Maceo spices
Slightly embarrassed (not really) but undeterred, my little foodie warriors and I so craved more of the Oyster Bar Trash and Shrimp Cabo appetizers at Willie G’s that we decided to make a return trip two days later.
This time our salivary glands were really working overtime so we opted to enlarge the line-up slightly by ordering the dinner-sized version of the Shrimp Cabo and adding one more hot appetizer of fried calamari and a fresh house salad.
The two known quantities easily lived up to our lofty expectations, and the fried calamari—so fresh, crispy, and delicious—was to die for. When we were all done, the plates were so clean they could have put them right back on the shelf. Yum, yum, and yum!
Maceo Spice & Import Company on Market
Maceo's Seafood Seasoning
While savoring our Oyster Bar Trash, we began trying to puzzle out the recipe, in particular, the perfect combination of spices used in its preparation. When our little-boy waiter approached, we asked if he would mind querying the chef. He obliged us but came back several minutes later with the disappointing news that Chef Willie was unwilling to part with his savory secrets but did offer that the dipping sauce was a lemon/butter/shallot concoction. Good enough to get us started, I thought, and since I was sure the spices must have come from the Maceo Spice & Import Company over on Market Street, we decided to pay them a visit. Bingo!
Hint: When you visit Maceo Spice & Import Company, and you definitely should, you will no doubt think, upon first driving up, that you have arrived at the wrong place. The blank, windowless facade has been described as “unassuming” and looks more like an old warehouse than a retail storefront but inside it’s another story.
We were warmly greeted by proprietor Ron Maceo, descendant of the famous Maceos of Balinese Room lore. Just having the opportunity to talk with him was more than worth the drive over, but in addition to his Ike stories and Galveston anecdotes, we discovered that he also possessed the key to our culinary search. When we asked him if he could help us figure out the spice mixture used in the Willie G’s Oyster Bar Trash, he summarily solved the mystery, stating that it is a special Maceo blend that he himself supplies directly to Willie G’s. I knew it!
He pointed to a jar labeled, simply, “Seafood Seasoning” on one of the shelves, whereupon we immediately grabbed two and thanked him profusely, promising to return later for a round of hot Muffalettas, a specialty of the store (more about these in an upcoming post). Gotta get back there soon for lunch!
