Papa's Place

While typically I bemoan the failure of local start-up restaurants, there is another sad story found at many long time survivors. There are establishments that have become tired, either in appearance or food quality. While many continue to attract crowds and have loyal followings, it is, in my opinion, due to the nature of people to resist change and rely on the tried and true. It works sometimes, but an overhaul would serve these places much better.

I had not dined at Papa’s Place in Daphne in over six years. While the atmosphere has never been the attraction, their steaks and basic Italian food were, and have packed out the place since opening. You also can bring your own booze for a reasonable $1 per person corkage fee, and a nice selection of wines are available at the liquor store conveniently found next door.

The staff and manager were very pleasant, and despite a crowded room, we arrived at a turn of tables and were seated quickly. Worn out latticework and fake ivy (or was it real? It was so dim) trail along the perimeter. This can be quaint, as found in the old Korbet’s, but they had the old school waitresses to give the place kitschy personality.

My recollection of the crowd in previous visits was of young singles and married along with a smattering of over-the-bay types. On this night, the youthful exuberance and frivolity this group brings was missing.

Quarters are close, but the noise in the room drowns out nearby conversation. But we did not have to yell at each other either. Our waiter arrived and said about 15 words to us the entire meal. He was not rude, just shy I think. We asked if there were specials and were told, “Yes there are.” After asking what they were, we found out.

The four in my party were all anxious for steak, harboring memories of the past. While I wanted one as well, to bring some diversity, pasta-based dishes were a necessity.

While perusing the menu we enjoyed two appetizers—fried mushrooms ($5.95) and Shrimp scampi blue fox ($4.50). The mushrooms were good, but not exceptional. For the scampi, three shrimp were sautéed in white wine, large in size, fresh and contained a delicate hint of the wine. They were well prepared. Each of us ordered the famous house salad ($1.99 with entrée), a basic green salad topped with julienne zucchini with a mound of Gorgonzola cheese ($1.00 extra). Two dressings are offered, a red wine vinaigrette and creamy Italian. The red wine is pungent and strong, yet did not overpower the rich taste of the quality Gorgonzola cheese.

The other couple dining with us both ordered the Petite Combo ($16.50), a Marsala wine peppered petite filet mignon and baked stuffed shrimp Diablo. It was served with angel-hair alfredo and oven-roasted vegetables. My wife ordered a special—an 8 oz. peppered Filet on top crabmeat Florentine with oven-roasted vegetables. I tried Papa’s Italian Sampler Platter ($13.95), consisting of house lasagna (pasta, beef, mild Italian sausage, cheese and meat sauce); cheese ravioli; eggplant Parmesan; pasta alfredo, meatball and sausage.

Let me say, I love salt. I especially like salt on steaks. I find it brings out more of the meat’s flavor. When the steaks arrived, everyone immediately commented on how salty they were. I had remembered that their steaks had a salty flavor. I told them so.

“No, this is so salty I might not be able to eat it,” said EVERYONE. I was digging into my platter and ignored them, remarking that I would try it in a bit. They continued to complain, but did not want to send it back because we had waited a while for our meal to arrive (not too long, but it was late and we were hungry).

For the shrimp Diablo, the dressing was mounded into the shrimp and was too much. It also tasted like Pepperidge Farm dressing. This is okay for a weeknight meal in hurry, but not when you are paying $16. My wife then began to wonder just exactly where her crabmeat was located. There was not even a hint of it found in the spinach. The manager dropped by and inquired about our meal. My wife was told it had been “mixed in with the spinach.” It must have been a pinch rather than handful. And after a taste, I agreed, their steaks were salty as hell… way too salty.

My sampler was typical basic Italian. My lasagna was good; the eggplant Parmesan was limp rather than crispy, cheese ravioli hard to screw up, meatball all right. The pasta alfredo was and still is my favorite dish at Papa’s. It is a lot similar to Rice-a-Roni pasta alfredo (or what I imagine it to be). But, it is dense and rich. The sausage was rather mealy.

We ordered dessert, hesitantly. There are five of them, but our waiter admitted, or told us that the chocolate fudge cake and banana puff pastry (both $4.25) were made in-house.

The chocolate cake was stale and tasted store-bought, like a hostess cupcake. The pudding style filling in the banana puff pastry was chalky.

This was a rather pedestrian and disappointing meal for the price. I am afraid they have faded from their better days.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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