Okra Bites
Jambalaya (shrimp, andouille, chicken, cajun spices)
Crawfish Creole (tomato, garlic, mushroom, creole seasoning)
Voocaray Beans and Rice (shrimp, fried eggplant)
Chocolate Beignets
Beignet Bread Pudding (blackberry brandy caramel sauce)
Amongst the charming collection of shops along Gulf Gate and Gateway sits Voocaray, one of the very few Cajun/Creole eateries in Sarasota. Being just two doors down from Our Protagonist's friends at Transatlantic Sausage Company (and Bakery!) made it a nice twofer for the evening. In fact, the Bakery supplies the Po-Boy New Orleans-style baguettes. However, there were more pressing menu choices to be made on this particular evening.
When in Rome (or the South), one must do as the locals do, which here means order the Fried Green Tomatoes. This turned out to be an excellent axiom to follow, as Our Protagonist experienced what he would define as the Best Fried Green Tomatoes, Ever. It was half Mother Nature, half technique; they had a perfectly thin breading, and the tomatoes were simply delicious to start with. The Okra bites were nearly equally addictive, and the remoulade made for a good, tangy dipping sauce. The Jambalaya very hot from the steaming chicken, and wasn't so much of a stew as a nicely-moist one-pot; a perfectly acceptable version of the classic. The Crawfish Creole, which was the recommendation from the server, was hearty, featuring a great, chunky vegetable sauce. It was, indeed, refreshing, to not be subjected to weighty sauces that usually plague Cajun and Creole dishes. Our Protagonist's dining partners had Red beans with Shrimp, and with Fried Eggplant, respectively. The eggplant version looked almost other-worldly with long, thin cacti leaves of sliced eggplant sprouting up and out of the beans and rice. A cute presentation, and since none of the other dishes had been subjected to this treatment this was simply fun rather than an annoying running joke. The Chocolate Beignets were long cylinders, an unexpected direction in the shape from the Cafe du Monde version. Think more like churros and you would be close. To close the deal, the Beignet Bread Pudding was satisfyingly soft, and the blackberry brandy caramel had nice tang. Our Protagonist only hopes that the mostly empty dining room isn't a bad omen for the future; it would be a pity for this to be overlooked in the sea of far-too-average dining choices that run the length of Tamiami Trail.
Voocaray Cajun Cuisine and Bar
6566 Gateway Ave
Sarasota, FL 34231
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