Our Address Book

You know there is a great little butcher shop in the South Bay that specializes in Spanish ingredients. But trying to remember what it’s called or exactly where is beyond you. And the phone number? Forget it.

That’s the kind of thing the Zagat Guides are great for. The second edition of the Los Angeles Marketplace guide (ZagatSurvey, $10.95) has just been released, and it belongs in the glove compartment of every foodie in the Southland. Take the ratings with a grain of salt, but not only does the book have an amazing range of places listed, it’s got them cross-indexed by specialty, cuisine and location. Get it at most bookstores or on the Internet at https://www.zagat.com

That Spanish butcher? La Espan~ola Meat Inc., in Harbor City (25020 Dobie Ave., between Normandie and Vermont avenues). It’s right there on page 100.

The Boudoir of the Deep

In the United States, we like salmon because it tastes good and because it’s high in whatever it is that makes the good cholesterol, and all that. The French, as you might expect, have reasons of their own.

A recent survey of French fish eaters reported in Pacific Fishing magazine finds that part of the allure of the salmon for them is perceived “feminine” and “individualist” qualities in the fish.

The report says “consumers view salmon as enjoying beauty without anxiety and swimming freely in the ocean’s depths.” (Obviously, they have never witnessed a spawning run.) This romantic view of the fish is in contrast to attitudes toward beef, which is viewed as “masculine.”