Posted 10:42 pm Sunday, January 20, 2013
Send to Kindle
Sam's Southern Eatery serves up classic Southern dishes
BY EMILY GUEVARA
eguevara@tylerpaper.com
Whitehouse residents can now enjoy seafood without leaving the city.
Sam’s Southern Eatery opened for business earlier this month, and residents already are packing the place, the restaurant owner said.
eguevara@tylerpaper.com
Whitehouse residents can now enjoy seafood without leaving the city.
Sam’s Southern Eatery opened for business earlier this month, and residents already are packing the place, the restaurant owner said.
The chain, which operates 25 locations in four states, offers po’ boys and burgers, salads, seafood plates and chicken, according to its website. One of the specialties is the fried jumbo shrimp.
Whitehouse franchise owner Kevin Aburayan, of Tyler, said he has been overwhelmed by the response.
“The people of Whitehouse, they’ve been very supportive, very nice …” he said. “The feedback from them is all positive actually.”
This is the only restaurant of its kind in Whitehouse, Aburayan said. It opened Jan. 2 in a location where he previously operated a Mexican food restaurant.
Aburayan said with so many Mexican restaurants in Tyler, the competition was significant, so he decided a seafood restaurant might be the better option.
The restaurant has locations in Louisiana, Arkansas and Georgia, in addition to Texas.
Aburayan said he was encouraged to open the restaurant because of what he had heard about the chain, and that praise continued after he opened the Whitehouse location.
“We are very generous with our portions,” Aburayan said. “We cook everything fresh, and they have the choices between fried and grilled also.”
Prices are under $7 for po’ boys and burgers; about $8.50 for salads; $9 to $15 for most seafood plates; and $5 to $10 for chicken dishes.
The restaurant is a full-service, family style restaurant, Aburayan said. Seventeen full-time employees work at the location.
“The people of Whitehouse, they’ve been very supportive, very nice …” he said. “The feedback from them is all positive actually.”
This is the only restaurant of its kind in Whitehouse, Aburayan said. It opened Jan. 2 in a location where he previously operated a Mexican food restaurant.
Aburayan said with so many Mexican restaurants in Tyler, the competition was significant, so he decided a seafood restaurant might be the better option.
The restaurant has locations in Louisiana, Arkansas and Georgia, in addition to Texas.
Aburayan said he was encouraged to open the restaurant because of what he had heard about the chain, and that praise continued after he opened the Whitehouse location.
“We are very generous with our portions,” Aburayan said. “We cook everything fresh, and they have the choices between fried and grilled also.”
Prices are under $7 for po’ boys and burgers; about $8.50 for salads; $9 to $15 for most seafood plates; and $5 to $10 for chicken dishes.
The restaurant is a full-service, family style restaurant, Aburayan said. Seventeen full-time employees work at the location.
Aburayan has more than 20 years experience in the restaurant industry, having served as a general manager at restaurants during his career.
He said he enjoys the industry because he’s a people person and it affords him the chance to meet people.
Whitehouse resident Andrew Focht, who has been to the restaurant four times, praised the food.
“I was (really) excited at the fact that they had gyro dishes, gyro poor boy …,” he said. “It’s hard to find Greek food in Tyler.”
He said the food is excellent as are the desserts.
“It’s always packed,” he said. “So far, so good.”
He said he enjoys the industry because he’s a people person and it affords him the chance to meet people.
Whitehouse resident Andrew Focht, who has been to the restaurant four times, praised the food.
“I was (really) excited at the fact that they had gyro dishes, gyro poor boy …,” he said. “It’s hard to find Greek food in Tyler.”
He said the food is excellent as are the desserts.
“It’s always packed,” he said. “So far, so good.”
