a pleasant surprise. traveling is a large part of my worldly existence, and my habit is to ask forrestaurantrecommendations from the hotel staff where i stay in new towns. on this particular occasion, when the lady at the front desk recommended "a neat cajun place next door," i cringed. as a louisianian, born and bred of the cajun people, i am critical and dubious of claims made by restaurants as authentic. as thisrestaurantshared a parking lot with my hotel, i went to check it out.
immediately upon entering, i recognized the trappings of home. from new orleans saints prints on the walls, to genuine articles that might have as easily been in the homes of my parents and grandparents, i recognized that the proprietors were the real thing- clearly refugees from my home region.
on a sunday afternoon, therestaurantwas packed, with a waiting list being managed by brian, the owner. people leaving the building commented "its worth the wait." those casual reviews fueled my anticipation. alone, i was able to sit immediately and order from the bar.
i started my dining by asking the bartender, belinda, to give me something homey to drink. i have no idea what she made me, but it was wonderful on my palate. milk and whiskey and cinnamon stick in my mind. i took an instant shine to belinda- as she was personable and attentive.
i ordered boudin, to jump right in to authenticity testing. the seasoning was lighter than i am used to, but it was served with a bed of lettuce and a fantastic rémoulade. as i finished my milk/whisky concoction, belinda brought me one of the best bloody mary's i've ever had. i could only have hoped for the glass to be rimmed in tony chachere's to improve it.
for my after lunch brunch, i ordered the ragin cajun grits and eggs. two eggs, made to order, an english muffin lightly buttered, and a bowl of grits replete with green onions, bacon and cheese baked on top. the taste was an amazing blend of spices and ingredients. i added nothing, and quickly devoured this fabulous meal.
throughout the meal, i had pleasant converssation. the owner came and spoke with me, sharing some of his business philosophy. to my ear, it was along the lines of pride in service, and a determination to get better every day. warming my heart, he spoke of meeting his father's expectations for him. its a family place, with a down-home family vibe (if down-home= new orleans).
i continued my stay at my barstool perspective, watching the waitstaff move about their tasks. i took note of smiles, and genuine personalities being shared with customers. i decided in watching that i really love this restaurant.
soon, the chef brought me a sample of crawfish etoufee. i'd never had it over pasta, but the seasoning and flavor was perfect, and the pasta added interesting texture. i highly recommend it. soon after, i received sliced french bread with a combination dipping sauce. as near as i can tell, it was made of rémoulade and olive oil. whatever it was, it made for a terrific combination.
therestaurantoffers a full bar, and a variety of louisiana beers. i was able to have some of my favorites from abita and dixie during my stay.
i ended up spending about three hours in the restaurant- eating, drinking and visiting with the friendly staff. it is certainly possible to eat quickly and leave, but in doing so, one would miss some of the true atmosphere of this eatery- as good as the food is, its real strength is the people who work there.
absolutely recommended by a cynical cajun.