DinnerDeals Bringing the bayou north by Justin Rude
At a glance: Opened in April 2009, the Cajun Experience is a 50-seat restaurant nestled into an 18th-century house in historic Leesburg. The building, one of the oldest in the area, sets the stage for Melissa and Bryan Crosswhite’s food: classic and simple presentations of native Delta cooking. The dearth of authentic Cajun cuisine in the area inspired the Louisiana natives to open their own restaurant, and historic Lees- burg seemed like a good match. “The building reminded me of the places back home,” says Me- lissa Crosswhite. “We didn’t know of any good restaurants doing Cajun in the area other than Acadiana [in downtown Washington], which is a fine-dining place. We’re just a casual place in an old building built in the 1700s.”
On the menu: For lunch, po’ boys are the star of the menu. The eight varieties, including shrimp, boudin, blackened fish and fried crawfish and oysters, are served on rolls imported from New Orleans’s Leidenheimer Baking Co. The rolls are light and allow the ingredients, which are never over-fried, to stand out. For appetizers look to the boudin balls, a pork-rice sausage, breaded and fried. They are surprisingly airy, with a nice balance of spices. Gumbo, which is also available as an entree, fea- tures either shrimp, crawfish and lump crab- meat or chicken and sausage in a dark roux that is more delicate and soupy than the more typical thick, heavily rouxed gumbos. Red beans and andouille sausage is one of a handful of entrees that shows off the “trinity,” a blend of bell pepper, onion and celery that is a staple of Creole and Cajun cuisine. Another, the crawfish etouffee, uses the trinity in combina- tion with a creamy butter sauce to nice effect. For dessert there is a lovely pecan pie, but chances are diners will be drawn to the beignets, which are fried in-house using batter from New Orleans’s Cafe Du Monde.
At your service: In addition to the 50 seats spread out in four rooms, there is also a 20-seat patio out back. If there is a drawback to the pa- rade of home-style treats, it’s that many have to be prepared in advance. That means that if you don’t show up early, there is a chance you may not get to try that jambalaya you were looking forward to, something I experienced firsthand.
15 Meals under $15
THE CAJUN EXPERIENCE 14 Loudoun St. SE, Leesburg Contact: 703-777-6580.
www.cajunexperience.biz. Hours: Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. lunch, 5 to 9:30 p.m. dinner, Saturdays 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sundays noon to 6 p.m. Prices: Appetizers $6-$8; entrees $10-$14; po’ boys $8.95-$15; sal- ads $10; dessert $4-$6. Wheelchair access: None Kid friendly: The restaurant has high- chairs and a kids’ menu.
PHOTOS BY SUSAN BIDDLE FOR THE WASHINGTON POST The Cajun Experience in Leesburg offers home cooking straight from the Delta.
“The etouffee is one of the quickest things we make,” said Melissa Crosswhite, “and that takes 45 minutes to an hour. None of that stuff can really be done to order.”
What to avoid: I don’t know why you would or- der a salad with so many fine fried, stewed and sandwich options on the menu, but if you do, you deserve the sad green accompaniment to your blackened chicken or tilapia, as well as all the envy you will feel as your companions tuck into their po’ boys and crawfish etouffee.
Wet your whistle: Unsurprisingly, there is plen- ty of Louisiana-brewed Abita on the beer list. More surprisingly: There is only Abita on the beer list, including many seasonals and less- common varieties. The Louisiana loyalty ex-
tends to the wine list, where you will find Breaux wines. The vineyard is in Purcellville, but the vintners hail from bayou country, and the wines carry names including Jambalaya and Lafayette (the Crosswhites’ home town).
Bottom line: Recent events in the Gulf of Mexi- co lend a bittersweet quality to dining at the Cajun Experience. And if the impact hasn’t been felt fully by the restaurant, which has thus far seen only a couple of price increases on shellfish, the home-style seafood prepara- tions are a perfect example of what is at stake. With that in mind, the Cajun Experience is a good lunch or dinner option while in Lees- burg.
rudej@washpost.com
Sweet and savory: beignets, below; jambalaya, bottom.
The seafood gumbo at the Cajun Experience has a delicate roux.
The colorful dining room seats 50, while the patio in back can serve 20.
The crawfish etouffee makes perfect use of the “trinity” (peppers, celery and onions).
THE WASHINGTON POST • FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2010
WORTH A TRY
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116