe the fish, and then we can go look in the freezer."

"I don't think that would be proper," the health department director waffles.

The world will always be full of people who take advantage of others' lack of knowledge -- cheaters, he philosophizes. But Bhatt doesn't think it's up to his department to stop them: "We have bigger fish to fry."