I’ve never been to Louisiana so I don’t have first hand knowledge of what the dining landscape is like. However, I have eaten enough home-cooked meals from the kitchens of home grown Louisiana natives to know that the food is rich with culture which only increases my aspirations to visit Cajun Country. Until I get there, I’ll take comfort in knowing that, for a limited time, I can get a taste of the Bayou at Marlow’s Tavern.
Since January, I’ve become more familiar with Marlow’s Tavern and the type of atmosphere and cuisine folks have come to appreciate when dining there. I’ve visited three locations this year and each time I walk in, it’s with a greater sense of the comfort and familiarity that goes with the tavern experience. The most recent visit was at the Sandy Springs location with some ladies from the Atlanta Food Bloggers’ Society. We spent a wonderful evening chatting about randomness while sampling dishes from Marlow’s Bayou ‘n Bourbon menu as well as their regular menu.
We tried an amazing bowl of Roasted Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo and were so relieved with the way it was prepared. Yes, it’s about the okra. I’m going to admit that having okra sit for long periods of time in a liquid is not desirable to “me” and even other people too. But, it is fantastic done the way Marlow’s does it. Their twist on gumbo includes a few pieces of Fried Okra added to the bowl when it’s ready to be served. That way when you eat a spoon of the gumbo, you also get that wonderful flavor that can only be delivered by properly fried okra.
Other well seasoned bites included Le Cajun Boudin balls which I think would go great with beer and Marlow’s Daily Flatbread. On this night, ours was topped with crawfish, chicken and a secret sauce. It’s some good sauce so….
From the regular menu I ordered a panini stack because the ingredients sounded tasty and I was curious about the name. See how uncomplicated I am? Seriously, the sandwich included provolone cheese, arugula, fried green tomato and basil aioli which are all appealing. But look at it. It’s just goodness after goodness stacked on top of each other.
Dessert took us back to the Bayou menu. We shared this Honey Bourbon Bread Pudding made with honey and vanilla Crème Brulée soaked Cuban bread and a splash of Jack Daniel’s honey. It tasted as good as it sounds.
The Bayou ‘n Bourbon menu is being offered until March 30, 2015 so you still have few days to get in there and try dishes inspired by Louisiana classics. Visit the brand spankin’ new Marlow’s Tavern website for more information.
Disclosure: Dinner at Marlow’s Tavern Sandy Springs was complimentary. I was not compensated for this post. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. You can view my full Disclosure Policy here.
