For the Love of Fish
Fresh Seafood in a Landlocked City
Words by Jessica Devenyns Photos by Eric Morales
Deep down in the heart of Texas lies a little town by the name of Palacios. Down there, shrimp and red fish are a plenty, and families grow up nourished on the bounty of the sea.
Having had a childhood filled with crustaceans and oysters fried until “they were black all the way through,” Steven Curtis was born with a taste for seafood. Even after moving to Central Texas, memories of salt, brine and ocean breezes baited him until he opened Austin Seafood Products on South Lamar in 1988. Eight successful years later, in 1995, Curtis moved his business to the back quarter of a refrigerated warehouse on Airport Boulevard, and for the last 23 years, he has quietly built his company into a name brand among Austin restaurateurs. Everyone from the elegant eateries like Jeffrey’s, El Chipiron, and Mongers buy his fish all the way down to the “you buy, we fry” joints like Terry’s Seafood and Pacific Star. He’ll even sell to his neighbors. “We’re not set up for retail, but if you want to play by our rules, we’re happy to serve you,” he chuckles. The storefront from which Curtis operates is unadorned. Two alcoves in the front house desks from where all the daily operations take place, and the rest of the operation is behind two heavy steel doors that, when wrenched open, lead to a refrigerated room where fish are being descaled, deboned, filleted, and portioned out for delivery.
Piles of Gulf oysters, Chilean sea bass, striped trout, and red fish are organized in a colorful pageant of aquatic life. Although there are fish of every stripe, Curtis admits that due to his roots, he does try to focus on Gulf seafood. “No one can beat our Gulf shrimp,” he says good-naturedly. In between the lines of this statement are a unconcealed pride for local fishermen and the familiar tastes of his childhood home on the Gulf. It is a passion that he shares with all of Austin through the dishes that are created with his fish.
Contact:
Austin Seafood Products
(512) 476-3494
2101 Airport Boulevard
austin-seafood.com/home
