King Creole Had More Color

For my wife’s birthday, we wanted to try a new place downtown, the House of Creole. It used to be a “Sailor’s Club something or other” and changed over. Having lived in Louisiana during my Air Force years, I was game. I am always up for some good Etouffee. The House’s menu is full of Creole favorites and sounded promising.

Concerning Cajun food, most people outside of Louisiana and the Gulf States think Cajun and Creole are simply one or two things; Spicy, meaning a ton of cayenne pepper and if you can’t handle that, just lots and lots of black pepper, and “Blackened”, meaning burnt with definite charring to give you the carcinogens of smoking a pack of cigarettes without spending all that time blowing smoke into people’s personnel space. That isn’t Cajun. A good Cajun chef can balance out flavors to ensure the cayenne pepper isn’t the only thing you taste. Good Cajun is full of spices that work together to add life and excitement to your taste buds. These flavors hold you close and have you dreaming of shrimp, crawfish, catfish, Forrest Gump, crab, oysters, and all those things from the gulf waters; the world is a good warm place with a kick in the mouth to keep you alive. And like a good chili, if it can sit for a day, oh my goodness! It becomes a masterpiece.

The wife got the Etouffee with fettuccine noodles. I got the Cajun Spiced Ribeye. Typically, we don’t get the same thing so we can experience some variety from the menu. I wasn’t feeling the Gumbo or Jambalaya. In hindsight, I probably should have tried them. Like many Midwestern places, the House of Creole threw a bunch of cayenne pepper on their Etouffee and called it from the Bayou. My steak wasn’t seasoned much at all and I longed for the Montreal seasoning I put on my steaks at home. The Cajun food at the House of Creole tasted like someone went to Louisiana during Mardi Gras, loved the food, and said, “I can make that.” Then adjusted it for the Midwestern palette which, most times, isn’t conducive to spices.

You’re probably thinking I’m being pretty harsh and kind of a food snob. And you’d be right. Cajun cooking is near and dear to my heart. The years I spent in Louisiana and Texas have told me not to compromise on good Cajun or BBQ. Memories of eating three (only three) pounds of crawfish while watching a ballgame on tv have kept my standards high on good Cajun food. If you feel the need to have good Cajun/Creole food in Cleveland, visit The Bourbon Street Barrel Room. The food is so good you might start throwing beads at people. I get worried sometimes about trying food outside of the regions where they are famous. I still remember the Great Chinese Food Debacle in Sturgis, South Dakota, and the cold Jello like deli shaved BBQ Brisket here in Ohio. That shouldn’t stop you from trying these foods, you might find a great hole-in-the-wall authentic restaurant. That’s what keeps me going to them. As Mardi Gras approaches, get you some good soothing Etouffee or Gumbo or Jambalaya and dream of warmer weather and the spice of life. Enjoy the moments!