Ever Eat Here? (we did)

Taste of Mardi Gras:

by Reuben Romaine

With an impending trip to the Big Easy for this years Mardi Gras celebration on our calendar. I figured I'd cover two Cajun Classics one here in the City of Roses, and one in the Crescent City.

BROUSSARD'S

It's only fitting that Cape should be the home to one of the most authentic cajun/creole down home eateries outside of New Orleans. Both cities were founded by French Settlers.

Broussards has all the cajun staples: Po-Boy's (the new spicy steak Po- Boy kicks butt), gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, etc. Live music on the weekends even.

They have oysters on the half shell, (gulf oysters, in season only, good, and CHEAP). I've had oysters all over the country, for the price Broussard's can't be beat, if they say they've got good ones, they've got Great ones. If they don't have them they're out of season, or of inferior quality.

For the true southern palate, and at the very least worth a try if you have never had them, they have whole boiled crawfish (crayfish, mudbugs, cajun lobster, crawdads, whichever name you use) and alligator (tail or ribs). They also have a good selection of steaks, chicken, burgers, fish, really whatever you'd want.

I've been eating there for years, and only have one major gripe. Crawfish ettoufee is arguably one of my all time favorite Broussard's entrées, and a few years back they decided to update their recipe. To be honest, they broke it. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad, it's just nowhere near as good as it used to be. OK, griping over.

If you want authentic cajun cuisine, good music, and a French Quarter atmosphere, Broussard's is as close as you can get without a trip to the French Quarter itself. And if you can't get to Mardi Gras, they throw a hell of a party on Fat Tuesday.

THE FATTED CALF

727 St. Peter, a few steps south of Bourbon Street.

On a recent trip to New Orleans, we discovered a "find" as I like to term them. OK, I guess you'd better know, I love a DIVE! with good food, the kind of place the locals eat at, cause they know what's good, and they know what's cheap. I consider dives my specialty, let Lacey find the trendy, fancy places, we go to them too, but hey, everyone's on a budget, right?

We were starving, on our way to Petunia's,

(a well recommended, slightly fancy, dining establishment), when we passed The Fatted Calf. As is typical in the French Quarter, their menu was posted outside, 24 different burgers, a few steaks, grilled fish, etc made up the selections. The prices seemed cheap, especially by French Quarter standards, and the aroma coming from the door was very tantalizing.

But we had plans, so off we went to Petunia's, checking menu's along the way.

So Petunia's may be great,may be highly recommended, but they have a problem. They don't know where they're located, with two different guidebooks and two other advertisements, we found three addresses for them, we found two of the addresses, but not the restaurant. With a gnawing in our bellies, we gave up and headed back thru the Quarter, checking menus.

After passing restaurant after restaurant with $30 steaks and $20 or $30 entrees we "conveniently" found ourselves back in front of The Fatted Calf. Inside we went. We found ourselves in a typical Bar and Grill with the emphasis both in floor space and décor on Bar, where we sat, ordered up some adult beverages and placed our orders. Filet Mignon for Lacey, Grilled Tuna for myself. (about $15 each).

OK. First the salad. I ordered blue cheese dressing, and have be-come used to varying degrees of quality, but this stuff was astounding, to be honest I think it was mostly crumbled blue cheese over a hint of dressing, awesome.

My tuna was perfectly seared on the outside without being dried out or overcooked.

Lacey's filet was also very good, I usually get to have some of her steak.

Taste and value both rate outstanding in my book. I can't wait to go back and try one of their 24 gourmet burgers.

P.S. I tried Blackened Voodoo beer, cool label, but way strange, even by dark beer standards. I was rather concerned that they might have just bottled some swamp water, this stuff was so dark; not my cup of tea.