< PreviousThe Food IssueMeet the Chef: CHRIS LOPEZRestaurant: BLVD. Seafood, 28th Street and Seawall Boule-vard, GalvestonHometown: Atlanta, Ga.Kitchen tool he can’t live with- out: “My Vulcan convection oven. I do a sizzle platter with a variety of seafood with white wine and a little butter. So when it comes out of the oven, it’s really nice, fresh and light.”When not wearing his chef’s hat: “I like to play soccer. I’ve been playing my whole life. There’s a little park near me where the guys come out three nights a week. I try to get by when I can.”PHOTOS BY STUART VILLANUEVAWorking as a part-time cook during high school set the tone of Chef Chris Lopez’s career. “I wanted to be an architect, but realized that I really liked to cook, so I kept moving up in the ranks,” he said. “After working at the same place for five years without a pay raise, I decided to go to culinary school.”Lopez attended the Art Institute of Atlanta Culinary School and subsequently worked in restaurants in Seattle, Wash., and Port-land, Ore. In 2002, he moved to Galveston, where he’s been the REDFISH ON THE HALF SHELLINGREDIENTS9 ounces of redfishCaribbean Salsa:(Makes enough for several pieces of fish; stores nicely in refrigerator)2 pineapples, diced2 mangoes, diced2 papayas, diced2 red bell peppers, diced2 red onions, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced2 tablespoons lime juice1 tablespoon jalapeño, seeded and minced4 teaspoons cumin8 ounces pineapple juicechef at Saltwater Grill, M&M Restaurant & Bar and Yaga’s Café. “I go to Katie’s Seafood Market and Galveston Shrimp Company regularly,” he said. “We get most everything out of the Gulf. The only thing I serve that is not out of the Gulf is Atlantic salmon.”Lopez is all about introducing patrons to new dishes, such as his signature Gulf Coast Flat Fish Stack. “It’s basically a broiled flounder filet with a crabcake in the middle and another piece of flounder on top, baked in the oven with white wine and garlic butter, topped with Mornay sauce,” he said.His favorite reinvention, however, is Redfish on the Half Shell. “People love it,” Lopez said. “Half shell just means leaving the skin on. I grill it with garlic butter, searing the back side to get the skin nice and crispy. Then, I top it with a delicate Caribbean Salsa.”Cold salsa on a warm fish? Yes, it works. “The good thing about redfish is that it’s light and flaky, plus it’s a good canvas that absorbs flavor,” he said. “This dish is very healthy.”Another local vendor Lopez uses is Maceo Spice & Import Co. in the island’s downtown. He even serves a salad called The Maceo. “It’s an heirloom tomato salad with goat cheese, pine nuts and basil pesto,” he said. “I recently bought fresh basil from Maceo’s that the owner grew himself.”Lopez is a big advocate of the reinvention of seafood classics, largely because of the health benefits. “Grilling and broiling is so much healthier for us,” he said. “It’s best to get away from fried foods, but we do feature some of the old standbys for those who want them.” C2 ounces Lopez SpiceLopez Spice4.5 pounds kosher salt1 cup coarse black pepper1 cup granulated onion1 cup granulated garlic1 cup Hungarian paprika1⁄2 cup dry mustard1⁄4 cup cumin1⁄2 cup Italian seasoningDIRECTIONSSear fish in hot pan with butter, flesh side first; then flip to crisp the skin. Season with Lopez Spice.Spoon cold Caribbean salsa over fish and top with a splash of cilantro oil.20 COASTMONTHLY.COM / SEPTEMBER 2015The Food IssueShrimp ’N Stuff in Galveston’s downtown is serving up chocolate beignets along with the traditional ones. 22 COASTMONTHLY.COM / SEPTEMBER 2015The Food IssueStory by Erin Jensen | Photos by Jennifer ReynoldsThere’s a moment when you first take a bite of a beignet, when the pastry, still hot from frying, and the powdered sugar meet on your tongue and melt to-gether. The feeling is so deeply satisfying that driving any distance, even hours east to Café Du Monde in New Orleans, seems so worth it.But there’s no need to cross state lines for the fritters Café Du Monde made famous. Beignets — very good beignets — have found their way onto the menus of restaurants along the upper Texas Coast, giving the New Orleans establishment a run for its dough.BRING ON THE BEIGNETSLocal eateries serve up the popular pastry and make it look so Big EasyTHE GUMBO DINER3602 Seawall Blvd., GalvestonWith a menu chock full of such Cajun fare as po’boys and gumbo, it wasn’t a difficult decision to add beignets to the menu, said Danny Hart, a principal in Galveston Restau-rant Group, which owns The Gumbo Diner and six other island dining concepts. Joey Smecca, also a princi-pal in Galveston Restaurant Group, told Hart: “I think we should try beignets.”“So, I said ‘OK, as long as it’s a simple process,’” Hart said. And just like that, the hit item was born.Beignets are served all day at The Gumbo Diner, and are available for takeout; a dozen goes for $10. Galveston Restaurant Group also sells beignets at Nonno Tony’s World Kitchen at Pier 21 in Galveston.MACEO SPICE & IMPORT COMPANY2706 Market St., GalvestonMaceo Spice & Import Company is famous for its muffuletta sandwich. Now, Ronnie Maceo is giving cus-tomers another taste of The Big Easy.From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday, the brunch crowd can enjoy golden beignets made from scratch by baker Phil Newton. And, with 20 years of experience under his apron, Newton says his beignets are the best on the island. His version of the pastry is served in traditional New Orleans style with a healthy coating of powdered sugar and can be paired with a cup of dark roast chicory coffee.SEABROOK CLASSIC CAFE2511 NASA Road 1, SeabrookFor decades, locals have been noshing on beignets at Seabrook Classic Cafe.“Thirty years ago, our menu had a lot of Cajun flair to it,” owner Brad Emel said. “Pri-marily when K-Paul’s (Loui-siana Kitchen) was popular ... That was the craze back then.”And while some dishes have changed over the years, the beignet has remained a staple at Seabrook Classic Cafe. The pastry is served with pow-dered sugar until 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. But sometimes confused — or creative — customers ask for another condiment. “Texans seem to want to turn beignets into sopapillas,” Emel said. “So, they ask for honey.”SHRIMP ‘N STUFF DOWNTOWN216 23rd St., GalvestonHe might’ve been born in Galveston, but Chef Juan Cardona has a sweet spot in his heart for The Crescent City and its cuisine.“I love going to New Or-leans,” he said. “They’ve got a little place where they’ve got these chocolate beignets.”And that unique spin has appeared on Shrimp ‘N Stuff Downtown’s menu. In ad-dition to serving the classic style beignet, Cardona adds a little cocoa powder to make a chocolaty version of the deli-cious treat. Beignets at this eatery are available until 11:30 a.m. daily and are served with a side of caramel, chocolate, or raspber-ry sauce upon request. C Phil Newton liberally dusts a fresh batch of beignets with powdered sugar.Phil Newton removes a batch of golden brown beignets from the hot oil at Maceo Spice & Import Com-pany in Galveston.Chef Juan Cardona cuts the dough for beignets at Shrimp ’N Stuff Down-town in Galveston. COASTMONTHLY.COM / SEPTEMBER 2015 23Table SurfingStory by Kaitlin Schmidt Photos by Jennifer ReynoldsWhen Dennis Byrd walks up to The Spot, it still feels the same as it did 17 years ago. Back then, he was a busboy; now he’s the owner of arguably one of the most successful and popular restaurants on the island. When Byrd was a busboy, The Spot was a much smaller business, serving up hamburgers and drinks. Today, the iconic restaurant is part of a five-venue complex that includes Tiki Bar, Squeeze Ritas & Tequilas, RumShack and SideYard — all at 3204 Seawall Blvd. Each venue has its own unique, but beachy, vibe. It’s a place that’s beloved by locals and visitors.A lot has changed since Byrd took over the business from Marion and Diane Duzich in 2005. But Byrd doesn’t see the progress the way most people do; he sees all of the work still left to do.“Guests really like it when you reinvest their money back into the business,” Byrd said. “That’s something we established a long time ago. We’ve got a mission state-ment and part of it says that we’ll con-tinually improve our property, products and service to better serve our guests. It’s on our website, it’s on our menu, it’s on a board with a picture of me right when you walk in.”HITTING THE SPOTIconic Galveston restaurant doesn’t take success for grantedThe Spot, 3204 Seawall Blvd. in Galveston, has added street-style tacos to the menu along with the blackened fish tacos. There are three types of street-style tacos: the seared tuna, teriyaki salmon and steak. Dennis Byrd24 COASTMONTHLY.COM / SEPTEMBER 2015• Boardwalk• Finger Piers• Underground utilities• Gated Entry• Resort Style Pool281.794.9463 | KELLYKELLEY.COM“Galveston is my home, Galveston is my business.”KELLY KELLEY | BROKER/CO-OWNER | RE/MAX LEADING EDGEGALVESTON BAY CLUBSSNOW IN FINAL PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION! BAY FRONTBAYFRONT lots now available at Galveston’s newest exclusive subdivision, Galveston Bay Club, located off 11 Mile Rd and Eckert’s Bayou. Amazing Sunsets offered here along with unobstructed waterfront views. Call me today for details.RE/MAXLEADING EDGEWith that mission in mind, The Spot launched a new menu in March. The beverage station was remodeled in April.“So, we improved our property,” Byrd said. “And every day we’re trying to im-prove our service.”Byrd has had a strong work ethic for as long as he can remember. Even as a child, he mowed lawns and painted house numbers on sidewalks for neighbors. During the first two years of attend-ing Louisiana State University, Byrd scheduled as many classes as he could on Tuesdays and Thursdays so he could drive back to the island and work at The Spot through the weekend.“It was rather obnoxious in hindsight,” Byrd said. Marion Duzich taught him a lot about the business, he said. When he took over The Spot, one of the first things Byrd did was eat and evaluate every item on the menu. Originally, the King Burger came with canned mush-rooms. Byrd didn’t like them at all, so he decided to order fresh mushrooms and cut, season and grill them in-house. The Table SurfingDennis Byrd, owner of The Spot, isn’t a fan of salmon, but enjoys one of the restaurant’s latest creations — teriyaki salmon tacos with pineapple-mango salsa and avocado cream sauce. “I’ve never enjoyed salmon. I don’t eat it at any restaurant. I don’t like it. I’ve been eating it here. It’s a great dish, and it’s healthy.”THE SPOT3204 Seawall Blvd., Galveston409.621.5237www.islandfamous.comThe Spot is part of a five-venue business including the Tiki Bar, SideYard, RumShack and Squeeze Ritas & Tequilas.“It was what I liked and what I thought tasted good. Once I knew that I liked it, I knew that I could sell it. That’s, a lot of times, a challenge. If you don’t like some-thing, or you don’t love something, you can’t really sell it to someone else. Once I knew that I liked everything, and I reset the menu, I knew that was the foundation for moving forward.”The Spot’s menu is revamped twice a year. The most recent changes rolled out in March, which included two new fresh fish tacos: salmon and seared tuna. The seared tuna tacos have surpassed the King Burger as Byrd’s favorite dish at The Spot. “I eat them every day,” he said. “It’s great, fresh, seared tuna, one corn tortilla, one flour tortilla, there’s three per order and it’s just wonderful,” Byrd said. “I’ve also been eating the salmon tacos lately — I’ve never enjoyed salmon. I don’t eat it at any restaurant. I don’t like it. I’ve been eating it here. It’s a great dish, and it’s healthy.”The Spot is a fast-casual restaurant where customers walk up to the coun-ter and order their food. On any given day, especially during the summer, the lines can reach out the door. The Spot offers a variety of food options including fresh seafood and a long list of specialty hamburgers. Even if you think you know what you want, there’s a good chance you’ll get to the register, see the hot plate full of food waiting to go out and find yourself back at square one deciding what to get. Quality control is a big deal at The Spot. While most restaurants have one chef working as the expediter of all the food, judging whether or not something is good enough to be sent out to guests, any one who works at The Spot can send a plate back before it reaches the customer.“We’re not perfect,” Byrd said. “Every day we make mistakes. But it goes back to the mission statement. We’re here to improve our product, property and service to best serve our guests. So, everyone here has the authority to send a plate back. Everyone.” CKing Burger ended up being his favorite for many years. “When I was tasting every menu item, it was just really subjective,” Byrd said. 26 COASTMONTHLY.COM / SEPTEMBER 2015LET THEM EAT CRABCAKESCrazy-good and Gulf fresh, we pinched this recipe from the East Coast Story and recipe by Alicia CahillPHOTO BY STUART VILLANUEVAThe GalleyMaryland may have laid claim to the classic crabcake, but fresh, Texas Gulf seafood makes this version meaty and delicious. Pan-frying the patties keeps them crispy and light. Sure, this recipe re-quires a little sweat equity, but these days that’s not exactly in short supply. The key to keeping these delicate crabcakes from falling apart during the cooking pro-cess is refrigeration. Store the uncooked patties for three hours in the refrigerator before pan-frying them. CCRABCAKESINGREDIENTS2 pounds lump crabmeat½ cup minced green onions½ cup roasted red peppers, diced½ cup mayonnaise3 egg yolks, lightly beaten1 tablespoon capers1.5 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning½ teaspoon cayenne pepper½ teaspoon kosher saltFreshly ground pepper2.5 cups panko breadcrumbs, dividedVegetable oilRÉMOULADE SAUCEINGREDIENTS½ cup mayonnaise2 tablespoons of cornichons, diced small1 tablespoon white wine vinegar1 teaspoon coarse-grain mustardKosher salt and freshly ground pepper to tasteDIRECTIONSLine a large rimmed baking sheet with parch-ment paper. Combine the crabmeat, green onions, peppers, mayonnaise, egg yolks, capers, cayenne, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add 1 cup of the breadcrumbs and mix well. Hand form the mixture into 4- to 5-inch cakes; you’ll end up with about 16 cakes. Pour the remaining breadcrumbs in a shal-low bowl and coat the crabcakes. Place on the baking sheet, cover and refrigerate until firm, 3 hours. Meanwhile, combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high. Fry the crabcakes until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve with rémoulade sauce. PHOTO BY ALICIA CAHILL COASTMONTHLY.COM / SEPTEMBER 2015 29Found your dream home and now you need a mortgage lender? Call Paul Vincent at 713.568.8855 Paul will help you put the financing together so you can put the key in the front door . Paul & Georgetown Mortgage offer: Residential Primary Home Loans Second Home Loans Investment Loans, Up to 4 Units Residential Refinance Loans Reverse Mortgages for Primary Homes FHA Loans VA Loans Construction Loans PAUL VINCENT 2228 Mechanic St. Suite 316 Galveston TX 77550 NMLS# 49103 Branch NMLS# 1128212 Paul.Vincent@georgetownmtg.com 713.568.8855 Real Experience...Real Relationships… Real Estate Mortgages Next >