Fish out of water

Recently, I was in search of banana leaves to wrap fish for steaming, so I headed to Seafood City, a Filipino supermarket in far South Sacramento. I returned babbling about its joys to anyone who would listen. Banana leaves (and fresh banana blossoms) are just the tip of the iceberg: What you really want to go for is fish. At the back of the enormous store are rows upon rows of dozens of kinds of sparkling-fresh fish: everything from fresh anchovies and smelts to skate wings and barracuda, plus tons of kinds I’ve never heard of. Many are sold whole, but the fish guys will clean them while you shop. There’s also a fry station for your pick. In addition to the gleaming wonderland of seafood, there’s a huge range of low-low-priced groceries, snack counters, a bakery and more—truly a destination city. 6051 Mack Road, (916) 393-8900.