I have always liked Pappdeaux. I remember eating all you can eat Lobster many years ago at one of their Chicagoland venues. I wasn't planning on going here the other night but just decided to dine here on a whim when I was traveling North on the 17 heading for another restaurant. The parking lot was about 90% full. I waited for one of the kitchen help to leave since he thought it was okay to take up 2 parking spots.
There was a 45 minute wait on a Friday night which is not unusual and not a big deal for me. After being seated we ordered drinks and checked out the extensive menu. I decided to go with the catfish and fries which was in the $14 dollar range. I have to say that I was not happy with how my entrée was plated. Two fried catfish filets on top of the fries, completely cutting the fries off from plain sight. So how do you eat the fries? I transferred the catfish to my bread plate. I noticed that all of the other diners around me had all of their food presented in a professional manner. I'm guessing that they either ran out of plates or just thought that since my entrée was only $14 bucks that it didn't matter. I've been to greasy spoon places that did a better job separating the fish from the fries in a basket.
The Catfish was just okay for me. The fries were actually nicely seasoned and delicious. I will not order this entrée again since it was unspectacular. In fact, the next time I go to Pappadeaux, I am going to try to snag one of those semi-private outdoor areas in back. This seating backs into the gorgeous grounds around Pappadeaux. Also, the lighting around the restaurant and parking lot was excellent as well.