I have family visiting from the PNW and of course we had them sample Tex-Mex at Lopez yesterday. BTW, there’s now a selfie machine in the bar area that the kids had fun with.
Before the week is out, we want them to have BBQ and seafood. There are mobility issues and “the best” is not necessary or even desirable in this instance.
Pappadeaux for Cajun seafood and Swinging Door for BBQ have been bandied about. Personally Swinging Door in Richmond is my favorite BBQ for many reasons, not the least of which is for its sentimentality since I’ve been going there for 40 years. I also love the potato salad and green beans, no Sysco allowed.
Suggestions for west Houston to Sugar Land and Rich/Rose are welcome!
Well there’s a Goode Co. on I-10 where some of y’all met a couple of years ago, and a Capt. Tom’s out towards Katy on I-10. Jaymes undoubtedly knows of more out that way.
There’s a Capt. Benny’s on Murphy about 3/4 mi. south of Lopez (Wilcrest = Murphy south of 59/69). There’s a deck; otherwise there and at Capt. Tom’s, seating is limited to the bar and it’d be hard to get a whole family together. There’s some sort of seafood place, Razoo’s or something, on 59 at ca. Kirkwood/West Airport in Stafford. Never been. It’s on an artificial lake.
And a Floyd’s is showing up on 59 in Sugar Land.
Doesn’t seem to be a Pappas anywhere closer than Shepherd.
I’ll suggest an oyster dish at Pappadeaux, go figure. The oysters Baton Rogue baked in a cheese sauce are really good. The Ponthartrain fish, though pricey has always been reliable. I also like the crawfish combo with etoufee and fried.
I’ll suggest Galvan’s in Richmond but it’s close to Swinging Door so it may be a deal killer. I like the fatty brisket with lots of bark and the house made beef sausage.
We ended up at Gaido’s in Galveston and Pier 61 in Stafford for catfish since our guest had never had catfish! No BBQ, but we did get some kolaches from Shipleys one morning, another new thing. I think a good time was had, thanks for the suggestions!
Wow. I was going to mention Pier 61 but I have never been so didn’t feel safe recommending it. Have you been before or were you just trying it out? Eeeelaborate a little on the food if you will. Thanks.
My mamacita loves Pier 61 and so I have been several times, but I always forget about it. It’s a quiet place with better than good food in a no frills, but clean and comfy dining room. The service has been excellent each time. I remember my only complaint is the tiny size of the women’s restroom, but that won’t affect you!
Of course mater asked for it again, who I might add is a particular person with high expectations and a capacity for instant feedback.
I have liked everything I’ve had there. The sides of fresh veggies are simply prepared with nice seasonings that I have tried but been unable to reproduce (I’m thinking of thinly sliced and sauteed green and yellow squash I had once that were delicious). The prices are also good at this low overhead restaurant.
I would definitely check it out if you are in the area.
When my father learned I took a beloved family member to Gaido’s he was disappointed in me. It took a while to convince him things have changed there since the 70s and 80s when he last went and it was truly the only game in town and therefore could serve schlock. I remember cheap bottled salad dressing transferred into little plastic cups with lids, perched on the side of a bowl of wilty lettuce and frozen seafood.
But times have changed, the youngest generation has taken over the 106 year old restaurant after formal culinary training and there are now many, many choices in Galveston and Gaido’s is killin it with house made salad dressings and sauces and fresh-never-frozen local seafood.
They were celebrating crab season with a special crab menu and we took advantage of it with a shared appetizer of fried asparagus with lump crab:
The Italian breading was a little heavy for my tastes but it was delicious.
I ordered two jumbo soft shell crabs which was a deal at $22. It came with a choice of 3 sides but we ended up ordering shared sides of onion rings (thin ones) creamed spinach (cheesy goodness) and crab mac n cheese:
Oh, I’m in the area. Just never knew anyone who went, much less anyone whose opinion I respected, and wasn’t sure if the reviews online could be trusted. I was happy with Benny’s a couple of blocks away and counted my blessings I had that!
BTW, I happened to think (but it was too late) - I had an acquaintance from the PNW who loved to explore South American cuisine whenever he came down here. There’s none available up there. Might that be a possibility if your relatives come back? - Andes, Churrascos, Americas, Sal y Pimienta, etc? Not that different from Mexican and Tex Mex to really be exotic, at least, not to me.
. And picture-y like this 
