The Big Easy
127 University Ave.,
Hillcrest
www.TheBigEasyRestaurant.com
619-249-EASY (3279)
With its unassuming façade, you could stroll right past The Big Easy, which is tucked away near the end of a sometimes-raucous block of University Avenue in Hillcrest. My husband John and I were warmly welcomed into the casual, Cajun-inspired restaurant, where classic rock was playing. The heated courtyard patio is both spacious and homey, but we decided to sit in the small inner den. Our waitress lit a candle for us and we ordered French-press carafes of superb hot herbal tea ($1.60) while we looked over the menu.
Service was excellent and quick. Our Jumbalaya appetizer ($10) arrived and we dug in to Andouille sausage, chicken and shrimp on a bed of heavenly aromatic “dirty rice.” The sausage and chicken were tender and fabulously seasoned. The shrimp was nothing to complain about, but nothing to sing about either.
We also shared the Arugula Salad ($10), considerately split for us on two plates. Shaved fennel, orange slices, pecans and duck confit were sprinkled with an ingenious mandarin Dijon vinaigrette. The confit added a satisfying richness without being greasy, as duck can be sometimes. I could eat this salad every day.
For our main course, I ordered the Blackened Day Boat Catch ($23), a delicious feast of plump scallops nestled with the quirky and delightful combination of shiitake mushrooms and fried green tomatoes in a cream sauce. I can honestly say these were the best scallops I’ve tasted. Bring this dish to me on my deathbed, please.
John ordered the Shrimp Creole ($20), and this time the shrimp were worth singing about. Other than the shrimp, John was not impressed with the Creole sauce. But I was happy as a wild hog in the bayou and joyously helped him clean his plate. John wished he’d ordered the Steak Diane with wild mushroom grits ($25).
The hearty portions didn’t leave us much room for dessert but we forged ahead anyway. The Bananas Foster for two ($12) embodied lovin’ caramelized goodness. But it was served in an elegant glass cup, which didn’t allow us to scoop up all the flavors at once, as we could have if it had been served in a bowl. The waitress’ favorite dessert is the deep-fried beignet pastry ($1.89 for three), which we couldn’t quite squeeze in.
The menu is full of difficult-to-decide-on items, including adventurous temptations like Crawfish Étouffée ($20) and Alligator Arcadian ($26). Though you won’t find traditional kid fare here, children with daring palates might enjoy trying something new. But for date night, The Big Easy is a worthy aphrodisiac. We missed out on several Cajun stand-bys—grits ($12 for grits and shrimp), gumbo ($9) and Oysters Bienville ($15) to name a few. All the more reason to return.
Ondine Brooks Kuraoka, a freelance writer, lives in San Carlos. She and her husband, John, savor occasional evenings out on their own and have fun pondering which dishes their kids might enjoy.