New Cajun Restaurant Now Open, Serving Grits, Crab Cakes, and 'Gator

Cajun chicken and waffles will be available.Photo byTim ToomeyonUnsplash

When it comes to regional cuisine in the United States, creole is often considered right at the top. It’s about as unique as it comes in the country, with few things like it found anywhere else in the world (though you can find similar spice profiles in neighboring Caribbean countries). Combined with the local ingredients of the Gulf and there’s flavors that designed to make your mouth come alive. However, taking a trip down to the region isn’t always in the cards. Thankfully, a new restaurant has opened in metro Phoenix that specializes in all kinds of Louisiana cuisine, including alligator. 

Cajun Breakfast Joint says it all in the name. There are no questions about what you might find or the flavors available inside. There’s something refreshing about a sign that tells you exactly what it is, and yet it still stands out as original. Greater Phoenix isn’t exactly overflowing with Cajun restaurants, especially for breakfast. But if you’re a breakfast person you’ll want to try out the new Chandler restaurant. 

The breakfast menu starts off with several bowls, which come with a choice of meat, toast, egg, and cheese. The Classic Cajun Bowl includes grits, which depending on the kind you’ve had before, you might either love or loathe. The Crab Cake Avocado Bowl lets you enjoy Cajun seasoned crab capes served over red potatoes, grits, avocado, egg, and cheese, and is topped off with a cranberry remoulade.

Interested in something a bit different but the chef loves? The Chef Favorites portion of the menu includes fried grit cakes and crawfish gravy, Cajun chicken and waffles (classic chicken and waffles but the chicken has an extra Cajun spicy kick to it), crawfish biscuits and gravy, Cajun omelet, baked oatmeal cake, and praline cornbread bananas foster. 

There is an entire Grits section of the menu, so if you’re a lover of grits (it’s worth checking out if you haven’t had it before, and shrimp and grits is a fine entry point), there are plenty of options to choose from. Probably the most unique is the alligator and grits. Everything is Cajun seasoned and the alligator comes fried or grilled. If you’ve never had alligators before, as the saying goes, “it tastes like chicken” (no, really, it does). 

Hungry to check out Cajun Breakfast Joint? It is located at 3016 (suite 9) North Dobson Road and is open every day from 7 AM until 2 PM