The Cajun Kitchen

K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen
416 Chartres St.
New Orleans, LA. 70130
www.chefpaul.com/site319.php

For anyone who has ever been to Louisiana, and more specifically New Orleans, and more specifically the French Quarter, it is no stretch of the imagination to know that I had a tough time deciding where I should dine during my night in the Big Easy. More a country and a culture unto itself than a part of the United States, southern Louisiana’s most predominant distinguishing feature is its Cajun heritage. With a language, history, and food all its own, Cajun heritage stems from the French originated Acadian settlers who once occupied this part of our country, until the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Since this time, these people have been producing food unlike any other place on the planet. Today many establishments seek to exemplify this heritage in their food, but for my night I chose K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen as my medium for delving into this rich world of unique tastes and flavor sensations.

Located a couple blocks off Bourbon street, just far enough that you don’t have to worry about the kids running into bare chested “exotic dancers” running out into the street to vomit (don’t laugh it happened to me when I was younger), K-Paul’s store front typifies the French Quarter feel. With a wrought iron balcony, flower boxes, and gas lamps, you are immediately immersed in old Louisiana charm. This feeling is somewhat diminished when you step inside. While the physical interior of the building stays in theme with exposed white washed brick walls faded with time, a wooden bar, and exposed kitchen, the artwork and table coverings are a bit confusing. Pictures line the walls that can only be described as the result of a bad acid trip while eating a meal of Louisiana delicacies. Profiling different delectables such as personified oysters or rabbits, these paintings colorfully list recipes for several of Louisiana’s more notable dishes; the paper table coverings follow suit. Disturbing at the least… Once you make it past these oddities however, the atmosphere is homey and inviting. When the menu arrives you know that you are in a bona fide Louisiana kitchen.

Starting with the appetizers, the menu offers an assortment of traditional, and very Cajun, foods. As I read down the list several caught my eye; turtle soup, shrimp and corn bisque, and alligator sausage. Luckily I was combining this eating experience with a “work” ( I quote that because it is a loose term, as the rest of the evening would prove) meeting and just so happened to be accompanied by another foodie. This being the case, I was able to indulge in a few more dishes than if I were alone, though I guess this qualifier was a bit unnecessary given my previous posts… These three appetizers were by far the most memorable portions of the meal. The alligator sausage was an interesting mixture of chicken, pork, and alligator. If you have ever had alligator before, you know the old adage “it tastes like chicken” applies; hence I was a bit befuddled by K-Paul’s choice of accompaniment. The end result was a sausage that was far too processed, causing a smooth and unremarkable texture, and tasted like chicken. Though the sausage itself was not very memorable, the dish was not a total loss. The fourth ingredient, cayenne pepper, segued well with the sauce that the sausage was set atop. The sauce, honey mustard based, provided a slightly sweet sensation that finished with the subtle kick of the cayenne, a delicious combination. Next was the turtle soup. Apart from my brimming anticipation of indulging in a dish I had never had before, I was jazzed to sample a dish that embodies the traditional Cajun heritage more than perhaps any other, aside from andouille sausage. This being said, I was very surprised by what arrived at my table. Tomato based, the soup was more reminiscent of a beanless chili than anything unique and enlightening. The meat was tough and had been shredded to create a more edible texture. Unfortunately, the spice in the soup masked any unique flavors the turtle might have otherwise imparted. The third and final appetizer was by far the best. A simple dish that could be found at many other restaurants, K-Paul’s Shrimp and Corn bisque was notable. Most remarkable to me was the texture of the whole shrimp in the bisque. Unlike most shrimp, these were not plump and firm, but instead incredibly tender and almost fell apart when you bit into them. Aside from the shrimp, the soup executed perfectly the creamy smooth texture and corn flavor one would expect of high brow bisque.

After the appetizers, the rest of the meal was a bit downhill. Each of us followed with a salad, neither of which was particularly noteworthy, and then I had Louisiana blackened drum and my guest had a duck and shrimp dulac. Native to Louisiana, drum is a commonly blackened fish in Cajun cuisine. While not normally a fan of blackened style, I figured I should give it a try when prepared by the man who brought it to the mainstream culinary scene. I must say that it was better than any other blackened dish I have ever had, however; I am simply not a fan of this style; too heavy on the pepper. The consistency of the fish was similar to a mix between flounder and trout, and I must admit was cooked to a perfectly executed medium rare/medium and had a beautifully firm, yet smooth, texture. The duck was a bit of a surprise when it showed up. Where as most restaurants that serve duck either slice it or serve confit, this was julienned and served in gravy as more of a stew. Never having been a fan of this style, I simply think it is dirty and unrefined and does not highlight the flavor of the individual ingredients, I could not “get into” this dish.

An accurate representation of the Cajun experience, K Paul’s works hard to present dishes that speak to Louisiana’s storied heritage. Though I may not have been a fan of some of the dishes, I cannot say that they were executed poorly. For those who are partial to Cajun flavors, or even travelers seeking an authentic experience, K-Paul’s is an excellent medium for insight into the Cajun kitchen.

The Barbecue Joint

Rendezvous
52 S. 2nd St.
Memphis, TN. 38103
www.hogsfly.com

Memphis. Undoubtedly several associations come immediately to mind when you hear this city’s name; a King, THE King, and barbecue. Ok, Ok, so maybe barbecue doesn’t pop instantly to the forefront of your mind as synonymous with Memphis, but it should. Home of the World Championship of Barbecue, Memphis has been a regional hotspot of barbecue fanaticism for decades. Known primarily for its vinegar based sauces, Memphis sports dozens of “cathedrals of smoke” where one can go worship at the alter of low and slow. The most famous of these spots is Rendezvous. Located in the heart of downtown Memphis, the first distinguishable characteristic is Rendezvous’ location. Tucked far back in an alley, it is easy to walk right past Rendezvous and not even know it, I did. After asking a few of Memphis’ numerous pan handlers for directions, I was finally pointed in the right direction and started off warily (no kidding, it’s a dark sketchy lookin’ alley) in search of my dinner. Even if you don’t spot the restaurant itself when you first enter the alley, you’d have to have an extremely dysfunctional olfactory system to not know you’re in the right spot. With smoke pouring out of its vents, the famous grilling pits send out a delicious beacon to hungry barbecue seekers, guiding the way to rendezvous’ front door.

Immediately apparent when you step inside the door is that you will be dining in a basement. In fact, the story goes that Charles Vergos was cleaning out this basement 60 years ago when he first found a coal chute and started making ribs. This leads us to the second noticeable and distinguishing aspect of Rendezvous; unlike most, and by most I mean all, notable rib makers, Rendezvous cooks their ribs over a coal grill as opposed to wood burning smoker. This is a mistake in my opinion.

As any diligent foodie would, I went straight for the ribs, they are after all famous. However, I simply cannot go into a barbecue house and not get pork shoulder, so I ordered a combo plate (remember my philosophy). I knew as soon as my plate showed up that I would be disappointed. You see, my idea of a good rib is a fall off the bone tender, sauce braised, and smoky baby back. I also prefer my sauce to be sweet and tangy. What I received was none of the above. Instead, Rendezvous’ ribs are dry rubbed, firm, lacking of the traditional mesquite or apple wood undertones, and served dry. The reason for the state of Rendezvous’ ribs is several fold: As previously mentioned, they are cooked over a coal fire so there is no wood to infuse that smoky flavor; Secondly, they are braised with vinegar as opposed to barbecue sauce; Finally, they are dry rubbed with a seasoned salt and pepper based rub. The result was a rib that was packed with flavor, but dry and firmly stuck to the bone. Additionally, the meat had a firm texture that was neither succulent nor tender. The pork shoulder followed suit. Although served with a conservative amount of sauce already across the top, I found the lump of meat to be similarly dry with a somewhat sawdust texture and resemblance. Needless to say, I was disappointed.

Although I was less than enthusiastic about my meal, I can see why some people love Rendezvous. With a unique style that creates such a unique final product, it is easy to see how some people might become fanatically attached, just not me. While I would recommend that anyone in Memphis for the night drop by and experience this restaurant for themselves, I would not recommend a repeat visit.