“It’s all about the food” – P&J Seafood owners find home, better life in Groves
Published 12:16 am Wednesday, April 22, 2020
- Owner of P&J Seafood in Groves Tuyen Hoang stands outside the location Tuesday morning. (Cassandra Jenkins/The News)
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GROVES — P&J Seafood has been family owned and operated for almost 20 years by Tuyen and Hue Hoang.
The Vietnamese-born husband and wife set up shop on 3301 Pure Atlantic Road in 2001 chasing a better future and life in Southeast Texas.
“It’s a better life here,” Tuyen said. “Me and my wife have been here for almost 30 years. We work hard every day for our future and our kids’ freedom. I thank God that they get to grow up with these opportunities. We came here for freedom and a better life, and that’s what we got. The food is better here, too.”
P&J Seafood serves fried fish, shrimp, hushpuppies, fries and lemon pepper wings.
Tuyen and Hue migrated from Vietnam to America in 1989. As former fishermen, they found a bit of the old and new in opening a seafood restaurant in Groves.
“In Vietnam, they are all fishermen,” Hoang said. “My wife and I lived in a village close to the water, so that’s why we love seafood. My wife also loves to cook, so that’s the main reason we decided to open a restaurant. Plus you get to do your own thing. Be your own boss. It’s great.”
The menu combines traditional southern seafood and a dash of Vietnamese cuisine.
Favorite menu items include fried shrimp, catfish baskets, salt and pepper chicken wings, homemade gumbo, oysters, various flavors of fried rice and crawfish.
Traditional Vietnamese eggrolls serve up a side of home. The egg rolls are a popular Vietnamese dish filled with ground meat, wrapped in rice paper and deep-fried.
P&J Seafood home cooks chicken and sausage gumbo. (Cassandra Jenkins/The News)
Tuyen’s wife, Hue, creates the concoctions herself.
“All of the recipes are my wife’s,” Tuyen said. “She creates it. She makes it her own.”
P&J Seafood is located across from Total Petrochemicals, a decision the Hoangs made consciously.
“Over here, there is no competition,” he said. “It’s only us. We like it.”
Since it’s opening nearly two decades ago, the restaurant has received an upgraded menu, a few renovations, website creativity and customer growth.
It still remains as a family owned business.
After all, P&J stands for the Hoangs’ two sons, 23-year-old Phi and 29-year-old Jason.
P&J Seafood is located at 3301 Pure Atlantic Road in Groves. (Cassandra Jenkins/The News)
P&J Seafood is currently open for takeout only from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The restaurant is closed on Sundays.
To place an order, call 409-962-5018.
“It’s all about the food,” Tuyen said. “It’s about the service, getting a taste of a family-owned restaurant and taking care of people the best we can.”
As their motto states, “We hope you get a chance to stop by and eat with us!”
