  |
                    |
Hymel's Seafood Restaurant
River Parishes: 8740 Hwy 44. 225-562-9910. Map.
Very Casual.
AE DS MC V
Website
WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
About two-thirds the way from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, where the Mississippi River's east bank levee meets fields of sugar cane that extend to the horizon, Hymel's is the best casual place to stop on a tour of the plantation country. It's a seafood house in the New Orleans tradition, cooking everything to order and serving it up hot and crisp. Start with some boiled seafood, gumbo, or turtle soup, and accompany it with one of their gigantic frozen schooners of beer. It looks like and is a relic of a simpler time.
WHAT'S GOOD
Chicken, oyster, and andouille gumbo--A terrific River Road specialty little seen in New Orleans.
Turtle soup--Thick and tangy.
Seafood platters or seafood boats--Ample, hot, crisp, well seasoned.
Fried chicken--Fried to order and excellent.
BACKSTORY
The Hymel family was until recently a major planter of sugar cane in the vicinity of Convent, tucked away in a sharp bend of the river. They opened their restaurant in the 1950s. It has long been known to New Orleans diners heading that way, and not only because restaurants are scarce in the area. Many of them discovered the place while on their way to Manresa Retreat House, a few miles down the River Road. No small number of retreatants took a last round or two of beverages before turning themselves over to the Jesuits for three days.
DINING ROOM
The restaurant is bigger than it looks from the outside, and much more skillful about service than the old gasoline pumps in front might suggest. It's a casual room with a decidedly Louisiana decor, and an antique bar.
ESSENTIAL DISHES
Starters
Shrimp cocktail
»Oysters on half shell
»Crab fingers and hush puppies
»Boiled shrimp, crawfish and crabs in season
Shrimp salad
»Shrimp remoulade
Grilled chicken salad
Vegetable soup
»Turtle soup
»Shrimp and corn soup
»Creole seafood gumbo
»Chicken, oyster and andouille gumbo
Entrees
Fried shrimp
Stuffed shrimp
Fried catfish
Stuffed flounder
»Hymel's fish filet
Grilled tilapia, catfish, or snapper
»Whole speckled trout
»Whole fried flounder
Whole fried catfish
»Fried soft shell crab
»Stuffed crabs
Eggplant with crabmeat and shrimp
»Crabmeat au gratin
»Fried oysters
Maine lobster
Frog legs
»Crawfish etouffee
»Crawfish bisque
»Seafood platter
»Shrimp or oyster boat
»Boiled beef brisket
Broiled chicken livers
»Fried chicken
Chicken tenders
Chicken drummettes
Chicken nuggets
Baked potato with crabmeat, shrimp, cheese
Hamburger steak
KC ribeye steak
T-bone steak
Filet mignon
Poor boy sandwiches
Ham
Shrimp
Catfish
Oysters
Ham and Swiss combination
Hamburger on bun
Soft shell crab
Desserts
Pecan cobbler
Cheese cake
Chocolate suicide cake
Bread pudding
Carrot cake
Walnut cake
Ice cream
FOR BEST RESULTS
Ask whether they have any local fish before ordering. The menu defaults of imports like basa and tilapia, but they often get trout and snapper, among other fish. A family secret is a drink called Ping Pong, a sort of frozen daiquiri with the flavor of a nectar soda. Ask for it; you might get it, probably on the house.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
Well, they could get rid of the imported fish.
FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.
- Dining Environment
- Consistency +1
- Service+1
- Value +2
- Attitude +1
- Wine & Bar
- Hipness -2
- Local Color +2
SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
- Live music some nights
- 25-75
- Open Sunday lunch and dinner
- Open all afternoon
- Unusually large servings
- Quick, good meal
- Good for children
- Easy, nearby parking
- No reservations
