5 PLACES FOR...
Mardi Gras Meals!
February 16, 2007
ctnow.com
Mardi Gras isn't all about drinking and beads. If you've ever been to New Orleans, you know that eating is also a huge part of Fat Tuesday. So to satisfy your cajun and creole cravings of catfish, andouille sausage, gumbo and gator, we offer you these five local places that serve N'awlins flavors.
The Landing Zone
525 Burlington Road, Harwinton
860-485-2733
Alligator tenders, $8.95
Delta fried catfish sandwich, $9.25
You won't find Mardi Gras tunes on the jukebox or purple-green-and-gold beads on the tables here, and the overall theme is far more Key West than N'awlins. But chef Joe Furnari's little roadhouse-style place serves lively Cajun food with a purely "Laissez les bons temps rouler" attitude.
Even though the ribs, burgers and wings at The Landing Zone consistently turn reviewers into fans, Carnival is the time to try something spicier and a few shades more primitive. What better choice than gator?
Furnari's fried alligator appetizer arrives looking a bit like a plate of chicken fingers, but the similarities end after you taste the tangy seasonings. Forget the preconceptions: Alligator isn't fishy, and the alligator tenders here are truly tender, not chewy. The taste is best described as a cross between pork and chicken, heavier on the pork side. Don't ignore the dipping sauce, a Cajun version of remoulade that's both peppery and sweet. Paprika and lemon and cut through the mayo, and the flavors are sharp but not pungent.
There's more gator waiting in the "swamp medley," a $25.95 entree that also features crawfish, shrimp and frog legs. For a tamer route, try the fried catfish sandwich - fresh, flavorful and, like most dishes here, Carnival-sized. SA tip: Order it without the mayo, which is just a distraction, and get the tomato and lettuce on the side. The catfish comes with remoulade, and a side order of vinegar chips that could be a small meal on their own.
- DON STACOM
Mama Roux's Kitchen LLC
317 Main Street, Cromwell
860- 632-8484, www.mamarouxskitchen.com
Banana Foster French Toast, $8.99
Tex Mex Chili Omelet, $7.89
I'm a good Catholic boy. But before I start 40 days of fasting and fish sticks, my wife and I headed to Mama Roux's Kitchen in Cromwell for one hell of a glutinous breakfast in the true spirit of Fat Tuesday.
Mama Roux's offers a menu of southern soul food inspired by New Orleans. Like the city itself, this diner style restaurant isn't about being trendy or chic. The L-shaped dining room is lined with booths and the Saturday breakfast menu is on a one-page laminated piece of paper.
Still, the purple orchids garnishing every plate and the New Orleans jazz and blues music filling the room celebrates simple beauty and shows this isn't your typical Connecticut diner.
I chose the Banana Foster French Toast from about two dozen breakfast choices. Mama Roux's serves its French Toast in a traditional pain perdu style. French bread is left out until staleness sets in, then the cooks soak the bread in milk, eggs and sugar and grill it to a golden brown. My French toast was then topped with banana liquor and fresh banana slices.
My wife – who has a fierier pallet than I – ordered the Tex Mex Chili Omelet. All Mama Roux's omelets are made with three eggs and served with spicy home fries. The Tex Mex has chili, cheddar cheese and scallions topped with salsa and avocado.
In the ultimate act of gluttony, the portions were too much for either of us to finish. Although everything was delicious, we both left about a quarter of our breakfast on our plates. I better get to confession next month.
-- JIM WELCH
Rajun Cajun
2790 Main Street, Hartford
(860) 241-9288
French Toast with Country Ham $5.60
Side Order of Grits $1.95
After a long night of Mardi Gras celebrating, there's nothing better for you or your stomach than a big breakfast. And although the Rajun Cajun on Main Street in the north end of Hartford may be a far cry from the Big Easy logistically, after one taste of their freshly made grits you'd be hard pressed not to believe that you'd just stumbled into a small cafe somewhere off Bourbon Street. But you had better bring along your appetite as well, because the portions at the Rajun Cajun are uniformly huge and all come served up piping-hot and fresh from the griddle.
Rajun Cajun is situated in a converted diner with a lunch counter and only a few window booths for seating. But what the restaurant lacks in space it makes up for in taste. The morning I visited, I was feeling particularly hungry. So I opted for a large stack of French Toast. Each slice was a inch thick and hand-dipped in the Cajun's own secret batter, served with a side of thick country-style ham and a side order of grits.
The French Toast was every bit as good as it sounds, especially after I smothered it in maple syrup and butter. I found the ham to be a little too salty and tough for my taste, not to mention greasy. The grits were thick and creamy, probably best described as "stick to your ribs" fare, and came garnished with cheese and butter.
If you're counting your calories or not the biggest fan of greasy breakfast platters, then the Rajun Cajun probably isn't for you. But if you've got a large appetite, and like your portions hearty and homespun (and not to mention cheap), then the Cajun will probably be right up your alley.
Don't worry, if you're not an early riser that's OK, too, because the Rajun Cajun serves breakfast daily from 6am to 2pm.
-- DAVE MORAN
Black-Eyed Sally's BBQ & Blues
350 Asylum St, Hartford
860-278-7427, www.blackeyedsallys.com
Louisiana Gumbo, $5.95
Damn Good Chicken. $14.95
Black Eyed- Sally's mixes good old southern barbecque with a jazzy blues vibe. Brightly colored walls and paintings give the place a lively, Mardi Gras-inspired decor. The menu has plenty of southern cookin' on it, from deep fried catfish fingers to buttermilk fried chicken served with mashed potatoes and collard greens.
I started off with the Louisiana Gumbo - a mix of chicken, crawfish, and andouille sausage in a spicy stew. I had never had gumbo before but I was feeling adventurous. Nervous, I stirred around the rice and took a spoonful of the warm stew. It was warm, spicy, and delicious. It was definitely a nice change from the boring and generic chicken noodle soup.
The waitress brought over a complimentary basket of cornbread and butter. I spread the whipped butter over a small slice of warm bread. I was hypnotized by this sweet butter glistening over the soft cornbread that for a moment I forgot about my meal. I was too busy savoring each and every mouth-watering bite.
Nevertheless, my entree did arrive, and my order of "Damn Good Chicken" was appropriately named. The generous portion of BBQ glazed chicken came smothered in a Creole mustard sauce. Scattered next to my chicken were some warm salt and vinegar fries, also something I've never tried, but I definitely recommend. A small cup of coleslaw also came with the meal and it was the freshest coleslaw I've had in awhile. Not your generic coleslaw that just looks like a lifeless goopy slop, this slaw had flavor and you can tell it was fresh. Be prepared to go home with damn good leftovers (and it still tastes damn good the next day, too).
To end the meal, as you're leaving the restaurant you'll notice there aren't the usual boring after dinner mints at the door. Instead they offer the red hot candy "fireballs." So if the gumbo wasn't spicy enough for you, just grab an even hotter treat on your way out.
-- ERICA DASILVA
Danny's Pizza
541 Hazard Ave, Enfield
860-763-5511, www.dannyspizzaenfield.com
Rajun Cajun pizza, $8.75
I can't afford a ticket to N'Awlins (or even a weeknight off for a little Hurricanes-and-debauchery indulgence), but I'm damn good at celebrating holidays by honoring their culinary traditions. So I set out to find some heat-infused Louisiana delicacies in frozen northern Connecticut, and hit jackpot at Danny's Pizza in Enfield.
From the inside, Danny's looks like your typical casual neighborhood spot: red-and-white checkered tabletops, paper menus, $7.50 pitchers of Bud Light. But what sets it apart from its competitors is the wide variety of offerings, including 15 designer pizzas with unique and creative toppings. One was seemingly custom-made for celebrating Fat Tuesday--the Rajun Cajun.
This loaded pizza packs a big punch onto a 10-inch crust. The pie gets fresh garlic, olive oil, Cajun seasoning, chunks of purply red onion and thick fresh tomatoes. Next comes the meat: thin slices of baked chicken and crumbles of andouille sausage. A blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses and a "special sauce sent directly from the Big Easy" tops off the NOLA-style creation.
From the eye-watering smell of the pizza, I expected my first taste to be an onslaught of blazing heat, but that wasn't the case. Instead, the sweet coolness of the tomatoes mixed well with the tangy cheeses and hearty andouille. The onion then added a little crunchy zing. Believe it or not, the hottest part of the pizza was the spice-dusted crust; the last bite of each piece left my tongue tingling. The crust itself was a clear winner--thicker than typical pizzas, crispy on the outside and perfectly chewy all at once.
And if you find yourself feeling a little 'gras' after Mardi, Danny's has some healthier options for you: multigrain pizza crusts, salads and a full low-carb menu to get your diet back on track. If you're into that sort of thing.
-- LEEANNE GRIFFIN
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