Harry's Chuckwagon

OUT AND ABOUT

Harry’s Chuck Wagon
2555 Hwy 171
Moss Bluff LA
337-217-0106


Seven days a week 11 AM to 11PM $1.50 to $13


This venue is a truck stop/casino restaurant. It has seen several names. It was the Cadillac Ranch for awhile. I stopped in to check it out. It offers enough stuff to rate a review plus I found out I know the proprietor. The former owner of Chuckwagon BBQ he showed me quality product there. They offer plate lunches Monday thru Friday. The same exact ones he offered at his previous venue so I know they are good.

First time in I ordered the Shrimp and Crab Gumbo and a Hamburger. While the gumbo was a bit thick for my tastes it held good flavor and the rice was decent. You get potato salad and a fried pistollete with it. Unfortunately the potato salad was so sour (I think they use the vinegar from the dill pickles) that I did not care for it. The pistollete was excellent, warm and non -greasy. I added bacon and cheese to the burger and got onion rings as the side. It would have been great except the patty was dry and chewy from being overcooked. However the onion rings made my day. Thick cut with a light flour coating they were perfectly cooked. Everything an onion ring should be. I ended with a pie crust topped peach cobbler which was decent.

Second round I went with Chicken & Sausage Gumbo. Thin dark broth with shredded chicken and rounds of a nice sausage proved excellent. This I could eat this again and again, potato salad still too sour for me. I ordered the Catfish and Shrimp Combo with fries. While the shrimp sported a corn flour coating (not my favorite) they were well cooked (in other words not overcooked) and tasty. The catfish fillets slathered with yellow mustard and coated with coarse corn meal stood out. Just the way I love it. The fries were not too bad also. However the nasty beyond words Cinnamon Roll killed the buzz of joy.

Last time in I got the excellent Beef Vegetable Soup. Tender melt in your mouth chunks of beef in a tomato broth with all kinds of vegetables. Again something I would eat time and time again. I then went for the Half Rack of Ribs. While the rack was OK it was no where as good as when he ran the BBQ place (no smoke). I should have known when it came out smothered in BBQ sauce. What BBQ people do when they know the meat is not great. I liked the sauce though. It was extremely sweet at first but finished off with a moderate spicy note. Ok but not what I was expecting. I had not noticed his mobile pit around which should have been a dead give away. The onion rings that I got met the previous batch. I finished up with in-house banana pudding that on previous occasions never was available. It turned out to be very good.

This is a laid back place with a friendly and efficient server/host. A steady flow of customers indicate the countryside is taking note of this inexpensive but good eatery. A convenient stop if you are heading north or south on 171.