= THE BEST = PRETTY GOOD=NOT BAD = NOT WORTH THE TRIP = MICKEY D'S IS MORE CAJUN THAN THIS PLACE
I found this place by accident, on my way to another Cajun restaurant and decided to give it a try. I was most pleasantly surprised. Although fairly small (seating capacity is 50), the Shuck-N-Dive could almost be a small cafe on Bourbon Street. From the artwork on the walls to the mardi gras beads dangling everywhere, from the friendliness of the helpful wait staff to the Chubby Carrier CD on the jukebox, the atmosphere is exceedingly warm and pleasant. Three TVs tuned in to various sporting events (including the Stanley Cup
Dallas-Colorado playoff game, a big plus for us) made it a double delight.
We started off our meal with an order of crawfish (market price, which was $4.99 a pound on the night we visited) and a cup of gumbo. The gumbo was thick and spicy, although not too, and the crawfish, alive when we arrived, made our lips tingle and caused us to call out for "more beer here!". Brought to our table in a bucket, they disappeared in short order.
I opted for the Cajun Combo Platter (Chef's Choice), which changes from order to order. Mine arrived bearing a huge soft-shell crab, two lamb chops and a delightful concoction of rice, okra and tomatoes. My dining companion ordered the Buffalo Burger (100% lean ground Western Buffalo), which was huge and cooked perfectly.
Dessert was a no-brainer: bread pudding in warm bourbon sauce. Surrounded by large dollops of freshly whipped cream and swimming in a delectable bourbon sauce, the bread pudding had me almost ready to give up men in favor of a lifetime supply.
The service was a bit slow, but everything is cooked to order and well worth the wait. Once we had finished our meal, there was no rush to get us to vacate the table. We enjoyed the rest of the game (GO, DALLAS!) in sated relaxation.
Other items on the menu, which we intend to go back and sample in full, are oysters, shrimp and hot wings for starters, as well as po-boys, red beans and rice, jambalaya, burgers, muffalatta, and a grilled tasso and andouille platter, to name a few. Beverages available include domestic, imported, and microbrewed beers, wine and the usual soft drinks.
Our advice: Try it now, because once this place gets known, you'll be waiting for a table.
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