We made a spur-of-the-moment decision to visit Sister Cities, the new Cajun and barbecue restaurant on South Grand just north of Meramec Street, based on a Facebook post: Onions, peppers, celery, tomatoes and spices with a cute little crawdaddy overlooking the scene (see left).
That post showed up just before lunch and we showed up for dinner, only to be rewarded with a near-perfect crawfish étouffée: At least 20, maybe more, crawfish swimming in a sauce that lingered for a minute or two thereafter, perfect for extending the meal with the accompanying rice.
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Owners Travis Parfait and Pamela Melton actually opened the restaurant last June, but this month should mark a milestone key to their long-term success: a liquor license. They got their city permit last week and now need only the parallel state license.
It’s an eclectically decorated space, with painted-over dining room furniture (which does however, match), displays by local artists, a decorative hat rack and a color chalkboard meant for whimsy rather than menu. With the liquor license will come a doubling of space with the addition of a bar area that’s been in the works for months.
Specialties include an appetizer called avocado bites and a dish with a potential to become a St. Louis legend, a gumbo slinger (below).
Similar temptations include a specialty po’boy made with fresh shrimp and scallops (below left) and cast-iron-skillet-blackened catfish tacos (below right), this rendition served with Cajun slaw, mango pico de gallo, and a shameless plug from Melton as “the best fish tacos I’ve ever had.”
Parking can be dicey; call ahead and ask for suggestions, especially if you don’t know the neighborhood and the tow-away policies of some of its private parking lots. Speaking of the neighborhood, it’s technically Dutchtown, but most people probably know it as the home of the second Ted Drewes, which is about a football-field-length the south. Other nearby landmarks are the Feasting Fox and the now-vacant location of Giuseppe’s.
Two other suggestions, more for the restaurant than its patrons: Get a viable website working; and be careful that the first thing that greets those patrons isn’t a tremendously smudged glass front door.
Sister Cities Cajun & BBQ
4144 S. Grand
314-875-9653
Tue-Sun 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
On Facebook: Sister Cities Cajun and BBQ
