By Susan Kazenas | Contributing Writer
There’s something fishy going on in Plant City, and in this case, it’s a good thing.
When my friend told me about Shrimp & Co. Express, a new seafood restaurant near Parkesdale Farm Market, I placed it the top of my list, because my husband and I are always looking for a great Friday night fish.
When we first walked in to Shrimp & Co. Express, we were greeted immediately by owner Eric Cardona’s infectious smile — a welcome that made us feel like we had just been invited into his home for dinner. The restaurant is small, clean and features humorous fishing signs and bright décor you would expect to see in your favorite seaside restaurant. I felt like I should be able to look out the windows and see water instead of land-locked buildings and streets.
Cardona began telling us about the fresh seafood available, with menu items touting a fusion of Louisiana, the Gulf, the Keys and the Caribbean. The menu offers a variety of grilled or blackened seafood entrées, including gulf shrimp, crawfish, oysters, scallops, white fish and catfish, with sides of herb red potatoes, French fries, sweet potatoes, spicy shrimp slaw, garden rice and hush puppies.
For appetizers, my husband ordered deviled crab balls, and I ordered crab empanadas. The crab balls came lightly breaded and had a zesty Cajun bite. My empanada dish consisted of two large light and fluffy empanadas stuffed with a delicious mild and perfectly seasoned fresh crab mix.
Because it was our first visit, we opted for the classic fish basket, which included a white fish from the mahi mahi family. When the baskets came, there were four large pieces of fish. The seasoned breading was light, and the fish was exceptionally tender, fresh and flaky, just as Cardona had promised. The herb red potatoes were a nice alternative to French fries.
I’m not a fan of coleslaw, but I thought the coleslaw was the best I had ever tasted. It featured baby shrimp and crunchy carrots mixed in fresh cabbage, and another slightly spicy ingredient I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It was that little something that made it different and delicious. My husband and I were quite satisfied with our dining experience.
Before leaving, I asked Cardona’s wife, Wilma, to share what the spice in the coleslaw was, and she just laughed. There was no way she was going to reveal any family recipe secrets, but she did say everything was made with love. I’m still looking for that in the spice aisle.
Bottom line? You simply have to check this great little place out.
Plant City resident Susan Kazenas is a local foodie and member of the Second Saturday Dinner Group. If you would like to be featured in her monthly column, email her at skaz0046@gmail.com.