Happy New Year. I haven't blogged in a while. So I wanted to get back to it. Last night we ate at Pappadeaux, in Hinsdale. It was fantastic. Since moving to the area just over a year ago, it has been the best family restaurant we have dined at -- it has certainly been my favorite to date from a food and service and atmosphere perspective. Their specialty is New Orleans seafood, although they offer steaks and pasta and have a neat kids' menu, too. The cooking style and atmosphere are French Quarter all the way. There's quaint, outdoor seating -- French Quarter-style. There was even a roaming four-piece Zydeco band playing Blues and Jazz standards -- they stopped to serenade us, the kids loved it! Pappadeaux offers Creole and Cajun favorites like etouffee, gumbo, jambalaya and crawfish. They also prepare great, gourmet delicacies bayou style. We started things off with Coconut Shrimp With a cajun slaw & a spicy, sweet dipping sauce. The kids really enjoyed that. I also tried the crawfish bisque -- loved it. For our entrees my wife had the Poppy Seed Hawaiian Yellowfin Tuna seared with a light poppy seed vinaigrette with fresh green beans & sautéed spaghetti squash. She raved. I had the Blackened Catfish Opelousas. It was served with oysters, shrimp & crabmeat in a lemon garlic butter sauce with dirty rice. It was rich and delicious. The serving was so big I couldn't finish it -- that's something. For the kids it was chicken tenders and corn dog bites. Then the dessert tray arrived. Wow! A mesmerizing assortment of Southern-style, French-Creole-inspired indulgences. We had the banana pudding (served in a Mason jar), and the Key Lime pie -- some of the best I've had. All in all, a fun and memorable experience. We definitely want to go back. Especially in the Summer months so we can sit outside. It really feels like you're in the French Quarter. Next time I'm definitely ordering the Texas Gulf Coast Oysters On the half shell and the Crispy Fried Alligator. We recommend it! Five out of five stars!