Happy Friday, blog world. I’m excited to say my first full week back from the holiday didn’t kill me.

Since we have no dinner staples in our house and planned to grocery shop (yeah, on a Friday night), we decided to eat dinner out. While we were initially going to go to a newly-opened chain restaurant (not going to name it) to which people are swarming like flies on honey, we cringed at the full parking lot and crossed the street instead.

Good decision on our part.

(Note: we still plan to visit the other restaurant soon; chains aren’t inherently evil, I just wish folks were as excited about our many local gems as they are chains.)

RBS Chicken Shack is fairly new to Mobile. Open since the summer, the restaurant has probably deceived a lot of people. While the building itself is homely–and the location is less than stellar–it’s certainly no shack!

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The owners and chef are originally from New Orleans and worked years ago at one of the city’s many famed restaurants, Commander’s Palace. Naturally the small, yet balanced, menu features Creole and Cajun inspired dishes such as chicken and andouille gumbo, turtle soup, and fried green tomatoes with crawfish rémoulade as appetizers.

All of the entrées sounded delectable, and included classics like shrimp and grits, pecan-crusted fish, and garlic-herb roasted chicken. A couple types of sandwiches and a pork ribeye rounded out the menu.

One thing I noticed was a lack of a vegetarian entrée. While New Orleans and Mobile are known for their richer dishes and, of course, fresh Gulf seafood, it would’ve been nice to have seen a vegan-friendly dinner salad or pasta.

When Mark ordered the pecan-crusted fish, I chose the shrimp and grits.

Our food arrived fairly quickly. I thought the presentation of each dish was lovely, and while the portions were perfect for us both (neither Mark nor I was famished), the prices were perhaps a dollar or so too high.

Mobile has excellent food, but true fine dining is lacking. At the risk of sounding elitist, I’d say the folks crowding the inexpensive chain across the street may not have found the dishes as fulfilling. Mark was served a generous portion of fish, and while my four plump shrimp were plenty, most dishes I’ve encountered feature five or six.

Though my shrimp were cooked perfectly, I found the sauce needed a bit more pepper and acid (maybe a splash more lemon juice). The Anson Mills yellow corn grits were cooked to my preference (fairly thick) and the bits of andouille sausage had a nice smoky flavor. The crispy leeks (I believe that’s what topped the dish) added excellent texture, though they did have a defined onion flavor when eaten separately.

I tasted a bite of Mark’s fish and it, too, was cooked to perfection. The fennel slaw atop the fish didn’t have a pronounced anise flavor, but that may have been a positive thing, since I’m not sure how a strong fennel taste would mix with the creole corn cream sauce.

We each cleaned our plates. We didn’t quite have room for dessert, but they offer two choices for dinner: a Moon Pie bread pudding (love the attention shown toward Mobile’s ubiquitous Mardi Gras throw–even if it is made in Chattanooga!) and a café au lait crème brulée. I would’ve happily eaten either if I’d had the room.

While the decor of the restaurant was a little bland, I did enjoy the New Orleans-themed photographs on the wall. Also, the staff was very friendly and seemed genuinely interested in creating a pleasant, unique dining experience. We will certainly visit again, probably during the Christmas holiday so our parents can give it a try. Next time, maybe we will try lunch or brunch.

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Diners, please don’t judge this restaurant by its odd name. RBS Chicken Shack is a wonderful addition to Mobile’s restaurant scene, offering affordable fine dining along “strip mall alley” and its many chains. If you give it a chance, you will undoubtedly wish to return.