Restaurant Review

Friday, November 10, 2000

A trip to the bayou proves to be tasty and fun

Bayou Grill offers Cajun-style dishes and southern desserts in a casual Louisiana setting

 

So the Bayou Grill restaurant is missing a nearby swamp, above-ground gravesites and musicians whose instruments include washboards. Its tables are covered in red plastic tablecloths, and its walls are decorated with plastic masks and Mardis Gras posters from New Orleans and Lafayette. But this place is authentic in every sense of the word.
   On a recent visit, we were seated and immediately served ice-cold tea in huge plastic glasses and a small cast iron pan filled with fresh, hot jalapeño corn bread. Neither bland nor dry, the bread was sweet with an occasional taste of the spice garnered from the pepper.
   We pondered the menu that was cleverly dotted with red peppers to denote spicy items, little crabs to signal shellfish items, and listings in French with English translations. We opted for the fried pickles as an appetizer for no other reason than curiosity.
   After the first bite, we decided they should be the next trend to follow fried green tomatoes. The pickles were crunchy like any self-respecting crinkle-cut dill should be, the breading crisp and saturated with a garlicky tang from the pickle juice. Dipped in ranch dressing, they were exactly as the menu indicated: addictive.
   The main course
   For dinner, my companion ordered the Blackened Feast, which normally includes Red Snapper, oysters and shrimp. Because the restaurant wasn't serving the oysters on the night we went, my companion was given the option of extra shrimp or scallops; he went for the scallops.
   The dish was magnificent and super spicy. Served on a bed of rice, the fish was cooked just long enough to seal in the juices and heat up the pepper and cayenne on the outside. Although the blackened seasoning threatened to engulf the tender flavors of the shrimp and scallops, it was just what a spicy-food lover craves. The cool cole slaw and warm, twice-baked mashed potateaux, as spelled on the menu, offered just enough contrast to give the palate a break from the spice.
   I chose the Shrimp Etouffé which was served over pasta (rice is also an option). But first came my salad. All of the dressings at Bayou are homemade, so I had to make a choice between my usual favorites. I decided on the remoulade, being forewarned that it was flavorful, but not too spicy. The salad was huge with both leafy and iceberg lettuce, tomato, cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheeses and fresh sliced mushrooms. The dressing was flavored by the strength of green onions and mustard seeds, and included small pieces of celery and creamy.
   My etouffé was the kind of spicy that creeps up on you - just when you think it's not too hot, your forehead starts to bead with sweat. The pasta turned out to be a linguine type, cooked soft, and the sauce although on the thin side, clung to the shrimp (I had at least eight pieces) and made the tomatoes flavorful. The bowl it was served in seemed bottomless.
   Tasty desserts
   I cut my meal short so I could try dessert, some of which are made in-house. We were both tempted by the cobbler, which on our night was cherry, and the Bayou Fudge Cake. We ordered each. The cobbler was tart with crumbs from a type of cornmeal cake. The Bayou Fudge Cake was a rich collaboration of a brownie that was so moist it was almost liquid, ice cream and fudge sauce. We shared because we couldn't decide which we liked best.
   On a previous trip to this restaurant I ordered a typical shrimp dish, but in the future I'll stick with the Cajun varieties: In a town surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico, sometimes it's fun to take a trip to the bayou.
  
  Bayou Grill
  3741 S. Alameda St.
  854-8626
  Hours: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday
  Entrees: $5.99-$11.99
  Checks: Yes
  Credit cards: Yes
  Beer
  Wheelchair accessible
  Food: ** 1/2
  Service: ** 1/2
  Atmosphere: **
  

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