Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always hungry reporter visits a different restaurant and tells you about the experience.
By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services
I have this one friend who I really like and respect. But I always get a chuckle when he can’t believe I haven’t been somewhere he’s been, or haven’t eaten something he’s eaten.
So, for months, my friend had been giving me the business because I had never dined at Fat Tuesday Sandwich Shop & Bakery (1201 Shady Grove Drive, Suite B, Bossier City). To say he swears by their food would be putting it mildly.
When I wrote Fat Tuesday on my list of restaurants to visit, I put my friend’s name to the side. There was no way I was going without him. On a recent Tuesday, the day came, as we separately made the drive to south Bossier for lunch.
Fat Tuesday reminded me of one of those hole-in-the-wall eateries on a French Quarter side street. Fat Tuesday won’t win any beauty contests for its look inside or outside. There are only seven tables where you can sit, and they’re really close together in a really small space.
Spoiler alert: Don’t judge a restaurant’s food based on how the building looks.
The eatery has a sign which reads “Where every day is Fat Tuesday.” To put us in the mood, Mardi Gras-themed music was playing. In other words, family ownership wants you to have a good time, although no one threw us any beads while we were there.
At Fat Tuesday, you can choose from five hot po-boys, five cold po-boys, three burgers, and five salads. There’s also the Homemade Soup of the Day, and three Spectacular Sides. Fat Tuesday also offers up a daily special.
I previewed the menu online, and decided I would order a salad — maybe the Big Easy. However, while in line, my friend quickly shot down that idea.
“You can’t have a salad!” he proclaimed, neck veins bulging. “That would be like going to a (insert the name of your favorite Mexican food restaurant) and ordering a hamburger!
My head dropped as I became overwhelmed with shame. How dare I think I could order what I want! So, I regrouped and asked for my friend’s permission to have the Cajun Club Supremo ($13.99). He also did not give me a choice when it came to my side. My friend declared I had to have the Cajun Potato Salad.
Also with his blessing, I ordered a cup of the soup of the day, which on this day was Southwestern Cheesy Chicken and Rice ($3.59)
With the intent of a bull running straight toward a red flag-waving matador, my friend confidently ordered The French Big Dipper ($14.99), with a side of Cajun Potato Salad (of course). To drink, he had a Coke Zero with cherries ($2.99), while I went with water and a squeeze of lemon.
It wasn’t long before one of Fat Tuesday’s friendly, hard-working ladies brought us our food. In keeping with the restaurant’s neighborhood charm, the presentation was minimal. My soup was served in a styrofoam container, and our sandwiches came in red plastic trays.
The Southwest Cheesy Chicken and Rice soup lived up to its name. To me, any food with ‘Southwest’ in its name should be spicy, and this was. It had a real kick, which I liked. And despite the word ‘Cheesy’, the soup did not have an overwhelming cheesy taste, which I appreciated. It really was good.
My friend alerted me that the bread Fat Tuesday’s uses for its po-boys would be the star of the show. It’s made daily, and tasted like it. And unlike some po-boys which are all bread and little inside, my po-boy had plenty of what it was supposed to have: Cajun sliced turkey, smoked ham, bacon, mozzarella cheese, grilled onions, bell peppers, olive salad, and Cajun mayo.
For me, a good sandwich is one in which you can’t taste a specific ingredient. Rather, all the ingredients mix together for one special taste. That was the case with my Cajun Club Supremo. I can’t tell you what it tasted like, but I can tell you the taste was good.
My friend is an excellent writer — much better than me. So, I will let him tell you about his meal:
“The French Big Dipper never disappoints. It’s a classic. It’s simple but delicious. (Fat Tuesday’s) bread is perfect. Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. It works impeccably with the au jus, or dipping sauce. That au jus is so good, I eat the leftover portion with a spoon like it’s soup.”
In other words, my friend really liked his po-boy.
As for the Cajun Potato Salad, which my friend insisted I have, he said:
“It’s creamy, which is my preference. I’m not a fan of chunky potato salad. Theirs is made with creole mustard and a spice package that sets it apart. You shouldn’t eat there and not have the potato salad.”
Tell me about it.
Fat Tuesday’s desserts are all homemade daily, and on this day, there were plenty from which to choose. It is rare that I pass on red velvet cake, but I decided to go with Peach Cobbler Cheesecake ($6.99). My friend did not pass on Red Velvet Cheesecake ($7.99). True to form, our desserts came in a plastic container, which was too small for the portions we had. There wasn’t enough room for me to get a good look at all I was eating. I just saw a big glob. It wasn’t until I was almost finished that I laid eyes on the cheesecake.
The cost of our meal, before taxes and tip, was $50.54. I think it could have been $150.54, and my friend would have thought the food was worth the price. By the way, take note that Fat Tuesday’s recommended tip amounts are not based on the subtotal, which they should be, but are based on the total price.
“I don’t know what else to say about Fat Tuesday,” my friend texted me later that night. “When it comes to po-boys in Shreveport-Bossier, everybody else is playing for second place.”
With that kind of recommendation, who needs mine? For the record, I give Fat Tuesday Three Forks. It’s hard for me to say I would go anywhere out of my way to have a sandwich. But, if I’m in south Bossier and hungry, I would not hesitate to eat at Fat Tuesday. However, I may feel obligated to call my friend so he can tell me what to eat.
Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to visit? Email SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com
1 Fork: Would rather eat a box of dirt
2 Forks: Will return, but only if someone else is buying
3 Forks: Will return and look forward to it
4 Forks: Will return and go out of my way to do so
