4 Quick Notes:

Mississippi Fish Shack: I hope the new location – in a gas station by Macy’s – works for them. The breading may still be too salty for some, but I’m a fan. I like Kim – who brought my son two additional pieces of fish after he scarfed the others down – even more. I try to imagine that happening at…

Red and Moe: They’re not going to match Lombardi’s in anything but price, but the pizza’s above average and the salad’s not bad. For those wondering about the $15 mussels and odd hours, the former wasn’t worth it on my first try and regarding the latter, the owners own the building. I sense this is a hobby as much as a profit-seeking venture. Also, since it’s counter service, ordering a second beer (or another pizza – they’re not large) means another wait in line. Odd.

Wine Cellar and Bistro: Reliable sources indicate the new fall menu is as good as it looks (even if they do spell “shiitake” incorrectly throughout). Particular raves have gone to the pork belly Wellington. Mmm.

House of Chow: Despite raves from others, I remain a skeptic. Pork with hard tofu was another recent letdown and there was nothing special about Mrs. SMEs’ mu shu pork, either. I want to like the place, but it just keeps coming up short when compared to nearby Mandarin House.

Mississippi Fish Shack

Despite one hell of an paint scheme, the media love fest continues for Mississippi Fish Shack. And justifiably so. Despite some iffy service, everything I’ve had there has been top-notch.

Take Two: Mississippi Fish Shack

Prejudices are bad. Convenient, but bad. Mississippi Fish Shack is a case in point. I find their blinding yellow facade garish and unappetizing. I held out for months before giving the place a shot. My first visit proved promising, even as they tested my patience. On my second trip my food came out within five minutes and was even better than the first…better catfish, I dare say, than Catfish Corner (not to mention the hush puppies). Crunchier and more aggressively-seasoned, the strips may not appeal to all. But it suited me well and is a worthy addition to our downtown food scene.

How great is it that each of the new restaurants downtown – MSF, Bleu, The Rome and Room 38 – are all, to varying degrees, good places to eat?

First Take: Mississippi Fish Shack

After a couple of months of hemming and hawing I decided yesterday to put my reservations about Mississippi Fish Shack away (shocking yellow facade outside, reports of so-so food inside) and give them a shot. A blast of Delta Blues hit me as I walked through the door. “Robert Freaking Johnson,” I thought to myself. Nice, very nice.

It was a good thing I had the music to keep me company, as the bizarre oil lamps and knick-knacks behind the bar sure weren’t going to do it. The food wasn’t going to do it, as I waited every bit of a half-hour for an oyster po boy, greens and fried pickles. The kitchen clearly outpaces the service at Mississippi Fish Shack. Consistently cooks shouted “order up”  for entire minutes before a server finally arrived to gather the plates for delivery. And this was on the lee side of the lunch rush.

But then, the food.