Second Helpings: Catfish II
We've got catfish … lots and lots of catfish.
Fri., May 2, 2003
Dot's Place
11385 Orchid, 255-7288
Monday-Friday, 11am-2pm; Friday, 6-8:30pm
We've always been big fans of the divinely crispy whole fried catfish on the bountiful lunchtime menu at this far North Austin down-home cafeteria, but we're sometimes distracted by other items. That's not a problem on Friday nights, however. On Fridays, Dot's opens for an all-you-can-eat catfish feast, complete with perfectly fried catfish, hushpuppies, fries, and all the trimmings, plus an assortment of her marvelous pies and cobblers.
Mr. Catfish
1075 Springdale, 927-6666850 E. Rundberg, 997-7878
Monday-Thursday, 11am-9pm; Friday-Saturday, 11am-10pm
www.mrcatfish.com
The Springdale Road location of this family-owned restaurant proved to be so successful, they expanded to include a new outlet a couple of blocks east of I-35 in 2001. We stopped in one day for lunch and found the place packed with hungry neighborhood business folks, all chowing down on catfish dinners with the traditional trimmings of fries, hushpuppies, and coleslaw.
Quality Seafood
5621 Airport Blvd., 454-5827Monday-Saturday, 10am-7pm
The small cafe in this retail seafood emporium could be one of the best-kept secrets in town. Where could the fish possibly be any fresher, except maybe the coast? The turtle soup, gumbo, and oyster po'boys are just divine, and the fried-fish dinners, catfish included, are wonderful, too. Food prepared to eat in or take out.
Hoover's Cooking
2002 Manor Rd., 479-5006
Monday-Friday, 11am-10pm; Saturday-Sunday, 9am-10pm
www.hooverscooking.com
One of our favorite meals at this friendly home of true Southern cooking has always been the catfish plate with fries and a side of the perfectly spiced jalapeño creamed spinach. Lately, we've discovered the delights of the catfish po'boy, piping-hot fried catfish fillets on a baguette dressed with mayonnaise, lettuce, and tangy pickles. Just delicious.
Threadgill's
6416 N. Lamar, 451-5440Monday-Saturday, 11am-10pm; Sunday, 11am-9pm
301 W. Riverside, 472-9304
Monday-Saturday, 11am-10pm; Sunday, 10am-10pm
www.threadgills.com
Fried-catfish dinners at Threadgill's have been a popular menu item as long as the restaurants have been open in Austin. Several years back, a Cajun/Creole influence found its way into some of the dishes here, and since that time, we've also developed a fondness for the bronzed catfish. This dish features tender, sweet catfish fillets coated with a Cajun spice mixture and sautéed in butter in a very hot skillet. We like it squirted with some lime juice and a little homemade tartar sauce on the side for dipping.
Pappadeaux
6319 N. I-35, 452-9363
Sunday-Thursday, 11am-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 11am-11pm
www.pappadeaux.com
The loud, boisterous Austin outlet of the wildly popular Houston seafood chain seems to do a booming business at all times. Catfish items here include po'boys, dinner plates, and combos with shrimp, oysters, and crab. It's also possible to order the fish fried, blackened, or charbroiled with a variety of side dishes, ô la carte.
