New Orleans restaurant with Cajun and Creole cooking.

3014 Granville St., Vancouver, BC    [View Map]
604-732-7550
  $$$

One of the most upscale and well-to-do areas of Vancouver is South Granville, located on the southern side of the Granville street bridge. There you'll find the specialty grocery Minehearts where you can easily spend $40.00 on a small bottle of olive oil. There are some neat restaurants in this area, including the Shabusen Korean Barbecue (2993 Granville 604.737.6888) which is one of the many all-you-can-eat sushi places that we have in our fine city. But not to be outdone is the Ouisi Bistro, a restaurant specializing in both Creole and Cajun cooking. They describe their Cajun cooking as "spicy country food, originally from Southern France, brought to Louisiana by the Acadians", and Creole as "a cuisine born in New Orleans closer to French classical, yet heavily influenced by the Spaniards, Africans and Native Americans".

Ouisi's menu gives lots of selection, such Cajun jambalayas and gumbos, and Creole dungness-crab-stuffed chicken breast, but I have to say that there was one menu item which seemed more exotic than the others. It was the dish entitled "Gator Bite" which is described as "house marinated, farmed Louisiana alligator served with Cajun tartar." I am a rather adventurous sort, at least when it comes to food, and I just had to try this dish, and also so I could say that I conquered one of the most dangerous swamp animals around! I'm happy to report that the alligator didn't seem too fearsome in its cuisinary form - rather, it was akin to eating any sort of ferocious meat and was a tad chewy but very well marinated with a kind of tangy, coconut milk sauce. My dish (the House Flight, $18.00) also came with a sampling of jerk chicken and crab cakes, as well as a small colorful fruity salad which blended very well with the other flavours. My friend who ordered the Pacific Seafood Trio ($20) was also very pleased with his dish (pictured below). 

The atmosphere of Ouisi Bistro is jazz-themed, candle-lit and trendy-urban, very similar to Capones in Yaletown - they were even playing some of St. Germain's jazz creations in the background. Service was good and you'll love their home made cornbread (pictured below).

	Pacific Seafood Trio with black sesame seed crusted scallops, snapper and prawns. $20.00
	The famous home-made cornbread at Ouisi Bistro (included with meal).  I really enjoyed this bread which was soft, moist, and had a touch of sweetness.
	House flight - a sampling of Cajun-style crab cakes, Jamaican jerk chicken and "gator bite" - real alligator meat! $18.00

Reviewed by: Geoff Peters

Last reviewed: March 15, 2005

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