We usually buy shrimp and fish from Ernie or Francisco and take it home, but last weekend we were in the restaurant talking to Eva Valenzuela, the mother, about her family. The smells of fish and shrimp cooking were so appetizing that we decided to order a fish platter. We went upstairs to the deck overlooking the sea with a 180 degree view. It was about 75 degrees with a pleasant breeze blowing. We looked out to see if we could spot any dolphins or whales, both of which have been seen there, but maybe the shrimp boats trolling scared them away. Eva herself brought up our platter (everyone in this family works here). It was magnificent--breaded shrimp, garlic shrimp, fillets of several tasty varieties of fish, and scallops in a delicious spicy sauce with sliced onions. Eva also brought us some fresh salsa. And then there were 6 or 7 varieties of bottled salsa available. We drank Sangria, a non-alcoholic carbonated beverage popular in Mexico--I wish I could get it in the U.S. What a wonderful meal!

Eva is fortunate to have all her children and grandchildren here with her. Some members of the Valenzuela family have lived for a time in other places, but they always come back. One is Betty, who attended Glendale Community College in the Phoenix area. While we were talking to Eva, she came across the street to see her mother, bringing with her her two-month-old son, Henry. So we met the third generation of this remarkable family. Eva has a number of other grandchildren, but Henry is the youngest. No doubt he will soon be selling fish here or waiting on tables.

We asked Eva how the restaurant got its name, El Perico Marinero. She told us that her grandfather had been a fisherman, and he had had a pet parrakeet (perico) that used to go to sea with him. That made the bird a sailor (marinero). So when the family was trying to think of a name, they remembered this bird and named the restaurant after him, the Parrakeet Sailor.