On a rare Friday night off from work, Suzie and I headed out to The Original Blue Orleans Creole Restaurant in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We arrived to a non-descript building, but a good crowd gave us hope for a nice meal. We were not disappointed. Everything about our meal was fantastic.
This restaurant opened in 2006 by the Meyer family. I believe it was Beth Meyer directing traffic and making sure that patrons were properly fed. Our server, Kate, was friendly, helpful and busy all night scurrying back and forth providing her people with outstanding service.
The inside decor did lack a bit in ambience. This is primarily due to the structure of the building. We initially drove by the building because the facility did not look like a restaurant. Set on the edge of an industrial section of town, the best thing on the outside were the beautiful blooming trees lining the front of the building.
Ignore all of that. Inside we were treated to live jazz music from Overture For Rent. Nice music, tasty food and friendly service more than make up for what the building lacks.
We began by ordering our drinks. Like a good southern restaurant, they had sweet tea for Suzie. I enjoyed a dark beer, Abita Turbo Dog. Abita has been repeatedly voted as the best beer in New Orleans.
For appetizers, I had a cup of flavorful gumbo. Suzie and I split some fried green tomatoes. Whoever was in the kitchen knew what they were doing. The tomatoes were firm with just the right amount of coating which was fried to a golden brown. A bit of sauce on top made this a tasty start to our meal.
Suzie ordered a roast beef and gravy po-boy sandwich. Yes, roast beef AND gravy. It was delicious. I enjoyed one of my favorite New Orleans dishes – crawfish etouffez. It was full of flavor and lived up to my expectations.
For dessert, we shared some beignets. I added a cup of cafe au-lait. Not just any coffee, but it was Cafe du Monde coffee. Cafe du Monde is a French Quarter landmark for coffee and beignets.
Near the banks of the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, Suzie and I spent a couple of hours as if we were in New Orleans. I am looking forward to returning so I can try the red beans and rice, the jambalaya, the crab cakes and the crawfish fritters.
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