King Creole (2212 Old Brandon Road, Pearl) is a new place that does the boiled-or-fried-seafood thing pretty well.  The boiled seafood comes from the Haul’n Tails (cute name, I think) cart outside.

You order from a counter, and can eat at one of several booths.  Things were a little hectic, service-wise, but I didn’t mind because we weren’t in a hurry and everyone was very apologetic.  I got the fried crawfish po-boy (6-inch for $8.85, 12-inch for $12.95).

I liked the po-boy.  The cornmeal breading was light in both consistency and seasoning, …

Zydeco (6340 Ridgewood Ct, Ridgeland) has an intriguing, ambitious menu that doesn’t quite match the generic building and location.  Inside, things are a bit more interesting than they seem from outside; there’s cajun- and Saints-themed decor, zydeco music playing on the stereo, a full bar and very friendly staff.

For my appetizer, I got the crab cakes.  It wasn’t an easy choice because the Natchitoches Crawfish Pies and the Bleu Cheese Beignets & Boudin Balls sounded so interesting, but I’d heard such good things about the crab cakes (which my waitress …

The owner of Ro’Chez, James Roache, also owns Jammin’ Beignetz (111 N. Wheatley St, Ridgeland), which is in a charming little building right around the corner from the more upscale restaurant. Inside the cottage, the atmosphere feels like a cross between a coffee shop and a relative’s cozy house. You order from a window into the tiny kitchen. You can pour yourself some (surprisingly good) coffee from the restaurant coffee maker that was apparently salvaged from a Shoney’s. And the restaurant really does serve only beignets.