Diners hungering for Cajun cooking such as po' boys, gumbo, etouffe, jambalaya, sweet potato pie, hush puppies and even alligator have several restaurant choices in Washington state, most of them in the Seattle-Tacoma area. The majority of the area's restaurants combine Cajun with Creole and southern cooking to give you a wide variety of flavors from the bayous of Louisiana without ever leaving Washington.
Marcela's Creole Cookery marries Creole and Cajun cuisine for an extensive menu. Gumbo and appetizers like crawfish pies and fried alligator headline the menu. Specialties of the house include Marcela's Steak--a ribeye topped with sautéed mushrooms and a bordelaise sauce--and a French Quarter sampler of crawfish pie, jambalaya, shrimp gumbo and salad. New Orleans bread pudding and beignets highlight Marcela's Creole Cookery's dessert selections.
Marcela's Creole Cookery
106 James St.
Seattle, WA 98127
206-223-0042
marcelascookery.com
Bayou on Bay in Bellingham serves Cajun and Creole food for lunch and dinner, plus a weekend brunch. Featured appetizers include fried okra, lobster corn bisque, Cajun corn fritters, alligator dip and more. They have several sandwiches, such as pulled barbecue pork and muffaletta served with olive salad. Andouille and prawn skewers, catfish, gumbo and jambalaya are just a few of many entrees. They even have a vegan gumbo. Bayou on Bay has weekly specials, such as rib nights with free beer.
Bayou on Bay
1300 Bay St.
Bellingham, WA 98225
360-752-2968
bayouonbay.com
Toulouse Petit's extensive menu includes French onion soup, fried green tomatoes, gumbo and alligator, along with hamburgers, steaks and other American cuisine. The restaurant unites Cajun cuisine with Creole and French offerings. The Queen Anne neighborhood bistro near the Seattle Center serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, takes reservations and offers generous happy hour selections.
Toulouse Petit
601 N. Queen Anne Ave.
Seattle, WA 98119
206-432-9069
The Celtic Bayou is a Cajun café combined with an Irish pub serving Cajun, Irish and American food. The restaurant is family friendly, and kids eat free on Saturdays and Sundays. Saturday evenings feature live Celtic, Irish, blues, jazz, folk, Cajun and other music. Cajun menu items include muffaletta, garlic shrimp, hush puppies, catfish, gumbo, jambalaya, etouffe and red beans and rice.
Celtic Bayou
7281 W. Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE
Redmond, WA 98052
425-869-5933
celticbayou.com
Chain fast food restaurant Kelly's Cajun Grill features bourbon chicken, lemon chicken, shrimp etouffe, blackened chicken and beans and rice in a casual setting. Kelly's Cajun Grill is located in the Tacoma Mall.
Kelly's Cajun Grill
4502 S. Steele St.
Tacoma, WA 98409
253-671-8883
Alligator Soul features Cajun, Creole and southern cooking. Appetizers include a corn fried platter, crawfish beignets and even alligator bites. Four kinds of gumbo plus po' boys and hush puppies are on the menu. The restaurant even offers watermelon lemonade. Some nights feature live music, most often on weekends.
Alligator Soul Restaurant
3121 Broadway
Everett, WA 98201
425-259-6311
alligatorsoulrestaurant.com
Cafe Nicholas in Ellensburg, near Central Washington University, has a Cajun and Creole menu along with some American selections. Cajun hush puppies, red beans and rice and more typical Cajun favorites are on the menu. Cafe Nicholas is closed Mondays and Tuesdays and serves breakfast and lunch the rest of the week. The restaurant also caters.
Cafe Nicholas
601 W. University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926
509-925-3544
