January 9: Marcela's Creole Cookery

[Closing December 22]

I had to drive in to leave early last Friday, and parked in the Butler Garage. On the walk back to the office, I walked past Marcela's Creole Cookery, just downhill from Smith Tower. My maternal great grandfather from the bayou would be ashamed, but I don't really know gumbo from jambalaya, but it sounded good, so today, that's lunch.

I ordered "The Sampler," consisting of jambalaya (dirty rice, andouille sausage, and shrimp), gumbo (the same thing, in a spicy soup), and a slice of crawfish pie.

Served quickly, it was all good. The server offered a bottle of hot sauce, but I declined. The gumbo was plenty spicy (I didn't finish it), the jambalaya was well balanced, and the crawfish pie was much, much better than it sounded. Think of a chicken pot pie, but with enough corn starch in the filling to keep its shape, big enough to cut slices out of, and made with crawfish. A thin pastry crust on the edge and bottom provided a delicate base to the hearty crawfish and its mash of peppers, onions, and other veggies. So good.

Service was fast, and the atmosphere evoked thoughts of "yeah, maybe I should go to Mardi Gras this year." If I knew what authentic Cajun cooking was, I'd proclaim this is it. I just know it was good.

Marcela's Creole Cookery
106 James Street
Jambalaya, gumbo, crawfish pie, iced tea, $16.39