Steve
01-04-2009, 04:30 AM
Catfish Alley: By Rebecca Zish/Las vegas City Life
Although its name sounds like a comic strip my grandfather might have read alongside Pogo and Lil' Abner in the funny papers, the cooking done at Catfish Alley is a serious Southern fish fry.
The Catfish Alley tagline reads, "We're Right Up Your Alley!" As corny as that seems, I'm inclined to agree. Besides the restaurant being impeccably clean with a helpful staff, the food is just what I'd hoped for. Rather than trying to be all things to all people, Catfish Alley essentially stays in the realm of fried fish and Southern side dishes.
The catfish themselves are flaky filets in a light breading that come either hot or plain. When I chose hot, my order was yelled back to the cook as, "Cajun!" So I expected something really spicy. While that's not what it was, the flavor was pleasantly robust and I enhanced it with the zesty tartar sauce and extra hot sauce that was included.
The two-piece fish dinner comes with fries for $6.99 or your choice of any two sides and hush puppies for $7.99. I was thrilled to see the option of fried okra on the menu, and even happier once I tasted it. There were more than 30 pieces in my dinner box, all perfectly cooked, not tough or mushy. To complement my Southern-style meal, I also ordered collard greens, which I usually find gritty. But the generous portion of greens here were savory, with an agreeable texture, and I would definitely order them again. The bite-sized hush puppies were also a welcome addition to my dinner.
If you're in the mood for something other than catfish, dinners can be ordered with jumbo shrimp, clam strips, oysters, chicken strips or chicken fried steak. If okra and greens aren't your thing, there are other hearty but less unusual sides offered, such as baked beans, baked potato and corn on the cob. Even young eaters will probably enjoy Catfish Alley. There's a kids' meal -- one chicken strip, five mini-shrimp and fries -- for only $3.99 and a delightful and distracting fish tank in the dining room.
Catfish Alley
3620 E. Flamingo
450-3474
http://www.lvcitylife.com/articles/2009/01/02/eat_and_drink/dining/iq_25959286.txt
Although its name sounds like a comic strip my grandfather might have read alongside Pogo and Lil' Abner in the funny papers, the cooking done at Catfish Alley is a serious Southern fish fry.
The Catfish Alley tagline reads, "We're Right Up Your Alley!" As corny as that seems, I'm inclined to agree. Besides the restaurant being impeccably clean with a helpful staff, the food is just what I'd hoped for. Rather than trying to be all things to all people, Catfish Alley essentially stays in the realm of fried fish and Southern side dishes.
The catfish themselves are flaky filets in a light breading that come either hot or plain. When I chose hot, my order was yelled back to the cook as, "Cajun!" So I expected something really spicy. While that's not what it was, the flavor was pleasantly robust and I enhanced it with the zesty tartar sauce and extra hot sauce that was included.
The two-piece fish dinner comes with fries for $6.99 or your choice of any two sides and hush puppies for $7.99. I was thrilled to see the option of fried okra on the menu, and even happier once I tasted it. There were more than 30 pieces in my dinner box, all perfectly cooked, not tough or mushy. To complement my Southern-style meal, I also ordered collard greens, which I usually find gritty. But the generous portion of greens here were savory, with an agreeable texture, and I would definitely order them again. The bite-sized hush puppies were also a welcome addition to my dinner.
If you're in the mood for something other than catfish, dinners can be ordered with jumbo shrimp, clam strips, oysters, chicken strips or chicken fried steak. If okra and greens aren't your thing, there are other hearty but less unusual sides offered, such as baked beans, baked potato and corn on the cob. Even young eaters will probably enjoy Catfish Alley. There's a kids' meal -- one chicken strip, five mini-shrimp and fries -- for only $3.99 and a delightful and distracting fish tank in the dining room.
Catfish Alley
3620 E. Flamingo
450-3474
http://www.lvcitylife.com/articles/2009/01/02/eat_and_drink/dining/iq_25959286.txt