Authentic regional American food has become trendy. Yet, many county residents don’t realize that we have a true-blue Cajun/Creole restaurant in our midst. At The Bayou, which opened in 1991, diners can find a full roster of traditional specialties. Most popular are the voodoo wings (baked chicken wings covered in jerk seasoning), mudbugs (crawfish in the shell), jambalaya, fried chicken, and catfish. You’ll also find 10 types of po’boy sandwiches, crawfish étouffée, frog legs, gumbo, pork ribs in barbecue sauce, mac ’n’ cheese, red beans and rice, cornbread, hushpuppies, popcorn shrimp, fried oysters, alligator sausage, boudin balls (deep-fried pork and rice sausage), and deep-fried pickles. Desserts vary but might include pies like Mississippi mud, sweet potato, or pecan.
Frequent customers Phil and Diane Nosonowitz of New Rochelle, who have been coming to The Bayou for more than 20 years, favor the chicken po’boy, jambalaya, voodoo wings, gumbo, mudbugs, and grilled shrimp gris gris. “It’s like you just stepped in from Bourbon Street!” they say. “[Owners] Pete and Belle are personally invested in giving their customers a complete and authentic New Orleans experience of food, atmosphere, and music.”
Robert Greco of Mount Vernon loves the entire “down-to-earth, welcoming, hard-working” staff, especially the bartenders. Walter Bagley of Bronxville praises bartender Stephanie LaRosa, who is “warm and personable and extremely knowledgeable about the drinks and food.”
While you’re at this fun, casual spot, choose from about 100 hot sauces to purchase. The tables are decorated with hot-sauce labels, and the large bar is covered in Mardi Gras doubloons and hanging bras (don’t ask!). Since music is a key aspect of The Bayou experience, blues and zydeco bands perform frequently. Longtime patron Bagley points out that he “especially like[s] the Monday Night Blues Jam run by local music legend Johnny Feds.”
580 Gramatan Ave
Mount Vernon
(914) 668-2634
www.bayourestaurantny.com