Casey's

The hubs and I spent a great day at Galveston State Park and worked up a huge appetite, so we were happy to find a casual sit-down place called Casey's. The promise of 20 beers on tap lured us in -- and yes, we did enjoy some of them -- but we were surprised and delighted by how delicious the food was.

We started with the mozzarella sticks, which were basic but tasty. I had the Gulf Coast burger (also known as a Po Boy burger) with waffle fries. This was a very nice beef patty topped with lettuce, tomato, and fried shrimp and crawfish in a remoulade sauce. If you don't think that sounds appetizing (WEIRDO), take my word for it, and give it a try. The seafood really shown without overpowering the burger, the meat was juicy but didn't make the seafood soggy, and the homemade bun it was served on was still warm and very tasty. A creative, filling sandwich.



For whatever reason, my husband decided we needed to see the desert menu. We ended up sharing a piece of the key lime cheesecake. Like my sandwich, this dessert combined two classics without ruining either of them. Do you like cheesecake? Do you like key lime pie? If so, you'll like this. I did.



Our server was very sweet and attentive. We certainly never wanted for anything while we were there, and honestly -- we're both so full that we're still hating life right now, hours after our meal. Go to Casey's with a big appetite and an open mind. You won't be disappointed.

Ragin' Cajun

I ate at Ragin' Cajun several weeks ago. I didn't have my camera on me, so our friend snapped a pic with his iPhone, and he didn't send the picture until recently. I'll try to remember as much as I can.

We went on a Sunday afternoon and were a little surprised to find a healthy party crowd. It wasn't super-crowded or rowdy, but there were plenty of people drinking plenty of beer. Seemed like my kind of place.

I had the fried oysters. It was the very end of oyster season -- but I'm pretty sure that Ragin' Cajun serves oysters many ways year-round. My fried oysters were served with a spicy cocktail sauce, fries and hushpuppies. I can't really remember more about them, except that I liked them (as much as I generally like all fried oysters).

Here's what they looked like:



In hindsight, I probably should have ordered something a little more ethnically Cajun. I probably should have also blogged about this while I still had some semblance of a memory of the place. I apologize. I can say this: if you like to drink on a Sunday, Ragin' Cajun is the place for you. And that's enough for me.

Mama's Cafe

Mama's Cafe is housed in a funky little building on Westheimer Avenue. Outside, an old-fashioned Coke sign advertises steak and beer. The cement floor and walkway is speckled with a dog's footprints. The place has a great ambiance, but unfortunately there's a strange sewage/sulfur smell that hangs around the front door, which is probably no fault of the restaurant but doesn't exactly inspire you to eat much.

Inside, the building is much larger than it looks from the street, and thankfully smells better too. The menu is comprised of simple, Southern-inspired foods. I went with a chicken fried steak salad, which was served with very good homemade cornbread and butter.



I'm not going to lie, the salad wasn't anything special. That's probably because of what I ordered. As my husband pointed out, there's not much you can do to mess up some greens with fried chicken on top -- and there's not much you can do to make it great either. It was fresh, filling, tasty and cheap. There's not much more I can say besides that.

Service was friendly and competent. I would -- and will -- definitely go back to Mama's, if only because it's a fun, casual place that wasn't too crowded on a Saturday. If you're looking to eat at a local joint with a great atmosphere, give Mama's a try -- but maybe hold your breath for a second on the way in.