Bernard Whitmore 

378 Maple Avenue #3104, Shrewsbury, MA 01545
(774) 243-2375
order.toasttab.com/online/nola-shrewsbury

Just five years ago I commented here that it seemed too good to be true, that Zitos, a little hotdog stand situated along West Boylston’s commercial strip, could be transformed into a Cajun-Creole kitchen. 

Small miracles do, indeed, happen and soon after they opened we ventured into NOLA where we met Robert Nguyen, chef and co-owner with a biography that commanded belief in his mission, plus a file of recipes for classic New Orleans cuisine that have given this feisty little place staying power. 

His concept of delicious Cajun-Creole cuisine in an informal setting where you place your order at the counter, select a picnic table out on the deck and dine off paper and plastic place settings has proven so successful that earlier this year he opened another location in Shrewsbury’s Marketplace.

The two locations are strikingly dissimilar. West Boylston’s kitchen-counter area is crammed into such a tiny space it’s incredible they can produce such a wide-ranging menu, but the location also has that gritty vibe that feels authentically Cajun. 

On the other hand, the Shrewsbury location is in a brand-new building in a high-concept strip mall that has a suburbanite-friendly, somewhat antiseptic ambiance that affluent young people seem attracted to. 

But for a couple things, that Shrewsbury shininess might give me pause. After all, when I think Cajun-Creole, I think of ancient Louisiana architecture in the gentle state of decay that defines New Orleans’ dingy-chic elegance. Reassuringly, there at the counter stood the friendly owner-chef welcoming us and ready to take our order. And on the wall is posted NOLA’s original menu. The aforementioned concept has been completely transported, right down to the cooler of Louisiana brewer’s Abita beer selections!

Our order started with the Boudin Balls appetizer. Ground Louisiana pork and rice sausage were formed into balls, breaded and deep fried till deep golden brown. I cracked one open and dipped a steaming chunk of it into a cup of Creole mustard. The result: crunchy crust, meaty-rich filling and cool zesty sauce! Matched up with a bottle of Turbo Dog, Abita’s brown ale, it was an excellent starting course.

My friend’s bowl of NOLA’s gumbo was classic New Orleans fare. With its flavor based on the trinity – onions, bell pepper and celery – NOLA adds shrimp, bits of chicken, kielbasa, slices of okra into a velvety smooth broth. Anyone who’s made it or researched gumbo has learned that the trick to its ‘velvety smooth’ texture and rich flavor is in the roux; fat and flour cooked slowly till brown and smooth textured. NOLA’s chef has been well-schooled in the study of gumbo.

Then he dove into his entrée, another favorite, the Louisiana Oyster Basket. A plastic basket lined with waxed paper was heaped on one side with medium-sized fried oysters, ten or twelve in this order, the other side had a stack of French fries tinged red with Cajun spice mix. The oysters were coated with a cornmeal batter that fried up a pleasing combination of crusty-crumbly and formed a shell that sealed in the perfectly fresh oyster’s delicate flavor and juiciness. They came with a cup of remoulade sauce for dipping. Why don’t we just replace tartar sauce with Cajun remoulade everywhere!

And while we’re at it, let’s make Crawfish Étouffée the official Cajun-Creole dish. This was my entrée at NOLA and, though buried deep in the menu, it’s my favorite.  Another roux-based sauce is simmered with a potful of crawfish tails and the Cajun trinity for richly nuanced flavor and then poured into a bowl and topped with a crown of white rice. As you eat NOLA’s étouffée you mix a forkful of rice into the sauce and excavate one after another crawfish tail. It’s delicious, fun, and elegant.

If you’ve been to New Orleans, Louisiana, and loved the cuisine, go to NOLA for a local source of what you experienced. If your impression of Cajun is that salty-spice mix that some places used to ‘blacken’ into their food, go to NOLA and find out what real Cajun-Creole tastes like.