Joe's Dreyfus Store Restaurant

[dalereed]

We were there for lunch today, Tuesday, 5 September 2006, our first trip since the new management. Tuesday lunch is not a busy time, but I got the feeling no one was paying attention in the kitchen. The only first-rate thing we had was the deep-fried boudin balls with a cane syrup dip--delightfully hot and crispy exterior.

We had a seafood gumbo/catfish sandwich combo and red beans and rice. The gumbo was fine, but not rich or complex enough. The catfish was tasty but a bit limp -- not crispy [and we knew they could do crispy from the boudin]. The red beans and rice were pretty boring, with not enough andouille. We had to add Tabasco, and we weren't seeking heat, just more flavor. Bread was not heated, but was OK. They were out of bread pudding [at 12:30, when they were not very busy?] so we had creme brulee, which had clearly been made ahead through the sugar topping, then refrigerated and reheated. The sugar was not crisp -- it was rather alarmingly rubbery, but the dish had been in the oven long enough to warm the cream half-way down, so you got a weird mix from cold to warm, with sticky, rubbery sugar, in every bite. The flavors were good, but it would have taken no longer to torch the sugar after the dish was ordered [though it would have taken someone in the kitchen available to do it]. Sigh. Another good place bites the dust. I'm glad we tried it before we drove all the way out there to take friends.

[joiei]

That's too bad. I had such a memorable meal here last year. Now I have to find a new pit stop before Baton Rouge.

[dalereed]

We were there for lunch today, Tuesday,  5 September 2006, our first trip since the new management.  Tuesday lunch is not a busy time, but I got the feeling no one was paying attention in the kitchen.  The only first-rate thing we had was the deep-fried boudin balls with a cane syrup dip--delightfully hot and crispy exterior.

    We had a seafood gumbo/catfish sandwich combo and red beans and rice.  The gumbo was fine, but not rich or complex enough.  The catfish was tasty but a bit limp -- not crispy [and we knew they could do crispy from the boudin].  The red beans and rice were pretty boring, with not enough andouille.  We had to add Tabasco, and we weren't seeking heat, just more flavor.  Bread was not heated, but was OK.  They were out of bread pudding [at 12:30, when they were not very busy?] so we had creme brulee, which had clearly been made ahead through the sugar topping, then refrigerated and reheated.  The sugar was not crisp -- it was rather alarmingly rubbery, but the dish had been in the oven long enough to warm the cream half-way down, so you got a weird mix from cold to warm, with sticky, rubbery sugar, in every bite.    The flavors were good, but it would have taken no longer to torch the sugar after the dish was ordered [though it would have taken someone in the kitchen available to do it].  Sigh.  Another good place bites the dust.  I'm glad we tried it before we drove all the way out there to take friends.

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I forgot to add the saddest thing, which is that I think the french fries were frozen.

Maybe it was just an off day, but it was really off.

[Varmint]

You often wonder whether new owners will "get it" after getting enough complaints. It's been 2 years for these folks, and if your experience was the norm rather than an anomaly, I guess they'll never understand what made the place.

However, joiei's comments that all was great a year ago leaves one with some hope . . . .

[feedmesomethin]

My lunches at Joe's Dreyfus Store have been less favorable every time I have gone there.When I first ate there (early 90's) the food was outstanding.In recent visits (twice in the last three years) lunch was mediocre at best.Needless to say, a culinary letdown in IMHO.I hadn't heard about the change in ownership.Let's hope the new team can bring Joe's back to its past glory.As of now,I'm afraid other places will have to do.