Good portions of Southern favorites abound in this popular new Coursey Boulevard spot
Last year saw a development boom on Coursey Boulevard near Sherwood Forest. Part of this building upsurge included a new dining destination: Willie’s Restaurant & Bar.
With architecture reminiscent of a deluxe fishing camp, the exterior includes a colossal side patio as well as a front porch with additional seating in case of long wait times.
Inside, the eye-catching bar area features the ubiquitous Edison bulbs and an interesting ceiling detail that flows down the wall to form the bar shelving. Accentuated by a wood-clad front and copper tubing beer tap, the bar is a real stunner. And speaking of beer, it’s worth noting that all the draft beers are local.
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For an appetizer, we went with our server’s recommendation, Fried Green Tomatoes. The cornmeal crust on the tomatoes was delicate and crisp, and the generous serving was topped with crabmeat and an au gratin sauce. The abundance of fresh crabmeat was accentuated by the spicy au gratin that tied the dish together. Though the menu claimed it was lump crabmeat, it appeared to be regular crabmeat. But it wasn’t missed and likely would have been overwhelmed by the spice. As all the appetizers were sizable, we decided one was sufficient.
The menu focuses on seafood with a variety of preparations. The Beauregard featured perfectly fried catfish fillets that were deliciously moist inside. Add to that plump crawfish tails and a creamy bisque sauce, and this dish is definitely worth your time. With your choice of sides, the right choice is the onion rings. Peppery and lightly battered, these were masterfully prepared and extremely flavorful.
Another catfish standout was Catfish Waylon. A light hand on the blackened seasoning made this dish a welcome surprise and allowed the fillets’ flavor to shine through. Topped with a sauté of onions, green bell peppers, mushrooms and crawfish tails, it was a hearty main course.
All entrees include a side salad of fresh chilled lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and cheese. The salad was typical fare, but the housemade dressings were standouts, especially the Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette and Creamy Pao, a creamy version of the sweet/sour Pao sauce found on a couple of appetizer offerings.
There were only three choices for dessert: bread pudding, cheesecake and Cajun doughnuts. Intrigued by the doughnuts, I asked for a description. Pistolettes of bread (not made in-house) are fried and topped with housemade white chocolate sauce. That’s it. And since the cheesecake was made elsewhere, the only alternative was bread pudding.
Before tasting the pudding, I sampled the pool of sauce on the side. The overt sweetness made my teeth ache. Thankfully the soft cake was lightly sweetened and balanced by copious amounts of cinnamon. Certainly not the best I’ve had, but it was a fair representation of this dessert staple.
For those looking to stick to their healthy eating resolutions, there’s little here to keep you on track aside from boiled seafood and a single salad with grilled salmon.
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But each dish arrived piping hot, fresh and fast. With an eye toward reasonable portion sizes, diners should be satisfied without need of a to-go box. Given the cavernous space and full capacity, the acoustics were more than reasonable. I’m sure the noise levels could rise during game days, with plenty of televisions throughout. But when sharing a local beer and tasty food with a restaurant full of fellow fans, I’m sure the energy of the environment wouldn’t bother anyone.
11260 Coursey Blvd. • 372-2526
11 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday;
11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday
williesbr.com
Our food critic’s name may be false, but the credentials are not. This gastronome has studied the history, cultivation, preparation, science and technology of food for more than 30 years.