Dallas is a little far for a Central Virginian to travel for a dinner out, but if you did, you wouldn’t regret it if the restaurant was Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen.
Each January, Nancy and I attend the Lighting Show at the Dallas Trade Mart (see the article below), and each year, we “Uber” our way out to Pappadeaux for what is always a wonderful dining experience.
Pappadeaux is based in Louisiana, but has several dozen locations from Texas to Arizona and north to Denver and Chicago. Seafood, Cajun style, is their specialty and shrimp and oysters are the stars of the culinary show.
We generally start off with a dozen oysters on the half-shell. The oysters are fresh from the Gulf of Mexico, firm, juicy and packed with flavor.
The menu offers a huge variety but our favorite entrée is a seafood platter with oysters, shrimp and perhaps deep fried catfish. Their fried shrimp are simply the best in the world. Big, succulent Gulf shrimp, Pappadeaux uses a special breading and the shrimp alone are worth a thousand mile trip for a single dinner.
What separates Pappadeaux from other seafood chains is fresh seafood. Not frozen fresh, but fresh and never frozen, flown and delivered fresh from the docks of the Gulf to each restaurant location.
If you find yourself in a Texas or Southwest location with a Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, make reservations and come hungry.