by Thomas Miller – Food Blogger / Restaurant Critic for Vero Vine
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A trip to New Orleans to eat real Cajun food has been on my bucket list for a long time now. Next summer I believe it’s actually going to happen, so I’m excited about checking that trip off my list. In the meantime, I learned that right here in Vero Beach we have a new restaurant serving up some truly authentic Cajun dishes. I was invited by the owner Willie to come by for a tasting of their offerings, so I was definitely excited to get a preview of what I would experience next summer!
Located in Royal Palm Point, they are in the very first buildings to the right hand side as you drive in. We actually missed it and drove all the way into and around Royal Palm Point since the landscaping was blocking our view of the restaurant. We arrived on a Thursday night around 6:00pm for dinner. Upon entering the restaurant, you are greeted with a caricature of a New Orleans band, called the Mud Bug’s, and the hostess stand is on the right. The dining room is quite large, with seating at both tables and booths available. Southwestern colors adorn the walls along with some colorful paintings of New Orleans. We were promptly greeted by the general manager, Anthony Montaivo and seated near the front windows in a booth.
They have a full bar with 12 beers on tap, and some really tasty sounding drinks on the menu.
They do have an outdoor patio with a water view for those of you that would like to have a drink or dine outside. In the picture above was our waitress Annie, and the General Manager Tony enjoying a few of their special cocktails!
Now on to the food! Let’s jump right in and see what we had to eat and drink!
Fresh in-house made French bread with seasoned butter is included with every meal, while the broccoli and cheese corn bread is available as a dinner side. ($3.00) We were provided this as a sample tasting, so this is not a full portion. The French bread was nice and crusty on the outside, but soft on the inside. As most of my regular readers know, I’m not one for broccoli, but I did try the corn bread and it was quite tasty. It was fairly dense and not dry at all. The butter was Cajun seasoned and was not spicy.
Montalvo’s Colada – We asked what was one of the more popular drinks that people order and this one was suggested to us. As for the ingredients in it, the description says “TOP SECRET – Special Blend – Only Tony Knows” We tasted coconut and pineapple in it, it was light, creamy and refreshing!
Bean, Kale, and Andouille Sausage – ($7.00 Cup) – This is a very hearty bean, kale and sausage soup. It brought back memories of the ham and bean soup that my grandfather used to make. It was chock full of sausage and was wonderful!
French Onion Soup – ($7.00 Cup) – This was as tasty as it looks. There was a thick slice of their house made French bread on top covered with a thick layer of cheese. The onions were diced which made the soup a little easier to eat, and the broth had that slow simmered for hours taste. It was absolutely delicious!
Fried Green Tomatoes and Grits – ($9.00) – This was our favorite appetizer of the night. The grits were slightly smoky from the cumin, the green tomatoes were perfectly fried and crunchy. The black eyed peas were tender and delicious, and the balsamic drizzle over the top made it sweet and tangy. This is a well put together dish with so many different flavors and textures.
Cove Sausages Maxi Balls – ($10.00) – Think of these like a Cajun hushpuppy, only with Boudin sausage inside. They were perfectly fried and had a slight crunch to the outside. The inside was dense but not dry at all. The Cove dippin’ sauce had great flavor and a slight amount of heat, just enough to feel it on your tongue a tiny bit.
Cajun Caesar – ($10.00) – This is your typical Caesar salad but with a Cajun seasoned dressing. The lettuce was fresh and crisp, the croutons were homemade, and it was finished with shaved parmesan cheese over the top.
Bleu Cheese Slaw – ($5.00) – I’m a big BBQ fan, and I eat a fair amount of coleslaw. This was creamy and sweet, just the way I like it, but the addition of the Bleu cheese was new for me. It added a new texture and flavor profile to the slaw that was really unique.
Seafood Louisiana – ($38.00) – Just looking at and the wonderful aroma coming from this dish, you know it’s going to be good! The portion is huge, and full of shrimp, scallops, and andouille sausage. The flavors were bold, yet not overwhelming. My dining companion does not like things too spicy, so they were able to tone down the spiciness of the dish quite a bit. If you prefer your food spicier, they can also accommodate your request. This dish also comes with a frosty mug of beer included in the price.
Crawfish Creole – ($20.00) – My first reaction to seeing this was “Look at all of the crawfish in this dish!” Sautéed with green peppers, onions, and tomatoes, the crawfish were cooked perfectly with the onions and peppers having a slight crunch to them. The heat was dialed back again in this dish but it still had a fantastic flavor. If crawfish is not to your liking, this dish is also available with chicken, shrimp, catfish, andouille sausage, and there’s even a vegetarian option!
Beignet – ($5.00) – This was my first ever beignet, and it tasted like heaven! It was warm, soft, and very tender. The beignet was hollow in the center, but had a slight thickness to it. The dough was slightly sweetened and one of the most amazing offerings here at Cajun Cove. They have a separate deep fryer just for these, so there are no worries that your beignet may taste like fish or whatever else they may be frying up. I enjoyed this so much I’m already planning my next visit so I can have another one.
New Orleans Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce – ($7.00) – Bread pudding is one my dining companions favorite desserts, and she said this one does not disappoint. It was warm, had a slight bourbon flavor in the sauce, and was absolutely delicious! We were trying to decide which dessert we liked better, and they are both great in their own respects. We will definitely order both of these next time we go for dinner.
In Conclusion:
Before I try any restaurant in town, I always read reviews from a few different sources to see what others have to say about the restaurant. This place does get mostly good reviews, but some fear that it won’t last due to some of the higher priced entree’s they offer. My opinion is that they do offer enough variety of different dishes at all different price points, that anybody can still come here to enjoy a little bit of New Orleans right here in Vero, so be sure to check them out sometime. Heck, the Beignet’s alone are worth the trip!
Have you tried Cajun Cove? What has your experience been with them? Sound off in the comments below and let me know your thoughts, or feel free to email me at thefoodguy@verovine.com with your questions or comments.
Atmosphere – 5 Forks
Service – 5 Forks
Food – 5 Forks
Ratings Scale Legend:
1 to 5 Forks – 1 Bad to 5 Excellent
Happy Hour everyday from 4:00pm till 7:00pm. Ladies Night is on Thursday’s and is from 4:00pm till 7:00pm