Do you know what it means to bypass New Orleans? Well, if you’re driving in either direction on Manchester Road, just west of I-270, you’re likely to find out. Like a rerouting in the channel of the Mississippi River, the rerouting of Manchester over the years has changed the character of the space that now houses the new Cajun-and-Creole restaurant Zydeco Blues (1090 Old Des Peres, 314-858-1188). Nonetheless, it’s a destination worth seeking out.
Owner Ron Gordon mined the area in and around the Lemp Brewery, unearthing such gems as an 1880s-era mahogany bar, a sliding barn door that now sets off a private dining area, and a pair of fleur-de-lis–adorned doors that would look right at home on a side street in the Vieux Carré.
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Former Eleven Eleven Mississippi executive chef Wade Waller has compiled a menu that’s part Louisiana classic, part Cajun fusion, with a few items that don’t fit neatly in any category. Crawfish etouffée has the appeal of nearly a dozen tails atop the sauce, with more hiding underneath. You’ll also find pot stickers, crawfish stuffed inside soy-and-ginger–glazed wonton wrappers, cleverly garnished à la Mardi Gras with purple cabbage and green onions.
Po’ boys—or subs, as we’re more likely to call them in these parts—are served on a fluffy French-style bread. The version of the cochon de lait here, for example, incorporates sliced pork loin and fried pork belly, with a cranberry-apple dressing.
Seven items are listed under the classification “entrée.” The mid-$20s pricing seems a bit divergent from the overall feel of the restaurant. But the shrimp ’n’ grits employs properly grainy grits, at least eight large shrimp, and some smoke and spice from tasso and andouille. An entire rainbow trout is pecan-encrusted, with an accompanying shrimp-and-sherry cream sauce.
As for the items with only passing NOLA roots, the beet salad is vibrant with red beet, mandarin orange, and frilly green frisée colors and textures; goat cheese and fennel add considerable interest to the flavors. Equally interesting is the sweet-potato salad (pictured below): mayo-dressed diced sweet potatoes with bits of bacon and minced bell peppers.
Moderate-length beer, wine, and whiskey lists are available. An intricately drawn mural of musicians—featuring the likes of Louis Armstrong, Janis Joplin, and Eric Clapton—will remind you that Zydeco Blues doubles as a live-music venue.
As for the service? One of the waiters jokes that he’ll buy patrons’ food back if they don’t like it.
The Bottom Line: Even if you haven’t had any reason to miss New Orleans lately, seek out the traditional and innovative culinary interpretations here.
