Texas or Cajun? Have the best of both at Keller’s new restaurant

Joe Reid believes a person can enjoy the best of both Texas and Cajun life — and food — alongside each other, and he’s proving it with his three restaurants named Te’Jun the Texas Cajun. The newest opened in August in Keller at 541 Keller Parkway, joining the original in Robinson and another in Red Oak.

Reid was born in Houston, but he grew-up in the small town of Teague in Central East Texas. His mother’s family hails from the Bolivar Peninsula area of the Gulf Coast.

Reid spent lots of time visiting his grandfather, uncle and cousins at a place called Crystal Beach. His uncle owned a shrimp boat and his grandfather owned a marina, and to this day he pays homage to their influence in his personal and business life.

“My uncle certainly influenced my love for the Gulf. Sand, shrimp, crabs, all of which seemed to have an effect on me. It also helped, I’m sure, in directing my steps in the food industry,” Reid said.

He recalled laying awake at night above the marina, not yet realizing he was perhaps mentally forming his own future.

“The marina had a large bunkhouse upstairs, about eight beds and eight windows. I would lay in one of those beds and listen to the people downstairs. They would, of course, eat whatever was in the pot he cooked, gumbo, crab or shrimp,” he said. “Lots of laughing, eating, happy times for me.

“Since my grandfather owned the marina I had all the cokes, snacks and bait I wanted - paradise for a young boy.”

He also loved fishing on a large flat rock at the end of a nearby point. He’s still an avid fisherman, be it on the coast or at local lakes. In fact, he was fishing as he was participating in the interview for this story.

“Later came the shrimp boat with my uncle as owner and captain. I learned how to work, and grew up very quickly,” Reid said.

Getting start at truck stop in Dew

At age 13, Reid became a short-order cook at a truck stop in Dew, working the night shift on weekends. Looking back, he said he believes God was preparing him for the career he now has as it created a desire in him to feed people well.

But it would be some time before he entered that chapter of his life. For several years he worked as a sales representative in radio before realizing he had to do more to earn the money to send his daughters to college.

So he took a leap of faith and started Te’Jun out of a food trailer in 1997. It remained that way for 20 years before he opened his first brick-and-mortar site in Robinson in 2017, followed by Red Oak in 2020 and now the first in the Fort Worth area in Keller.

The trailer is now a truck today and it’s still used for mobile serving.

When reflecting on the growth of his company, Reid, a very spiritual person, simply refers to Psalm 139:16, which reads “Your eyes have seen my unformed substance, and in your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”

“When asked today my reply is always the same, the Lord has done it,” Reid said humbly. “There truly is no other answer.”

Reid said crawfish was the first menu item he served, along with corn and potatoes. Now, there are a plethora of choices, with combination plates tending to be the most popular, he said, adding that his personal favorite is the Red Fish classic — grilled fish and rice with a Cajun cream sauce on top.

“I also like peel-and-eat crab and shrimp,” he said.

Another unique dining option for Keller

As for what separates Te’Jun from other Cajun restaurants, Reid said he really hasn’t given that much thought. He’s just glad folks like what he has to offer, which they clearly do.

“I have not tried to be different, just good food, served fast, from people who care about the customer,” he said.

Among the many people who are happy Reid brought his restaurant to town is Keller Mayor Armin Mizani. He said it is the latest example reflecting the success of the city’s economic development team and city council to ensure residents have unique, family-friendly dining options.

“Investments like Old Town Keller and median beautification are helping attract new businesses, and we’re excited to have Te’Jun be part of what’s becoming a vibrant North Texas foodie destination,” Mizani said.

As the business has grown, so has the involvement of Reid’s family. It is now a true family business with his daughters Amanda, who has lived in Keller for some time, and Ashley, along with their husbands getting involved. Even Reid’s grandchildren are beginning to help.

“I was in first grade when dad started Te’Jun.I loved helping at the boils and catering jobs,” said Amanda, who helps with marketing for the company. “It is pretty amazing now reflecting on what Te’Jun has become.

“Helping with the logistics of building the restaurant in the city I now call home was a full-circle moment for me. I love that I can have a piece of home with me in Keller.”

As for whether the company will expand even more, Reid seems open to the idea, with one caveat.

“If the Lord leads us, we will go,” he said.