fish market

[asprinkles]

Went to fish market to get some fish and shrimp. Stupid me , trusted the scale and got screwed. only a pound or so on fish and 3/4 of a pound on the shrimp. Came home and started dividing on my scale and it was a little bit off. Checked with the digital and off also. First guy on north end of market. he's been there 20plus years. oh well need to bring a can of , beer next time to check scale, other wise it was an awesome trip. Ed and Marsha took us out on their boat and we saw soooooo many dolphin, and a few fin back whales that were huge!! Had a great dinner with them in their beautiful house and was back to phx. next afternoon. Stayed at Playa Bonita and was great. Nice to get back to pp. been awhile. Weather and water were beautiful.Leigh

 

[dennydaddy]

After the fish or shrimp is weighted....ask them to throw some more on the scsle. They know how off it is and will bring it up with a little bargining. They usually will bring it up to the correct weight you asked for. I think that gringoes always want more after its on the scale, so they give a little less, and you bargin for more for, same price. You walk away happy, and the vender knows he gave you the kilo's or lbs you wanted.
That way they don't give their stuff away free. Wife goes there offten, knew they always give less, and she tells them to bring it to asked for weight without a problem.
There is other scales in back for when the gov checkers visit, and they switch scales.

 

[Landshark]

I won't buy at the fish market because I don't play these kind of games. What if the scale is accurate? Then the ugly Americano who always demands more card is played and rightfully so.

 

[tequilatodd]

I usually by from 3 Boys that is next to the stairs lead up to Mary's. I think that's the one.
Anyway, I always get the same almost every time. I get the medium ones which are pretty good size. $10 gets me about 20 pieces and he cleans them too.
He never weighs them. I think he just knows what a pound is. I never complain and they are always good.
Bundle of asparagus and its off to the grill.

 

[playaperro]

Don't care for the frozen fish myself, but you don't know which ones slept in the bay the night before, I could never figure out how to "fix" a scale, anyways I see that a few of the fish markets vendors are now located on the main drag and elsewhere. Maybe expanding.

 

[Terry C]

They "bend" the rules

 

[Roberto]

I look at all those large coolers and always wonder how much ice they keep on the contents, 24 hours a day. How many days would fish keep on ice? How often do they clean out those coolers? Those vendors are all over town too.

If I want shrimp I go see Cisco at Mary's. Pancho buys in bulk and keeps it frozen till he needs it and goes through a lot of shrimp at the restaurant so I know his shrimp does not sit in the cooler long.

I get fresh fish from my neighbor who is a pangero and freeze some.

 

[JimMcG]

I usually by from 3 Boys that is next to the stairs lead up to Mary's. I think that's the one.
Anyway, I always get the same almost every time. I get the medium ones which are pretty good size. $10 gets me about 20 pieces and he cleans them too.
He never weighs them. I think he just knows what a pound is. I never complain and they are always good.
Bundle of asparagus and its off to the grill.

I have been buying there for years with generally the same count each time. Ocassionally I insist on hand picking the shrimp and it always turns out well.

 

[asprinkles]

Todd I think that is the same vendor. First one coming into the fish market, going up the stairs. I just haven't been there in so long I forgot to check scales. I usually buy in Lobos so live and learn ,again, Leigh

 

[Terry C]

When we go we always go see Jose, little short stocky guy.

 

[JoseAz]

OK locals, I've been reading that all the shrimp at the Malecon are frozen...
We went by this afternoon and i have to say there was a lot of gorgeous shrimp that looks incredibly fresh.
I challenged a couple of vendors who all said that from September through march, they get fresh shrimp off the boats. We had a couple bebidas and watched as a number of shrimpers came and went from the port.

What is the real deal? Are some of the shrimp available at times fresh? We saw whole shrimp that would make a fabulous langosta dish.....

 

[brokenwave]

If it comes off the larger boats it is frozen on board. Even 1x frozen shrimp looks and tastes excellent.
What we usually see in the states has been frozen 2-3 times.

Sometimes the smaller panga boats that are poaching have fresh shrimp but who knows because many vendors will tell you what you want to hear.

I have a local friend who dealt with all the vendors at the fish market until recently and he will take me to whoever has the best quality and accurate scales for our fish or shrimp.
I always end up cooking some for him and his family for this service.
We have a Great time since he has limited English skills that matches my lack of Spanish skills, but the company, food and cerveza is always great.

 

[playaperro]

I don't think they would be in Biz very long if they bought frozen fish or shrimp all the time, some vendors have family out on the pangas, or regular pangero's they buy from. JMHO....

 

[brokenwave]

I am sure that the panga caught shrimp is fresh if you get it off the boat.
I was told by a local who worked on the big boats that virtually all the shrimp they bring in is
frozen on the ship, because they are out for 7-10 days at a time.
Much of the fish is fresh caught but not all.