Another Surprise

On a recent lovely day we were looking for some outdoor dining on the South Shore. Sometimes I am surprised how little comes to mind when I search my internal database for new places to go, or some we just haven’t visited in a while.

One that popped out was Gris Gris, the original Eric Cook restaurant. Patty, our producer of The Food Show, is very high on Gris Gris and even more enthusiastic about the man himself. He’s a favorite guest on The Food Show, but we rarely talk about Gris Gris because he now has St. John deep in the French Quarter, and another as-yet-to-open place in Bywater.

Gris Gris came to mind because we were talking recently about Bang Bang Shrimp, the original of the much-copied fried shrimp in a spicy remoulade sauce appetizer. Patty mentioned that Gris Gris had its version, and she raved about it.

I made a reservation for outside after looking at the lunch menu, but I forgot two important details: The patio balcony was upstairs, and it was Saturday so it would be brunch. Arriving at the restaurant I was reminded how difficult that climb would be for Tom, and a quick check of the menu reduced my interest in the brunch.

But there we were and there were tables downstairs under roof. The idea of streetside dining in that neighborhood was unappealing, but we stayed. At this point, we were pretty hungry. There wasn’t much I was interested in, so we settled on the shrimp app called Flambeaux Shrimp, and a chicken and andouille gumbo by default.

Patty also raved about the fries and the burger, so I got that as an entree. Tom ordered The Catfish Poor Boy with Cajun Caviar.

The chicken and andouille gumbo was fine but nothing more. It was quite spicy with large chunks of chicken and a lot of andouille. In the center was a generous mound of popcorn rice, which improves any dish it is part of.

The shrimp were a big surprise. They were, first, quite large, To be fair, I have a thing about large shrimp, but I have always seen this dish made with much smaller shrimp and a lot of them. These six large shrimp were fried and tossed in  Crystal Honey Sauce, drizzled with Ranch dressing which included more of the Cajun Caviar, and served over a carrot, parsnip, and mirliton slaw. The slaw was the best thing about this dish. This was the first of the Bang Bang Shrimp wannabees I didn't like.

Tom’s poor boy was the best thing on the table. It came on a toasted loaf of French bread, with a large hunk of thick-battered crispy catfish with a Buttermilk Ranch dressing and more Cajun Caviar. The dressings were arugula and. a  nice slice of tomato, with the most fun pickles I've seen., They were to me the most interesting thing on the table. I am told you can buy these in a jar, but I have never seen pickles sliced lengthwise and ruffled. I liked them a lot. Tom was crazy about this sandwich, and it was a standout among the offerings.

The LGD burger (Lower Garden District) was also fine but nothing special, which was surprising considering its pedigree beef blend, a grind of short rib and brisket. The melted cheddar on this classic burger had a nice flavor. The dressings were good, including more fun pickles. And of course, the brioche bun.

And the fries which Patty said were great seemed ordinary and a little greasy to me. 

All disappointing, though it may be that my expectations were so high. It’s expectations that are the key component to all experiences. I love being surprised, but only in a good way. The opposite happens too often these days.