Monday, December 14, 2009

The Chopper and The Crabtrap Christmas Tree






........ya gotta admit, nothing says Christmas like that huh? Okay, this is just a little plug for my hometown. I am unofficially sworn to not say it's name, other than.....Adrift, but I'll tell you that if you are driving toward the coast, and you see Barkett's, you are there. If you find yourself in Port O'Connor, you have gone too far. I mention Barkett's, because I have eaten there since I was twelve. I once waded San Antonio Bay nights and gigged the flounder that old man Barkett was famous for serving to his guests, and just a couple of nights ago, I treated myself to a plate of amazing fried oysters there, with a scrumptious salad and a baked potato and a couple of O-Rings for good measure. These days the place is owned and operated by my dear old friend and classmate, Frances, and while the Wurlitzer juke box and the cherry cokes are but a memory, the service and the seafood and Mr. Barkett's stuffed flounder recipe, lives on better than ever for this generation.

Now at the risk of a minor dent in Frances's business, but likely not, I'd be remiss if I did not mention the new Boiling Pot, right across the street from the old Try Inn Cafe....er......Barkett's I mean. I have to say, that while it is a different experience from a nice sit down dinner in a restaurant that observes the old tradition of "dishes" and utensils, there is a unique charm to having a butcher paper covered table with your own personal pile of boiled new potatoes, corn on the cobb, and shrimp, crabs, sausage, or crawfish and a claw cracker and a roll of paper towels to hold you until you hit the cleanup trough on your way out. Good food to be sure, and again nice folks to serve you with a smile. For the kids, there are alternative things on the menu that they will find more recognizable that a pile of what looks it was dropped out of the sack of a net onto the deck of a shrimpboat. The folks there, as evidenced by the photos, are working on getting into the spirit of the season, though I'll have to admit their's is the first Christmas tree I have ever seem built from crab traps with a hurricane lamp for the angel on top. As far as the chopper goes, well hell....I have a hard time thinking of any occasion that a beautiful Seadrift.....oops!, Custom Chopper doesn't spruce up just a little. So while you are in town, think about a trip down Main Street to Seadrift Custom Choppers and have a look at the bikes. Tell Butch I said hello............and if you see my boys in there drooling over the merchandise, tell them it's time to come home.

6 comments:

not securely anchored said...

I love that tree -- ya think if you sent it to Women's Day or Ladies Home Journal it would make it in with the froo-froo trees?

Edith Ann said...

I think he needs to send it to Martha Stewart--it's more her style.

My office had our employee Christmas party at Barkett's last year, and we voted to return this year. So, tomorrow we'll be enjoying another fine meal there.

I'll have to see if I can talk the girls into stopping at the chopper shop...

The Loon said...

Now, that's art!

Truth Ferret said...

I can't show this to my hubby, 'cause he would be drooling on my keyboard and that would make my keys stick.

Loved the blog and the description.

Christmas "flavor" comes in many different forms, it's true.

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for all the comments. We had a grand time putting that tree together. If you are in the area, please stop by and visit as there are many more things to come.

Edith Ann said...

Got close, but not close enough today. This will have to be another road trip.