7 places to savor a real Cajun meal

By Scott Yoshonis News Editor

Tourists and locals agree, there is nothing like the food culture of south Louisiana.

Not only does this area enjoy a variety of distinctive dishes but an abundance of places to find them.

From jambalaya to red and white beans to gumbo to catfish and shrimp and crawfish, it's hard to get a bad meal in Cajun country.

Here are seven local establishments -- in no particular order -- that serve quality, authentic Cajun food:

1. A-Bear's Cafe, 809 Bayou Black Drive, Houma.

Nestled into a cozy corner near Barrow Street and La. 311, A-Bear's is where the locals go when they want the real stuff. Their gumbo is consistently rated the best in the area, and dishes like their Catfish A-Bear show that truly great food is not only found in high-end places. Open for lunch only. 2. Spahr's Seafood, three locations, 3682 U.S.-90 in Des Allemands, 601 W. 4th St. in Thibodaux and 16816 La. 3235 in Galliano. Billing itself as "Where Catfish is King," Spahr's serves up Catfish Chips and a blackened catfish fillets covered in crawfish cream sauce, as well as "World Famous" Bloody Marys, Seafood Gumbo and more. A Lafourche Parish institution since 1968 when it opened on the banks of Bayou Des Allemands, Spahr's serves up incredible fried seafood in an unpretentious atmosphere.

3. Big Al's Seafood, 1377 W. Tunnel Blvd., Houma.

A popular spot for both lunch and dinner, Big Al's serves up huge portions of just about every fried seafood this area can produce. It's also one of the most popular spots for boiled mudbugs during crawfish season, and regularly wins local crawfish boil-offs.

4. Boudreau & Thibodeau's Cajun Cooking, 5602 W. Main, Houma.

Don't let the kitchy decor and corny jokes aimed at tourists fool you, this place features one of the best selections of Cajun food anywhere. In addition to the usual fried seafood and boiled

Blackened catfi sh covered in crawfi sh cream sauce from Spahr’s Seafood in Des Allemands. [FILE]

crawfish, Boudreau & Thibodeau's goes deep into the swamp for such dishes as Redfish Courtbouillon and Alligator Sauce Piquante that are anything but gimmicks.

5. The Shack, 1226 Grand Caillou Road, Houma.

This east side eatery does a brisk business both in its dining room and its often busy drive thru window, with regular specials on raw and chargrilled oysters in addition to outstanding takes on the usual Cajun favorites like Seafood Gumbo and Crawfish Etouffee. 6. Cher-Amie's, 15628 W. Main St., Cut Off.

It doesn't get much more Cajun in either menu or location than this downthe-bayou gem. Their soft-shell crab with crawfish etouffee stands up to any restaurant dish of any kind, anywhere. In the best Cajun tradition, they take local ingredients and prepare them simply into something spectacular. 7. C. Moran's, 27900 La. 1, Golden Meadow.

You can't get much closer to the Gulf of Mexico than this place, and it shows on the menu. Also a marina, seafood comes fresh off the boat at this spot serving everything from fried seafood dishes to poboys and homemade favorites. And if you happen to take one of the abundant fishing charters, they will cook your catch for you.