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Show IsncrgsiDoi up IBlks i Save up to 80 on recent publish-- I era overstocks. Imports, reprints. Savings you'll love on a wide selec- tlon of current books and best sellers. Nature, Travel. Gardening, Do-ItYourself over 60 subject areas. good 'CsojumKallly -I By Karen Brucoli Anesi Commc ci, comme ca ... neither here nor there. That pretty much sums up my Cajun dining experience at Bayou Docs, on the corner of East Second Avenue and Seventh Street in Durango. Good T BAYOU DOCS 701 East Second Ave., Durango (970) , sen-ice- lunch 11 pre-cooke- French-Arcadia- ns d, lawaamajil a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner 5 to 10 p.m. catalog selection. 11-800-677-- 3483 Free Catalog HAMILTON 6206 Oak, Falls Village CT 06031 The shriek: - handful of good entrees enough to keep folks coming back for more in a town that is anything but short on good restaurants? Some of Bayou Docs offerings are quite good, especially the blackened and the shrimp and oyster po boy sandwich. But other items, namely the red beans and rice, muffuleta sandwich and jambalaya, don't quite cut it. Lets talk red beans and rice, probably the most humble of comfort foods. Notwithstanding the fact that no one makes red beans and rice like momma does, this signature Louisiana dish shouldnt be too tough to tackle: Seasoned red kidney beans are cooked until soft and combined with boiled white rice. So why did this side arrive cool in the center? My guess is the lice and beans were assembled on the plate, then nuked. Mon Dieu! Nuked red beans and rice? That ought to get you a slap upside the head, maybe with mommas iron skillet. Cajun cooking tak-- s time. That and the bounty of the earth were about all these had when they were banished from Nova Scotia to southern Louisiana by the British in the 1700s. They had few possessions but lots of ingewhich nuity, imagination and patience they applied to an overflowing supply of wild game and seafood. The result was a recipe in itself: a marriage of classical French and Spanish cuisine combined with seasonings learned from the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians. African influence was also added. The result was a uniquely American cuisine w hose tenets are economy and simplicity governed by patience and skill to produce a subtle, exotic and succulent cuisine says Marie Louise Comeaux Manuel, home economist at the University of Southwestern Louisiana. Cajun uses herbs, seasonings and spices to bring out the full taste of the main ingredient. Bayou Docs blackened redfish is pretty hard to beat. The fish is fresh, cooked properly and delectably seasoned, with no single seasoning standing out. Almost as good as the redfish is the seafood etouflee. A thick seafood gravy served over rice, it is a signature Cajun dish which literally means smothered. Depending on whose momma youre talking to, it can be made with or without a thickener made roux, the copper-colore- d planks, square beams, shingles bevel siding Large capacity sawmill Trailers to jobsite Earn big cash income FREE INFO Hours: and convenient parking are plusses. But is that - and a attractive furnishings red-fis- 259-648- 6 America's biggest bargain book Saw boards, -- 5005j "Cajun with altitude" Taste test: Service: Well-verse- d B in Southern specialties Damage done: $$ VSt Dont settle for a broker. h, from the slow cooking of flour and oil. Most of the entrees at Bayou Docs are served with a choice of two sides, ranging from sweet potatoes to jambalaya, and an assortment of bread, including homemade corn bread. Some of the sides like the jambalaya, a spicy rice dish were on the dry side. Pick the corn maque choux, another traditional favorite, in which the best com is slow cooked with onion, pepper and seasonings. Credit goes to the knowledgeable waitress, a transplant from Louisiana, who gave this dish a thumbs up. Po boy sandwiches are made with Jean Pierre French bread. The fried oyster and shrimp with lettuce, tomato and mayo was as good as any that Ive had in New Orleans. But my cup of chicken and andouille sausage gumbo was anemically thin and disappointing. Finally, I didnt try any of the three dessert offerings because the com bread was more like cake, and it satiated my sweet tooth. I liked this sweeter version of an old Southern favorite. Cajun cuisine seems to have captured there are few the heart of Americans cities across the United States that dont have a Cajun restaurant or at least a restaurant that features blackened meat and fish. Popular, yes. But probably no other cuisine takes as many critical hits, because everyones momma puts her own spin on whats in the pot and passes it down as Gospel. The spin changes according to whats available, legendary- - Ijouisiana chef Paul Prudhommc maintains. Bayou Docs refers to their offerings as Cajun with altitude. I like my Cajun a little saucier. Whether its red beans and rice or jambalaya, if its not in a bowl, or at least on a plate with a lip, I feel like Ive been sauces. cheated out of those Bayou Docs is open weekdays for lunch and seven days a week for dinner. a childrens A full cocktail bar, take-ou- t, seasonal and menu patio dining is available. Major credit cards accepted. - - - slow-cook- ed Still questing after the perfect Caesar salad, Karen Brucoli Anesi spends her spare time writing for The Durango Herald. Trade up to a partner. At Piper JafTray, weve never lost sight of the fact that you are more than an account number. Thats why our Investment Executives take time to learn about you - your feelings about risk and return, investment objectives, and more. Once we your long-terunderstand your needs and expectations, the real partnership begins. Together, well plan a program that can help m you reach your investment goals. For common sense investment strategies that meet your needs, call today. A Rewarding Relationship lbancorp Piper Jaffray. Robert O. Hill Rodney If, Swearingen John E. Ogier 1199 Main Avenue ; Suite 201 , Durango , CO 81301 970 385-694- 9 1 800 Not FDIC Insured No bank guarantee 856-694- 9 May lose value Securities products mid services are offered through riper Juffrus Inc., member sine and nysl Inc., a subsidiary tif U.S. Bancorp 7VN-I7-- February 4, 2000 - Cross Currents 15 |