After so much spectacular food and the generally good reviews at Gumbo Shop we didn’t think we could go wrong. We were wrong about that.

The Gumbo Shop gumbo is blandly seasoned mush. I’m not even going to apologize for this blurry picture because it’s better than the food.

Harsh, right? Would I have been less disappointed had I not eaten great food at 3 other restaurants in the past 3 hours? Perhaps. Would I have been less disappointed if I hadn’t had incredible gumbo made by my aunt less than a week ago?

Perhaps.

I dunno. It was disappointing. And nothing about the rest of our experience served to balance out my disappointment. The boudin was decent but nothing to write home (or here) about:

The wine was ok:

Overall, the atmosphere and food were casual, bland and touristy. Gumbo for people who are afraid of food.

Cajun food isn’t for the weak or the hesitant. Cajun food is firey, spicy, in your face and full of meat and seafood. It’s deep, rich and full of flavor. It makes your eyes water and your tongue burn and you taste it in your mouth for hours afterwards. Gumbo Shop, on the vastly other hand, has none of those qualities and is easily forgotten. My best advice is to avoid it.

I’d love to recommend better gumbo in New Orleans, but unless you know my aunt I have no suggestions.

Boo.

But, the evening got better in a hurry once we got to dessert. And that’s my post for tomorrow.