Don’t you love it when someone makes a restaurant recommendation and you drive down the street to see a less than pristine space in which you are suppose to have a tasty meal….sometimes those can be the best experience for the palette! Jacques imo’s in New Orleans was one of those experiences….My colleague and I drove down a narrow street where the trolley ended and restaurants were plentiful. We were looking for a restaurant with a creole flavor…what we discovered was a small home that couldn’t possibly feed more than 15 people…tables were outside in a
small courtyard and one table was actually in the bed of a truck!
I understood why I was told to arrive early…we stepped into the restaurant to something totally unexpected. A small bar area took over the entrance to Jacques imo’s…a long bench was available for those waiting to be seated….we were led up some stairs through the kitchen…yes through the kitchen and into an amazing area.
What was so fascinating were the walls and ceilings….painting after painting cover hand painted walls…interesting artwork and wire fireflies hung from the rafters. Small tables with colorful table cloths filled the room with tired areas for
eating…..
While waiting for our drinks a plate with 2 tasty cornbread muffins dripping with butter are left to tempt our tastebuds and they certainly did….yummie! The menu is varied… appetizers with a creole flair and entrees offered something for everyone…seafood, foul, pork, lamb or rabbit… I was served a spinach salad with a fried oyster on top of a spicy oriental vinagrette dressing…a choice of two sides were served….my selection was mashed sweet potatoes and of course a New Orleans favorite…red
beans and rice. Dinner arrived….grilled Grouper with a white wine sauce, melted cheese and small green onions…a large portion I could have shared with my daughter had she been with me…it melted in my mouth.
I was not only impressed by the food, but also the waitstaff as they worked well as a team….if one saw a need they took care of any table in the room….always smiling and checking to be sure we had all we needed…service can be one thing that ruins a lovely evening…but not at Jaques imo’s!
Jacques imo’s Cafe…eclectic…artistic and flavorful!
8324 Oak Street New Orleans, LA