Bottom Line: Daddy’s in South Padre offers some great Cajun food along with an extensive menu that should satisfy most diners.
I was recently on a trip to South Padre Island in Texas, and while I was there I found myself craving–obviously enough–seafood. Now the island has no shortage of seafood restaurants, but as a lover of spicy food I also wanted something with a kick. So when I saw the sign for Daddy’s Seafood Market and Cajun Kitchen, I figured that offered the perfect combination and convinced my traveling companion that was where we should stop for dinner.
The place is owned by Alfonso Salazar, aka “Dirty Al”, and it is one of seven restaurants he owns in South Padre and the surrounding area. Three of his restaurants have Dirty Al’s in the name, and the Daddy’s menu is very similar to Dirty Al’s Bayou Grill with plenty of selections offering a Cajun twist. And with that in mind, I knew that I had to start my meal off with a Lousiana classic: the cup of the shrimp gumbo.
When our very attentive waiter brought it out, it looked almost perfect with the dark broth and veggies bursting from the cup and a small bowl of rice on the side. As I started to dig into the gumbo–with the cup full to the brim–I was quite delighted to find a generous portion of shrimp hiding beneath the surface. There were at least six of the hefty crustaceans in there (how did they all fit?), and they were perfectly cooked with none of the iodine taste that can quickly kill a seafood dish. The broth was rich and plenty thick, with big chunks of vegetables swimming about. Now I’m one who prefers that okra is left out of gumbo because it tends to take over the flavor, but they managed to balance it out so that it complimented the soup. And while it was not too spicy (they cater to the tourist crowd), a few drops of Dirty Al’s Jalapeno Sauce rectified that and definitely satisfied my need for heat (more on the sauce in an upcoming post).
I thought about going for fish for my main meal, but the etouffee caught my eye, and even though it is similar to gumbo I had to give it a try (picture above). This time I went for a different crustacean and ordered the crawfish, and I got it on the combo with the etouffee and fried crawdaddys. Again, I wasn’t disappointed as a hefty portion was brought to the table and the etouffee met up to all expectations. It was perfectly seasoned with a nice, thick roux, and there was plenty of crawfish to scoop up. The fried portion was quite generous as well, delivering quite a number of tasty nuggets. And the rice was just slightly seasoned to give it that little something extra. Again, the meal itself was not too spicy, but the Dirty Al’s Habanero Sauce helped kick it up just right.
And while that was certainly a lot of food across those two courses, I happened to glance at the dessert menu earlier and saw one of my all-time favorites: key lime pie. After letting the meal settle, my dinner companion and I decided it was time for the final course, and once again I was not disappointed. The pie had that perfect tartness and creaminess that you expect, and the portion was just enough that I did not feel too stuffed at the end. My only regret was that I didn’t get a cup of strong Cajun coffee to go with it (just slipped my mind).
Daddy’s is a sizeable restaurant and you can tell they are prepared for large crowds of beach visitors. They have an extensive menu that should satisfy most diners even if they are not looking for seafood. They also have a full bar, but sadly no beers on tap (they did have an okay selection of bottled beers). The prices are about standard for a seafood restaurant, and certainly below the over-priced tourist-trap level. They definitely scored with the Cajun dishes I tried, and next time I am in town I will be checking this place out to sample some of their other selections. Daddy’s is open seven days a week starting from 11 AM and they are right on the strip.
Daddy’s Seafood Market and Cajun Kitchen
1808 Padre Blvd.
South Padre Island, TX 78597
Website: daddysrestaurant.com