Cajun Kate's (Redux II)

Booth's Corner
1362 Naaman's Creek Rd.
Boothwyn, PA 19061
Website

It's no secret that Cajun Kate's is my spot for New Orleans cuisine. In all honesty, they are in my top three places to eat in the area. Probably ever.

The ambiance is hectic but laid back, much like the Big Easy. There are always a lot of people waiting to order, save for a collection of diners who grabbed a seat and are in no rush to leave. It's perfect. The feeling of supremacy when you secure a stool is what I imagine people who wait in lines for new electronics experience, but better.

Once seated, you will have to figure out what you want to order. It's a lot harder than it sounds.

I always go with the fried mac and cheese. It's unbelievable. Covered in a Creole tomato glaze, this variation was stuffed with crab, crawfish, and corn. The brininess of the crawfish and crab really came to light, and kept this extremely indulgent dish tasting fresh.

The crunchy outsides are just fried perfection, and the glaze is a sweet, tangy, barbecuey thing of beauty.

Although I admittedly like seafood po' boys best (their oyster and softshell crab weekly specials are to die for), the brisket gets it done.

Tender, juicy brisket, smothered with provolone, smeared with creole mayo, and accompanied by lettuce, tomato, and pickles make for one hell of a sandwich.

I just could not resist over-ordering (seems to be a running theme) so I got half of a muffaletta to go. But I ate most of it there.

Mortadella, genoa salami, cappicola ham, provolone, and olive salad all delicately laid inside a beautiful seeded roll. Don, (the man in charge) recommends it lightly toasted, and you best listen to him. The slight warmth applied really softens the bread, and the generous application of oil keeps it from being too dry. This is greatness.

As usual, Cajun Kate's EASILY takes the highest of Philly Phoodie honors, and I look forward to many more years of eating Cajun. As long as my arteries can stand the mac.

Khyber Pass Pub Redux

56 South 2nd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 238-5888
Website

I wasn't thrilled with Khyber Pass when it first opened, still too freaked out by the things I had seen at the old Khyber to take them seriously as a restaurant. I heard from a reliable source that they had some excellent food, and I also recently had the opportunity to meet the executive chef, who also encouraged me to check out the food. Hell, I am glad I listened to those guys.

As this was a business lunch (certainly not), I started with a Harvest from the Hood. It's the seasonal wet-hopped amber ale with hops grown at both PBC and Greensgrow. Two of my favorite places in the city can't be wrong. This is a delicious beer, that I highly recommend, but by the time you read this, it may be too late. They make a limited batch.

We started with the fresh popped Benton's bacon grease popcorn I have heard so much about. Dusted with cajun spices and served in a brown paper bag, this was hands down the best popcorn I have ever tasted. To which you are probably thinking either "No Way" or "No Shit." But seriously, believe me this popcorn is rich, porky, smokey, and slightly spicy. Not to mention it is actually quite light, and as you can probably guess, utterly addictive.

Next we rolled with the fried shrimp po' boy and the smoked cheddar fries with debris gravy. This sandwich blew the last one I'd had there out of the water. The sandwich is served on Leidenheimer Baking Company rolls, served with the traditional lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayo. The shrimp were PERFECTLY fried, and with a little crystal hot sauce to mix in with the mayo, this was the best I have had in Philadelphia proper.

The fries were also heart-stoppingly delicious. They were crispy and packed with flavor, not to mention smothered in smoked cheddar and debris gravy. I could not stop eating them, even though I was well into my 5,000 calorie lunch by that point.

And finally, just because I shouldn't have, I ordered a small crawfish étouffée. I LOVE crawfish and this did not disappoint. A rich, dark roux served over white rice hosting a variety of ingredients, including the holy trinity (onions, bell peppers, and celery) and scallions, this dish was bursting with deep, rich earthy flavor. Delicate, yet homey, this makes me wish I grew up in Cajun country (just kidding Philly!).

I am incredibly happy I went back to Khyber for another go-round, yet at the same time, I am now forced to judge other bar food against this, and as we all know, there is no way that ANYONE can compete with Benton's bacon grease popcorn. My dining mate suggested it should be THE movie snack to take to the Ritz (they allow outside food and are right around the corner). And I can't disagree. That being said, if I smell that popcorn during a movie, there is a 110% chance I am going to mug you for it.