The best fish & chips in Steveston

It probably won’t surprise you that Steveston Village is known for their fish & chips. I asked Mijune which was the best, thinking I’d try it out for lunch. But Mijune never has a single “best.” It always depends on the circumstances. I told her I’d heard that Pajo’s, which has been around for over 25 years, is widely considered the best. “It’s good,” she said without much enthusiasm. “They’ve won a lost of ‘best of’ awards and they’re always busy.”

“But it’s not your favorite.”

“I like it,” she said diplomatically. “But maybe I like Sockeye City better.”

“Maybe you like it better?”

“Sometimes.” She paused and looked out over the ocean. “But sometimes, if I’m just going to get takeout, I’ll go to Dave’s.”

This was going to make lunch difficult. Should I just pick one of the fish & chips joints or try all three? I figured maybe I should check all of them out and then decide. So first I went to Pajo’s. And Mijune was right—the place was jammin’. So much so that it looked like it might be 15 or 20 minutes before I could even order. So Pajo’s was out.

Then I went to Sockeye City. Cute place. Right across from the Fisherman’s Wharf. I could eat my fish & chips under an umbrella outside and watch while people bought fresh halibut or shrimp or sea urchins from the fisherman on the dock below.

A young couple was doing exactly that so I interrupted their meal and asked them how the fish & chips were. “Really good,” said the guy, his mouth full of flaky halibut. The woman nodded. The portions were huge. They both had three big pieces of fish on their plate and enough fries to feed a family of four. All on a glass plate shaped like a fish. Very nice.

Then I wandered down the village a few blocks until I found Dave’s Fish & Chips. Again, very busy. On the side of the building, next to the parking lot, was their takeout window. Besides the fish & chips you could get an oyster burger (never had one of those) and poutine! Now I was overwhelmed with choices. I started thinking that maybe I should just get a single piece of fish at each of the three fish & chip shops and see who had the best. But, to be fair, I’d really have to also give the chips, wouldn’t I? I mean, you can’t decide who has the best fish & chips just eating the fish.

But that oyster burger was sounding kind of interesting. And what about the poutine? I haven’t had poutine in ages. Maybe I could just taste the oyster burger and poutine and then check out the fish & chips.

I was standing at the counter trying to figure out what to do when Mijune walked in the door at Dave’s Fish & Chips.

“There you are,” she said. “I’ve been looking all over for you. We’ve got to go.”

“But I haven’t ordered yet.”

She shrugged. “Sorry,” she said. “I’ve got an appointment. We need to get back.”

So we left Dave’s. And Steveston. And I still don’t know who has the best fish & chips in Richmond.