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This winter's oyster season is the best in recent history

Comments (0) By Robb Walsh Thursday, Feb 5 2004

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On a previous visit, I made the mistake of ordering barbecued shrimp for dinner. This is the Louisiana version of barbecued shrimp, as invented at Pascal's Manale in New Orleans, which is shrimp cooked in a butter and Tabasco mixture. There isn't any smoke or grilling involved, so it's a little unclear (to Texans, anyway) why they call it barbecue.

Troy Fields

At Joyce's, you can down oysters seconds after they've been shucked.

Location Info

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Joyce's Seafood & Steaks

6415 San Felipe
Houston, TX 77057

Category: Restaurant > Seafood

Region: Galleria

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Details

Dozen raw oysters: $6.95
Fried oysters: $10.95
Barbecued shrimp appetizer: $7.95
Mahimahi: $16.95
Striped bass: $18.95
Filet mignon: $23.95

6415 San Felipe, 713-975-9902. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays.

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The dish is served with lots of crusty bread. It's a deceptive entrée. There aren't that many shrimp, but there's a whole lot of butter. Once you start dipping the bread in the spicy sauce, you're doomed. It tastes fantastic, but it's way too much butter for one person to eat. The barbecued shrimp is also available as an appetizer. I recommend that you order the smaller portion -- and split it with somebody.

I also sampled Joyce's oyster pinwheel, which includes six baked oysters. There are three varieties to choose from: oysters Rockefeller, which is made with creamed spinach; oysters with crabmeat and garlic sauce; and oysters with crabmeat and tomato sauce. I liked the oysters Rockefeller the best and the seafood in tomato sauce the least. But there isn't much reason to order these at this time of year anyway. We have all year to eat cooked oyster dishes, but we have only a few months to eat them raw.

The gumbo at Joyce's is very good, and I love the fact that they serve poor boys here. It keeps the place feeling casual. No matter how you're dressed, you'd feel at home hanging out at the bar, drinking beer and eating a sandwich. Not only is Joyce's Seafood and Steaks one of the best seafood restaurants in the city, it's also a wonderfully relaxed place.