Cafe Lynn
2600 Florida St, Mandeville, LA 70448, USA
Mandeville
Anecdotes & Analysis
Cafe Lynn has all you could want from a French-Creole bistro: a skillful, original chef, an imaginative menu, many regular customers, and lots of parking. At one time it also had a less appealing aspect: in its first years, it was located in what had been a Burger King. Even after a renovation, the place drew the occasional BK customer, who sometimes were well inside the dining room before they realized that no Whoppers were to be had. This became part of the restaurant's legend, and even though it's two years since Cafe Lynn moved into a more auspicious new home, people keep talking about the odd heritage. The contrast could not be more complete or delightful.
Backstory
The chef-owner is Joey Najolia, the final chef de cuisine at La Provence before founder Chris Kerageorgiou died. When the restaurant was sold to John Besh in 2005, Najolia decided to go on his own. He bought a disused Burger King, renovated as deeply as he could, and opened up. The restaurant moved in 2014 into a rustic new space in the building that once was a produce market. Perfect statement. [caption id="attachment_48280" align="alignnone" width="480"]<a href="http://nomenu.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/CafeLynn-SoftShellGrenobloise1.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-48280"><img src="http://nomenu.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/CafeLynn-SoftShellGrenobloise1-480x310.jpg" alt="Soft-shell crab @ Cafe Lynn. It's a cabdidate for best soft-shell in town." width="480" height="310" class="size-large wp-image-48280" /></a> Soft-shell crab @ Cafe Lynn. It's a candidate for best soft-shell in town.[/caption]
Dining Room
The L-shaped room is spacious, dark in its color scheme, and very comfortable with white tablecloths and bistro furnishings. In Mandeville, one is dressed up when he dons a shirt with a collar and sleeves--which is more or less the scene in the French countryside the Cafe Lynn tries to emulate.
Why It's Essential
As popular as they are in the city, there aren't many gourmet French-inspired bistros on the North Shore. Cafe Lynn is one of the best, with an engaging menu just innovative enough to set it apart from the neighborhood restaurant it appears to be at first glance. [caption id="attachment_48276" align="alignnone" width="480"]<a href="http://nomenu.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/CafeLynn-DRNew.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-48276"><img src="http://nomenu.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/CafeLynn-DRNew-480x341.jpg" alt="Cafe Lynn's new dining room. It's about three times bigger than it looks." width="480" height="341" class="size-large wp-image-48276" /></a> Cafe Lynn's new dining room. It's about three times bigger than it looks. [/caption]
Why It's Good
The clean blend of French and Creole flavors is kept within the confines of the familiar. Also here are flavors from the South of France, a reflex from the chef's years as lead cook at La Provence. Whatever the origins of the dishes, you don't have to study the menu long before you find a dish that sounds great. The emphasis is on fresh local product, prepared without pretentiousness or the making of menu statements. An ideal example of this is soft-shell crab, a specialty done better here than almost anywhere else. Seafood in general is the mainstay of the menu, although your palate will find other places to wander. [caption id="attachment_48278" align="alignnone" width="480"]<a href="http://nomenu.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/CafeLynn-Quail.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-48278"><img src="http://nomenu.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/CafeLynn-Quail-480x381.jpg" alt="Roasted quail." width="480" height="381" class="size-large wp-image-48278" /></a> Roasted quail.[/caption]
Most Interesting Dishes
<em><strong>Starters</strong></em> »French onion soup gratin Oysters Logan (fried, Napa cabbage slaw, toasted almonds, sherry vinaigrette Eggplant Gabriel (fried, lump crabmeat, jumbo shrimp, oysters in cream sauce Crabmeat Nathan (Louisiana crabmeat au gratin) Fried calamari, remoulade sauce »Crab cake, panko breaded & fried, remoulade sauce Fried eggplant fingers, parmesan cheese, tomato sauce »Escargot Bourguignonne Crab cake salad »Greek salad Oyster salad, blue cheese Goat cheese salad <em><strong>Entrees</strong></em> <em>Check the specials before ordering an entree. That's where the really fine cooking is found.</em> Fish du jour »Gulf shrimp au pistou (sautéed with olive oil, herbs & garlic; basil, parsley & olive oil Pan seared quail, olive oil, herbs & lemon, brown sauce »Filet mignon, au poivre »Pannéed bone-in pork chop Veal scallopini of the day Lamb chops à la Grecque, lemon juice, brown sauce Stuffed eggplant with shrimp and crab, casserole style Chicken amandine, brown butter & toasted almonds Veal t-bone, mushroom marsala sauce <em><strong>Desserts</strong></em> Vanilla ice cream Wild berry sorbet Brownie a la mode »Creme brûlée »Lemon tart White chocolate bread pudding
Deficiencies
The lighting scheme needs to be done over. As is the case in most North Shore restaurants, the service staff is young and less than polished.
For Best Results
The specials are a bit better than the regular menu, and there's a board full of them. As casual as the place looks, you are well advised to reserve a table. Lots of enthusiastic regulars dine here.
Bonus Ratings
2
Attitude
1
Environment
1
Hipness
1
Local Color
1
Service
1
Value
Holiday Ratings
0
Thanksgiving
2
New Year's Eve