Frog Legs and Snapper from Red Rooster Catfish

So there I was on a bright sunny Saturday afternoon, exploring the empty Jacob's Center off of Market.

There's absolutely nothing going on here on Saturday about 1130, so why the heck was I here? Well, I was searching for a rooster....not any rooster, but a Red Rooster, a place named the Red Rooster Catfish. I'd heard about this place from two different people. One of them gave me the address 404 Euclid, which looked real nice on the GPS. It's not until you look around a bit that you realize that 404 Euclid is actually the Jacob's Center, which is set a good distance away from Euclid, with the main entrance on Market.

Which left me wandering around the Jacob's Center with some major doubts about finding the Red Rooster. There was nothing that even looked close to a restaurant.

Until I turned a corner........

And saw this sign in the window......

And it still fooled me enough that I went around the corner thinking there'd be door to a restaurant or somethin'.

Which was not happening.

It's then I realized that this take-out window was the place and the two tables were it!

So I went back to my car and drove to this side of the parking lot. At about 1135 the place opened, two girls rushed out of nowhere and got to the window in a flash....I guess this was Red Rooster.

I had exactly what I wanted in terms of the mains in mind.......just about everything on the menu is fried. I just didn't know which side to get. The really friendly and tall gentleman named Joris recommended the spicy fried green beans. So of course that's what I ordered, the 3 sets of legs and fried snapper plate ($14). You should know that you don't rush things at places like this, so I had a fairly quick fifteen minute wait. During which I could contemplate things like....if this is "where mmm kisses aah", would "mmm-yoso" do the same?

I gotta say, these were fried very well. It wasn't 100% cornmeal, so while crunchy, the breading wasn't gritty. On the snapper it was perhaps a little too hard, but well seasoned and nothing to really complain about. The batter holds up rather well, I just can't put away all of that fried food like I used too, so over half of it came home for the Missus to try.

The spicy green beans were crunchy, nicely seasoned, slightly spicy, and went well with the mustard - aioli concoction called "mmm sauce".

The snapper just tasted like it had been frozen for a while, from the rather mushy texture to the fishy-slightly sour taste, it really wasn't my thing.

The frog legs on the other hand were really good. Crunchy, moist, and very mild in flavor. It lacked the rather off sourness of "old amphibian/reptile" and was very pleasant to eat. I saved a, ahem, "nice set" for the Missus who really enjoyed it. Loved the meaty parts where the legs, joined, the ah...well how to put it? I guess it's "where mmm-yoso kissed rump"? Something I'm sure many folks always wanted to see......

I'll be back to Red Rooster Catfish the next time I'm craving some good fried frog legs and perhaps try a good variety of the sides.....most of them fried. Joris is very hospitable and friendly. I hope this literal "hole in the wall" does well. I know they fry well......

Red Rooster Catfish
404 Euclid Suite 119
San Diego, CA 92114
Hours:
Tues - Sat 1130am - 7pm
Sunday    1130am - 5pm

Everything is fried to order. Call ahead at 619-795-8684 if you don't want to wait 20 minutes for your food.

 

Comments

[PedMa]

Ahh frogie legs, a must visit.

Also, looks like Kazumi-san might be back in Hillcrest or doing a pop-up at The Snooty Asian, formely Kips & Noodle etc. Saw him last night as I parked mny car.

[caninecologne]

Haha, we missed each other by a few hours. TC had a dance performance upstairs for an art exhibit opening. The interior of the Jacob Center is also very nice.

I like the look of those frog legs! We were thinking of eating there that afteroon but it was already closed. A few friends of ours ended up going to Felix's BBQ (across the bridge).

Did they have catfish?

[Kirk]

Hi PedMa - Yes, that's the word, he's back in HC. Moby Dick has become a Korean Restaurant.

Hi CC - Yes, they had catfish. Those frog legs were really good.

[Kirbie]

Haha, I love how you propped up the frog legs.

[Kirk]

LOL Kirbie! I wish I had little pants that I could have put on it.....now that would have been a hoot!

[Faye]

OMG - the first thing I thought was "The frog looks like it has some REALLY strong body building thighs" :(

[Kirk]

Hi Faye - Yes, those are some quads, huh?

[kat]

nice shot of the legs :)

[Kirk]

Seems like everybody likes that "leg shot" Kat! ;o)