Growing Up In Cameron Parish, La., there would be times Randall Eagleson's father would return from shrimping with only small shrimp as his catch. Eagleson's mother would peel the little critters, dice some onions and green peppers, toss in some breading and throw the creation into her skillet. Decades later, those crispy shrimp patties are among the signature items at Eagle's Landing Cafe, a Cajun-seafood restaurant Eagleson opened in September.

"I had to have it on the menu," said Eagleson, a restaurant industry veteran making his debut as owner. Located in a former Pizza Hut and decorated with murals of New Orleans , his menu brims with family recipes, and the booths have already begun attracting regulars.

"Part of our deal is to get to know our customers," he said. "What people seem to love about it is they come in and there's a neighbor sitting two tables away."

We tried a little of everything, from those shrimp patties to a sample platter including crawfish étouffée, shrimp Creole, red beans and rice and seafood gumbo.

The shrimp patties, served with tangy remoulade, were fantastic — crunchy, spicy, just the right size. The shrimp on the po' boy, dredged in flour and milk before frying, were fat and crispy. The étouffée was full of robust flavor, and the red beans and rice had a kick that lingered after each bite. We loved the crawfish bisque and the spicy, meaty crab cakes. Fried oysters were encased in too much breading, and the Creole and gumbo were sort of bland (we did sample the chicken and sausage gumbo, and found it much more flavorful). Fries on the side were nice and crisp, but a side of mac and cheese was also bland, although kids will probably love it.

For dessert, we tried a thick, rich slice of coconut cream pie, bread pudding and beignets made with mix ordered from the famous Café du Monde. The beignets were just the sweet, powdery treat we were looking for but the bread pudding was the standout dessert. It's made with French bread that stands up well to the sauce and is made with amaretto instead of bourbon. We fought over the last bite.

The restaurant was hopping on a recent afternoon for lunch, but our service was quick and very friendly. I always wonder what waiters must think when a group of girls order enough food for a team of lumberjacks, then fail to finish any one dish. The team at Eagle's Landing seemed excited by our seemingly boundless appetites, bringing out the aforementioned sample of spicy gumbo to complete our introduction to the menu. (Full disclosure: AJC staff members never identify themselves when dining for the purpose of writing about a restaurant, and never accept free meals from restaurants.)

Even ordering as much as we did, we barely put a dent in the menu. We look forward to trying dishes like the pecan-crusted trout and grilled salmon. The breakfast menu teems with items like crawfish or crab meat omelets, Grand Marnier French toast — and of course, beignets.

6:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays; 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 6:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays; 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays; 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays. Breakfast is served weekdays until 10:30 a.m.; Saturday breakfast/brunch is served until 1 p.m.; Sunday breakfast/brunch is served until 2 p.m.

Shrimp patties, crawfish étouffée, crab cakes and red beans and rice, bread pudding, beignets