Pangasius

So yesterday my friend Nancy and I were sitting at one of Tom's and my favorite little seafood cocina economicas, Marlin Azul in Centro.

They do a filete de pescado empanizado (breaded fish fillet) that is awesome.  It is a breaded and fried fillet but there is no oiliness or greasiness, it is almost as if it is baked.  So crunchy on the outside and yet the fillet inside is still soft and moist.  REALLY delicious. (fillet, salad, rice, and tortillas are now 45pesos)

So we're sitting there and all of a sudden delivery men start dropping these big boxes on the floor  -  frozen fish.  Here we are, on a peninsula, surrounded by fishing villages.....

Anyway, these boxes contain fish from Vietnam - Have you ever heard of Pangasius?    Neither had we!

Pangasius is a a genus of shark catfish,  it is a freshwater fish that has become the tenth most popular seafood product eaten in the United States, and pretty darn popular here in MEXICO  as well.   When I buy fish fillets at the super, it is typically Basa Fillets, or Basa Oriente.  Basa is another common term used for the Pangasius.

Restaurant Review - Marlin Azul

When Tom and I want fish, and don't want to go out to the beach, we go to Marlin Azul.

Merida, Centro, calle 62 between 57 and 59

Marlin Azul is a small place, open only during the day; 7am - 4pm (more or less).

There is a small carreta/cart at the front where you grab a taco or torta to go. The front of this little cart is the only thing that shows their name, so if they are closed it's very difficult to locate them. There is also an inside aire conditioned side with separate entrance just to the left, again with no visible name.

The open front area that you notice is a very small diner like area with a counter with stools, and 4 tables that can seat 3 each (because they are against a wall).

On the day I finally decided to take photos to be able to blog it I decided 2 plates of the same thing wasn't good, so I ordered the fish soup, caldo de pescado. It is Oh My Gosh good.


This is how the soup is served


Then you dress it up the way you like


And this is the filete empanizado - It is a beautifully crunchy moist fish filete fried, but dry, not grease soaked at all, and So Damned Good. Truth be told I typically order the filete a la plancha just because I presume it to be lower in fat, but the empanizado is really much better. This plate is currently 39 pesos, under the filete is salad and rice, with a side of tortillas.

So for a beer, limonada, soup, and fish plate - I believe the total was 89 pesos

THey also make really excellent guacamole, and ceviche. An order of guacamole is 25pesos, and the ceviche mixto is I think 59pesos. I should have photographed a menu!