A New Orleans inspired restaurant in the heart of Vancouver? This I had to try. It had been a while since my last trip down to NOLA. Craving some fried chicken and Cajun inspired dishes I headed to Chewie’s Oyster Bar in Kitsilano. The place is inspired by Rodney’s Oyster House in Yaletown but with a Southern twist. Mr. Chewie himself and the staff are all ex-Rodneys staff, who spent some time in New Orleans learning from the best and bringing their favorite recipes home to Vancouver for all of us to try.
The atmosphere was lively yet laid back. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable about each dish. The menu offered fresh oysters in addition to their Cajun dishes. We tried the fried chicken and Jambalaya. Not being a fan of oysters limited our choices to the main menu.
The Jambalaya was the typical Jambalaya dish I’ve had in New Orleans- although in all honesty I haven’t had that much Jambalaya, usually choosing to go with the Gumbo instead. My dish- the Southern Fried Chicken was served with a honey drizzle, mash potatoes and green beans. The chicken was marinated in buttermilk for two days and tasted tender and juicy. However, I felt that it lacked in flavor. I had to add a lot of salt to make it flavorful. If you like your food less salty then you will enjoy this dish. For dessert, we just had to try the beignet inspired by Cafe du Monde in New Orleans. It was served with a side of creamy vanilla sauce and was delicious and probably not so light on the calories.
All in all, this was a great place to spend the evening: great ambiance, an all male serving staff, great food and great service.
