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Galveston: Casey's Seafood Cafe‎

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rocketbunny said:
They have realized that their customers aren't just *simple country folk* who think that the local chinese buff-ay is an exotic night on the town. They've updated their menu, used some imagination, and still kept the country feel. They are wildly successful. (Royer's Round Top Cafe, btw)
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Good for them... but I can also list quite a few places that cater to the simple country folk, have been doing it for decades, and are also WILDLY successful despite not having the Gravelbunny seal of approval. They realize that there are still quite a few simple country folk out there and they want simple country folk meals.

rocketbunny said:
In Ponder, I had an unremarkable cheeseburger and an unremarkable piece of buttermilk pie. It was edible enough, but nothing stood out to enable me to classify it as "good". It was average. Nothing special. Very burger-like. Very pie-like.

I'm sorry. I can't call "same old, same old" good.
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Thank goodness their burgers still taste like burgers, and their pie still tastes like pie. Because when I go there I actually want a burger made from steak trimmings and so far I've gotten exactly what I want every time. If I want a shrimp burger with some sort of black peppercorn mustard, hazelnut sauce, then I wouldn't be going to Ponder to get it.

And the pie.... yep, I wanted a slice of pie that actually tasted like PIE. Yep, just like my grandma makes. That's exactly what I wanted and that's what I got. So overall, I'd say that I was quite happy.

rocketbunny said:
The F&B (food and beverage) industry has taken note of a big trend in recent years. People's tastes are evolving and becoming more sophisticated.

From here:


Even a decade ago this was not the case. Even in rural areas, where you can't go get Pho or Indian on a whim, people watch the Food Network with it's spread of celebrity chefs and ideas for pepping up traditional dishes.

The bottom line is that both the tastes and the demographics of *Normal People* (core group of customers, as you call it) who make up the customer base of these restaurants is changing.
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See, when I want Banh Mi, I got to a Vietnamese sandwich shop to get it. When I want sushi, I go to New Orleans to a sushi restaurant to get it. When I was Thai, I go to a Thai place, when I want Mexican food I go to a place where I can't read the menus. The bottom line is don't expect a restaurant to do something that it wasn't meant to do. If you don't like it, then don't go there. But fortunately it would seem that most of this forum is filled with us stupid country folk just like me that like restaurants for what they are.

BTW, since you are soooo in tune with the industry, I take it that you realize we as a forum greatly overwhelm the staff and cooking capabilities of almost every place we visit for a pie run. This is mainly the reason why I've really never had a "great meal" at any pie run. However, I've been to some of the local places during a normal meal service and found the food to be quite an improvement. But I guess you already knew that most of these kitchens were only designed to put out a few meals at a time and having 100 motorcyclists come it at once is tough to accommodate.

Bottom line, take it for what it is, and if you don't like it, then vote with your dollar. But I sure am glad I have places where I can go that haven't sold out with $25 shrimp burgers, and I can still go get an old fashioned burger with steak fries.

Oh yeah, your commercial... yep, haven't seen it, don't know what you're talking about. I don't watch TV, care to send a youtube link?
 
I couldn't care less what it looks like in an eatery or on the plate. It all looks the same when it comes back out.
 
what is that line ...

hire them young while the still know everything

Much of the criticism and many of the accolades tossed about in this thread can be said about any restaurant.

One reason hospitality design is so edgy is because the restauranteurs are constantly looking for the “one thing” that will set them apart from the myriad of similar restaurants out there vying for the consumers bucks. In that all too many of them fail because good “design” never will overcome lack of service and lackluster food, the design cycle can quickly begin again.

Jack Knox owns two of the more successful (longest lived) restaurants in Dallas, Café Pacific and Patrizio. He is thrilled when he has a leap year because that one day he does not have to pay any rent, so his margins go way up.

Like many businesses, being a restauranteur is a good way to make a million bucks ... out of ten million.

RB - I'll save you the ride ... don’t try the Poly Grill ... no decor and the food ... well let’s just say it is old school ... before celebrity this and that got hold of food.

I think the first time I ate at Guido's it was around 1971~1972. They consistently rank as one of the better places on the Gulf. I haven't been to Caseys only because I nearly always stay at Guido's so I get to cut in the front of the line.
 
DFW_Warrior said:
Good for them... but I can also list quite a few places that cater to the simple country folk, have been doing it for decades, and are also WILDLY successful despite not having the Gravelbunny seal of approval. They realize that there are still quite a few simple country folk out there and they want simple country folk meals.
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Just an example:
http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/532245.html
 
There is another place in Galveston that many people dont know about.

It is called Clary's. It is off of teichman road behind the newspaper building.
The atmosphere is great and I loved the food.

I am also a big fan of caseys and gaidos.

The old school fish houses are becoming a thing of the past.
 
May I interest anyone in McDonald's? :headbang:



I didn't think this was the point but I know lots of interesting places to go. Just last weekend I tried this place: http://www.maryzcuisine.com The presentation was plain but the food was interesting. Then again, I'd never tried Lebanese food before, nor had I ever smoked a hookah (Turns out its a bong-type thing not a Lady of the Evening...who knew? :ponder: ) But I'm not so sure that any of the more interesting/unique/cool places that I know of would be appropriate for a motorcycle pit-stop, which was what I thought this site was looking for.
 
Nothing wrong with that. Sometimes good ole comfort food is what the doctor ordered.

Unfortunately for Galveston, I don't recall ever having a "great" meal there. Casey's has satisfied me, but I've not been exhilerated by it. Same with Gaido's. The fact that it might be the best Galveston has to offer doesn't mean it's something I'd go out of my way for. H-town and DFW have much better $$$$ restaurants. I'd actually call Gaido's a $$ by comparson. But I would never go to Galveston with a food destination as my sole reason. Eating is just something you do while you happen to be there.

Problem with Galveston is it's boring. There's nothing to make people want to go there. I grew up in Philly so I would go to the Jersey shore. I don't care for the beach but the boardwalks made up for it. On the boardwalk it was shops, arcades, movies, rides and all kinds of things to eat. And let me not forget the Douglass saltwater taffy shop. Under the boardwalk..that's another kind of fun.;-)

Galveston needs a boardwalk. One can only visit Moody Gardens, the train and warplane museum so many times.
 
Galveston ain't got no boardwalk, but they do have the Strand district. The confection shop you seek and other esoteric shops are over there.
Schiltterbahn under the dome is now open and the Fertitta vs. Moody war continues to bring new things to the island (for better or worse).
It's no Jersey shore, but it's a pretty good respite not far away for over a million folks.
 
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