(pappadeaux.com) – Houston, Texas

How I heard of this place: My dining companion’s uncle and aunt invited us out forseafood or a steakhouse during our brief stint in Houston, and we chose seafood. They had us meet them at Pappadeaux, a southern chain serving cajun and creole foods.

Type of cuisine: The special of the month, being a large bowl of crawfish, served with butter tells it all! Seasonal southern fare, from po’boys and gumbo, to lump crab and cheese stuffed butterflied shrimp, from grilled seafood and ribeye steak, to cajun pastas and fried frog legs, and sides to your hearts content.

Ambiance: The Katy Highway location was large and spacious. Upon parking, we walked up a small brick staircase and onto the brick patio, with trees and a trellis of ivy, lit with small, white holiday lights. Beyond the benches, and raised beds, patio seating in front of a fountain of running water welcomed patrons who were waiting to be seated, enjoying beverages from the bar, or eating appetizers on a warm evening outdoors. Entering the restaurant, after making your way through dozens of people waiting at the door, a hostess welcomes you and takes your name for her long list of patrons awaiting seating. The hosts desk sits in front of a large bar area and kitchen to the left and plenty of seating behind and to the right at tables and chairs. Small and large parties are accommodated in turn, with only about a ten to fifteen minute wait. Dark, wooden pillars are found throughout the establishment, while underfoot can be found dark gray carpets, with splashes of color (reds) throughout. A tiled walkway works its way around the restaurant, leading from the kitchen to the door, and back towards the restrooms. The hustle of staff and bustle of patrons can be heard, seen and felt as people scurry by and food on large trays comes and goes from kitchen to table and table back to kitchen.

What I ordered: To start, we ordered our beverages, a Shirley Temple for me, iced tea for the dining companion to my right, to my left, a cranberry juice and water straight ahead. Large glasses of colorful beverages were brought to us moments later, accompanied by warm French bread and whipped butter displayed in a small, silver bowl in the shape of a flower. Off of the appetizer selection, we ordered fried frog legs and fries, served with spicy ketchup and tartar sauce. Four fried frog legs ($7.95) resting atop the mound of fries were sampled by each of us. Next, we enjoyed a Greek salad for four ($12.95), fresh with lettuce, tomato, capers, imported kalamata olives, solinka peppers, cucumber, oregano and feta cheese, in a rich dressing of lemon juice and garlic, tossed at our table and served fresh. For the main entree, our two dining companions shared the fried shrimp po’boy ($9.95) off of the lunch menu, served on a freshly baked hoagie bun with cocktail and tarter sauce, lettuce and pickles, and a baked potato with everything on the side: sour cream, shredded cheddar, crisp bacon and scallions. To my left, my dining companion ordered the cedar plank Atlantic salmon ($23.95) topped with garlic herb butter and broiled on a smokey cedar plank with asparagus and a side of garlic mashed potatoes ($3.55). I went for the server-recommended Stuffed Shrimp Montage ($23.95), oven-baked jumbo butterflied shrimp filled with “crab lumps”, Maryland-style lump crab cake and finished with a Parmesan cheese sauce, served with garlic-butter green beans. We ordered a New York style vanilla cheesecake ($6.95) with a cinnamon graham cracker crust, topped with strawberries over a tart strawberry sauce and a fresh sprig of mint.

What I loved: The food was all good! From the 11-ounce, sweet salmon to the fresh and crisp asparagus to the well-seasoned green beans and the rich, decadent, flavorful shrimp. The shrimp was my favorite and worth returning for! The cheesecake was a winner for everyone, sweet, rich and perfectly dense, with a melt-in-your-mouth consistency.

Why I loved it: Everything was great – from the ambiance upon entry into the courtyard, to the friendliness of our server, the speed of the service and the taste of every dish. The portions are large and the foods scrumptious.

Cost: Average ($15-$30 per dinner entree)