Where did you get them eyes?

After we left Doubtless Bay and Cooper's Beach we drove back towards Bay of Islands where we were staying.  We had been told that the world's best fish and chips hailed from the little town of Mangonui which was just two kilometers off the main road and you can bet we would not pass up an opportunity to put it to the test.  What a fun little place it was. It is right on another small bay. We stopped at this little fish shop to see what we would find.  It looked like a deli (of fish foods only) with a place to order food (fish) to eat there or to takeaway.  And then there was another section like a bar where you could get water and soda or something harder if you chose.  We did not!  But we did pay $4 for a bottle of water and $3 for an individual bottle of Sprite Zero.

As we walked into the dining area this is the first thing we saw.  It did not take us long to figure out why they would even think to post such a sign!

We then took a glance at their deli case and I will tell you, it was like noooooo deli case I had ever seen.  Not only do people love to catch and grill, deep-fat fry and smoke snapper but they love to eat....wait for it....their HEADS!

We have learned from experience that the cheek of a fish is the softest and tastiest.  Maybe that is from the motion that they make with their mouths every second that they are alive.  But here, if you ask anyone that loves to fish and eat them too, they will tell you that the very best, most delicious part of the fish is....THE EYE!  These are nice and clear indicating that it they are fresh.  And look how cheap they are!  Nothing in this country costs $1 a kilo!

They love them smoked as well....these look really disgusting to me.  Like a CRAZY fish! And these are not nearly as cheap.  These are $6 per kilo.

We had a lovely view of the water while we ate this world-famous fish.  And we figured out why it was sooooo good.  There were people that worked for the company who were at the very moment we were eating, catching more of these little beaities to sell to the next people that came in.  We have not had better or fresher fish!  And the view across the water was nice as well.

We congratulated ourselves on our timing.  Just as we were gathering up our papers to leave a large touring bus pulled in and the place quickly filled up with all sorts of tourists, all anxioius to share in our delightful meal in Mangonui!