Oysters from Dodie’s Seafood Cafe, located on the corner of Greenville Avenue and Goodwin Avenue, bring a little bit of New Orleans to Dallas. (Spencer J Eggers/The Daily Campus)

Couldn’t make it to Mardi Gras? Luckily, Dallas has it’s own slice of New Orleans right on Lower Greenville at Dodie’s Seafood Cafe.

What began as a modest, family-owned restaurant has grown into a successful chain across the great Dallas area.

The McGuinness family, founding owners and natives of “The Big Easy,” drew from their family recipe collection to create a menu that is delicious and authentic.

In the twenty-plus years since their opening, Dodie’s Seafood Cafe has maintained their original New Orleans spirit.

Their menu offers the perfect blend of Cajun and New Orleans cuisine, just like what one would find on Bourbon Street.

Classic dishes include crawfish etouffee, shrimp creole, fried popcorn chicken, red beans and rice and jambalaya. Dodie’s also offers an impressive selection of New Orleans style po’boys sandwiches.

Choices include shrimp, catfish, crab, oysters, roast beef and chicken.The meat is either blackened or fried, with the exception of the barbeque shrimp, and each sandwich is served with a side of spicy Cajun fries.

Fans of muffulettas can opt for the “Frenchaletta.” Dodie’s version of the sandwich has all the same toppings, but served on warm French bread instead of the traditional muffuletta loaf..

A must-have is the “Monster” bread pudding. Even those who aren’t normally a fan have tried and loved Dodie’s take on the dessert. Rather than a dry assembly of bread pieces, Dodie’s bread pudding has a rich, smooth consistency. Chocolate chips add another dimension, and a drizzle of their special sauce perfectly counteracts the sweetness of the dish.

At $8 a pop it may seem a little pricey, but the serving is big enough for 2-4 people to share.

If you’re going to give Dodie’s a try, make sure to stick with their original location on Greenville Avenue.

The general consensus is that the Greenville location is the best and, incidentally, it’s the closest to campus.