Good morning readers! We felt that it was about time to share another one of our favorite restaurants in New Orleans to give guidance to upcoming visitors and encourage locals to give a little jump-start to grassroots businesses. Jacques-Imo’s is located on the far end of Oak Street, a quaint Uptown road occupied by an old family pharmacy, eclectic coffee shops and wine bars, and a variety charming boutiques to browse on a slow day. At night however, the one place you want to be is in line, waiting for a table at one of the best Creole restaurants in New Orleans. If not for the lavishly painted swamp scene on the truck permanently parked outside the front door, Jacques-Imo’s might be easily overlooked by passerbys not lucky enough to have spent an evening inside the magical restaurant!
Once inside the petite entrance, you are overtaken by the enormous mural spanning the entire length of the restaurant, framed paintings acting as a ceiling and the most sensational Cajun aroma filling every inch. Be sure to arrive at least thirty minutes before you would like to be seated, they dont take reservations for parties of five or more and there is always a line! While you wait, enjoy a beverage from the bar served in the famous Crabby Jacks plastic cups and prepare yourself for a little taste of heaven on Earth. The kitchen is located in the middle of the restaurant, so it is impossible to be seated without passing through where all the magic happens, sure to rev up your taste buds! Once seated, take a few minutes to take in your surrounding, theres something eclectic and surprising in every nook and cranny.
Now its time for the food- from personal experience, I have never been to Jacques-Imo’s and not ordered the Shrimp and Alligator Sausage Cheesecake appetizer. The name may seem a bit off-putting but trust a local- it is INCREDIBLE! A generous slice is served with a Cajun tomato cream sauce drizzled on top, perfect for soaking with the never ending supply of garlic and green-onion butter cornbread! If alligator seems a bit ambitious for your taste, you cant go wrong with the Steamed Mussels in a tomato- basil broth or the Eggplant Jacques-Imo’s topped with an oyster dressing and wild mushroom sauce that would make your taste-buds sing!
Searching for an entrée on the menu can be a daunting task, but rest assure you can not go wrong. The portions are enough to share but I guarantee after your first bite, you will be hard pressed to let go of anything on your plate. This past Saturday, after examining the menu for the perfect dish, I finally decided on the Pan-fried Drum finished with a menieure brown sauce and topped off with candied pecans. The drum was cooked to perfection with just enough sauce to compliment to the fish but not overpowering its freshness while the pecans added that special sweetness pairing perfectly with the savory sauce! My friend who joined me was feeling especially adventurous that evening and the moment our waiter described the Godzilla Meets FGT special, he was done for. His dish consisted of an enormous soft shell crab served with hefty layers of fried green tomatoes and eggplant stacked underneath, finished with house-made remoulade sauce and a steak knife jostled through the top to keep all in their place. After getting over the impact of the grand presentation, he took his first bite and that is where any and all conversation ceased for the next ten minutes. It was almost impossible for him to focus on anything except the Creole masterpiece in front and relishing in all its glory! Understandable, neither one of us finished our meals which only meant the wonderful experience would live on for another day under the title of leftovers.
Leaving room for dessert at Jacques-Imo’s is a daunting task but one that must be conquered! His New Orleans-style bread pudding is one of a kind with the coconut sprinkled inside which adds a whole other level of flavor and goodness but if your running low on space in the stomach, I would recommend their Watermelon Mojito as delightful night-cap to end your Jacques-Imo’s Journey!
Truly a local gem in New Orleans that might be hard to find for out-of-towners, but one meal in his kitchen will ensure a place in your heart, and stomach, forever. Great food, reasonable prices for the large portions, and a fantastic environment sure to make any night spent at Jacques-Imo’s an eventful one!
Jacque-Imo’s Cafe
8324 Oak St
New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 861-0886
If you have a favorite New Orleans or Louisiana restaurant that you would like us to feature or would like to submit a review, please feel free to reach out to us! We are always happy to hear about our customer’s experiences down in Cajun country!
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Love this review!! You hit the nail on the head!!