11:53 am Eating Out: Saltwater Willy’s Bayou Cafe serves Cajun cuisine and more
I enjoyed some classic Cajun cuisine during a visit with a friend to Saltwater Willy’s Bayou Cafe in Kingsport. The restaurant has been serving Cajun cuisine and seafood for about two years.
Upon entering the restaurant’s foyer, patrons are greeted with a festive glass showcase displaying such items as Mardi Gras beads, masks and souvenir T-shirts in gold, green and violet. There’s even a Mardi Gras Tree decorated with various festive items unique to this holiday. The New Orleans/Mardi Gras theme is continued in the dining area, which features white stucco walls, wrought iron railings and a profusion of Mardi Gras beads and reliefs of fleur-de-lis designs displayed on the wall. Framed art prints on the walls also show scenes from New Orleans. Seating is available at both tables and booths.
As we looked over the menu, our server listed some of the daily appetizer specials. In addition, a fun selection of New Orleans jazz tunes played in the background.
We scouted the appetizer offerings on the menu, which consisted of such tempting meal-starters as Fried Green Tomatoes, Fried Crawfish Tails, Crab Bites, Fried Gator with “Big Orange” Sauce, Fried Calamari with Creole Sauce, Oysters on the Half Shell, Fried Frog Legs and Crawfish Pie.
My dining companion chose to start off the meal with an order of Boudin Balls while I decided to sample the Crawfish Pie.
In Cajun and French cuisine, the term “boudin” refers to sausage, so I suppose my friend’s appetizer could aptly be described as Cajun Sausage Balls. This appetizer at Saltwater Willy’s consists of eight medium-sized morsels filled with sausage, rice and other seasonings. They are lightly breaded, deep fried and served with a tangy remoulade sauce.
My Crawfish Pie consisted of a tart-sized pastry filled with cheese, crawfish meat and various Cajun seasonings. Also served with a remoulade sauce, the Crawfish Pie was also sprinkled with fresh herbs. The small pie looked almost whimsical, but was attractively presented atop the spread of remoulade and tasted fantastic. We both exchanged samples of the appetizers, and they both whetted our appetites for the main course.
Entree options include a selection of New Orleans specialties as well as a range of seafood in three different manners: grilled, fried and as a Cajun boil. In addition, the menu offers several pasta dishes, po’boys, sandwiches, burgers and entree salads. There’s also a section called Saltwater Specialties that offers such main dishes as Cajun Stuffed Pork Chop, 12-ounce Bone-in Ribeye and Trout Almondine.
Saltwater Willy’s offers a selection of grilled fish entrees, such as North Atlantic Salmon, Catfish, and Tilapia. Other grilled items include Chicken and Shrimp. The fried seafood ranges from Fried Gulf Shrimp and Fried Gulf Oysters to Willy’s Combo, which offers a platter of Fried Catfish, Oysters and Shrimp.
The Cajun Boil, a classic specialty, consists of a pot of flavorfully seasoned boiled items, which can include your choice of ingredients such as Shrimp, Crawfish, Corn on the Cob, New Potatoes and Andouille Sausage. Customers can elect to toss all or any combination of these ingredients “into the boil.”
I decided to try the Shrimp Creole with Rice, which is one of the restaurant’s New Orleans Specialties. My dinner companion selected the Voodoo Pasta Jambalaya, which is described as Willy’s special mix of Jambalaya and Alfredo.
The restaurant also is currently offering Fish Tacos for the price of $1, so we both decided to add a single taco to each of our meals. This casual, hand-held appetizer consists of a filet of deep-fried fish served in a soft tortilla shell with some appealing Cajun spices.
Both the Shrimp Creole and the Voodoo Pasta Jambalaya are served with baguettes. For a modest extra price, customers can also add either a House Salad of a cup of Gumbo. I chose to add a cup of the eatery’s File Gumbo while my dining companion chose the Corn and Crab Bisque.
Other side dishes available include Baked Sweet Potato, French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Creole Cheese Grits, Corn on the Cob, Wild Rice, Dirty Rice, Steamed Broccoli, Red Beans and Rice and Grilled Asparagus with Cajun Seasoning.
Our soups arrived ahead of the main course. I enjoyed the peppery Gumbo, which was a hearty and flavorful blend of shrimp, sausage, chicken, tomatoes and seasonings. I also sampled a spoonful of my friend’s Crab and Corn Bisque. This creamy soup featured a slightly sweet taste, probably enhanced by both the corn and the delectably mild crab meat.
As we finished our soups, the main courses arrived. I was impressed with the large order of Shrimp Creole, which consisted of a bed of rice smothered beneath a bountiful amount of plump shrimp served with a mildly spicy mix of tomatoes, onions and other seasonings. The entire dish was also sprinkled with herbs.
My dining companion also received a generous portion of the Voodoo Pasta Jambalaya. Described by our server as a sort of a cross between a creamy alfredo and jambalaya, this dish combined chicken, andouille sausage and shrimp in a perfectly seasoned sauce, all served over pasta. All the ingredients in this dish really came together to form a wonderfully flavorful combination.
We concluded our visit with a dessert. Saltwater Willy’s offers an assortment of Homemade Sweets, including Authentic Bread Pudding with Raisins, Bourbon Pecan Pie, Jimmy Lee Pie With Ice Cream, Key Lime Pie and Hand-dipped Ice Cream.
I chose the Jimmy Lee Pie, which is described as an old family recipe courtesy of Cotton Duke and the “Old” Saltwater’s Willy’s Seafood. My dining companion ordered the Bread Pudding.
These two sweets arrived promptly, and both were hits for different reasons. The Jimmy Lee Pie, baked in a tart pastry tin, consisted of chocolate and pecan. This simple but tasty dessert reminded me more than anything of a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie, perfect with the scoop of vanilla ice cream, all drizzled with chocolate syrup.
The Bread Pudding also delighted my dining companion, who shared a couple of bites as I did the same with my dessert. The Bread Pudding is finished with “Willy’s Own” special rum sauce, which really enhanced this lush but not overly rich dessert. They certainly provided a fantastic finish to our first visit.
If the restaurant was closer, I am sure I’d be a regular. Even so, I certainly hope to return for future visits and work my way through all the tempting items featured in the menu. The restaurant offers a Menu for the Kids and also a variety of weekday lunch specials. Saltwater Willy’s also offers a “Two Can Dine for $20” special, which consists of an appetizer, two side salads and two entrees.
It’s a bold stroke to include the motto “Authentic Cajun Cuisine” on the front of your menu, but I believe Saltwater Willy’s more than lives up to this billing. If you visit, be sure to let them know they were highly recommended.
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AT A GLANCE: Saltwater Willy’s Bayou Cafe, 121 Jack White Drive, Kingsport. 765-1665. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Dinner entrees range from $6-$19. Credit cards accepted. Carryout available. Full service bar available.
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