[dropcap size=big]W[/dropcap]hen I was 19, I worked at McDonald’s in Maywood, and I used to love Filet-o-fish Fridays. Maywood’s demographics are predominately Latinx which means Catholic by extension, and during lent, filets were flying out the door. The FOF is simple, almost too simple, a fried fish filet, a squirt of tartar sauce from a sauce gun, half a slice of American cheese, and a steamed bun (the only sandwich on the McD’s menu that calls for a steamed bun).
Now I know what you’re thinking, “The FOF sucks. It’s squishy and doesn’t even have a full slice of cheese,” you’ll say. But if I could counter, I’d say that’s the point. Maybe it was Stockholm syndrome, but my miserable time at McD’s made me like their food more, especially the FOF. My favorite way to eat the FOF is fast and with Mexican hot sauce packets.
The filet-o-fish was created by Lou Groen, who owned a McD franchise in Cincinnati. Since Groen was a bag-chaser, he saw that burgers weren’t selling during Cuaresma, so he created the filet-o-fish. Without the FOF, I doubt this list would even exist. Groen created the wheel with the filet-o-fish. It’s an admirable legacy.
In Los Angeles, the fried fish sandwich exists as a casual comfort item for many restaurants, and more continue to add it to their menu as an alternative to beef or chicken. The fried fish sandwich makes an appearance on many menus, especially during Lent. Most of the entries on this list have a connection to the filet-o-fish, most of which have a play on the name or similar form. In other words, please put some fuckin respect on the filet-o-fish. But L.A. is a city of innovation, and the fried fish sandwich has many faces.
Each sandwich is special in its own way. Take a bite and find out for yourself.