Cajun cuisine is a style of French-based cooking identified with New Orleans, Louisiana. Some well-known Cajun dishes include blackened meats, gumbo, crayfish stews, gumbo and po'boy sandwiches. Cajun residents are not uncommon in cities along the Mississippi, including the O'Fallon area. O'Fallon is 30 miles west of St. Louis.
The Louisiana Cafe is a small eat-in restaurant that serves down home Cajun cooking. It's located in a strip mall of Highway 64 in the west end of O'Fallon. With a choice of spiciness available to order (even the mild is fairly piquant), Louisiana cafe serves Cajun and creole cuisine classics, including modern takes on roadside favorites. The menu includes southern fried chicken, crayfish etoufee, fried pickles, jambalaya, gumbo and "foods-on-a-stick." The Bayou-On-A-Stick consists of half a chicken breast, a crayfish, a piece of Andouille Sausage, shrimp and gator chips, all served on one stick. The cafe is open from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Gulf Shores Restaurant makes all its own spices, sauces, dressings and desserts. It's in Creve Coeur Missouri, which is 30 minutes southeast of O'Fallon. Gulf Shores uses fish and seafood from local suppliers for its seafood specials, including its "N'awlins" crab cakes and the gumbo dishes. Salads are available, and seafoods such as tuna, scallops and lobster can be added on the side. The Gulf Shores is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with slight variations depending on holidays.
Boogaloo is a Cuban, Creole and Caribbean restaurant in Maplewood, Missouri. Maplewood is a 30 to 45-minute drive from downtown O'Fallon. The menu is centered around a small selection of sandwiches and salads. The smoked meats include a mix of classic barbecue (brisket and pulled pork), New Orleans cuisine (ribs), and Caribbean food (jerk chicken). The Cajun selections include jambalya, crawfish cakes and oyster or shrimp po'boys. Boogaloo is open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. weekdays and 5 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
Almonds is in Clayton, Missouri, which is a 40-minute drive east of O'Fallon. Almonds serves Cajun favorites such as blackened tilapia and chicken and sausage gumbo. More continental American fare is also available, including pasta dishes, pizzas and quesadillas from the wood oven, and a nightly risotto. Almonds has a full bar service and a full wine list. Almonds is open 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays to Fridays, and 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays.
