Located inside the Bass Pro Shop in Denham Springs is the Islamorada Fish Company, a seafood and barbecue restaurant with an extraordinary atmosphere and terrific food.

I guess you could say I went all out on this review because I tasted so many things, I thought I was going to have to get my stomach pumped afterwards. Where do I begin?

For an appetizer, I ordered the fried Calamari with marinara sauce. It was very good. The Calamari was very tender (not chewy) and was covered in golden batter that that was perfectly seasoned and complemented the calamari well. Also to note, the plate had a nice presentation that separated the tentacle parts from the body part, for those of you who are picky about what part you are eating.

For the main course, I went with the buffalo burger, something new for me to try. I have been hearing a lot about buffalo lately: having high protein and very low fat. I guess it really doesn’t matter when you add fries on the side though.  The buffalo burger I can honestly was pretty good, however it did taste like just like a very lean hamburger. I really think not too many people would be able to tell the difference.

While there, I also tried out the fried shrimp. Delicious and huge! This may very well be what I order on my next visit. I also tried the cheeseburger. It was probably the best burger I have had in the area. It was juicy and fatty and had that char-grilled taste that was superb!

Food Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Tails Up!

Service
The service was excellent. The waitress was very friendly and helpful and despite being pretty busy, we got our meal quickly.

Service Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Tails Up!

Atmosphere
To me, this restaurant has the nicest family atmosphere in the Baton Rouge area. The theme inside Bass Pro carries into the restaurants interior with an under the sea theme. The restaurant features a gigantic fish tank, mounted sea creatures from the walls and ceiling, and a huge fireplace that sits in the center of this circular room. This restaurant is great for kids and adults alike. Its entertaining, yet very classy.

Atmosphere Rating: 5 out of 5 Tails Up!


Overall: 14 Out of 15

Islamorada Fish Company
175 Bass Pro Blvd
Denham Springs, LA 70726-5572
(225) 271-3000
www.fishcompany.com

For my girlfriends birthday we decided to go to Copeland’s to celebrate. Copeland's has recently reopened after a $1 million renovation of the restaurants interior. The new look gives the place an even more formal feeling with a much needed modern update.

I decided to try the Crabcakes and Shrimp Alfredo. The dish featured fried crab cakes lying over a bed of pasta with Alfredo sauce and topped with grilled shrimp. Like any dish at Copeland’s, this one was huge and piled high. You can always be sure that you will never leave Copeland's hungry.

The dish was incredible. The creaminess of the Alfredo sauce complimented the saltiness of the crab cakes and of course went well with the shrimp. Overall, this is a great classic dish with a twist that really works well. My hat is off!

My girlfriend ordered the shrimp platter, one of the most popular dished at Copeland's along with the seafood platter. The Shrimp are large and fried to a golden brown. They are well seasoned and have fresh taste. The platter comes with more shrimp than most can handle and sits upon a bed of fries and fried onion strips (which are fantastic). The platter also comes with fried crawfish tails.

Don't worry, I ate my share of her plate!

Food Rating: 5 out of 5 Tails Up!

Service
The servers at Copeland’s are very friendly and show a lot of class. The only problem I had during this visit was with my daughter’s cheeseburger. They brought out two buns with a pea sized hamburger patty. It was ridiculous. The waitress was quick to take it back and get her a new hamburger and gave us dessert on the house. Great job satisfying your customers when a mistake is made! That's hard to find in most restaurants now days.

Service Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Tails Up!

Atmosphere
The renovation of the restaurant completely opened up the restaurant and added more seating. The walls and lighting are just two changes in the dining area. The first thing you may notice when walking into the restaurant is the new bakery that has been added and a new wall fountain that towers behind the greeters. It is a very formal and warm atmosphere.

Atmosphere Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Tails Up!


Overall: 14 Out of 15

Copeland’s of New Orleans
4957 Essen Ln
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
(225) 769-1800

Nestled deep in the heart of the Denham Springs Antique District you will find this quaint Cajun and seafood café.  Taste of Louisiana is a small joint, roughly the size of my living room which can make it seem a little cramped.

I decided to try the chicken and sausage gumbo and the fried shrimp basket.  I started on the gumbo first which was loaded with sausage and chicken. It wasn’t the best gumbo I’ve ever tasted but it was pretty damn good. After devouring the entire bowl in less than a couple minutes I moved on to the shrimp basket with fries. The shrimp were a descent size, not too big or too small. The flavor was also descent. Once again not the best I’ve ever had, but it is good enough.

The one complaint I had was the fries during this meal. They were a little on the soggy side and didn’t taste that fresh.  It’s ok though,  I didn’t go there for the fries.

All in all I would say the food was good and I would recommend it as a good lunch stop if you are in the Denham Springs area.

Food Ratings: 3 out of 5 Tails

Service
Service was descent. Had no problems with our waitress and the food came out pretty quickly.

Service Rating: 4 out of 5 Tails Up

Atmosphere
As I was saying above, the place is very small which made me feel a little cramped since it was a busy day.  But that’s really not much different from most small café restaurants.

Atmosphere Rating: 2 out of 5 Tails


Overall: 9 Out of 15

Taste of Louisiana Cafe
105 N Range Ave
Denham Springs, LA 70726
(225) 664-4181