Let the good times roll

Jazzbeaux’s Cajun Café

Most people think Cajun food is so full of pepper that it’s too hot to eat. That’s a misconception – although it is nicely seasoned, the wonderful selection of Cajun cuisine served at Jazzbeaux’s Cajun Café on the Parkway in Gatlinburg is not at all hot, but is instead “spicy.”
Kacki Miller, who’s lived most of her life in New Iberia, LA, has brought her unique family recipes to life for anyone with a taste for real Cajun cuisine. Their motto, posted just outside the street entrance declares “lassez les bon temps rouler,” or “let the good times roll!”
Jazzbeaux’s seafood gumbo comes in a rich broth, with plentiful shrimp and shredded seafood, and is served with a side of white rice for mixing, and potato salad in the traditional fashion.
The shrimp Creole is spicy without being hot, with a sweet tomato sauce that nicely compliments the plump and tender shrimp. It’s served over fluffy white rice with a side of garlic bread.
The po-boys come in both half- and full-sizes, and the large ones are truly a meal unto themselves. You can have them generously stuffed with shrimp, catfish, oysters (in season), shrimp Creole, crawfish etouffee, smoked sausage, chicken breast, ham and cheese, or roast beef. The roast beef is marinated and then sliced thin, piled on a crusty French hoagie, and served with mayonnaise, lettuce, and ripe tomato.
Baskets are served brimming with shrimp, crawfish, catfish, or chicken tenders, and a combo basket is ready for anyone who can’t choose between the excellent options. A kid’s basket is also on the menu.
Vegetarians will appreciate the fact that Jazzbeaux’s prepares their red beans and rice without mixing the sausage directly in. The beans are cooked a bit al dente (“firm to the tooth”) so they don’t suffer from the mushy texture found at other places, and are wonderfully flavorful.
When it’s time for desert, you simply must try the signature confection on the menu, the bread pudding with whiskey sauce (non-alcoholic). A wonderful way to end your meal, it is served warm, flavored with cinnamon and brown sugar, bursting with raisins, and covered in sweet whiskey sauce. Kacki developed the recipe from an old favorite, and tweaked it carefully to get it just right.
The main dining area seats around 50, with additional seating on the patio, and is decorated in purple plaster with shiny corrugated metal and finished blonde wood paneling. The sound system plays an upbeat mix of zydeco and Cajun traditional that keeps your toes tapping while your lips are smacking.
With a wide selection of po-boys, baskets, and traditional Cajun dishes, Jazzbeaux’s serves up a hearty lunch or dinner each weekday from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. They are sure to make your lunch or dinner a special event you won’t soon forget.