JOE TESS RESTAURANT

We read about this restaurant in the Roadfood Book and it's also been on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, one of our favorite programs on the Food Channel. So-we thought we'd try it. Up to this point, we've been pleased with their choices. Now I'll admit that we don't eat much fried food anymore for obvious reasons, so that may have colored our judgement. But-it wasn't very good. They're known for their fresh seafood, especially carp and catfish. We thought we'd try a sampler-Don had carp, shrimp and chicken, and I had carp, shrimp and catfish. They serve it on a piece of rye bread with three slices of dill pickles hidden under thinly sliced fried potatoes and coleslaw. It wasn't greasy, but had thick coating so you could barely taste the shrimp, and just didn't taste very good. It was interesting, but if we ever returned, and I doubt it, I'd have broiled salmon.

They also have a seafood market in one part of the building. It's probably good.



I wouldn't go for the ambience-it's in a Latino neighborhood, on the side of a hill, overlooking a trucking company and a major highway. But-remember-it's interesting!