Eat Here Before You Die: Pajos in Stevenston BC

Having been born and partially raised in Vancouver has given me insight into two things:

1) Sushi
2) Fish & Chips

I am a proud connoisseur and snob of each and having to be brave with eating each of these dishes in Ontario (where almost all fish and seafood is imported) is a cross to bare (haha just kidding, but not really).

When I spent a week in Vancouver in July I was able to cross off my to-do list which is 100% food driven. Sushi, Fish & Chips and a White Spot burger are a priority when on the left coast as you can't get the real thing in Ontario.

I am lucky to have a sister who resides in Steveston, British Columbia, a historic fishing village that is part of Richmond, BC (where the Vancouver Airport is). This village has a very quaint small town feel and is becoming more upscale each time I visit with the addition of high end restaurants and spas. So while I was staying with my sister, we had to make the mandatory fish and chips stop at a renowned stand located right in Steveston.

My favorite place to quench my fish and chips craving is Pajos, located right on the Warf of Steveston. Since 1985 Pajos has been THE place to get fish and chips that are melt in your mouth good. People flock there in the Spring and Summer to get their hands on these greasy, crispy fillets of goodness. They offer 4 locations in the lower mainland and I can only dream that they will open a location in Ottawa :-)

Here are some quick snaps of my trip to Pajos:

 Before our meal I worked up an appetite by taking a walk along the beautiful boardwalk. It was so peaceful and the smell of the sea air was intoxicating!

 We arrived at Pajos, it was kind of chilly but we ate outside regardless. I took this pic while waiting patiently for our order.

 Pajos is literally located right on the water, here's the picture of the plank down to the restaurant to prove it. As a side note - I tripped walking back up this plank after our meal while wearing a short dress and flashed all of the diners! Sorry to anyone who had to see that!

And here we are, the Halibut Fish & Chips at Pajos. My mouth is watering just looking at this. The batter is light and crispy but has a lot of flavour. The Halibut is rich and has a buttery dense texture with a mild, clean finishing taste that I dream of. I drench mine in malt vinegar, sooooo good!

It is difficult to get Halibut as a fish and chip option in Ontario so this is an extra special treat. If you would like to read more about Pajos, please click here. I have said this before but I am a big fan of restaurants that use fresh, local ingredients and Pajos believes in this philosophy as well.

So, if you are in the Vancouver area as a visitor or if you live there, please check out Pajos in Steveston. It will be worth the drive, I promise you!