Frequently, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always-hungry reporter has lunch at a local restaurant and tells you about the experience.
By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services
I don’t like to be cold, and the older I get, the more I don’t like to be cold.
On a recent windy, cloudy, downright dreary Friday, I could not get warm. Undershirt, shirt, pullover, coat – I still felt the Christmas chill. So, when it came time for lunch, I didn’t want anything cold. I wanted hot food. I didn’t really care what, but a bowl of red beans and rice sure sounded good.
A friend and I weren’t too far from Marilynn’s Place (4041 Fern Avenue, Shreveport). In all the years the restaurant has been open (research indicated at least since 2011), I had only been twice – maybe. A quick look at their website revealed Marilynn’s Place had red beans and rice, and a lot more. So, we decided to give Marilynn’s a try.
The first thing you should know is that Marilynn’s Place occupies what used to be a service station and garage. That’s right. If you’ve been around long enough, you can go to the restaurant and eat in the same space in which your vehicle’s oil was changed. That doesn’t exactly get my culinary juices flowing, but I’ve had heard nothing but good things about Marilynn’s food.
My friend and I arrived a few minutes after noon and had our choice of either sitting in the inside dining area (the former garage), or the enclosed patio. There was also outside patio seating available (picnic tables), but that was for a much warmer day than this day. We chose to eat inside.
A very enthusiastic young lady welcomed us from the other side of the room. She was cleaning a table. Turns out, she was also the hostess, and the order-taker. We were impressed with her willingness to do three jobs – all with a smile. She gave us menus, and said she would see us at the counter when we were ready to order.
Marilynn’s Place has plenty of choices – everything from a Shrimp Remoulade Salad to a Fried Shrimp Po-boy to a Smoked Cajun Chicken Burger. If you have trouble deciding on just one item, you can get a “Combo”, which is a smaller serving of any two menu items, for $19.95.
I knew I wanted red beans and rice, but there were several other things that sounded good. Again, whatever I ate, it had to be hot. So, I chose a combo of red beans and rice (slow-cooked red beans with smoked andouille sausage, tasso, and ham), and Chicken & Andouille Jambalaya.
My friend also liked the sound of red beans and rice. In addition, she liked the sound of The “MK”, described as “A fierce little poboy.” It was promised to come with roasted bell pepper, eggplant, garlic, avocado, and hummus. So, my friend chose a combo of those two.
I placed our order at the counter, put my credit card in the machine, and was prompted to leave a tip. That brought up a conundrum. Do you leave a tip when there isn’t table service? I mean, who would I be tipping – the cooks? Do they get a share of the tips? Not knowing the proper protocol, I left a tip, but not the 20% I normally leave for good service.
After about 20 minutes, my name was called, announcing our order was ready. I don’t think I would make a good server, as it took me four trips to deliver two trays of food, two drinks, and utensils. I was thinking I should have given myself a tip!
Considering I chose the Combo, which meant smaller portions, I was surprised at the size of the bowls of both the red beans and rice, and the jambalaya. The red beans and rice were warm – not hot – but hit the sweet spot between runny and thick. Though I would have preferred a little more juice, the red beans and rice were good and, especially with a few drops of tobacco sauce I added, had the right amount of kick.
However, I enjoyed my jambalaya more. I’m not an expert on ingredients, so I can’t tell you what made the jambalaya taste special. But it did. The jambalaya was a little warmer than the red beans and rice, so that helped. If I visit again, I may just have a large bowl of jambalaya.
In fairness, my friend wasn’t feeling 100%. That may have influenced how she felt about her food – and her experience. She said her red beans and rice were good, but she didn’t care for the poboy. It had more than its share of garlic cloves. In fact, the poboy was so garlic-heavy, she took all the garlic out of the sandwich.
As for the surroundings, my friend was not a fan. While Marilynn’s Place was certainly cleaner than the garage before it, there were still signs that the eatery used to be a service station. I’m trying to be fair, so let me put it this way: if you’re looking for a sparkling clean atmosphere, Marilynn’s Place isn’t your place. If you prefer to think of it as being pretty cool having lunch at a place where vehicles were once worked on, and you like a bit of history, you will be fine.
The cost of our meal, before tax and the aforementioned tip, was $51.14. To me, that was a pricy lunch for two people. Speaking of pricy, I glanced at the kids’ menu section. There were seven selections, all for $11.95. That seemed a bit steep for a grilled cheese sandwich and fries.
This is a tough one, because my friend really didn’t care for Marilynn’s Place’s atmosphere, as well as half of what she ordered. The surroundings didn’t bother me as much – although I wasn’t crazy about them – and my food was good. So, I give Marilynn’s Place Three Forks – barely. I would return, but it certainly wouldn’t be my first choice. However, when we left, the place was packed, and there was a line of people from the counter to the door.
And no one was there to get an oil change.
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
Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to visit for lunch?
Email SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com.
