Nam N.
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Honestly - the name Classic Eats is very generic, I didn't look at menu specifics just a handful of photos online and it was good enough for me to check out as my goal this year is try new spots and support local businesses. Upon arrival, the vibe inside was super laid back, lot of nice simple paintings on the wall that took me back to have a "classic" feel, paintings of Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, close ups of Harley Davidson motorcycles and mid 50's classic cars. Still not knowing what to expect, I didn't get any whiffs from the kitchen. We were greeted and sat immediately.
Calamari - it was the first dish that came out and disappoint it did not. It was easily one of the better calamari dishes I've had - breading was fried nicely, seasoning was very well seasoned (many under season), and the calamari was cooked perfectly - it didn't have that rubbery over cooked texture but it wasn't soggy under cooked either. It was just right. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Jambalaya Grits - solid dish. The grits didn't taste like instant grits, it was thicker in texture so it wasn't creamy/runny. Good wholesome grits with good texture, the sausage was cooked just right and the the shrimp really was the star of the show. Great texture and perfect seasoning
Cajun Chicken Pasta - smooth sauce, perfectly cooked pasta (just a bit past al dente which I like, i dislike al denta pasta). The chicken in it was AMAZING. And the sauce had the cajun taste and then at the very tailend of the bite there was the perfect amount of heat that kicked in - but only at the end - but it was enough heat to let you know it's there without over taking your mouth or the flavors of the dish. The mushrooms in the dish also soaked up all that goodness of sauce and literally a well balanced dish in every bite.
Biscuits and Gravy with Chicken Strips - Biscuits were perfect. not overly dense, not too airy - but just right fluffy enough to absorb that gravy and not get mushy. The Chicken strips itself was solid too, but only if you got a center piece of the strips, the end pieces that were thin were a bit on the dry side. I personally love thicker strips that get that juicy chicken taste to offset the biscuits and gravy. But overall a great dish.
Chicken Alfredo - I've had a lot of alfredo in my life and frankly speaking, I haven't had one that just completely blows me away so my bar for alfredo isn't extremely high nor is it low. I'm not a fan of store bought alfredo sauce and I despise places like Olive Garden. When we make it at home we make it from scratch - i've had good alfredo, I've had bad alfredo but never amazing and the search continues. I will say though this is a GOOD alfredo. smooth and not chunky, the balance of parmesean reggiano and pecorino really balance one another out well.
Lemon Crusted Chicken - least favorite dish. I wanted to like it. The sauce was a good sauce, balanced and even and the lemon didn't over take the dish. my complaint is that the chicken is pounded very thin and then crusted - well for me, similar to the end pieces of the chicken strips, left the chicken not present in the meal and dry texture. Not a terrible dish by any means but definitely not something I would order again.
The thing that stood out the MOST to me coming here was how well everything was cooked and how well everything was seasoned. AND THEN the care in the presentation in each dish that came out. It wasn't cooked to plate and throw out there for people to eat - there was thought and intention in the dish in how it was presented and frankly, that shows the amount of care and love that was put into each dish and THAT plus all the above mentioned is what makes this place a worthy place to try and a worthy place for me to come back!
I'd love to see a renaming and remodel of this place to really add to the NOLA vibe with music and decor that fits the menu but overall I love it and will definitely be back!