Tricky Fish in Preston Hollow Village has some Cajun-like items on the menu, but it’s not a Cajun restaurant.
It’s better described as a Third “Gulf ” Coast-inspired seafood restaurant.
“We hope that people don’t just think of us as strictly Cajun, because we want to be more of the Gulf Coast,” owner Chris Degan says. “It’s a big coastal line that goes a long way, and there’s more variations of seafood along there that’s kind of fun.”
Degan, who also owns three other Tricky Fish restaurants throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, opened in Preston Hollow’s location in 2021.
“Preston Hollow is a great part of town, and it seemed like it would be something that would hit our market pretty good too,” he says.
Degan has lived in Texas for 30 years, though he wasn’t born here. His previous homes and trips influenced his decision to start a seafood restaurant.
“I grew up in the Northeast, and I lived in places like Massachusetts and Cape Cod,” Degan says. “I have family in Naples and Fort Meyers, so I’ve spent a lot of time along the coast that goes from South Texas all the way to Naples and South Florida. I’ve gone fishing with friends along the Panama Coast and South Texas as well, so I’ve always had a passion for seafood.”
Degan has a lifetime of experience in restaurants. He started in his parents’ restaurant when he was 14, and he has a degree in restaurant management from Cornell University. From 1993-2019, he was the president of Razzoo’s Cajun Cafe, a popular Cajun-in-spired restaurant. It was at Razzoo’s where Degan created a dish called “tricky fish,” which became the name for his new restaurant.
“My favorite part of the restaurant is actually the kitchen,” he says. “I love getting behind the kitchen and helping. That’s my background. I cooked all throughout college and restaurants when I was in school.”
“Today’s catch” at Tricky Fish allows guests to pick from a list of main plates along with a choice of seafood options. One popular dish is the signature “tricky fish,” which comes with crawfish etouffee, dirty rice and okra. The wilted spinach salad has a homemade mae ploy sauce and pairs well with grilled salmon or red snapper. Bourbon sherry linguine, which Degan says goes well with blackened shrimp, is made with a smoky bourbon cherry sauce.
Other favorites are the fish and chips platter, shrimp and crab bisque, shrimp and catfish platter, crab cakes, bacon-wrapped shrimp, oysters and the fish sandwich.
Sauces including the honey mustard vinaigrette, tartar, cocktail and remoulade sauces are made in-house. Fish is freshly prepared and cut. Most of the seafood is sustainable and comes from Ocean Beauty Seafoods.
“I just feel like all things are much fresher and better when you make them in house,” Degan says. “We put our own spin on things, like the cocktail sauce may have more lemon than what you would find in other ones.”
The okra, which isn’t fried, has a fresh flavor. Spices including cayenne, garlic, salt, pepper and paprika shine because they aren’t masked by grease. It was supposed to be a test-run on the menu, but its popularity made it stay.
“I could never take the okra away now,” Degan says. “People ask for it all of the time.”
Tricky Fish also offers salads and chicken tenders for people who don’t want fish. Degan says the “low country Cobb” is his favorite.
The dessert menu features homemade banana pudding and a French toast sundae, and brunch and happy hour are also served.
Tricky Fish uses fresh fruit and homemade syrups and beverage mixes. The most popular cocktails include the “painkiller” Mai Tai, and the Louisiana Purchase (Tricky Fish’s version of rum and coke). Customers can take classes at the restaurant to learn how to make cocktails.
“We want to stress fresh seafood on top of good, freshly made crafted cocktails,” Degan says. “I definitely want for people to come in and appreciate both the food and the drinks.”
Décor is simple, casual and neutral, except for the big fish made of old straws, utensils, pencils and crushed cans by the bar area. Degan says he believes the focus should be on guests interacting with each other, talking about the food and drinks.
“The little lights we have through-out the restaurant give a very inviting and relaxing feeling, so things are a bit muted here with the decorations on the wall so that you’re not here to talk about what’s going on around you other than the food,” he says.
For Degan, Tricky Fish was never about getting a customer in and out quickly. Instead, guests should relax and unwind.
“The hangout should be an experience, not just a meal,” he says. “When people go out, they really want to catch up and enjoy all the time they can with their friends. People should be allowed to have a good time here and not feel rushed out the door.”
The staff is what makes Tricky Fish so successful, Degan says. He relies on them to create good experiences for guests, especially because he can’t be at each location every day.
“We try to find people that are hospitable by nature and that have that as part of their personality,” he says. “The service industry is all about hospitality, and that’s what we preach first and foremost.”
Degan says he hopes Tricky Fish will continue growing and getting busier, and he wants to keep look-ing for ways to improve.
“For some people it’s all about the hospitality, and for others, it’s just about the food,” he says. “I think restaurants have to offer both in order to be truly successful.”
Tricky Fish, 7859 Walnut Hill Lane, tricky-fish.com
