Rose E.
Yelp
We decided to revisit intimate rooftop dining here...but sadly, there were some disappointments this time. :(
When we pulled up, we realized that there's no easy, free parking at the back of the house...instead a valet parking (only on weekends). Complimentary, but we still tipped (as is the norm). Not sure why the parking isn't allowed on weekends anymore?? Whatever the case, it's definitely not a plus.
Luckily we were able to easily snag a good rooftop table right away, at 5:30 pm, Saturday night.
First of all, I loved the Mocktail (though forgot the name)...and we loved the Cajun Popcorn appetizer! Possibly the best part of our dining experience? We also appreciated the complimentary bread roll.
Then came all the issues. First, the entrees we ordered, the Crawfish Etouffee and the Crawfish Scampi, were way soupier, with seemingly less rice! Also, my dish was a MESS when delivered to our table. It was so runny, it just spilled right over! Just check out my pictures of the same Crawfish Scampi dishes (from today...and from 5 years ago)...and see the big difference!! The flavors of both dishes were really good still (very spicy too, without becoming inedible?) ...but again, just WAY TOO SOUPY (with its thin, runny roux, filled to the brim of the bowl). I actually hate soupy dishes (minus ramen, of course!), but this would have been an exception...as long as it came with more rice.
We still love Cajun Queen...I mean, this is a great, landmark restaurant! However, things were just amiss this time. Super-sloppy delivery and presentation of our dishes...skimpy portion of rice (while being overly soupy!)...and there were more issues too.
Like bringing us just forks...for rice dishes! (my major pet peeve lately!) Initially upon receiving our messy plates, I had to ask our waitress to bring us spoons, then wait. Unfortunately, she didn't revisit us 'til we nearly finished our meal...so I wasn't able to ask for more rice. BTW, our waitress was very personable and friendly, but she just got too busy as the night went on. Possibly not her fault...short-staffed, maybe?
Then this... We felt there were one too many tables on the rooftop...whereas there were only 4 tables full (just like our last time). It would have been nicer if the tables were spaced apart more. Also, the overhead speakers weren't working, so no music on the rooftop. Also, there was the valet parking noises below. Overall, our rooftop dining experience was not that great this time.
I hate to drop 2 stars since our last visit, but this was barely a 3-star dining experience this time. Hopefully I can upgrade the rating on our next visit...should things improve again.