Phipps Feeding Fiasco

The experience

After running a few errands and ending up in Fairview, we decided we’d eat in Allen for dinner.  We’ve always wonder about the bright pink restaurant that is set a little ways back in the Village shopping center and decided we’d try Nate’s Seafood and Steakhouse.  The kids mentioned that they were “starving,” so we headed right over.

We were seated right away out on the patio; it was a pretty nice night out and there was a slight breeze that kept things pretty temperate.  When we were seated, the kids noticed right away that they didn’t have crayons.  I asked about the crayons when the server returned and he replied that they had run out.  I told him that it was torture to give the kids the coloring pages and not have any crayons; he told me he would see if he could find some crayons.  I assume he didn’t since the kids never got any.

Anyway, the menu is massive and it took us awhile to decide what we wanted.  In the meantime, they brought out hush puppies and garlice toast dripping in melted butter.  The kids loved the hush puppies.  I thought the kids just wanted to to do their usual dip everything in butter until Ogre also dipped his hush puppies in ketchup.  I looked wide eyed at Ogre and he replied that it was normal.  I never eat mine like that, I just eat them plain!

Benji also was a big fan of the dripping butter bread and double fisted that til he got more hush puppies.

We put in our order and Benji, who we were allowing to sit in the chair like a big boy, kept popping out of his chair and coming over to “sit in Mommy lap.”  I allowed him to when I was not eating, but he was not allowed to when I was and boy did he take notice of if I had anything in front of me!

When our food came out, Benji kept getting out of his chair and since he couldn’t come over to me, he just randomly wandered off. I’d threatened earlier to him that I’d be getting him a high chair if he didn’t stay in his big boy chair and since he broke the rules, we asked for a high chair and got him settled in that.

The rest of dinner was somewhat uneventful with Mina actually finishing her dinner like a normal person.  Benji did not eat so well at dinner (although he had a snack and yogurt before we left the house).  When our server came to clear the plates, we asked him to leave Benji’s in hopes that Benji would continue to pick at his food.  Instead, Benji picked up his plate and moved it aside and told us, “Benji done, too.”

The food

This restaurant serves Louisiana/Cajun style seafood and, apparently, steaks -we were to engrossed with the Cajun choices to even notice the steaks.  They have a huge menu with a a lot of choices.

For starters, we had the Gator Tails.  These were average to above average.  Some were chewier than others, but overall pretty good.  They serve these with an excellent cocktail sauce and with tarter sauce also.  It does have just the slightest hint of spice, so beware.  Mina, who noticed, was still able to down about 4 pieces.

Ogre had the Creole style Gumbo to start and said that it was excellent.  It has okra and tomatoes in it, which he loves and had bits of scallop, shrimp and crawfish.  It is served with rice on the side.

I ordered the Crawfish Etouffee and it was also excellent, it had a very nice dark and buttery roux and tons of crawfish.  The flavor of the whole dish was great.  I did get to have some heartburn after it (I can’t eat etouffee without Tobasco!), but it was well worth it!!

Ogre ordered the Broiled Seafood Platter, which came with scallops, crab stuffed shrimp, and catfish.  He was afraid that it would not be enough food or that he wouldn’t like the catfish, but he was wrong on both accounts.  He was very complimentary of everything he ate, particularly the Jambalaya that it is served with, and I’d have to agree!  It has a rich tomato sauce and lots of everything!

The kids had the Catfish Meal served with rice.  The kids seemed to enjoy it; I did not try it.  Ogre mentioned that they boast that they only serve wild catfish.  I asked him if that makes a difference in flavor and said he didn’t know, but they catfish today was really good.

The service

Service was very good.  We had three different people coming around here and there and making sure everything was okay.  Our primary server gave us great suggestions and seemed spot on with his recommendations.  Food came out in a timely manner.

The kids

It would have been more kid friendly if they’d had some crayons.  They have an activity paper placemat with the kids menu on it, but today they were out of crayons; hopefully, this is not a perpetual issue.  Other than that, it’s nice and laid back and there were tons of families here tonight.

This was a pleasant suprise after eating at so many not so great seafood/Cajun restaurants recently!  I would definitely recommend this place if you’re in the mood for Louisiana style cooking!

Total: 54 ish bucks

Related Fiascos

• Don’t Do Dodie’s Cajun Seafood Cafe
• Good Stuff’s Cookin’ in the Boudreaux’s Cajun Kitchen