Pappadeaux's (warmed over)

I saw on another board that people were asking about Pappadeaux's. I don't need any more excuse than that to dig something out of the file and add it to the LTH database. If you read this the first time around, sorry to have bored you with it again. Anyway, from January 2003:

A supposedly fun place I'll never eat again

So I had a meeting in Elk Grove Village and entertained thoughts of hitting True World Market on the way back, but wound up having to grab something in a business lunchy type setting (that did not involve asking them to carve off pieces of toro and plop them straight in my mouth-- the suggestion of Japanese was generally rejected, in fact). So we wound up at the place I've always whizzed by while heading to Mitsuwa or something Japanese out there: Pappadeaux's Cajun Seafood Whatsis, at Arlington and Algonquin.

Like so many things in the burbs, it is huge (imagine the Sulzer Library turned into a restaurant) and nonetheless packed to the walls at lunch. It is also aggressively, aggressively ersatz, movie-set-like in its gleamingly modern evocation of a Louisiana bayou crabshack that also happens to be a Lexus dealership.

Calvin Trillin used to joke about the sort of unfocused "continental" cuisine that they served all across Generica at La Maison de la Casa House. But as Americans have become more aware of ingredients and regional cuisines, the problem is no longer that everything is sorta half-French in a regression-to-the-bland-middle kind of way, but that food becomes a bizarre multicultural experience-- the waiter has barely gotten the words "authentic Cajun" out of his mouth before he's telling us about the Alaskan salmon in the tomato pesto sauce with melted jack cheese. It was hard to keep a straight face as every special suggested the collision of two individually respectable dishes into a state of sensory overload in which the only sensible thing to do with a poorboy sandwich is eat blue-cheese-stuffed flounder on top of it in a vodka horseradish bechamel. You know, like they do in Nawlins.

Somewhere around the Death by Chocolate Covered Okra I found it impossible to concentrate on the 64-page menu and was desperately thankful for the revelation that the back page had a simple, 30 or 40 item lunch menu. It took me about ten seconds after that to order crawfish etoufee and be done with the damn thing. Could they screw up a dish like that?

Well, no, it wasn't wretched. Perhaps there's a regional Louisiana airline that serves blander crawfish etoufee. But it was deeply ordinary, a sad end for the several dozen crawdads who died to make my supersized portion. The overall effect I think was like that of a big summer movie like Men in Black II or Pearl Harbor that announces its arrival for months and months at enormous expense and promises a certain sort of excess, and turns out to be neither surprisingly okay (like Spiderman) or memorably ghastly (like Godzilla) but simply... ordinary, in a completely unmemorable and ignorable way. Maybe if it had had blue-cheese flavored bok choy pesto and a tamari mole on it, that would have created enough density of flavor that I would have been fooled into thinking I'd liked it; but it was just etoufee, made in the authentic style of the Lutherans of central Iowa. A year from now I will stumble across this post and that will be the first time I remember that I ever even went there.

So I finally went to Heaven on 7. This comes to mind because my last visit to Pappadeaux (motto: decent fish, over-sauced, everything else is clearly an afterthought) was for a quick dinner of Gumbo (truly, amazingly mediocre) and Oysters (off). A sufficiently bad experience that I will not go back - the crowd discourages me, too.

Heaven on 7 in Naperville takes its Cajun/Creole style much more seriously. Bottles of hot sauces galore - is it coincidence that the house sauces are the best? I tasted every one on the table, and besides the Crystal and Tabasco, which are what they are and quite good at it, the others were blah compared to the Heaven on 7 brand. A rich, dark, gumbo. Flavorful Jambalaya. Good tater tots (no Creole Kethcup we were told, but our waitress was clearly having a bad day, so that may not be true). The Orzalaya a companion ordered was not good for me - the idea is Jambalaya with Orzo instead of rice, a lot more tomato (paste, probably) and some cheese. Maybe some would like it, but it was not to my taste, just a bad version of Jambalaya, or a really weird pasta dish. Too much cheese, in particular, which does not go with Cajun for me.

Anyway, generally good, a little (okay, really, a lot) underseasoned, IMO. These dishes need some more bite, but I like hot food and was able to dose them okay, so no harm.

Will go back for more lunches (when not tempted next door to the steak sandwich and chimichurri bargain at Tango) and try more different dishes. Heaven on 7 has got the basics - Pappadeaux? No.

Pappadeaux is chain eating at its most disguised. I won't eat at any of the Pappa's restaqurants. The few times I have tried any of them, I have been dissapointed.

I would definitely drive right past Pappadeaux and eat at any of the other good places in that area.

We went to Shaw's after seeing a movie at Woodfield yesterday. We usually don't go to that Shaw's because it always looks incredibly crowded, but it was between the lunch and dinner hours. We split a dozen Coromandel oysters. Then L. had seared sea scallops and I had the mixed sashimi platter.The sashimi was the only thing that wasn't outstanding. It was the first time I had tried the sushi-sashimi part of their menu. (Anyone have more experience with it?)

Mike G wrote:I saw on another board that people were asking about Pappadeaux's. I don't need any more excuse than that to dig something out of the file and add it to the LTH database. If you read this the first time around, sorry to have bored you with it again. Anyway, from January 2003:

A supposedly fun place I'll never eat again

Do you really think that a 1-1/2-year-old negative review is a worthwhile addition to the database? Restaurants do change.

I was at Pappadeaux Thursday and had good food and a great time. I would definitely go again, especially for the all-you-can-eat lobster.

bibi rose wrote:I would definitely drive right past Pappadeaux and eat at any of the other good places in that area.

What other good places in the area do you like?

Let's see. Retro Bistro in Mount Prospect is in what I would consider that general area. So is David's Bistro, vaguely. I would recommend both of those highly. (I'm all about the little bistros in the strip malls and in fact would love to hear some more people's favorites. Ravinia Bistro in Highland Park is another favorite but I think I like the Twin Peaks quality of Retro even better. And has anyone been to that Asian restaurant next to Retro Bistro?)

For seafood, specifically? I would consider it worth pressing on to Shaw's in Woodfield or back to Bob Chinn's. My feeling is that if you're already paying for seafood you might as well get something custom-made, unless you are going to a real lobster bake in New England or something.

First I must make my full disclosure statement. From 1999 - 2002 I spent my life working in all aspects from server to managment at both Pappadeaux locations (Arlington Heights, Westmont), but have no current connections to the restaurant except with friends who still wait tables their. I have also been out of the industry completely since 1/1/2003.


In my tenure there I discovered that most people either love or hate the place. This is of no surprise to me, for you will find proponents for either perspective for almost any dining establishment.

I think we must examine what people are ordering in order to properly evaluate the quality of any restaurant. Does Pappadeaux over sauce their food? I think that in most parts the consensus would be yes. But, who says you must order the sauces? Do they offer fresh fish flown in daily (except Sundays), and change the selections depending on the season? Yes.

The environment is intentionally kept at a loud volume, and the service staff is trained to a strict guideline (although you will occasionally find a few who seemed to sleep through training).

Overall, I would say that Pappadeaux does a good job being what they want to be. Their goal is not to amaze diners with haute cuisine, but to fill you up and get you on your way. The portions are usually very filling, and the desserts almost always have to be shared.

To each their own is what I would have to say on this topic. Like it or hate it, Pappadeax has made an impression on the Chicagoland area. Will I make it a destination for future visits? Probably not, but will I have to be dragged in kicking and screaming? No.

With all that said Catch 35 opens in downtown Naperville on July 12. I think I might have to go their for seafood in the burbs next.


Flip

Any details on Catch 35? I was in the downtown area on Saturday but didn't see anything other than Hugo's, which has had a "coming soon" sign up since March, still doesn't look anywhere near being open. Didn't eat anywhere downtown as we had VIP tickets (free food!) to Ribfest and had to focus on that!

LikestoEatout wrote:Any details on Catch 35? I was in the downtown area on Saturday but didn't see anything other than Hugo's

Catch 35 is on the corner of Washington and Benton directly next to the newly constructed parking garage.

The only other details that I have are that they brought chef Eak PrukPitikul from Chicago out to open the restaurant which will carry a menu derived from the downtown location.

Basically, fish and steaks with some European, but mostly asian influences.

The original opening date was supposed to be about a month ago, but was delayed due to construction issues. This week they are doing their mock services with what I believe are invitation only groups.

Flip

Thanks! I used to work for the City of N'ville back when there was nothing edible in the downtown except the Lantern and some other bar where the Hozoni store is....I'd be in heaven now!

bibi rose wrote:It was the first time I had tried the sushi-sashimi part of their menu. (Anyone have more experience with it?)

yes, my wife always orders off of the sushi menu at Shaw's and we've (as of course I snag a piece or two) found it to be hit or miss, but generally on the favorable side.

As for Pappadeux, it just happens to be one of my client's favorite restaurants, he worked at one in Texas while in college, so I've been quite a bit recently.

Most grilled fish has been very fresh and good (the simpler presentation the better). The cajun stuff I generally have not been impressed with.

I did have a killer dish there awhile ago, a special consisting of shrimp with a sliver of jalapeno pepper, wrapped in bacon, grilled, then served with a blue cheese sauce that was terrific. Wierd combo for sure but it clicked that night for me as somehow all the flavors were just bursting.

They do a perfect job IMO, with their fried oysters which is what I've got for lunch the past few outings. Always flavorful and never overcooked/overbreaded.

Do you really think that a 1-1/2-year-old negative review is a worthwhile addition to the database? Restaurants do change.

1. Yes.

Otherwise, why not wipe the entire database clean every few months? In any case, I could hardly have been more upfront about the nature, age, etc. of my repost, and considering that it has spawned a decent thread here, it seems doubly justified.

2. Chain concepts just become even MORE self-parodic. If you want to make a case that a spectacularly inauthentic and plastic restaurant has suddenly become the opposite, go for it...

Flip wrote:I think we must examine what people are ordering in order to properly evaluate the quality of any restaurant. Does Pappadeaux over sauce their food? I think that in most parts the consensus would be yes. But, who says you must order the sauces? Do they offer fresh fish flown in daily (except Sundays), and change the selections depending on the season? Yes.

It also has been some time since I went to Pappadeaux, and, as with any restaurant, I suppose one can order properly and eat well (hell, I even have a strategy for getting an edible meal at Chitpotle). Based on my 3 or 4 visits, and the consensus here, the proper way to order seems to be freash seafood, minimally sauced. My few experiences with their cajun standbys were abysmal. And I do not think I will go back, because there are better seafood places (Chinn's 34th, or whatever the name comes to mind) and much better cajun spots.

But my main question is what is their supply for shellfish? Because the thing that most turned me off from Pappadeaux was a bad experience with oysters - they just did not taste at all fresh. And that pretty much killed the trust I need to have in a fresh seafood place.

LAZ/Leah - do you think it would be okay to combine these two Pappadeaux threads into one?

dicksond wrote:But my main question is what is their supply for shellfish? Because the thing that most turned me off from Pappadeaux was a bad experience with oysters - they just did not taste at all fresh. And that pretty much killed the trust I need to have in a fresh seafood place.

Dickson,

In my experience at Pappadeaux the shellfish which had the largest problem with freshness was the mussels. Most of the Gulf oysters are received on a weekly truck. Other varieties were delivered through the week. I did find, however, that the pacific coast oysters seemed to lose their appeal faster than the atlantic varieties.

btw, if I remember correctly they get their oysters from Plitt Seafood.

Flip

Sweet Willie wrote:I did have a killer dish there awhile ago, a special consisting of shrimp with a sliver of jalapeno pepper, wrapped in bacon, grilled, then served with a blue cheese sauce that was terrific. Wierd combo for sure but it clicked that night for me as somehow all the flavors were just bursting.

Aha! Had forgotten this one, but it was an absolutely wonderful dish - still remember
it (now that you remind me) even though its been a good 2 years since it
was consumed

This was back in the old days when Pappadeaux decided to do a lunch
buffet during the week (or maybe it was just Friday afternoon?) It was
an amazing deal - it was, IIRC, 9.95 for an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet at
the AH location. And, for whatever people may think of Pappadeax, a lot
of us thought it was a pretty damn decent place, and 9.95 was a
mind-bogglingly good deal (in those days Johnnie's didnt exist nearby either).

Of course, I went for the luch immediately - and it was packed quite literally
to the rafters. There was a long line leading to the buffet tables, that snaked
down the stairs (and Pappadeaux, even though its a quite massive place,
was overflowing, even parking wasnt easy to find despite their huge
parkinglot). This is a bad thing in that it took a few minutes to actually
get to the tables to fill your plate - but a good thing in that it meant the
food was rotating very very quickly, and was very fresh.

*Thats* where I first had this dish you mention above - and it was terrific, easily
the standout (Iam still surprised it was on a buffet). The second time I went
back to the tables it was empty, it was obviously very popular too. But they
replinished things very quickly - and I went back twice more just for that, and
little else It really was excellent.

I think the folks at Pappadeaux were probably shocked at the response they
got for their lunch buffet - they must have thought it would just be a sort of
average turnout. And they probably realized very quickly that they couldnt
make much money on it with a 9.95 price and so many seafood-guzzlers
around The deal lasted only a couple of weeks - the next Friday that
I went they didnt have the shrimp dish above, and a week or two after
that the 9.95 lunch-buffet itself vanished for good.

I had asked the girl what the name of this thing was, and did have it a few
more times off the menu on later visits to Pappadeaux in those days (cant
recall it very well anymore - was it shrimp brioche or some such?). Havent
been to Pappadeaux in a while now, however. Also I dont think its regularly
on the menu anyway, just a sort of special (as you mentioned). Do you
happen to know the actual name, and/or when this special
shows up, BTW? Not that youve reminded me of it, I think I might want to
try it again sometime

c8w

c8w wrote:I had asked the girl what the name of this thing was, and did have it a few
more times off the menu on later visits to Pappadeaux in those days (cant
recall it very well anymore - was it shrimp brioche or some such?). Havent
been to Pappadeaux in a while now, however. Also I dont think its regularly
on the menu anyway, just a sort of special (as you mentioned). Do you
happen to know the actual name, and/or when this special
shows up, BTW? Not that youve reminded me of it, I think I might want to
try it again sometime

c8w

c8w

The name of this dish is Shrimp Brochette. A wonderful combination of pork fat surrounding a plump (10-15/lb) shrimp. Combined with the richness of the monterey Jack cheese and mild spice of jalepeno.

IMHO this is probably my favorite item ever offered at Pappadeaux. I especially loved to dunk these shrimp packages into the supplied lemon garlic butter sauce.

The shrimp brochette, to my knowledge, always has been and will be a standard menu item. I have seen similar preparations at Joe's Crab Shack, and Uncle Julio's Hacienda.

Flip

My Pappadeux's post, the gift that keeps on giving, just got yet another commentat that other board. (Hat tip to Erik.)

What's so odd is that he seems to be arguing that I didn't really feel the way I said I did-- fine if you disagree with my claim that vodka martini pasta with shiitake mushrooms is not an authentic Cajun dish, but arguing that I didn't find it bland? What sense does that make?

Well, gosh Mike, what's not to like? I mean, according the latest respondent it's better than, OMG, Red Lobster!!! Why that's even better than Denny's! (I think, I've actually never eaten at RL and my once per decade visits to Denny's just convinced me that "They will serve no food before it's thawed")

As a young boy I had to crawl or swim through ten miles of foul smelling bayou to get to my Grandpappy Pappadeaux's wood and dung burning cabin. I would listen to him spin yarns about Authentic Cajun Cuisine as he prepared my freshly killed alligators with wasabi and truffle shavings, topped with cabrales and a splash of vinagre de tabasco. His crawfish foams and catfish mint soup (hot at the top, cold at the bottom, served in a shotglass, drink all at once)were the stuff of legend in the swamplands! When there was no gator or crawdaddies we ate sand. Luckily, I had the foresight to collect his tales and compiled them into a 64 page tome. Mike G., how dare you tarnish the Pappadeux name! I would berate you further but a friend from Maine has insisted we meet at Red Lobster.[/i]

Kman wrote:Well, gosh Mike, what's not to like? I mean, according the latest respondent it's better than, OMG, Red Lobster!!! Why that's even better than Denny's! (I think, I've actually never eaten at RL and my once per decade visits to Denny's just convinced me that "They will serve no food before it's thawed")

This reminds me of a story my boss tells regarding a meal he had about 15 years ago at a Red Lobster in Terre Haute. He was foolish enough to actually order lobster (do they still serve that there?) and the damn thing was brought out to him still frozen. He didn't have the heart to send it back, and given that level of incompetence, he probably made the proper choice. I think he wound up eating at McDonald's.

I am not one who typically has any use for chain restaurants, with that said I go to the Westmont location of Pappadeux occasionally(Burr Ridge is a tough place to find good food close enough to get back in under an hour)), and typically have had a decent lunch there. Most of the time I order a Po' Boy, or fried shrimp, lobster bisque, or chowder and they are decent. Today I had stone crab claws, and these were as good as any I have had North of Florida(meaty, and perfectly chilled). (2) large claws for $11.00. I also had 1-1/2 cups of crawfish bisque(they sent 2 cups to the table and said I could have the 2nd @ n/c). The bisque was rich, and full of large chunks of tender crawfish.

Not a bad Friday lunch away from work. Not a place I would go for their cajun offerings, or most of their seafood, but today was decent.

As a side note they are offering crawfish with corn, and potato after 5p.m(Tues & Thurs). I believe for $5 for 1.25 lbs. Not a bad price, but Ill stick with my usual crawfish guy who drives them up from Louisiana.

I love Pappadeuax's crawfish boil deal. They've been doing it every March for years now. My wife and I will get 5 pounds worth and have a feast. It's the best value at Pappadeaux.

We used to go to Pappadeaux's back in the all-you-can-eat lobster days, (a while ago) and while they have a few decent things (blackened scallops, shrimp cocktail, gumbo) the rest is mediocre enough not to have any reason to go back. Absent lobsters coming out your ears. You want a crawfish boil, try the Cajun Connection.

Not to be the buzz kill, but anybody know where they source their crawfish? Not dead from China I hope...

Jay K wrote:Not to be the buzz kill, but anybody know where they source their crawfish? Not dead from China I hope...

When I worked there they flew them in daily, live. They, whether you believe it or not, have very high quality standards when it comes to their products.

Flip

trpt2345 wrote: You want a crawfish boil, try the Cajun Connection.

I would if it weren't a nearly 4 hour drive round trip. Pappadeaux's is 5 minutes from my house and their crawfish boil has never disappointed.

I too was told that they fly in their crawfish live daily from Louisiana. They've been sold out a number of times when I've tried to order them. I plan on going there next Thursday to feast on those tasty mudbugs.

Jay K wrote:Not to be the buzz kill, but anybody know where they source their crawfish? Not dead from China I hope...

Flip wrote:When I worked there they flew them in daily, live.

From?

I used to go here a couple times a year because one of my kids was a sucker for the crawfish platter, where he then mixed the fried in with the etouffee. I was told by a server that the source for their regular menu crawfish items was Vietnam. I would assume/hope if they're running a special crawfish boil that the Gulf variety is being used. I always enjoyed their bisques and crab cakes, other items not too much.

Sort of off-topic, but some friends and I were just discussing Pappadeaux's the other night, mostly about how mediocre it is, but none of us could remember what restaurant was there before it was Pappaeaux's...anyone remember the history of this location?

G Wiv wrote:

Jay K wrote:Not to be the buzz kill, but anybody know where they source their crawfish? Not dead from China I hope...

Flip wrote:When I worked there they flew them in daily, live.

From?

Louisiana