This past Saturday we finally visited the newest fixture along the Mobile Bay causeway: Lap’s Grocery and Grill.

Lap’s has been open for several months now, but this is the first time we were able to sample their food. The last time we attempted to have dinner there, it was a busy Friday night, with almost a 2-hour wait!

Saturday, however, was cold and dreary, so we were seated immediately.

Food and service aside, Lap’s is a sight to behold. This “one-stop-shop” is enormous, housing a full restaurant, seafood and meat market, bait shop, convenience store/grocery (with a good selection of beers, I noticed), outdoor deck and lower-level patio, boat slip, and even an alligator pool (with gators on loan from Gator Alley). The entire design is lovely.

Mark and I were nervous about eating here because we’ve read several awful reviews, but since I like to try things for myself and give any local business a shot, we each decided to try a cup ($3.99) of the soup du jour, cream of broccoli, and split a fried shrimp po-boy ($9.99). I do wish our waitress had explained the specials upfront, since we had to ask her what the day’s soup was.

The soup was brought out quickly. Broccoli soup isn’t remarkable in itself, and this soup was pretty standard (but better than many). Creamy and well-seasoned (though we each added a pinch of extra black pepper), it hit the spot while we waited for our entrée. (I’d like to try the seafood gumbo next time; since we’re planning to eat Mark’s gumbo this week, which I’ve mentioned before is the best in Alabama, we decided against it this meal.)

We were also served some rolls (made locally, I believe, though I can’t remember the bakery’s name) and herbed olive oil. The rolls were fluffy and fresh, though I wish they’d come out a bit more quickly (since we’d both almost finished our soup).

Shortly after the rolls arrived, our po-boy was brought to the table. The shrimp were decent-sized (and numerous), with a perfectly crispy batter. The sandwich was “dressed” with lettuce, red onion, pickles, and tomato (which, for a “winter tomato” was good), and the bread (also made locally) was much more impressive than neighboring restaurants’. The rémoulade sauce, served on the side, was perfect, especially since I despise plain mayonnaise, which is the standard for po-boys.

All of the side dishes sounded good (I want to try the gouda grits next time!), but I had a taste for sweet potato fries. The serving was quite generous, and the fries had a nice, crispy exterior. You could tell they were cut fresh (and not the generic, frozen fries some places serve).

All in all, Mark and I were impressed. The lunch menu was reasonably priced, and we were satisfied with our shared lunch. (Too satisfied, unfortunately, to try the bananas foster, bread pudding, or other delicious-sounding desserts.) The dinner menu did seem a bit pricey, but if the quality is there, I’m more than willing to pay a bit more for local Gulf seafood instead of imported garbage from overseas.

Lesson of the day? Don’t believe all the negative reviews and give Lap’s a try. I know we’ll be back, hopefully on a clearer, warmer day so we can view one of the breathtaking Mobile Bay sunsets from the outside deck.