Fish Camp in Sin City - Carolina Low Country Comes to Las Vegas

Shrimp and Grits. Cat Fish. Oyster Po'Boy. Shrimp and Okra Gumbo. She-Crab Soup. Are we reading off a menu in a restaurant in the South? Mississippi? New Orleans? South Carolina, maybe? Yes and No. Actually, it's down home Carolina Low Country cuisine in Sin City. Louis Osteen is in Las Vegas and he's opened a second, more casual dining room at Louis' Fish Camp in Town Square.

We'd read about Fish Camp and were anxious to try it. So, one day last week we stopped by after work and, except for one single diner seated at a table for two and a guy sipping something up at the bar, it was empty. We were seated by Zelda's Bourbon Bar, which looked like it could be a happening place later in the evening. The décor was spartan and had the feel of a warehouse or, uh, a fish camp.

Perusing the menu, I knew I had to order the Shrimp and Grits. Being a shrimp lover and having enjoyed some grits in my time, but never having the two together, I was curious to try them. "They'd better be fabulous" I said to my husband when I saw the $23.50 price tag for them. Pointing out other, less-costly options to him, I was convinced to go ahead and order the Shrimp and Grits when he said, "You came here for the Shrimp and Grits, so you may as well have them." He was right. And I was glad I did.

The shrimp were plump and absolutely succulent. I should know-I've traveled all over this country in search of the best shrimp. My travels to Louisiana pointed me to Florida. Florida pointed me to South Texas and my contacts in South Texas told me Santa Barbara, right in my own backyard. He was right--that was the best shrimp I'd ever had--until now. I don't know where Fish Camp gets their shrimp, but they were simply the best.

The secret to palatable grits is in the topping and cheese grits were my grits of choice. But the shrimp grits combined with the fantastic herb sauce were amazing. I couldn't get over how plump and juicy the shrimp were.

Normally, we would have been tempted to indulge in a tasty alcoholic drink, especially in such a place that screams Mint Julep at the very least, but what goes with Shrimp & Grits? Nothing came to mind at the moment, so I ordered a soft drink. My husband ordered Fish & Chips with the fish of the day, which happened to be one of his favorites - Cat Fish. The Cat Fish, so flaky and tender, was worth the upscale price. He also ordered a soft drink.

While the food was delicious, the service was just perfunctory. Any other complaints? Actually, yes. It would have been nice if a little something extra would have included with our entrees-a basket of rolls or a soup or salad. Although we were too full for dessert after we scraped our plates clean, I really dislike restaurants who skimp over the extras, especially since they're attempting to be "down home."

If I want to order ala carte, I'll save that for the big, celebrity restaurants running rampant throughout Las Vegas on The Strip, although you can dine even more upscale at Louis' neighboring upscale restaurant, Louis' Las Vegas, where you'll be expected to dress up a bit more than at the Fish Camp. And have a higher limit on your credit card, where the "Big Steak Plate" alone costs $45.00. As they say on their web site, "Upscale Dining at Its Cultured Finest, Y'all." That pretty much sums it up.

Will we be back to Fish Camp? I think so. Next time, we'd like to order an assortment of appetizers, an alcoholic drink, and dessert. And maybe arrive a little later for more atmosphere. A few diners were arriving by the time we left and, by the gales of laughter; they seemed to be having a fabulous, down home time. And that really is the point at a place called "Fish Camp."