The menu at Danton’s reads like a favorite old book, full of characters you know well—namely Gulf seafood that’s stuffed, grilled, grilled and stuffed, or deep fried. And while it’s nice inside and the service is upmarket, it’s not at all fussy. On Sundays, there’s a great live blues brunch that makes the distance between here and New Orleans seem that much shorter. The seafood gumbo, on the other hand, although appropriately dark and thick, tastes too far from the muddy banks of the Mississippi. But on the upside, the kitchen does a great job of not drowning seafood mains in sauces; even a “Baked Crab Balinese” reaches true comfort-food level with a cheesy, creamy sauce that manages to stay just this side of extreme. Stuffed fish is even more restrained—whether it’s redfish or the catch of the day—and cooked just fine.

The choice of sides is a mile-long list that includes five variations of rice. There’s an equally lengthy cocktail list that makes some admirable attempts, like a gumbo’d-up Bloody Mary, but better is the improved wine list that now has a handful of classic seafood mates like Sancerre, Godello, and even the rare Old-World-style Chardonnay from California. When these are half-price, and oysters are just $.75 apiece (as they are at happy hour), the deal’s as sweet as crabmeat.