DOOKY CHASE'S RESTAURANT
2301 Orleans Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana
504-821-2294 |
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There are many restaurants in New Orleans which have
achieved the status of legend; Antoine's, Galatoire's, and Commander's Palace come to
mind. A quieter legend is found on Orleans Avenue, in a modest brick building that gives
little clue to the sumptuous delights inside. Dooky Chase's Restaurant is an institution
among both the humble and powerful in New Orleans' African-American community. A family
business spanning three generations, Dooky Chase's serves first class Big Easy-style home
cooking in an elegant setting.
Visiting in the early lunch period on a weekday, we had the luxury of near-privacy in
which to admire the beautifully appointed main dining room. The deep pink walls display a
stunning array of work by local artists, and the comfortable chairs and roomy tables with
crisp white linens inspire relaxed well-being in diners. The staff is both gracious and
professional, skilled in the art of prompt, smooth service.
After examining the tempting menu, with a mouth-watering array of available a la carte
dishes including paneed veal, we could not resist the tantalizing lunch buffet, which was
set on one end of the dining room. Once the waiter explained it included soup, salad, and
dessert, our decision was made.
Since soup from a buffet can be an awkward proposition, it was a relief when the waiter
served the soup and brought it to the table. It was homemade chicken noodle, with a deeply
flavorful broth, tender rags of noodle, and chunks of fresh vegetables such as carrots and
celery. A large basket of light and crispy garlic bread arrived with the soup. The iced
tea that arrived with the soup was some of the best I have ever had.
The salad bar portion of the buffet, although not extensive, was fresh and varied, with
beets, pickled okra, and excellent coleslaw sharing space with the more common cucumbers
and tomatoes. The salad greens were julienned leaf lettuce, perfectly dry, not dripping
like many salad bar bowls. Delicious homemade ranch, thousand island, and blue cheese
dressing accompanied the vegetables.
I though I had misunderstood the waiter's description; surely no one puts red snapper on a
lunch buffet. I was gloriously mistaken, because succulent hunks of tender snapper bathed
in a creamy sauce stood beside excellent red beans and rice, spicy boudin sausage,
well-seasoned greens and green beans, and sublime fried chicken. The meal ended with a
square of German chocolate cake and the best cup of coffee in this coffee-crazy city.
The dinner menu, which features dinners around $25, includes their own rendition of
several traditional Creole favorites (including a famous jambalaya) plus a large variety
of other entrees.
If you are visiting the south and wish to try southern food at its best, you can do no
better than Dooky Chase's. And if you're a southerner who hasn't had a meal like this
since your grandmother passed away, please visit this elegant temple of Creole cooking. Oh
by the way--this feast cost all of $10.95, tea or coffee not included.
(reviewer unknown) |