Only in America could two El Salvadorians carry on the legacy of a New Orleans-style restaurant founded by a German. Loyal followers of Bethesda’s defunct Louisiana Express, the predecessor of today’s Louisiana Kitchen & Bayou Bar, probably know the story, and, for that matter, may be familiar with the menu. They’re excused.
But for those not in the know, Louisiana Express, a popular fixture on Bethesda Avenue for 20 years, closed last March. Sadly, owner Peter Finkhauser Sr. passed away at age 72 in June, a victim of cancer. Chef Jose Blanco, who had been cooking at the restaurant from the get-go, and Carlos Arana, a veteran waiter whom Finkhauser had helped get his green card, opened Louisiana Kitchen & Bayou Bar on Cordell Avenue in October. In a lovely tribute on the restaurant’s Web site, they dedicate the venture to their former boss and mentor.
The two new owners have kept the menu and most of the reasonable pricing of Louisiana Express, but their digs in the former New Orleans Bistro location are considerably nicer, with canary yellow walls, black-and-white checked tablecloths and more seating. Compared to the aging Bethesda Avenue space, it’s not as much of a joint, but it’s still casual, comfortable and kid-friendly. Now that the Cajun craze is no longer ragin’, and restaurants are no longer blackening everything that swims, the cuisine fills a needed niche.
I patronized Louisiana Express in its early days, but not recently, so my face is not familiar to Blanco or Arana. As a non-regular, I didn’t find the service particularly friendly or accommodating at the new place. At dinner one night, a request to order one or two pieces of each of the four fried seafood and alligator appetizers—instead of a whole plate of catfish beignets—was simply met with a “no.”
I will say, however, that those catfish beignets were terrific—chunks of fresh sweet fish encased in a crisp, non-greasy cornmeal crust. For people who adhere to the motto,“If it’s not fried, it’s not food,” this is the place. For those who splurge occasionally, this is the spot to indulge. Aside from the catfish, the fried oysters— whether in a platter or a Po’ Boy—are likewise crunchy on the exterior, moist within. Eaten with the addictive spicy fries, They make a meal that’s an ode to oil. Ditto for the brunch specialty, Pain Perdou. The puffy, deep-fried French bread, sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar and drizzled with syrup, is worth all gazillion calories. The kitchen also knows how to make sweet beignets, which arrive at the table hot, pillowy and greaseless. And speaking of sweet, I liked the sweet potato pecan pie, with its cookie dough crust and nicely spiced sweet potato filling.
If the loyal disciples are still with me, now’s the cue to boo, because I can’t say I was wowed by much else at Louisiana Kitchen.
First off, terrific, sugar-dusted beignets require rich and strong café au lait, not the restaurant’s presweetened version. And call me prissy, but there is something wrong about drinking chicory-laced coffee and milk out of a plastic beer mug. With the exception of the chockful-of-seafood gumbo, soups tended to taste watered down. Compared with all the good rotisserie birds available these days, the restaurant’s signature Cajun-spiced chicken isn’t that special anymore, plus the white meat was particularly dry one night. The barbecued shrimp, the seafood and vegetable jambalayas and the Andouille sausage etouffee seemed like one-note dishes, without layers of flavor or distinctive ingredients. And, other than the deep-fried foods, too many plates arrived at the table lukewarm or even cold, such as the home fries served at brunch one Sunday.
I’m not trying to compare Louisiana Kitchen to an upscale eatery such as downtown’s Acadiana, but I’ve eaten enough inexpensive food in New Orleans to wish that the restaurant could come a little closer to the real thing. Nevertheless, it’s clear that Arana and Blanco are working hard to bring the Big Easy to Bethesda. Finkhauser would be proud.
Highlights from Louisiana Kitchen Bayou & Bar
907 Cordell Ave., Bethesda
301-652-6945
www.louisianabethesda.com
Open
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays, to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturdays. Open Sundays, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., with brunch served from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday brunch, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Live jazz on Monday nights.
Prices
Breakfast, $3.25 to $9.50; brunch entrees, $5.50 to $15.75; lunch and dinner, $5.25 to $16.75.
Reservations
Accepted only for parties of six or more.
Wine List
A half-dozen red and white wines from California and Argentina and about the same number of beers, including the Louisiana brew, Abita. The restaurant also has a full bar featuring cocktails such as Cajun martinis and Hurricanes.
Favorite Dishes
Anything fried—catfish beignets, fried oysters, Pain Perdou.
Favorite Desserts
Beignets, sweet potato pecan pie.
Good Place to Go For
An out-of-the-ordinary weekday breakfast, a lively weekend brunch, a place to get a fried-food fix.
Parking/Getting There
Street parking, public lots. Bethesda Metro.
Carole Sugarman is a former food writer for The Washington Post.
