Originally published at Orange County Catholic
WITH THE FRIDAY FISH Fry traditions playing out across the Orange County Catholic landscape, La Purísima parish in Orange proudly puts cultural diversity on the menu.
“A lot of parishes have a fish fry where you pay $15 or so and get a plate,” said Jeff Rice, a city planner, board of advisors for Santiago Retreat Center and current head of the Orange County Chapter of the Knights of Columbus. “At La Purísima we have a restaurant with a wide choice of items. It’s not just fried food — the fresh Salmon Limone is poached with a lemon sauce and herbs — it’s really kind of special. We go through a case of fresh salmon every night and we added East Coast oysters on the half shell this year.”
Rice said that at first people were taken aback by the menu.
JUAN FERNANDO VASQUEZ AND HIS WIFE, LETICIA, SHOW OFF A DELICIOUS FISH PLATE. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
“The first week, people weren’t sure,” he said, “but the second week we sold a lot more and last week we sold almost a case.”
For the traditionalists, there are fish and chips or popcorn shrimp. Then there’s fish
