Inside My Table #49 | Restaurant listings
Hauling In a Catch
This is a city of seafood restaurants — Mexican seafood, Asian seafood, Italian seafood and, of course, Gulf Coast seafood. Aren’t we lucky to live in a state with more than 1,000 miles of jaggedy coastline? The listings below are just a sampling of what Houston has to offer. Note: The Chilean sea bass population is heavily stressed now by overfishing. Let’s order it less often.
AQUARIUM, 11 Kemah Broadway bet. Hwy. 146 & 6th Street, Kemah, 281-334-9010. There’s no question that The Aquarium is as much about total sensory gratification as it is about putting seafood into your mouth. This impressive Disney-esque restaurant — stunning architecture, a well-stocked 50,000 gallon aquarium — is definitely a scene, and the Kemah original has recently been joined by a downtown Houston location. $$-$$$
BABIN’S SEAFOOD HOUSE, 17485 Tomball Parkway at Gessner, 281-477-9300. This is one of Quattro chef Tim Keating’s favorite seafooders, located in the 1960 area. He describes “great friendly service, and the fish selections are always numerous and very fresh. Our past two visits found some great golden tile and grouper.” Denis Wilson, who has Denis’ Seafood House, was part of the original food team. $$
CHRISTIE’S SEAFOOD & STEAKS, 6029 Westheimer bet. Fountainview & Hillcroft, 713-978-6563. Older than Massa’s, older than Gaido’s, this is our area’s very oldest seafood dynasty and celebrates its 85th anniversary this year. Still the best-selling item: fried shrimp. Although the Christie family is Greek, the food style is old-time Gulf Coast. The kitchen still makes all the house sauces and dressings. $$
CONNIE’S SEAFOOD, 8520 Gulf Freeway at Monroe, 713-641-5003, and other locations. Connie’s is a good choice to represent all of the Mexican “you-buy, we-fry” seafood restaurants that are one of our local culinary wonders, including the Taqueria Cancun and Ostioneria 7 Mares chains. None of them is the least bit fancy. But the seafood is utterly fresh, and you can have it exactly as you want it. $-$$
FISH TALES, 2502 Seawall Blvd., bet. 25th & 26th Sts., Galveston, 409-762-8545. Stick with the fried stuff (including curlicues of tender-fried calamari), the rare tuna with wasabi teriyaki and chilled crab claws at this tourist favorite. A great Seawall location and the best bar band on the island equal a long wait for a table. Go early, if you’ve got kids in tow. $$
GOODE CO. SEAFOOD, 10211 Katy Freeway west of Gessner, 713-464-7933, and other location Seafood gumbo, oyster po’boy and crawfish etouffee, yes, but Jim and Levi Goode’s passport to heaven is the campechana extra, that sweet-tart Mexican-style seafood cocktail mined with chunks of ripe avocado. Both locations, with their respective gallery of photographs, are a true-life tribute to Gulf Coast fishing. $$
LANDRY’S, 8816 Westheimer near Fondren, 713-975-7873, and other locations. Sometimes all you really want is a huge platter of fried seafood, and Landry’s does this very well indeed. There’s a mixed-appetizer platter on the menu that delivers about a ton of battered, perfectly fried shrimp, crab claws, catfish filets, oysters, etc. Just don’t try eating this alone. $$
MASSA’S, 1160 Smith St. at Dallas, 713-650-0837. Massa’s and its sibling, Massa’s Seafood Grill on Lamar across from The Four Seasons are from brothers Michael and Joseph Massa, whose family has been serving seafood to Houston and Galveston since 1944. Their traditional Gulf Coast cuisine and pasta are popular among downtown workers for a weekday lunch. $$
McCORMICK & SCHMICK’S, 1151 Uptown Park at Post Oak Blvd., 713-840-7900. If you love oysters, this is your place, for M&S’s sells more varieties of raw oysters than any other Houston restaurant. (We’re partial to the tiny, deep-cupped kumamoto and coppery-tasting malpeque.) Additionally, the daily-changing menu offers all kinds of seafood rarities. On the decor side, this is one of Houston’s most attractive seafooders; ask to be seated in one of the intimate “snugs.” $$$
PAPPADEAUX SEAFOOD KITCHEN, 2410 Richmond Ave. at Kirby, 713-527-9137, and other locations. Very popular, this chain of Cajun-accented seafood restaurants is known for its large portions, big crowds and high noise level. Fans recommend mahi-mahi, shrimp fondue, stuffed crab and shrimp en brochette. $$
PESCE, 3029 Kirby Dr. at W. Alabama, 713-522-4858. Finally, the homegrown white-tablecloth seafood restaurant, as ambitious as any French or New American spot, that Houston deserves. And, approaching its second anniversary, Pesce is showing some consistency. Of course, chef Mark Holley’s seafood martini is legendary and has already been knocked off countless times. Also try the Dover sole (when available). $$$
SALTWATER GRILL, 2017 Post Office St., bet, 20th & 21st Sts., Galveston, 409-762-3474. With neither a Seawall nor a Strand address, Danny Hart’s seafood spot has nevertheless managed to convince some fish-lovers that this is Galveston’s best. There’s not a deep-fryer anywhere (!), and the fare is selected at the Galveston docks every day. If you know where the 1894 Opera House is, you can find Saltwater Grill. $$
