Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen Offers Fresh Gulf Coast Fare in Westmont

Westmont, Ill. (June 2009)- Residents of Chicago's western suburbs can indulge in fresh seafood, flown in daily, and Gulf Coast-style dishes at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
(921 Pasquinelli Dr., Westmont, Ill.; 630-455-9846), open since June 1999.

Pappadeaux serves an extensive menu featuring a variety of seafood, steaks, pastas and a comprehensive wine collection of more than 2,000 bottles. This unique restaurant organization is led by a stellar staff of experienced restaurant professionals who are passionate about what they do and set very high standards for themselves and their staff.

"We are dedicated to serving high-quality, fresh seafood in a warm and inviting setting," says Pappadeaux's general manager, Asogi Armstrong. "It is our commitment to provide affordable, delicious food in a fun, upscale setting. We strive to be a superior restaurant through constant innovation, attention to detail, and a focus on quality in all that we do."

Pappadeaux's menu has a wide variety of dishes, so it's no wonder the restaurant has become a go-to destination for businesspeople and residents of Chicago's western suburbs.

Pappadeaux research and development chef David Jarvis, a veteran of the culinary industry, continually updates Pappadeaux's menu to bring seasonal, reasonably priced food to the Chicago area. Jarvis uses only top quality ingredients to prepare his new lunch program, which includes a variety of fish and seafood creations and sushi items.

"Only fresh, seasonal ingredients are used when we develop our menus," says Jarvis. "We use products of the highest quality, while maintaining affordability for the customer."

The chefs at Pappadeaux make every ingredient from scratch, including mayonnaise, salad dressings, tartar sauce, cocktail sauce and much more. Using Pappadeaux's own fresh products to make everything from scratch sets Pappadeaux apart from other restaurants, and enhance the quality of the dining experience for the Guest.

Pappadeaux's fresh seafood is flown to the restaurant daily, under the direction of Pappas Restaurants Inc.'s own seafood buyer, John Brock, who seeks out and purchases only the highest-quality, freshest seafood for Pappadeaux. Brock focuses on a seasonal menu of seafood, working hand in hand with Pappadeaux's strong team of chefs to create seasonally-focused menu items to highlight seafood at the peak of its freshness and quality.

Once Brock makes his purchases, the seafood is then flown from the site to the city in which each Pappadeaux is located. From there, Pappas Restaurants Inc. trucks pick up the product and drive it to the nearest Pappadeaux locations. Pappas drivers man the trucks, and after the product is delivered, it is prepared and served within hours of arriving.

"While our way of procuring seafood is a bit more difficult than the traditional way of working with many different processors and facilities, it's worth it, because we provide our Guests with the freshest, highest quality seafood available," says Brock. "The taste and quality of fresh seafood over frozen seafood is evident in our products, and it's the reason our Guests return to our restaurants."

Brock strives to maintain sustainability with his seafood purchases, constantly tweaking his numbers and planning how much product to order. "It's important for us to be accurate on how much seafood we'll need, especially since certain fish are in season throughout different times of the year, depending on where the fish are from," Brock says. "We need to make sure that there is enough of this wonderful seafood for future generations to enjoy."

Pappadeaux's menu highlights not only fresh, seasonal seafood, but also features an extensive variety of wines. Drew Hendricks, Master Sommelier at Pappas Restaurants Inc., selects the wines for Pappadeaux's collection of 2,000 wines. Many of these wines are offered not only by the bottle, but also by the glass, recognizing the Guest preference of ordering wine by the glass at Pappadeaux.

"Pappadeaux offers a selection of wines that we pick carefully based on what our current menus are, what's in season, and by staying updated on trends in wine," Hendricks says. "Our selection is a unique mix of classic, traditional wines, and trendy, emerging varieties of wines."

Hendricks and Pappadeaux's team of chefs work together to find the right wines to pair with each dish, especially as Pappadeaux's menu changes with the seasons. The team understands that part of the success of a restaurant lies in finding the perfect wine partner for each dish.

Private Rooms at Pappadeaux

Pappadeaux's Westmont location, with a nautical-influenced interior designed by the in-house Pappas Building Group, offers a range of private event space, with a variety of menus for cocktail and traditional banquet events. Pappadeaux's event coordinator can make table arrangements and decorations for each unique event.

For outdoor events, try the Patio. The patio resembles a French bistro, with airy surroundings and water. Available for rental and with a maximum capacity of 45, the sociable atmosphere of the patio is perfect for any day or evening function.

For larger gatherings, try the Bayou Room. The largest of the private rooms, it's surrounded by French doors with oak floors and has a capacity of 50. A variety of decorative table placements can be arranged to accommodate any occasion.

Intimate functions can be held in the Wine Room. With a capacity of just 12, this room is surrounded by white and red wine, and a large picture window. On the other hand, the semi-private Cabernet Room, with a maximum capacity of 20, offers a casual and lively atmosphere, perfect for cocktail parties.

History of Pappadeaux
Pappadeaux's rich history begins with the Pappas family story. In 1897, H.D. Pappas emigrated to America from Greece to follow his dreams. His passion for quality and service shone as he opened restaurants throughout Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas. H.D.'s dedication rubbed off on his sons, Pete and Jim, who entered the restaurant equipment and supply business in 1945. Jim eventually opened his first restaurant, The Strawberry Patch in Houston, with his own son Harris in 1976, and from there, the Pappas Restaurants Inc. family of restaurants grew.

In 1982, after former Barnum & Bailey Circus owner Judge Roy Rofheinz died, circus memorabilia was auctioned off. The Pappas family purchased many circus items, which they used to decorate Circus, one of their restaurants in Houston. Circus eventually became the first Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, the creation of Jim Pappas's sons, Harris, Greg and Chris.

About Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen is located in Chicago's western suburbs (921 Pasquinelli Dr., Westmont, Ill.; 630-455-9846). It is open for lunch 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday through Sunday. For dinner, Pappadeaux is open 3 p.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 3 p.m. until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information or to join Pappadeaux's e-mail club, visit www.pappadeaux.com.

About Pappas Restaurants Inc.
Pappas Restaurants Inc. is a private, family-owned company based in Houston, Texas, operated by brothers Harris and Chris Pappas. With restaurants located in Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Beaumont, Atlanta, Chicago, Albuquerque, Denver and Phoenix, Pappas is a respected leader in the competitive restaurant industry. Pappas Restaurants Inc. also owns and operates Pappas Bros. Steakhouse, Pappasito's Cantina, Pappas Bar-B-Q, Pappas Burger, Pappas Seafood House, Yia Yia Mary's, and Pappas Grill Steakhouse. For more information, call (713) 869-0151 or visit www.pappas.com.

# # #