By Mary Alys Cherry
Got a yen for Cajun?
Well, mosey on down to Bacliff for some classic Cajun at Pod-Zu’s at Clifton By The Sea.
It’s not only the prettiest restaurant on the bay, they have some fantastic seafood gumbo and crawfish etouffe.
Heading south, travel down the Gulf Freeway, Highway 3 or Highway 146 until you reach Highway 646, where you’ll turn left and head east until you arrive at Pod Zu’s, sitting there at the corner of Grand Avenue where Clifton By The Sea once stood overlooking Galveston Bay.
The colorful building, trimmed in bright chrome, is so eye-catching, you almost can’t stop looking at it.
Scanning the menu, we found quite a few entrees sure to please the most critical Cajun palate. Dishes such as Shrimp and Smoked Gouda Grits, Blackened Catfish Courtbouillon, Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya, Crabmeat au Gratin, Crawfish Fettuccini, Blackened Chicken and Sweet Mash – even a Cajun Ribeye!
Pod-Zu’s offers a variety of delicious cajun fare such as grilled oysters, spicy crawfish, deviled eggs topped with fried oysters, crab stuffed flounder and even expertly cooked steaks are a part of the menu.
You can order a Stuffed Whole Flounder after starting off with Oysters on the Half Shell, Boudin Balls, BBQ Shrimp or Boudin Poppers – to name a few of their appetizers. Plus a Bread Pudding that is to die for.
They also offer Poboys, a variety of sides including Cajun Fries, and a Kids Menu. We even sampled one their customer favorites –four varieties of oysters: BBQ, Au Gratin, Bayou Scampi and Mardi Gras.
“We are here to provide a bona fide Cajun atmosphere with authentic Cajun food, great service and live music,” says owner Carole Barnett, who studied at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Dallas.
While Pod-Zu’s is new to Bacliff, the family style restaurant actually got its start about three years ago in Texas City, where it was known as Pod-Zu’s Crawfish Shed.
Barnett said she and business partners Darryl Vernon and Chat Conner had worked very hard to make the new restaurant a place where families will want to go.
On weekends, there’s live music out on Da Porch, weather permitting, Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons.
Pod–Zu’s is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Mondays-Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
They invite you to “come on down.”
Excellent food and the service is great. I was very impressed with the overall experience. I will go back, again….