Food

Review: Cheap, tasty Cajun gets the job done

Fish Place offers Cajun classics and students on a budget can have a full course meal without spending more than $10. | Rebekah Stearns/The Daily Cougar

Fish Place offers Cajun classics, and students on a budget can have a full-course meal without spending more than $10.  |  Rebekah Stearns/The Daily Cougar

Students looking for satisfying portions of delicious and inexpensive Cajun seafood need look no further than Fish Place.

Despite being near Robertson Stadium, students may overlook the restaurant because of its unassuming facade and the ubiquitous light rail construction.

It can be a chore to access the entrance of the parking lot during rush hour — but it’s worth it for those on a budget.

On average, an entrée, two sides and a drink costs less than $10. Portions are more than generous.

The menu features a decent variety of tacos, po’boys, platters, sides and combos of seafood, chicken and gumbo that are sure to scratch a hungry patron’s itch for Cajun soul food.

Of course, the tradeoff for the generous quantity is a noticeable lack of quality — both in the food and atmosphere.

The fried catfish po’boy and side of gumbo looked fairly indicative of the other menu items but didn’t stand out in anyway.

Worse, it was suspiciously served too quickly after ordering for it to have been freshly made. It’s not expected that every ingredient be fresh, but that hopefully isn’t an excuse to microwave pre-cooked fish.

The interior of the restaurant matches its dull facade. Perhaps the intentions of the decorations were unpretentious, but it came off as lazy instead. Yellow walls, requisite flat screens tuned to sports, a couple of UH pennants and literally nothing else decorates the place.

Service is identical to what can be found in a fast-food joint. Of course, this negates any need for tipping, so it’s more of a plus than a minus. Surprisingly, thirsty post-game revelers will find no alcohol at this establishment.

Ultimately, Fish Place does what it does well. Those looking for cheap, tasty, no-frills, Cajun-style seafood will find just that — and not much else.

Fish Place is located at 3511 Elgin Ave.

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