[dropcap size=big]W[/dropcap]hat happens when you grow up loving your mom’s and tia’s ceviche but no matter how hard you look, you just can’t find it anywhere in Los Angeles? If you’re like Darrel and Patty Baker, two married high school sweethearts of 17 years and going strong, you create a pop-up and call it CeFishé (pronounced like the way Sinaloans say “ceviche.” where the “ch” is pronounced with a “sh” instead, so it sounds like ce-fee-shay).
“CeFishé is just CeFishé, it’s just what we like,” Darrel tells L.A. Taco. “The fish ceviche is like a Nayarit-style, with ground fish and shredded carrots. To me that’s ceviche de pescado, that’s how I grew up eating it,” he says. “The shrimp ceviche is like estilo Sinaloa, the baby clam ceviche is probably the only thing that is going to make you think ‘Baja’ out of the whole thing. I consider it Mariscos a mi manera, seafood my way.” Some customers, like myself, notice the mayo on the tostada and think, oh that’s probably Sinaloa style. “Honestly, the mayo on the tostada is a whole coastal thing, you know, but people see that and think Sinaloa.”
Without being restrained by traditions, the Bakers have treated ceviche as their canvas and made it their own. They have continued to grow their menu along with their loyal following. “We just got kicked out of our regular pop-up spot. The owner felt it was bringing in too many people and we understand.” Look for their next pop-up on Instagram and look out for their special winter menu, which may or may not include pozole de camarón.
