Roshell's

The swinging door slams behind you without making much of a noise. Your eyes fixate on pans brimming with fried foods, warmed by bright yellow lights. The tables and counter stools are occupied by blue collars, bankers and the occasional lobbyist or lawyer. Located on Springhill Avenue in Crichton, Roshell’s might be described lovingly as a dive. The décor is bare, with mismatched tables and linoleum floors. The atmosphere is a bit endearing. Remember that the food is what usually makes a dive thrive.

Roshell’s is open for lunch and dinner. At lunch, you might wait a bit for a table, unless you arrive early or eat late. But as is typical in Mobile, you will run into at least one person who you have not seen in years. This is great only if it is someone you want to see.

Before you know it, you’re seated. For years Roshell’s and/or its predecessor Mac’s Drive-In, were loosely connected with Mac’s Wheel House. In the ‘70s, Mac’s was the place to go for seafood, continental style. Mac’s went out of business and was torn down several years ago, now replaced by a used car lot.

Expansive windows flood the front room with light at Roshell’s. Booths are lined beneath the windows, slightly across from a long counter with stools. The back room is large and spare but for tables and chairs. Dinner is relaxed, quiet and there is plenty of seating. I actually recommend that you try an early dinner over lunch.

Plate lunches are served from 11-4 each day. Chopped Steak smothered with onions and gravy, breaded veal cutlet and seafood are each served with two vegetables. This meat and two specials come with a choice of field peas, rice and gravy, barbecue beans, sliced tomatoes (they looked great when I was there for lunch) or vegetable of the day.

At night, the same items are served, with seafood combinations as well, but are complimented with a choice of salad or cole slaw, and French fries. At dinner, my mother ordered the Jubilee Platter (regular $7.99, large $9.99) of shrimp, oysters and fish. Their portions are generous, and all of the seafood was hot out of the fryer, in cornmeal batter, crisp and wonderful. She ordered the regular size. I can only imagine how enormous the large platter is.

Every day brings the All-you-can-eat Fish Platter ($6.99). Whatever fresh fish is in that day, (on my visit, it was a mixture of sheephead and snapper) a plate is brought to your table, laden with thick, heavy pieces, hot and fried. Hush puppies, cole slaw and French fries jockey for room. At lunch, just about all of us ordered this, with some large appetites, and none of us could eat more than one plate. Well, I did get a few more of their excellent hush puppies, with a hardshell cracking open into a pillow of cornmeal.

It is hard to decide if you are going to select the seafood, a po-boy or a hamburger. Go for the Po-boys, as there is one for everyone. Crusty, light French bread is brought in every two days from New Orleans for Roshell’s po-boys. Fried Oysters, Shrimp or Fish ($6.95 each) are mounded and dressed into a large cut of French bread. All of the seafood tastes like it was caught that morning.

My wife ordered a half shrimp-half oyster po-boy, which they accepted without reservation. Some places can be snooty about substitutions, but our waiter did not blink at the request. Shellfish was falling onto her plate out of the sandwich. Roshell’s also has a “Baby Loaf” ($3.75), a smaller oyster po-boy for the smaller appetite. You can get a plain Burger Po-boy ($6.50, .50 more for cheese) as well.

The corned beef and Swiss looks awesome, but I had to go for the Roast Beef Po-boy ($6.75) with brown gravy, lettuce and tomato. Thick slices of tender roast beef dangle out the sides, the crusty bread soaked with rich brown gravy. It is messy and very, very good. All of the po-boys are served with chips, but I recommend paying the .75 extra for fries.

While you may go for the seafood, their burgers are hard to pass up. There are eight to choose from. I will go ahead and vote for my favorite burger in the Nappie’s - Roshell’s. There is one that almost rivals one of those giant things they are pushing at Hardee’s, the heart attack burgers. That would be the Ranch Steer ($6.50) - two half-pound patties with a hunk of cheese in between and dressed.

A friend of mine ordered the Garlic Steer ($4.50) a half-pound patty sprinkled with garlic, which is tastes just like its name. The sweet tea is the sweetest I ever tasted. I like the Cheese Steer ($4.75) another half-pounder with a hunk, literally, of cheddar cheese. The others are a Bacon Cheese Steer, Roquefort Steer and a Hickory Steer. The Hickory is soaked in their special sauce.

The service is personal, and friendly. The servers are jovial and quick on refills and requests. It takes a while for the food to arrive, but you will not notice unless you are starving. Both times the cook came out and walked around, asking us what we had, and how it was. You rarely see that in any restaurant these days. I recommend that you get out of the office, or leave the macaroni and cheese in the fridge for dinner and head to Roshell’s, where the tea is as sweet as the food.

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

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