Red Sky Cafe

RED SKY CAFÉ
3054 Route 9, Seaville
609-624-2550

Hours:  Mon–Thurs, 5–9 pm; Fri and Sat, 11:30 am–10 pm; Sun 11:30 am–9 pm.

Price: $$

Style: Colorful BYO cantina, with outside seating in season. Red Sky is both serious and fun about its Southwestern style. The dining room is a bit cramped in an old house near where Route 9 hits the Parkway at exit 20, but the lively colors and the enthusiastic wait- and cook-staff mitigate the close quarters.

Don’t Miss: Emphasis is on the spicy—starting with the complimentary chips and salsa that come with sliced hot peppers.  There is always a gumbo and chili of the day ($5.95 for a cup; $7.95 for a bowl), sometimes with odd—but never uninteresting—combinations. Among the more traditional fare, the fajitas give the best chance for a doggy bag—everything is in substantial supply on a huge plate. Most larger dishes come with homemade corn bread. If not, order some for $2.95. The one departure from usual Southwestern fare is the abundance of seafood dishes, given that Red Sky is only a few miles from the barrier islands. The jambalaya ($18.95) is hearty and long-simmered. The blue corn crab cakes are not for everyone—but as Abe Lincoln said, for those who like this sort of thing, this is the thing they will like. Try the Santa Fe trout, even though it would be unlikely you would find the crab and shrimp in the stuffing anywhere near Santa Fe.

Head’s Up: BYOBers tend to bring beer or tequila.  With or without the tequila, the limeade is the complement to most anything—get a pitcher for $5.95.

The Scoop: Don’t be shy about asking the folks in the next booth about the dishes that just got placed in front of them—it’s a good bet that you will like it, too.