I have stated ad- nauseam on this site how much I love local food. Most all of my favorite restaurants in Tyler are local examples of regional fare. Travelers who take jaunts across our huge state quickly discover local foods are not unlike the geographical regions of the state, they form a diverse patchwork from one section to the next; Hill Country barbeque, Gulf Coast Cajun and sea food, Mexican / Tex-Mex just about everywhere else. With all the local classics, and the experts to cook them, it’s a wonder to me that corporate and franchise food is eaten here at all.
Over the years the Tyler area has been home to some great local eateries specializing in most of our Texas delicacies. The one greatly missed exception was Cajun sea food. We’ve had a number of such restaurants move in over the years, some great, some just ok, but for whatever reason, even those worthy of a reputation failed to earn one and subsequently closed, leaving a hole in our culinary lives. Things may be changing a bit however. It seems like our area is taking a bit of clue from our eastern neighbors lately, especially when it comes to food. For those of us who love sea food and the gulf coast, this is an encouraging trend. Which brings me to Wade’s Place in Chandler.
I only just discovered this little Texas Cajun hot spot. And based on the crowds patronizing the place, I feel confident that this one will be around a while. Wade’s is everything a small town hole in the wall find, should be: simple, unpretentious, inexpensive and delicious. Inside the restaurant, sports memorabilia from local football and baseball favs adorn the otherwise plain plywood wall; and a couple of flat screen TVs broadcast whatever sporting event happens to be on. The beans are great, the po- boy sandwiches are the best I’ve had outside of New Orleans, and the boudain is incredible, (I must confess to having two). The crawfish were tasty, if a bit small yet. I assume that’s merely because it’s still early in the season.
Wade’s isn’t hard to find if you know it’s there. From Tyler, simply follow 31 west toward Chandler and turn left at the first light, right about the middle of town. The address is 104 E. Main Street in Chandler. They’re closed Monday and Tuesday, and open till 9pm the rest on the week, except on Sunday when they close at 2pm.
Friday and Saturday 11:00am till 11:00pm and Sunday 11:00am till 9:00pm
My wife and I recently came to Tyler and were looking for a good place to eat. My sister-in-law had mentioned that the Fish City Grill was good, so we decided to give it a shot.
The Fish City Grill is in the Macy’s Plaza on South Broadway. We went in, sat down, and placed our drink orders. For drinks you can choose from a frozen gold margarita, Bill’s Bloody Mary, iced tea, peach tea, sodas, pink lemonade, and Community Coffee. I ended up just getting a boring old Diet Coke. Several of the appetizers on the Fish City Grill menu sound really good. My wife was interested in getting an order of Coconut Shrimp but they cost $7.99 for five shrimp. Sure they’re jumbo shrimp, but they aren’t that jumbo. They also have Oyster Nachos, Maryland Crab Cake, Blue Crab Stuffed Mushrooms, Crispy Calamari, Raphael’s Mexican Shrimp Cocktail, Fried Dill Pickles, Honey Chipotle Shrimp, and other tempting options. I am sure the Oyster Nachos are fine, but I have to say that they sound disgusting. It is a little frightening to see the words “oysters” and “nachos” so close together.
There were two specials going on the night we ate at the Fish City Grill. They had all you can eat fried catfish, which was pretty tempting to me. But I was trying to eat healthy so I went with the second special, which was Blackened Tilapia. The Tilapia came with rice and mixed vegetables for $9.99, which I thought was a good deal. I was able to substitute new potatoes for the mixed vegetables at no extra charge. The Blackened Tilapia was very tasty and I was quite satisfied with my meal. My wife ordered the fish and chips which she really enjoyed. I tried one of her waffle fries. The seasoning on it was really good. She did say that they gave her way too many fries, though. Maybe they should call it Fish-N-Chips-N-More-Chips. My wife also got the apple cider slaw with her meal but she didn’t really care for it.
There are several other things to choose from on the Fish City Grill menu. Some Fish City Grill favorites include: Serafin’s Fish Tacos (fried catfish, tangy cabbage, pico de gallo, shredded cheese and bacon ranchero sauce grilled in a flour tortilla and served with chipotle tartar sauce), Mediterranean Pasta (sautéed veggies and feta cheese on bowtie pasta in white wine, garlic, and olive oil), Maryland Crab Cakes, Oyster Dinner, Shrimp Basket, and Cajun Pasta (shrimp or chicken in red chili cream sauce over penne pasta).
The Fish City Grill also has a combination seafood dinner option called Create Your Own Catch. You can choose from shrimp, fried oysters, or catfish served with apple cider slaw and waffle fries or rice.
The Fish City Grill’s Steamer Platters look really good, although they are also the most pricey items on the menu. The Steamer Platters come with Alaskan Snow Crab legs, andouille sausage, new potatoes, and corn on the cob.
The Fish City Grill doesn’t just have seafood though. They also have what they call “Things That Don’t Swim.” These non-swimming dishes include Red Beans and Rice, Hugo’s Louisiana Pot Roast, Chicken Breast Dinner, and Smothered BBQ Chicken.
Don’t forget about the soups, salads, and sandwiches at the Fish City Grill either. The soups at the Fish City Grill come in a cup for $3.99 or in a bowl for $5.99. There are three kinds available: Born on the Bayou Gumbo, Clam Chowder, and Cream of Roasted Jalapeno Soup. There are seven kinds of salad to choose from at the Fish City Grill. Shrimp or chicken can be substituted on any salad and there are several homemade salad dressings to choose from, such as Ranch, Creole Honey Mustard, or Thai Peanut Vinaigrette. The most interesting-sounding salad options are Grilled Salmon (grilled salmon with Asian noodles and capers over mixed greens), Pecan Crusted Shrimp (dried cranberries, feta cheese and honey pecans over spinach with raspberry vinaigrette), and Thai Coconut Shrimp (jumbo coconut shrimp over mixed greens served with Thai peanut vinaigrette).
There are also four kinds of sandwiches at the Fish City Grill and several kinds of Po Boys. Po Boys are served on a baguette with remoulade, lettuce, and tomato with fries or coleslaw, and they all cost $6.99.
Finally, if you find yourself at the Fish City Grill you might want to consider getting one of their Down Home Desserts. Our server told us that their best dessert was the Homemade Bread Pudding (with caramel whiskey sauce). Unfortunately, they were out of it the night we ate there. I guess I’ll have to try that the next time I eat at the Fish City Grill. That, and the Alaska Crab Platter, Buffalo Shrimp Po Boy, and Pecan Crusted Shrimp. Ok, maybe I’ll have to go back a few more times.
My wife and I liked the Fish City Grill in Tyler. It seemed simple and unpretentious and had good food. I would recommend to anyone who is into tasty, affordable seafood.
I have stated ad- nauseam on this site how much I love local food. Most all of my favorite restaurants in Tyler are local examples of regional fare. Travelers who take jaunts across our huge state quickly discover local foods are not unlike the geographical regions of the state, they form a diverse patchwork from one section to the next; Hill Country barbeque, Gulf Coast Cajun and sea food, Mexican / Tex-Mex just about everywhere else. With all the local classics, and the experts to cook them, it’s a wonder to me that corporate and franchise food is eaten here at all.