Geordie Grey

Review of Bayou on Bay

Where to start? The funky vintage building, with s...

Where to start? The funky vintage building, with seating areas tucked up in the rafters? The sprawling bar, with windows looking out onto the busy street life outside? The invariably friendly wait staff and bartenders who welcome regulars and tourists like they are family.

No. While all of that is true...I would have to start with the amazing food. Food that makes it worth taking the trip from Seattle, every time.

Southern comfort food that had one of our resident carnivores declaring the pickle-brined fried chicken as "the best fried chicken I've ever tasted...but don't tell my mom I said that". Cornbread. Collard greens. All of the staples are here, rendered perfectly and served plentifully.

But wait: that's not even the best part.

The best part is the Cajun food that had our Louisiana friends in wonder about how the recipes could made the long journey north from New Orleans with their flavors still intact. Lush tomato. Smokey spices. Piquant okra. Crisp hush puppies that somehow manage to be light and dense at the same time.

But that's STILL not the best part. The best part is that our vegetarian representative, often resigned to salads and sides, was able to fully partake of the Cajun bounty with vegan jambalaya and vegetarian red beans n' rice.

But can you believe that we still haven't gotten to the absolute best part? The best part is that this place exists. And is cooking up lunch or dinner for you right now. So what're y'all waiting for? Stop reading and tell Siri or Google Assistant to map you there.