Anything Special About Magoo's Grill and Bar?

Magoo's Diesel Dog

Magoo’s Bar and Grill on Sherwood Forest sits in a building formerly occupied by Schlotzsky's Deli.  How Subway makes it where Schlotzsky's failed is beyond me, but that's another story. Magoo's owner Rick White wanted a fun name in the style of old cartoons and came up with the concept based on the old Mr. Magoo character. Frustrated with the fact that he couldn't always give his diners exactly what they desired in the franchise world that he previously lived in, Rick opened Magoo's with different intentions. According to White, everything on the menu can be tweaked in order to accommodate to the tastes and preferences of his customers. For example, anything on his menu that is deep fried, which is a lot, can also be ordered grilled with no questions asked.

Magoo's Appetizer Sampler with Fried Green Tomatoes on the Left

I started with a couple of different appetizers including Magoo chips, which are potato chips made in house, and fried green tomatoes. White explained that he personally enjoys fried green tomatoes and wanted to offer a southern favorite that you can’t usually find at chain restaurants. The tomatoes were hearty and a nice green color, but not too tart. They were surrounded with a flaky, crunchy crust and topped with Parmesan cheese. They went well with the spicy ranch dressing that Magoo’s serves on the side. The appetizer sampler also came served with fried mushrooms and an interesting take on fried pickles. 

Another look at the Diesel Dog

Next on the menu was the Diesel Dog. Being a fan of hot dogs, I had to try it. It turns out, it’s almost as intimidating as it sounds. Magoo’s takes an all beef frank, wraps it in bacon, then deep fries the whole dog before covering it with jalapeno ranch. Unlike a normal American hot dog, Magoo's uses an England style bun that is more similar to a soft, buttery toast. Everything about the dog works. The beef frank is nothing amazing, but when wrapped in bacon it certainly gets the job done. The spicy jalapeno ranch adds extra flavor to this not so average hot dog. And the bun is something that truly has the ability to set this dog at Magoo's apart from its competition. I definitely thought the Diesel Dog to be one of the better items on the menu.




Mr. White seemed eager for me to try an item on the menu with the signature “Magoo sauce.” I certainly am not the kind of man to turn that down. He brought out the Saucy Magoo, which is a decent sized, hand crafted burger topped with bacon, grilled onions, and Magoo sauce, served on a Ciabatta bun. The Magoo sauce might be a little misleading. Don't try to dip a french fry in it, that's for sure. The sauce really contained a combination of normal burger fixings all mixed and bound together including shredded lettuce, onion, pickle relish, mustard, and mayonnaise. I had to think twice about it, but when I dove into the burger it all made sense. I didn't have to work about any topping sliding off or escaping from underneath the bun. Instead, all the goodies were held in place as one condiment. Not too shabby at all.

Magoo's Cheesy Grilled Shrimp Croissant

Switching gears from turf to surf, I tried the shrimp croissant which consists of fried shrimp dressed with cheddar cheese and mayo on a croissant. I opted for grilled shrimp (which, as Rick White pointed out, is never a problem) on what seemed like a mediocre dish to eat after having cheeseburgers and hot dogs loaded with sauces. The shrimp croissant presented itself as a simple, flat sandwich. However, the first bite proved otherwise. The flaky croissant exploded with cheesy shrimp flavor that actually kept me going back for more despite being fairly full by this point. Simple, yes, but while this popular Magoo's dish sticks to the basics, it still stood out as something a little different.  A few more shrimp may have been nice though.

I liked Magoo's. I liked Rick. I'd love to see businesses like his succeed because they are what we need to continue to grow our food scene. By no means is Magoo's fine dining or even a stellar place to impress a date, but it is something local and authentic. It is the kind of place that reminds me to hang my head in shame at how many people go to boring chain restaurants instead of supporting the stores owned by their neighbors. I hope Rick decides to take some chances. I hope he commits to having a decent beer selection and a cool bar if he really wants one. If he conforms to the array of franchised crap out there then he'll struggle. However, a narrowed focus on building solid dishes like his Diesel Dog and burgers, and he'll have a chance to make a splash that sends some ripples through the Sherwood area. I'll definitely be back to keep supporting them, and I encourage you to check Magoo's out and tell them Bite and Booze sent you!

Strand's Cafe for Coffee and a Croissant

If you search around enough you'll find that Baton Rouge contains a lot of hidden gems that are locally owned and full of charm.  One of these places is a little cafe downtown called Strand's.  Strand's Cafe is a European-style coffee shop complete with fine pastries and gourmet chocolates. Like any good modern coffee shop, Strand's offers free wireless internet access, and a great assortment of coffees, lattes, cappuccinos, teas, and espressos.  They also offer coffee by the pot if you plan on staying a while!

Strand's Cafe, Laurel Street, Downtown Baton Rouge

Walking into Strand's is like walking into a different country.  The decor and atmosphere that they have created in their small coffee shop reminds me of Belgium more than Baton Rouge.  The family owned and run cafe bakes all of their pastries in house and also creates their fine chocolates on location.  Just one look at all of the various treats and treasures in the counter display will make your mouth salivate for a taste.  The chocolates are a work of edible art as they are beautifully crafted and sculpted into iconic shapes including the Louisiana favorite Fleur de Lis.

The Display of Fine Chocolates at Strand's Cafe

The other morning I went into Strand's to pick up some coffee for a coworker (because I'm a nice guy and it was a beautiful day and I wanted to go take a walk outside) and I couldn't resist getting a cup of cafe au lait and a croissant for myself.

Provolone and Prosciutto Croissant and a Large Cafe Au Lait

Strand's offers several different fresh, flaky, delicious croissant varieties.  In addition to the provolone and prosciutto that I ordered, they also offer a chocolate and a four cheese croissant.  The provolone and prosciutto croissant was absolutely delicious.  The crusty dough was light and buttery and the inside had just the right amount of meat and cheese to add to the taste without overpowering the actual croissant.  The cafe au lait perked me up on a slow morning in the office, and so did the walk around the block.  I'm glad I paid a visit to Strand's and I'm sure I'll be back many more times.  If you need some study time or some internet cafe time and can make it downtown, I highly recommend it!

Nothing like a Chimes Reunion!

Tuesday night brought upon the latest in a long history of reunions at The Chimes by LSU. The Chimes is a classic eatery and watering hole that is dear to so many in the LSU community and all around Baton Rouge. Their beer selection, which was by far the best in town for a long time, is extensive and various, and their food is always delightful. This particular Tuesday night reunion was brought about by Paul Holbrook who happened to be in town from Chicago and wanted to get together with a group of buddies. Brent came and picked me up, and we rolled to The Chimes where we met Paul and Michael Northington at the bar. They promptly sat us at a table for eight where we ordered a round of drinks (Shiner Bock for me), an order of boudin balls, and two dozen oysters. After all, Tuesday is 35 cent oyster day... all day!

Boudin Balls at The Chimes

Two Dozen Raw Oysters at The Chimes

After a few minutes of feasting on the fried boudin and raw oyster delicacies, we were joined by James Lawson, Brian Thom, and my brother, Eric Ducote.  James ordered a double Talisker on the rocks which is one hell of a Scotch Whisky.  Order one whenever you feel like going top-shelf and you'll see quickly why we call it the "Marksalot".  Talisker is distilled on the Isle of Skye and is a single malt whisky with a strong peat content and a very unique, spicy taste and smell. 

With appetizers and drinks in our belly, the seven of us set our eyes on some main courses.  It is pretty hard to go wrong at The Chimes, and there were some pretty good off-the-menu tweaks to popular dishes, which is common with our group.  I went with one of my favorite sandwiches of all time, that way I could write about it here!  My order: The Chimes Club, fried, on a croissant, no mayo, with a side of alligator sauce, and an order of hushpuppies.  The only thing I did wrong was forget to say "no pickles!"

The Chimes Club, Fried, on a Croissant with Alligator Sauce and an Order of Hushpuppies

This sandwich truthfully is one of my all-time favorites, but not many people have ever enjoyed it.  The normal Chimes Club comes with a grilled chicken breast on whole wheat bread and regular old mayo.  Getting the chicken fried, the croissant added, and the alligator sauce in exchange for the mayo... MONEY!  The warm, buttery croissant melts in your mouth as it fills with the juicy, tender chicken breast that is topped with succulent ham and crispy bacon.  What a feast!  The hushpuppies are one of my favorite side items at The Chimes.  They make one of the best hushpuppies that I've ever had so when I'm there I like to get an order.  They are beautifully fried balls of corn meal and spices that make your mouth water with excitement and anticipation while you slice them open to spread some butter on the inside or just dunk them one at a time into the butter to get a nice coat of cream on the outside.

This Chimes reunion was short and surprisingly sober.  I guess we are all getting older now with jobs to worry about and such.  No worries though.  It was still as great time with fantastic friends, plentiful drinks, and delicious food.  I'll be back many, many more times and continue to have a smile on my face every time.