Deep Ellum - Home of the Best Cajun Cuisine




The Free Man Cajun Cafe and Lounge
Deep Ellum

Living in a large city allows residents the opportunity to dine at a variety of establishments, view different types of shows, a new opening happens weekly and the ability to try new things never ceases. Because this is a city in the great state of Texas, Tex-Mex restaurants can be found around every corner, but spotting authentic Cajun food might prove slightly more challenging. Thanks to a Groupon offer, I came upon a place called “The Free Man” Cajun café in Deep Ellum. While I didn’t purchase the Groupon, the menu sounded so delicious I suggested it to two of my best friends during our search for a place to eat.

The pictures are completely accurate, you know how at most places, the menu pictures are completely staged to make the food look like the best version of itself, but then your order arrives looking nothing like the image. Well at “The Free Man”, the food looks just as delicious (if not more so) than the pictures on the website. We ordered the fried pickle planks to start, typically I am not a fan of fried pickles split longwise and fried, but these turned me into a fan. The cool creamy ranch offset the slightly salty yet spicy pickle slices, I would go back just for an order of these. I find that a restaurant’s appetizers are typically an accurate representation of what to expect for the meal to come, and if that rang true here, we were in for a feast of flavor.



The VooDoo Chicken Sandwich

For our main courses, we each tried something different, I ordered the VooDoo Chicken Sandwich which claimed that it would “cast a spell on you… and leave you searching for pieces that might have fallen on the floor”. This sandwich tasted so phenomenal that I would have eaten it even if it fell on the floor, not an exaggeration. The freshly grilled chicken was topped with lettuce, tomato, spicy “voodoo” sauce, cheese and fried pickle planks. It was hands-down the best chicken sandwich I have ever consumed. Elise ordered the muffalata and Sarah, the blackened chicken po’ boy with sweet potato fries. We always order different things when we try new places so that we get to try multiple dishes. I am normally also not a fan of sweet potato fries, they confuse me and I never know what condiment is an appropriate accompaniment, but these fries needed no dressing. Coated with a sugary, spicy rub, I could not get enough of these fries. Both of the sandwiches were very tasty, but nothing could top my VooDoo Chicken Sandwich - I have been looking for an excuse to return, to devour another of these mouth-watering concoctions (and next time some crab dip as well). I eagerly await the opportunity to introduce someone else to this fabulous place. I cannot say enough positive words about the excellent service, food quality and overall experience – I’ll return soon with my appetite, ready for more tasty Cajun fare.

Groupon + Free Sushi = Fun

Finding a great sushi restaurant is like finding that perfect little black dress. You know the dress I’m talking about, tight fitting at all the right places, flattering in any light and angle… the kind of dress you can dress up or down and will always be appropriate. Good sushi restaurants are easy to find, but the best ones force the eater to do heavy research and taste testing. To fall into the category of my “favorite sushi restaurant”, eateries must pass each of the following criteria: flavor, variety, friendliness, price and convenience. Because of the high saturation of sushi places in DFW, gaining new customers is often easier than getting regular customers to return. By offering excellent deals on Groupons or advertising specials on Yelp, businesses hope to hook a new customer and keep them coming back for more.

I bought my first Groupon recently, my boyfriend and I have intended to try this sushi place called NAAN in Uptown. We originally walked in and found it to be a little pricey, but remembered seeing a Groupon for it, so I waited for it to come back around to buy it. The Groupon entitled us to $60 worth of sushi for $30; it seemed like the perfect way to sample a wide variety of rolls without paying full price. After hearing rumors about businesses not wanting to honor these types of coupons, I felt a little nervous with my first purchase, but it worked beautifully. Oddly enough, the most difficult part was ordering enough food to total $60.



Naan's Volcano Roll



My boyfriend Justin and I both love rolls with crab, shrimp and tuna, also anything containing the phrase spicy – naturally we decided to order something called a “Devil Roll”, skeptical of the supposed heat level, we felt we could take it on with confidence in our ability to finish the roll. We also ordered an SMU roll, a volcano roll, a Texas Tornado roll and an order of prime beef short ribs. I like to think of myself as someone who can handle heat, spices, chiles, peppers, etc. that being said, the Devil Roll defeated me. Despite looking innocent enough, the small roll filled with tuna and spicy Japanese mustard packed a punch to the tongue, throat and nasal passages. I had two pieces and couldn’t attempt the third. After consuming several pieces of the remaining rolls, I determined that the SMU Mustang Roll was by far my favorite. Filled with cream cheese, avocado, salmon, topped with crab and a spicy sauce, this roll was out of this world. And because my boyfriend goes to SMU Law School, the chef gave us an additional one to take home for free! All together, I’d say a successful evening out, between Groupon and the quality of Naan, we will most definitely be back, especially for the half-priced happy hour.

A New Year, A New Goal!

With the dawn of a new year comes the inevitable resolutions which often include weight loss, organization, fiscal responsibility, etc. Working for a leader in the fitness industry, the beginning of the year is one of our busiest times of year. With new year’s resolutions comes an influx of new members eager to lose pounds, shed inches and get high school skinny. I’ve never been one to make resolutions, I know myself well enough to know that I’m not going to work out every day – that’s just not a realistic goal. I might do it for awhile, but sooner or later I will forgo the gym for a book and a glass of wine. This year my goal is more reasonable, this year I am going to take at least one cooking class a month. Food remains the most fun, exciting, engrossing part of my life, so why not spend money on something that makes me happy? I have a free gym membership so instead of spending that money on jazzercise each month, I will put it toward something I can’t get enough of – food.

Last night I attended my first cooking class ever; my mother went with me to “Essential Knife Skills” at Sur la Table. With the exception of a slight carrot mishap, which I blame on an enormous knife, I declare it a success. During the class, we learned the various types of knives, proper knife care and how to use knives correctly. Thanks to this class I can now dice an onion, seed a tomato and chop parsley with ease. I have learned to use the knife to the fullest; unbeknownst to me, I had just been using the middle two inches of the blade instead of utilizing all that it has to offer. I will continue to practice chopping, dicing and seeding so that I can master prep work and feel confident moving on to the next technique.

While the classes are pricey, I think they are completely worth it, if you can learn the basics you can advance to the next level. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me next!