The Acorn Epicurean

N’Awlinz Bistro


 

 

During the holidays our home is filled with the delicious foods of the season. On Christmas Eve my family will gather together, anticipating a festive spread reminiscent of years past. While I love the traditional delicacies, this year I decided to jazz things up New Orleans—or more accurately— N’Awlinz-style.

I’m serving gumbo from N’Awlinz Bistro in Newbury Park. During a recent lunch at the quaint restaurant, my husband and I made the decision after just a couple of bites of the N’Awlinz Andouille sausage and chicken gumbo: We were breaking from tradition.

Open since February, the unpretentious little bistro and nextdoor takeout has quickly gained a loyal following.

In 2009 co- owner George Pero, then president and CEO of Auction in Motion, placed an ad for a catering chef. Chef Marcus Webster responded and became the company’s in-house executive chef wowing the auction house clientele with southern comfort food inspired by his Mississippi and Louisiana background.

“For the first two-and-onehalf years Chef Marcus catered approximately 150 private events serving over 100 clients at each event, with spectacular results,” Pero said. “The feedback was great.”

The flood of positive comments encouraged the two men to open N’Awlinz Bistro. While the partners wanted to be a supportive part of the community, Pero said, they also saw their local eatery as a destination.

“We’ve really touched on customers’ roots,” he said. We have regulars that come in from Santa Rosa Valley, Ventura, Camarillo and Westlake.”

The menu and décor of the restaurant pay homage to Chef Marcus’ family. His father and grandfather were restaurateurs. His mother and grandmother taught him to cook when he was very young and they emphasized the importance of hospitality.

“The influence came from my family history as well as from my natural love of cooking and passion for food,” Chef Marcus said. “The whole thing about New Orleans is you just jazz up the food. It’s not too spicy; it’s just right. Southern hospitality is essential. It is our trademark.”

Whether dining in or taking out, customers are treated to a sample of gumbo. Servers are generous with their time, making recommendations, answering questions and explaining the difference between gumbos, jambalayas and etouffee.

While the N’Awlinz Gumbo, made with a special recipe roux, green bell pepper, celery, onions, house seasoning, chicken and authentic Louisiana Andouille sausage is the most popular item on the menu, the po’boyz are also a hit.

The restaurant has served more than 7,500 po’boyz since February.

The sandwiches are prepared with French Quarter toasted garlic bread filled with a choice of bayou catfish, shrimp, oysters, bayou Cajun tri-tip, chicken or pulled pork topped with caramelized onions, tomatoes and romaine lettuce. They come with a side of housemade potato salad, freshly fried potato chips or zydeco slaw.

Bourbon Street Seafood Jambalaya is a spicy rice casse- role made with chicken, sausage, shrimp, crawfish and crab. Shrimp, Crab and Crawfish Etouffe, prepared with seafood-based stock, roux and tomatoes is served with rice. Blackened catfish and an alligator sausage sandwich are also on the menu.

With the assistance of Chef Cameron Lang, everything is prepared daily from scratch. All seafood is fresh and flambéed in brandy and garlic per order on-site. Meats are marinated and smoked.

A special holiday party menu includes Cognac Smoked Turkey stuffed with crawfish jambalaya and injected with Hennessey Cognac butter and a puree of fresh herbs and spices rubbed under the skin. It’s then smoked over hickory and pecan wood and served with a sweet maple mustard cognac glaze.

Also on the holiday menu is Brandy Bleu Cheese Stuffed Beef Tenderloin.

Holiday items may be picked up in advance along with detailed warming instructions.

“We’ve had pretty amazing results,” Chef Marcus said of his French-, Creole-, and Cajuninspired southern cuisine. “It’s always fresh, it’s always tender and it’s always juicy. It’s a lot of love. It’s a passion, always has been. The fun of it is designing something that people have never witnessed before.”

N’Awlinz Bistro is taking holiday menu orders and accepting reservations for New Year’s Eve.

The restaurant is at 3321-C Kimber Drive in Newbury Park. The phone is (805) 499-7400.

Contact Patti Feddersen at pattifeddersen@gmail.com.


CAJAN COOKING—Chef Cameron Lang, left and Executive chef Marcus Webster are happy to serve their guests at the N’Awlinz Bistro.

CAJAN COOKING—Chef Cameron Lang, left and Executive chef Marcus Webster are happy to serve their guests at the N’Awlinz Bistro.

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