When I mentioned Jill and I were going/had been to Galveston for a few days, the response from most Texans I talked to was a firm, “Meh.”

Warm water, quiet beaches — at least away from the seawall — and great seafood. What’s not to like? We stayed on the west end of the island, where we floated in the Gulf of Mexico and counted a handful of people sharing the beach with us, and spent time roaming the Strand in downtown Galveston. We ate. A lot. And most of what we ate was memorable.

The highlights:

Katie’s Seafood House. They catch the fish they serve, and if you sit outside you’ll overlook their fishing fleet. We ate lunch there twice. Both times, I had the fried oyster po’boy. It was the best po’ boy I’ve ever eaten, and a lot of that had to do with the mustardy remoulade that tops it.

Gaido’s. The oldest restaurant in Galveston, and the second biggest kitchen in Texas (the biggest is in Austin, I asked). I expected to be disappointed. We weren’t. The blue crab cheesecake with Creole meuniere sauce was the most surprising and delightful thing I ate all weekend. The snapper, a specialty, lived up to the billing. We should have skipped dessert, but otherwise, I get the buzz around this place.

West End Marina and Restaurants. Just last night, a friend pointed out that it can be a mistake to eat at a marina. The West End Marina and Restaurants is the rebuttal. We ate in the upstairs palapa. The experience: Friendly, delicious, won’t break your wallet. I’d go back.

Need coffee while in Galveston? Of course you do. MOD Coffeehouse is the place. Suck it up and get in line. It’s worth it.