Located in the heart of College Town between Madison Social and Centrale on Madison Street sits Coosh’s Bayou Rouge. It is a restaurant that strives to bring bayou classics and Cajun flavors to Tallahassee. While this location opened in 2017, known locally as Coosh’s, they have been serving up south Louisiana inspired dishes in Tallahassee since 2001 at their first location on the north side of town.
I decided to go to the College Town location on a Tuesday around lunchtime, it wasn’t too busy and upon arrival I was meet immediately by a server who said I could sit at any sanitized table. When it comes to parking you have the option of parking at meters outside the restaurant or in the nearest parking garage, each option requires paying but I ended up choosing the garage and paying $2 for an hour.
The restaurant décor definitely gave off the vibe of being in New Orleans, with iron tables, chairs and paintings that look like items you could find in the French Quarter. The menu is full of famous Louisiana dishes and classics such as seafood gumbo, crawfish étouffée, Po Boy’s and beignets. The menu also offered classic American dishes with a Cajun twist with items like the Bayou Burger and Nachos.
Everything on the menu sounded delicious so it took me a minute to decide what I wanted to order. Prices on the menu ranged from $5 for a cup of gumbo to $16 for seafood pasta. I ended up choosing the jambalaya pasta. The menu described it as “Cajun smoked sausage, chicken thighs and vegetables in a rich cream sauce with penne pasta.”
While waiting for my food, I watched TV on one of the many flat screens hung up on the walls. I noticed that there was a bar located toward the middle of the restaurant with a daiquiri machine where they mix and make flavors on the spot for those 21 and over.
My food came out quick and looked appetizing. The pasta had great flavor and spice to it. It was full of seasoned sausage and chicken; if mardi gras had a taste this is what I would imagine it to be. The pasta also came with a house salad and the blue cheese dressing was amazing.
If you’re looking for authentic Louisiana flavor, Coosh’s Bayou Rouge is the place to go. It also offers weekly specials on certain drinks and dishes. More information on those and the restaurant can be found at cooshs.com or @cooshsbr on Twitter and Instagram.