Road Trips — By Apryl Chapman Thomas on February 18, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Filed under: Restaurants & Bars, seafood, Southern Food, Southern-Byways, Things to See in Alabama, Travelogues, vacation, Weekend Trip

Tales from the Road…Ending the Trip with Seafood at the Original Oyster House

If you take anything away from my travels, be sure it’s the fact that you always need to end a trip with a good dinner. And in Mobile, Ala., the hard part is choosing exactly at what restaurant to enjoy your last meal. For me, it was the Original Oyster House.

Located off the Causeway (their other location is in Gulf Shores), overlooking Mobile Bay, Original Oyster House is just one of those fun, easy-going, casual seafood restaurants that you tend to associate with coastal areas.

As for the menu, for starters I recommend trying the Ya-Ya Shrimp ($8.50), which is great if you like a little kick. Of course, you can’t go wrong with oysters on the half shell ($7.95/half dozen; $9.95/dozen). There’s also steamed shrimp ($10.50), mid-Bay blackened shrimp ($7.95) and Blue Crab Claws (market).

I thought I was only going to have the Ya-Ya Shrimp and a few steamed oysters, but when I read about the lump crab cake and bacon salad ($9.50), I was intrigued and knew I had to try it. And boy did I! It’s a large, but very tasty, salad.

Back to the dinner options, you’ll find everything from Mahi (known as Mahi Down on the Bayou at $16.95) to a crab stack ($14.95) that includes fried green tomatoes to a shrimp trio ($16.95). Their favorites include the Causeway Seafood Platter ($14.95) or the the seafood basket ($13.95), either is great if you can’t make up your mind on exactly what you want. If you’re a crab claw fan, consider ordering the fried shrimp and crab claws platter ($14.50).

The dinners come with two sides, such as corn on the cob, New Orleans red beans and rice, and French fries. I say go for the cheese grits. For an extra $1.50, you can add the salad bar as one side.

A kid’s menu for dinner is available as well.

Now, I would be a bad person if I didn’t mention dessert. Yes, because they are known for their key lime pie and their peanut butter chocolate-chip pie. For $4.25, order one of each. They also feature a dessert of the day.