Jubans

Juban’s Creole
3739 Perkins Road
Baton Rouge La
225-346-8422
www.jubans.com
Lunch Tuesday - Friday 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Price $3 to $46
Dinner Monday - Saturday 5:30 PM - 10:00 PM

This long time Baton Rouge restaurant has peaked my curiosity for quite awhile. However since I am hardly ever in the area at dinnertime, I never had the pleasure of eating there. However recently they opened for lunch and a fellow worker and me were in Baton Rouge on business. Therefore we took advantage of the newly instituted lunchtime. Situated in a strip mall on Perkins the exterior is pretty mundane. However once through some iron gates you enter a sumptuous patio, which merely hints at the interior, first class all the way.
They started us off with a plate of Sweet Potato Chips sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar, crisp and tasty. However the breadbasket brought what I consider substandard rolls. Possessing no crust and a sliced white bread texture inside. My companion ordered Juban’s Gumbo, which contained smoked chicken, roasted duck and andouille sausage. Like most Creole gumbos a bit thick for my taste but that bowl held wonderful flavor (smoky, spicy, rich broth with a touch of tomato). I opted for the Oyster Carousel. A trio of baked oysters in metal souffle cups. Along with the traditional Rockefeller (creamy spinach with bacon) and Bienville (cream sauce with breadcrumb top) was their Maxwell (horseradish cocktail sauce with sliced fresh Jalapenos). All were delicious with the Maxwell delivering a huge spice kick. Next came a side salad of various greens, shaved Romano, and crushed garlic vinaigrette, quite different but well suited for my taste buds.
My companion opted for the Seafood Special of the day, BBQ Shrimp. Six jumbo shrimp peeled but tail on baked in BBQ butter and served with Garlic Cheese Grits with a sauteed medley of vegetables. My taste revealed well cooked but bland shrimp with killer grits, loads of cheesy garlic goodness. I had the Hallelujah Crab. A crispy flash fried soft-shell crab stuffed with shrimp, crawfish, and crabmeat topped with a Creolaise sauce (Creole mustard hollandaise). The stuffing was the size of my fish and in the carapace so the crab sat upright. Fried so it claws were in a “praise the lord” posture, it made for a wonderful plate presentation. Rice pilaf and steamed green beans and broccoli accompanied it. The sweetness of the crab and other seafood was complimented by the mustardy tang of the sauce, a perfect combo. Service was excellent and unrushed. The server was very informative and seemed to know about dishes and preparations. I would expect nothing less from an establishment of this caliber. I highly recommend it.


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