Like any great port city, New Orleans is home to a diverse population, and the Cajuns – Europeans displaced from Acadia (now Nova Scotia) hundreds of years ago – are a unique culture representing an amalgamation of many different cultures.
According to some historians, a generalized rule that Cajuns are white and Creoles are Black or of mixed descent is too simplified. After arriving in Louisiana, Cajuns adopted the cooking techniques, seasonings and other ingredients from West African, Native and other Creole populations in the area and added them to their own. The result is the spicy, flavorful, seasoning-rich dishes of (especially) southern Louisiana we’ve come to love, and Oklahoma City is home to some delicious Cajun-Creole cooking.
Bourbon St. Cafe
Located right on the Bricktown Canal, Bourbon St. Cafe has been a dinner destination since 2000, and the full bar with a solid wine list makes it a good happy hour or date night option too. Start with Cajun nachos or get the huge Big Easy sampler for the table (crawfish, alligator, crab cakes, grilled and blackened shrimp, etc.). The restaurant is as much chop house as Cajun bistro, so you’ll find a wide variety on the menu and every heat level.
Cajun Corner
Three locations in OKC makes Cajun Corner convenient and close to many locals. The menu is built around traditional cooking with some modern tweaks (oreo beignets, anyone?). They even have a vegetarian etouffee. You’ll also find catfish, shrimp, po’ boys and fried seafood baskets.
The Crawfish Pot
This southside spot is relatively new on the scene compared to some of the old dogs. The focus is in the name, so think hot pots full of crab, shrimp, clams, crawfish and even lobster. At The Crawfish Pot, you’ll find pastas, po’ boys, and catfish, of course, and the full bar has some classics as well as New Orleans favorites like frozen daiquiris.
Pearl’s Oyster Bar
This Oklahoma icon turns 40 this year, and they’ve been on the top of “best seafood” lists for decades. While the focus is broader than Cajun-Creole, Pearl's Oyster Bar still offer a variety of dishes from the genre, including jambalaya, etouffee, andouille sausage and blackened seafood. Brunch is one of their most popular services, with Southern cooking dotted throughout the menu.
