New Orleans: Weekly Red Beans and Rice Review

New Orleans
Red Beans and Rice Review
Part One -- Kajun Ken's Deli
Corner Houma and Veterans, Metairie.

Monday is traditionally "red beans and rice day" in New Orleans.  This is because it was wash day around the house.  Most housewives didn't have time to stand over a stove and monitor something for dinner while doing the laundry at the same time, so it was easier to make something that just sat on the stove simmering most of the day.  So many people grew up eating red beans on Mondays that many of even the finest restaurants in town serve them to start off the week.

This is a new feature for the New Orleans Mailing List and for Virtually New Orleans.  I'll be eating red beans at different places in town each Monday, and I'll tell you about my experience on Tuesday.

We're starting out close to my house this week, at the corner of Houma and Vets in Metairie.  Kajun Ken's is a typical New Orleans lunch place-
-a few tables, New Orleans posters and photos on the walls, and a counter separating the dining area from the kitchen.  The space has been recently remodeled, so it's got that "new" feeling to it.  It may be in Metairie, but they do red beans here just like in town.  Their beans are not chewy, but not creamy.  Many people would call this "just right," but I prefer mine on the creamy side.  The plate was a generous portion of beans and rice, and they came with either a link of smoked sausage, a pork chop, or a grilled chicken breast.  I went with the sausage (haven't really enjoyed a pork chop with red beans since Buster Holmes closed his place in the Quarter a million years ago).  The link of sausage was a good size--so many places try to shortchange you on the meat.

Kajun Ken's is my kind of place--they have both Tabasco and Crystal hot sauce on the tables.  I always prefer Crystal at the table, reserving Tabasco for cooking.  The meal also came with a scoop of green salad (I had Italian dressing with it), and a nice sized piece of french bread, split in half and buttered.  This was a good start on what should prove to be an interesting weekly culinary adventure.