Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Restaurants The Week In Reviews, Episode 5: Cajun Steamer Bar & Grill
Posted by Carrington Fox on Wed, Feb 25, 2009 at 5:30 AM
(This is the fifth in a series of mini reviews published in this week's dining column.)
Cajun Steamer Bar & Grill
This third installment of the Birmingham-based nameplate just opened this month, so we still don't know whether it will fulfill your bayou-soaked fantasies about that fried eggplant stuffed with fish and topped with crab cream, like the one at the bygone Uglesich's in New Orleans. But the menu crawling with crawfish, overflowing with oysters and pooling with po'boys--including blackened alligator--is enough to lure us south on I-65 to give it a try for lunch or dinner any day of the week. 1175 Meridian Blvd., Suite 108, 435-3074.
Comments (17)
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If you saw 10 badly dressed journo-types sucking the heads off crawfish at Cajun Steamer yesterday, that was us. I think I can say without hyperbole that I have never had more fun on Mardi Gras in a Cool Springs strip mall. I'll expound upon the experience soon enough, but for now, Fluff, Stepford Wife, Afghanistanobia, Mr. Pink, Intern Audrey, Married Lady, Sharuch, Lactose Intolerance Man and Earl -- what did you think?
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Went there on Fat Tuesday and had a ball. We sat by the kitchen, where you could see the brawny cook hoisting giant steaming tubs of crawfish, shrimp, etc. My oyster po' boy was heaped with plump, briny oysters that were crisp on the outside but not drowned in crust or grease, and I could have eaten an entree of the bacon-wrapped shrimp appetizer.
Didn't get to try the shrimp and grits or the etouffee, but they looked good. And our server did great with an unwieldy party of 10, even solving a mystery involving an extra fried green tomato side (which she took off our bill).
"Badly dressed"? I'll have you know that was a freshly washed FASTER, PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL! T-shirt.
Very satisfying experience. While it didn't exactly transport me from the Cool Springs strip mall to New Orleans, the grits were amazing and there were crawfish available! Good thing they had two rolls of paper towels on the table.
I was disappointed that they ran out of red beans and rice but I guess they had a better Mardi Gras lunch turnout than expected.
And the dining companionship just can't be beat. But who is Lactose Intolerance Man??
I almost went there this weekend, but wussed out and got Noshville instead. I'm now regretting my choice.
Great food and lots of it. I liked the cochon and grits -- those grits are incredible -- and the smoked tuna dip! I wonder if Aghanistanobia even bothered to eat dinner.
Not even one of us wore a collared shirt or anything ironed, and there were probably more Converse shoes under our table than in the rest of Williamson County combined. Did anyone else clock the looks we got as we left? "Not from around here" was the general message we seemed to inspire.
I really liked my oyster po' boy, too. Then again, my idea of a good sandwich isn't always particularly reasonable.
I enjoyed my meal immensely. Fried or steamed seems to be the way to go at this place, especially the crawfish po’boy. They use a light corn meal batter that doesn’t overwhelm the sweet little mudbugs. The raw oysters were possibly the best I’ve had in Nashville, ditto the crawfish steamers. Also, that homemade coffee ice cream rawked.
And yes, Fluff, I did eat dinner, but it was a late, light one. Remember, I had to attend that Shrove Tuesday meal at my cousin’s house. I ate a pancake and called it a night.
As for my style of dress, has anyone ever called it bad? First time for everything, I suppose.
By the way, is it too late to change your nickname? I think Afghanistobia flows better.
Dude, you dress like an extra from Miami Vice. Maybe that flies fly in cave country south of Kabul.
Yeah, I was wondering how GQ Tobia somehow ended up among the ranks of the badly dressed. Dude would wear a suit and tie to a knifefight.
Well, I moved here from south Florida...and I'm not about to start wearing seersucker suits and loafers with those little tassels.
I tried the crawfish but the brains made me feel squirmy. The oysters we all split were superb, though. The service was good, and I always like a place where the wait staff can get a little wacky and wear electric blue wigs, purple tights and too much eye makeup.
I had the oyster po boy--the broke oyster po boy, which is half the size (but only like two bucks cheaper?!)--with a side of fried okra. Both were delicious, and it reminded me of those late-night crusty joints you roll up on in New Orleans at 2 in the a.m. after a night of drankin' where the food is better than it has any right to be. Only I wasn't drunk at all (married!).
Plus, I noticed on the door of the place that the bar is open from 11 a.m. - ??
Wacky!
Just tell me they keep serving crawdads through Lent...and what beer do they have?
Went last night, split the side trio and the crawdad boil. Holy cow. My new favorite place is in Cool Springs. I can't believe I just typed that.
we went there tonight for my birthday and this was our first time...once the waitress took our order and brought our drinks she DID NOT come back to the table until we FINISHED our food...we ordered oysters on half shell..they were good but no one came to pick up the platter so when they brought our food my husband hardly had anywhere to eat..finally I brought the platter to a table someone was cleaning and they gave me a "funny" look for doing so...then someone brought our meal..my gumbo was way too salty I could not eat it and the corn/crab bisque was so sweet and the broth was so condensed that you could not taste the flavor of the corn or crab meat..not sure there was any crab meat in it..I am from Southern Louisiana and not sure what recipe they are using but no one seemed to care that I was disappointed in the food...I never saw the manager...either they have so much business that they dont feel the need to give good service or they have so much of the repeat customers that they are laxed at giving good service regardless...I WILL NEVER GO BACK THERE AGAIN what a waiste of money
