Published 5/21/2011
Go Go South to Go Go Gumbo
The Retired Cooks Diary
By Suzette Pennington Munson
Doug and I have been making plans to go to Boyd to check out what everyone was telling me was a “Cajun” restaurant.
So Saturday night about 5:30 I got my blue jeans and flip flops on and off we headed to Boyd.
If you don’t know where Boyd is, check your GPS, it is on the southern border of Wise County, on Hwy 114 between Aurora and Paradise. Does that make it perfectly clear?
Thinking that going early would miss the rush, is not knowing that Go Go Gumbo is only open from 4 – 9 PM Tuesday thru Saturday. I think that people were probably there before the opening time, waiting on the benches outside for the doors to open.
The restaurant only seats about 40 and that includes the BYOB Bar. When we arrived there were no tables’ available and 28 people ahead of us! Lucky for us they were waiting for large tables that seated 6-8 and within 15 minutes we were seated. That is quick anywhere there is a waiting time.
Go Go Gumbo according to the menu is NOT a Cajun or Creole style cooking. That is okay! What they do is EXCELLENT! And what they do well is Sea Food.
Kraig and Letty Thome are the owners and exclaim on the back of the menu that they have “no ties to Louisana”. Well, I do have ties to Louisiana and I will say that they may be from Texas (Houston) but they know how to do Shrimp, Grits, Crab and many other items that are used in Louisiana cooking in a manner that shows a love for southern, Texas, Louisiana and good home cooking. Starting business in Boyd in 2008 they came prepared having 30 years of previous restaurant experience in the Houston area.
The restaurant serves 1000+ diners a week so a few minutes wait doesn’t make any difference.
While we were waiting Doug asked for menu so that we could see what offerings were available.
The choices we made were the Lump Crab Cakes for Doug and the Shrimp and Grits for me.
The Crab Cakes had large pieces of Lump Crab meat which were delicate on the inside and crunchy on the outside. The Roumalad for the crab was creamy and light. Slaw served with the meal was crisp and not over seasoned and complemented the crab.
I needed a bib!
Everyone from Paula Deen to Justin Wilson and anyone from the south know about Shrimp and Grits! There are probably a thousand different takes on the old standard. Go Go has a fresh take that is light and flavorful. The shrimp were boiled to perfection, placed in a large bowl of grits then a shrimp broth is poured over the mixture, then it is garnished with fresh Pico de guyo, just a little twist that gives a little fresh texture to the dish.
Obviously, it was Excellent!
Having a “light repast” as the Southern Ladies would say, we decided to “partake” of the dessert menu!
HOLY MOLY!!!
The list began with: 2 DIE 4
Which was Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries , cream cheese mousse, lady fingers layered with whip cream topped with a almond cookie!
THEN: Jack Daniels Chocolate Mousse Pie
Bread Pudding with Carmel Sauce
Key Lime Pie
Crème Brule’
And last but not least :
Blue Berry Cornmeal Upside-down Cake.
Needless to say hard to choose from that list! Choose we did, Bread Pudding with Carmel sauce for Doug and the 2DIE4, for me.
We have decided to go back to try other entrees and desserts. We may need to just go for dessert on some occasions.
What struck me the most was not the location, décor or even the food. It was the fact that the people of our area are hungry for the “fine food” experience. It may be served in a casual setting, but believe me you won’t get better in any upscale restaurants in Dallas, Ft Worth, Houston or San Antonio. We have excellent choices here in North Texas,
If you have read my diary before you have explored some of these “upscale” dining places. Whether it is the Italian Café in Bridgeport, Outlaw Burger in Krum, The Spicy Mexico in Bowie, Shinola in Springtown or GO GO GUMBO in Boyd your culinary taste can be satisfied without having to fight the traffic of the metroplex.
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