Creole on The River

Walking around Penn’s Landing and South Street can make you very hungry, but the typical restaurants selling you overpriced burgers and poorly made American cuisine just won’t do. “Chefs” are hard to come by in this area, and if you’re looking for authentic Creole cuisine, this would be the last place you would look.

Southern hospitality and authentic Louisiana fare are in no short supply at the newly opened Catahoula Restaurant and Bar. Named after the bread of the executive chef Paul Martin’s childhood dog, Catahoula has a mix of rustic Creole and city cuisine that Martin wanted to share with the people of Philadelphia. “I have been in the restaurant business all of my life and I wanted to get back to my roots,” says Martin about what made him decide to open a Creole-inspired restaurant. “[The concept] is very unique; it’s rustic Louisiana cuisine infused with some city flavor,” Martin explains.

No kitchen in Philly could claim authenticity if the chef is from a country or state miles away, but executive chef Martin can bring the flavors of Louisiana to each Creole dish mainly because he grew up there. The small restaurant’s interior is right out of the French Quarter with a handful of high-seated tables and a long wooden bar that spans the whole space. You’ll find the specials written on the walls along with funny quotes. If you’re looking for some great southern seafood dishes, try their cornmeal-crusted oysters with creamy pernod spinach, smoked bacon and spicy tomato jam for just $10. If you’re looking for more of a shrimp meal, then try their New Orleans BBQ-style shrimp with summer corn, scallions, and grilled cornbread for $10.50 (we got their recipe!).

If you want something with a both a city and Creole flavor, then try one of their great grilled flatbreads like the truffled mushrooms, creamy goat cheese, fennel and roasted peppers grilled flatbread or the Louisiana flavor of roasted shrimp, Andouille sausage, Creole tomatoes and smokey gouda. Martin does four varieties of the Po-Boy: oyster, shrimp, catfish and BBQ pork, all served on a toasted roll with lettuce, tomato, mustard aioli and Creole spiced fries.

During all Phillies game, Catahoula offers $5 Po Boys and $2 lagers specials all night. But whatever you do, do not ask for typical nachos–you will get turned down immediately. Order up the Creole-spiced fries as a new baseball snack alternative.