I was genuinely excited to see salt and pepper shrimp added to the menu. Having recently moved to Jackson, I’ve struggled to find many of the dishes I regularly enjoyed back home in Boston. As someone who frequently orders salt and pepper shrimp, I was especially looking forward to trying it. Unfortunately, that excitement was incredibly short-lived.
My first disappointment was the preparation. While recipes certainly vary, I am accustomed to salt and pepper shrimp being prepared with jalapeños, not green bell peppers. The substitution was immediately noticeable and took away from the flavor profile I was expecting.
The texture, however, was where things became particularly concerning. I am well aware that salt and pepper shrimp can be served shell-on, and I have absolutely no issue with that. What I do take issue with is shrimp being cooked to such an unpleasant consistency that attempting to remove the shell causes the entire shrimp to fall apart. The shrimp were so mushy that they were practically impossible to handle without disintegrating. There were so many in the packaging but none were edible.
The packaging only made matters worse. Placing fried seafood into a plastic container with a significant amount of liquid collecting at the bottom, then simply poking holes in the lid, is not an effective way to preserve crispiness. Unsurprisingly, the coating had become completely soggy, and the fried pieces were falling apart in my hands. Whatever crispiness this dish may have originally had was long gone by the time I received it.
Perhaps most disappointing was the lack of proper cleaning. Several shrimp had clearly not been adequately deveined. While I understand that the digestive tract is not always removed, the extent to which it was present in this dish was particularly unappetizing. For a seafood dish, proper preparation should be a basic expectation.
Even setting aside the texture, packaging, and preparation issues, the flavor itself was underwhelming. Salt and pepper shrimp should be a flavorful, well-seasoned dish with a satisfying texture. Unfortunately, this version delivered neither.
I truly wanted to enjoy this meal, especially after being so excited to find a familiar favorite in a new city. Instead, I was left with a dish that was poorly executed in nearly every aspect. I understand that regional interpretations of dishes differ, but there is a difference between putting your own spin on a recipe and failing to execute its basic preparation properly.
Even the chili oil tasted stale.
I sincerely hope the kitchen revisits this dish, because in its current state, I cannot recommend it. Wouldn't order.
