Jacques-Imo's Cafe - New Orleans, LA - Funky Town

Jacques-Imo's Cafe

New Orleans, LA

Dinner

June 1, 2010

The Set-Up - We had some specific requirements for my birthday dinner out. Given that we had tickets for a baseball game starting at 7:00 p.m. we needed a place that was open early and relatively near Zephyr Field, along with being special enough for a birthday dinner. Having been in the neighborhood, but never actually eating there, we took a chance on Jacques-Imo's Cafe, which got great notices on the Internet for everything but being crowded and noisy. We hoped that showing up at 5:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night would negate both problems.

The Meal - As for appetizers, the girls chose more wisely than I did. They picked mussels in tomato basil sauce, which were served sitting atop a bed of mashed potatoes. They loved every bite and I enjoyed my one sample. I picked garlic snails atop trofie pasta, which was not the best choice for my slightly unsettled stomach. Still, I ate all the snails, while sampling the pasta. Kay and Kallie also shared an entree - stuffed catfish. I soloed on grilled grouper with crabmeat imperial. They raved over the catfish. My fish was perfectly cooked, but my stomach was not quite up to the rich sauce. Entrees came with two side dishes. My mashed sweet potatoes were the highlight of my meal.

We didn't have time for a birthday dessert, but I expect they could have delivered, complete with singing.

Drinks -We didn't challenge the bartender. Kay had a glass of pinot noir while Kallie and I stuck with Coke and iced tea respectively. They did have an extensive wine list and an assortment of specialty mixed drinks.


Ambience - While Jacques-Imo's menu could be described as at least imaginative, their decorating scheme is definitely funky. Highlights are murals of swamp scenes painted on all the walls and clocks made out of old vinyl records, which are for sale. A multi-colored truck and a sign promising "bad food and poor service since 1996" greet prospective diners walking in from streetside parking. Diners sitting in the back room must walk through the kitchen to reach their table - seemingly more of an issue for the wait staff than for the diners.

Service -Service met our needs on all counts. Despite arriving 15 minutes behind our target time of 5:30 and the restaurant already being almost full (it opened at 5 rather than at 5:30 as shown on the website), we were fed and on our way to Zephyr Field by 6:40.

The Check - Sharing appetizers and entrees kept the bill to about $100 with tax and tip. Entrees were mostly in the $23-$30 range.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - Four with prospects for five

Drinks - Four - no wine specials

Ambience - Four - come ready for an fun assault on the senses

Service - Four - competent but not special. Based on the website, we expected to see the chef in his shorts and sandals.

Price/Value - Four - similar food can be had for less money at less funky restaurants


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite

Very Good - Hard to bestow "Favorite" honors based on one visit. Jacques-Imo's has the potential to be upgraded.

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


8324 Oak Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
504-861-0886

Hours:

Lunch - closed

Dinner - 5 to 10, Mon thru Thurs; 5 to 10:30 Fri and Sat

Closed on Sunday

www.jacquesimoscafe.com

Cafe Des Amis, Breaux Bridge, LA - Food Meets Art in Cajun Country

Cafe Des Amis
Breaux Bridge, LA
Lunch
December 17, 2009

The Set-Up - On the road from Baton Rouge to Houston we stopped for a delightful lunch at one of our favorite outlying Baton Rouge-area restaurants, Cafe Des Amis in Breaux Bridge, LA. This quaint Cajun-flavored town, home of the annual Crawfish Festival, is just 45 miles west of Baton Rouge and readily accessible by I-10. The restaurant itself is on Bridge Street in downtown Breaux Bridge, just a couple miles off the interstate.

The Meal - I ordered fried catfish with crawfish etouffee (on the side) for $13 off the lunch menu. Trying to "eat light", Kay got two appetizers, the fried shrimp ($8) and a cup of shrimp and okra gumbo ($5). She saw the green beans dripping with bacon grease on my plate and quickly placed a side order ($3.50) for herself.

My catfish was a large, whole filet serving piping hot. The etouffee is normally a topping, so ordered "on the side" it came in its own bowl. I asked for and quickly received some steamed rice to complete the dish. Two entrees (albeit one small) for the price of one. The etouffee was better as a side dish then when I've had it as a main course, primarily because it was served hotter.

We both received a dollop of potato salad, which was very tasty and not overwhelmed with mayonnaise.

Kay got a lot more fried shrimp than she expected, but she ate them all. The gumbo was also full of shrimp and whole chunks of okra. Better her than me. I dislike okra in all forms, and screen out gumbos that have a lot of it.

After all this delicious food we didn't have room for a dessert that might be worth a special trip to Cafe Des Amis, and what drew me to the restaurant for the first time many years ago - white chocolate bread pudding. This amazing dish, which we first ate at a fundraiser for a downtown Baton Rouge arts and science museum, consists of bread pudding served hot with warm white chocolate sauce. One piece (about $6) is enough for two or three people.

We'll get to eat some soon because we're going back to Cafe Des Amis for their New Year's Eve dinner and party. The restaurant holds zydeco (a form of Cajun music) brunches on Saturday mornings, but we've never been organized enough to make the trip. We look forward to hearing the band and eating Cafe Des Amis's wonderful food that evening.

One complaint with the lunch menu is the lack of sandwiches other than various croissants.

Ambience - The restaurant also has some very atmospheric features. Since the beginning, the owners have invited diners/artists to sign their white-painted walls and columns with indelible (well almost) markers. Some of the signatures go back into the 1990s. The effect is charming without the kitsch associated with the usual 8x10" publicity photos or custom shots of the celebrity shaking hands with the restaurant owner.

Cafe Des Amis also serves as an art gallery with rotating exhibits by local artists. Most of the paintings and metal sculptures are for sale. Our daughter's bedroom is decorated with several of the metal wall hangings.

The Check - Our bill for two for lunch (soft drinks only) was about $40 with tax and tip.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - four (today's was a five, but other meals haven't been quite as good)

Dessert - five (for sure for white chocolate bread pudding)

Ambience - five (artsy, French/Cajun charm)

Service - five (our needs, including my "go cup" of iced tea were met quickly and efficiently)

Price/Value -four (a little pricy for lunch, but with a lot of extras)


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - trying out for Special Occasion status on New Year's Eve

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Other Issues - Downtown Breaux Bridge features street parking only. This could be an issue during crowded times, though we've never failed to find a nearby space.

Cafe Des Amis has a sister restaurant, the Grapevine Cafe, in Donaldsonville, LA, which is about 35 miles east of Baton Rouge off I-10. The two restaurants are very similar.

Travel Tip - If you have time, head about five miles out of Breaux Bridge to the Lake Martin Wildlife Preserve, where there may be thousands of nesting snowy egrets and other waterfowl. You don't even need to hike. There's a nice gravel road around the perimeter.





Cafe Des Amis Hours of Operation

Monday - closed
Tuesday - lunch only, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Wednesday/Thursday - 11 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday/Saturday - 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Sunday - 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

www.cafedesamis.com

337.332.5273
fax 337.332.2227