Saturday, November 3, 2018

Dining Out: Galveston Island, Texas - Gaido's


We dined at Gaido's on October 12, 2018, which was our 22nd wedding anniversary. Gaido's first opened in 1911, and their claim to having the freshest seafood in the area is legendary. The restaurant is located in a large, sprawling building filled with family mementos and display cases holding gorgeous pieces of cut glassware collected through the years.

We were warmly greeted, our reservation was confirmed, and we were immediately seated.  The staff knew it was our anniversary and assured us there would be no rush and urged us to take our time and enjoy our meal. We were checked on by no less than three people during our meal. But it wasn't intrusive, just enough to let us know if there were ANY problems, they would be taken care of immediately.

White cloth tablecloths with cloth napkins, candlelight, NO TELEVISIONS, and low music so you could actually have a conversation without having to speak loudly to be heard, set the tone for a lovely evening.  Did I mention that you also have a gorgeous view of the Gulf of Mexico to enjoy while you dine?

Our server was Vadim who was attentive, wished us a Happy Anniversary and gave us a brief history of the restaurant and told us of their dedication to high quality. Kudos to Gaido's for thoroughly training their staff.

We placed our drink orders which arrived promptly.  I chose a Stoli cucumber martini and Harold had their top shelf Long Island Iced Tea. These were the best cocktails of the trip.  




We sipped while we considered the extensive menu and discussed the night's specials all the while enjoying the warm bread and rich herbed olive oil.


I never turn down an opportunity to enjoy fried crab claws. I was excited to see them on the menu! These were lightly battered, just enough so that the fresh taste of the crab wasn't overwhelmed. 


To continue with our love for crab, Sweet Harold chose the crab cake appetizer with beurre blanc sauce. The crab cake was much crab than filler which is always a sign of a restaurant that doesn't skimp or cut corners. The beurre blanc sauce was expertly made as were all the sauces which accompanied our dishes.


I couldn't pass on the shrimp bisque.  I have distinct memories of excellent soups/bisques I've enjoyed through the years:  The She Crab Soup at Firefly in Panama City Beach, Florida and the Lobster Bisque served at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.  I can now happily add the Shrimp Bisque from Gaido's in Galveston. Rich, flavorful with a significant proportion of shrimp to bisque with that distinctive sherry flavor.


Sweet Harold selected the Red Snapper Michael for his entree'.  The dish is named for a server named Michael who actually designed the restaurant building. The snapper is coated in a light parmesan flour and sauteed. He elected to add lump crab meat and beurre blanc sauce.  The side dish was roasted potato wedges. He was well pleased with his selection.


If you scroll up to the very first picture, you'll notice that night's special grilled swordfish with buttered crab. I had never tried swordfish, but after Vadim's detailed description, I couldn't resist. The texture of the grilled swordfish was indeed different than your typically pan sauteed or grilled fish. Different, but delicious. See that lump crabmeat Castilla topping? If you are ever offered that as an option, please accept!  I had the asparagus as my side dish, and it was perfectly cooked.


As I mentioned, we were celebrating our anniversary. We were treated to a Key Lime Cheesecake for dessert. Oh my. The crust was lightly browned, the filling was tart, and the glaze wasn't overly sweet. A perfect ending to our wonderful meal.



Thank you Gaido's for a memorable and delicious Anniversary Celebration!

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