If you are looking for good, fresh, fried seafood, T's Seafood Restaurant is the spot. It is no coincidence that on a recent cold Tuesday night, T's restaurant was teeming with people who didn't appear to have just stumbled on the place.

T's, 3416 Savannah Road, has been serving fried catfish and hushpuppies as well as fried quail, frog legs, flounder and shrimp for more than 45 years. Steamed crab legs and shrimp, and broiled and blackened dishes are also available.

I have always thought of T's as a family restaurant, so we took our family, the six of us and my parents. That's enough to challenge the most veteran waitress. Ours was undaunted. Had we added a generation or two we would not have been out of place. Many tables were occupied by families ranging in age from infants to senior citizens.

We ordered from a varied menu, and all were pleased with our selections. As advertised, the hush puppies were delicious and enjoyed by all, a feat in itself. The ``boat load'' salad bar is just that, a boat filled with lettuce, fresh vegetables and fruit, apple and carrot salads, pasta salads, Cheddar and pepper cheeses and good homemade dressings. This easily could be a meal.

Among the dishes ordered at our table was clam chowder, which is not my favorite. Although filled with clams, it was not too flavorful. We also had fried quail, which was tender and fresh; blackened Mahi-Mahi, which arrived undercooked and returned too late to eat (with an apology and a $5 gift certificate -- a friendly gesture); good fried shrimp; broiled flounder; tasty stuffed crab; scallops, oysters -- and of course the catfish, seasoned, rolled in cornmeal and deep fried.

The batter for all the fried dishes was light, without the heavy taste of some fried foods. No question why T's is famous for its catfish. I ordered it only because it is the restaurant's specialty, but it is the reason I will go back -- it is GOOD.

On the drive home the eight of us (in one car, no less!) voted on our evening at T's. It was unanimous (in a group packed with contrarians) that we enjoyed our food and had a good time. The food was unusually good. The atmosphere was relaxed, not contrived. The waitress was attentive and friendly and kept the Coke glasses filled. It was a good ending to the hectic holidays.

T's is a welcoming place. We got the feeling that many of the people there were regulars who come for the good food, which is usually central in determining the likability of a restaurant. It seemed that those around us weren't interested in who was there or what was going on around them, but in getting another batch of those yummy hushpuppies and just enjoying a good meal with friends and family. It doesn't get any more basic than that!

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ON THE TOWN

The Eatry: T's Restaurant, 3416 Old Savannah Rd (Hwy 56), Augusta (map)

Phone: (706) 798-4145

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