Tallahassee Restaurant Review: A&J Blues Cafe

A&J Blues Café entered Tallahassee's dining scene less than six months ago and is making an impression. The restaurant has already earned four hats (out of five) from the Tallahassee Democrat and earned a Tally Award for best catering business.

My co-workers, Brenda and Sharon, and I recently visited A&J Blues Café for the Creole and Cajun lunch buffet. I filled my plate with collard greens, rice topped with étouffée, fried catfish, tilapia, macaroni and cheese and sweet and sour pork.

Brenda and Sharon filled their plates, too. Although there were plenty of dishes to choose from, the buffet itself was poorly lit. This didn't detract from the flavor.

There wasn't much conversation around the table, except for "mmmm's" and "oh's" as we tried each dish. Yes, there were second trips to the buffet line.

Brenda grabbed a piece of red velvet cake (it's a Southern dessert). Unlike most red velvet cakes, it was a dark brown color versus bright red. Brenda took the first bite and exclaimed, "You've gotta taste this! It's so freakin' moist!" She was right.

A&J Blues Cafe's Executive Chef is Frederick Lee from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He accents traditional American fare with Creole and Cajun flavor to please 21st century palates. Chef Lee's clients have included President Nelson Mandela and Vice President Al Gore.

Proprietor Anthony Franklin is originally from Huntsville, Alabama and ended up in Tallahassee via Los Angeles. He told us his career has included cooking for celebrities as Jamie Fox, Snoop Dogg and Burt Reynolds and opening 30 restaurants for General Mills and Darden Restaurants (owners of Olive Garden and Red Lobster, among others).

He "wanted to own a restaurant different from the next one," and decided Tallahassee was the place. He built a home here and finds the area a "good place to raise a family."

When asked about the difference between living in Tallahassee and living in Los Angeles, he smiled and said it's about "peace of mind."

Family is important to Franklin. He'll be throwing a 77th birthday party for his mother in July. He treats his patrons and staff as family. During our lunchtime visit, he visited each table to make sure everyone was enjoying their meal. He told us it's "important to get to know my customers" and discussed the importance of paying attention to his staff's needs, too.

Décor at A&J Blues Cafe is simple and minimal. Life-size statues of the Blues Brothers greet patrons at the entrance. In the corner of the main dining area is a life-size Elvis. A tank holding colorful fish sits by the full-service bar. The restaurant can seat up to 200 patrons.

Bands perform on the weekends. Thursday nights is jazz night with Fridays and Saturdays reserved for blues.

The Lunch Buffet is served Tuesdays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is $8.99, plus tax and gratuity for adults. Coming soon is a Friday Cajun Seafood Buffet, which will cost $9.99, plus tax and gratuity. Sodas and iced tea are $1.50.

Dinner is served Tuesdays through Saturdays, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Reservations are suggested and dress is casual-classy. Entrees include Key Lime Chicken ($9.99) and Chef Fred's Pecan Smoked Ribs ($17.99.)

Save room for dessert! I swear, I gained calories just by reading the descriptions. There's the Xango which is a hearty-sized dessert (and hearty price of $9.99) of banana cream cheese fried in a tortilla shell. It's topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate and raspberry syrups.

Or, for a flavor of the Old South, try the Praline Bread Pudding. This is a traditional favorite topped with ice cream and bourbon cream sauce for $5.99.

The restaurant can also accommodate private parties and caters off-site. It's located on Sharer Road, near Starplex Cinemas (the dollar movie theatre) and Fun Station.

A&J Blues Café is a fresh flavor to Tallahassee's restaurant scene. I hope others will discover and appreciate this new taste.

A&J Blues Café
2809 Sharer Road
Tallahassee, FL 32312
Tel: (850) 562-5837
www.ajbluescafe.com