Let's try some unusual (めずらしい）food. In Japan, everyone knows Italian food, Chinese food and French food. But do you know Cajun food?
Cajun (or Creole) food is a combination of Spanish, African, and Native American cooking by the French settlers in Louisiana over the last two hundred years. Dishes are aromatic and spicy. It starts with onions, bell peppers and celery, combined with regional North American ingredients. New Orleans’ cuisine, like the city itself became a "melting pot" of ingredients (材料） from all over the world combined with exciting results.
Owner and surfer Katsuaki Samejima opened this restaurant 18 years ago because he wanted to bring the true depth and diversity of American cuisine to Japan. Chef Miyashita succeeds in cooking regular Cajun dishes (料理） as well as American southwestern and original dishes. Samejima went to New Orleans and loved the food. He wanted to bring Cajun food to Japan.
My son, Eiji and I went there to write a review (みせしょうかい) for Tokyo Families Magazine. We expected spicy food, but he enjoyed everything. We had no problem.
Troubadour has a casual, friendly atmosphere like an American restaurant. They play good "southern rock" on the stereo. They decorate the walls with old record albums. Ceiling fans turn slowly in the high, vaulted ceilings upstairs, a bustling (にぎやかな) dining room downstairs, and a large dining patio (なかにわ). There are no alligators (わに) so don't worry.
We started with catfish (なまず). Eiji loved the fried catfish strips. They disappeared quickly. Many Japanese don’t think the catfish is good to eat but if it's cooked correctly it has a nice twangy taste. Troubadour soaks their catfish in milk. This removes any bad smell that some people don't like.
We chose entrees of country meatloaf and seafood Étouffée. The meatloaf was better than my family’s homemade meatloaf in America. Troubadour’s meatloaf was spongy and savory, with a dark mushroom gravy and a side crispy green beans and creamy mashed potatoes. Eiji’s note on the meatloaf is, “it’s better to chew it slowly, so as to get all the taste.”
The Étouffée was Eiji’s favorite dish. The name comes from the French verb étouffée and means, "smothered" or "suffocated" (ちっそく), and this étouffée was a smokin’ jazz ensemble of shrimp and seafood in a rosy (ばらの色) roux sauce. It isn’t too spicy for a kid, though it does give an exciting little bite in the back of the throat. Eiji noted it was “like some kind of shrimp curry.”
Their authentic (たしかな) gumbo is one of their most popular dishes. Gumbo, the miso soup of the Louisianan. It is something between a soup and a stew. It has lots of okra in a thin, flavorful stock.
If you’re really hungry you can order their blacken steak in caramel dark gravy. It is 250g of Australian beef.
They have all the traditional (でんとうてきな) Cajun food including Jambalaya, coleslaw and black-eyed peas. If you don’t have time to eat there, you can take out one of their acclaimed (賞賛) sandwiches; turkey (しちめんちょう), barbecued chicken, meatloaf, or my favorite, the Cajun Rueben which is a mound (いっぱい) of roast beef and cheese.
Save room for homemade pecan pie with whipped cream.
Brunch serves up the rarely-seen Southern biscuits and cream gravy, and other down-home favorites on the weekends. Happy hour on Monday from five o’clock to seven o’clock has 500 yen well drinks and Cajun appetizers (catfish!). They often have live music and you can have their Christmas dinner from December 23rd to the 25th.
So if you’re bored with (あきている) the same kinds of restaurants in Tokyo, get out to this Cajun hideaway and you’ll have an unforgettable meal!
Troubadour
Monday 5:00 ~ midnight.
Tuesday to Friday, weekends and holidays 11:30 ~midnight.
30 minutes from Shibuya on the Den En Toshi line
3 minute walk from Tama Plaza station South exit, straight out past Bagel & Bagel, past the second signal and on the left.
Phone: 045 911-3763
www.motherlucy.com
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