Review: Papa Roux
Author: Smokin DB | Filed under: Food Reviews, Location: Indianapolis, IN
Papa Roux
8950 E. 10th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46239
317-603-9861
http://www.PapaRouxIndy.com
Just off the corner of 10th and Post Road this east side eatery is tiny with a capital “T.” The menu is also brief and focused but in what might sound like a contradiction, but offers ton of combinations. Your Po-Boy can feature Cajun Chicken, Roast Pork, Smoked Ham , Shrimp or Sausage, dressed or not, half or full and even breadless if you are one of those anti-carb freaks. They even have daily specials to add to your decision making process. Of course then you have to pick your sides…
What I had: Luckily I knew that I wanted: Muffaletta. Muffaletta is both a type of bread and a sandwich. I’ve had several but never one outside of New Orleans where both were invented. Typically the bread is round rather than loaf shaped as it was at Papa Roux. Ham, salami and provolone cheese are stacked on the bread along with olive salad. The olive salad is what makes this sandwich special. It’s a combination of both green and black olives, olive oil, garlic, onion and who knows what else. The olive salad at Papa Roux was a disappointment. While the salad added the needed moist counter-point to the bread and cheese, it was just sort of bland. The thing just lacked that huge blast of flavor that I expected. The bread was spongy and light rather than crunchy and hearty. There wasn’t enough meat for my liking either, just a couple of thin layers.
The sandwich also came with a choice of side, mine being Vegetable Creole. It was OK. Creamy and rich but lacking the real depth of flavor that I expected. My wife had the red beans and rice. A taste of that let me know I made the wrong choice.
Would I Buy It Again? I have to say no. At nearly $10.00 for my sandwich and drink and still having to leave a tip, I just wasn’t that satisfied with the meal. I wasn’t hungry but I wasn’t satisfied either. I’ve read other reviews of this place as well as signs in the restaurant itself that note the lengths to which they go to source good quality, authentic ingredients and I applaud that, but can someone honestly tell me why Cajun food is, in my mind, so expensive? At its core, Cajun cuisine is peasant food with common ingredients. I’m missing something.
-Smokin DB
Tags: Food, muffaletta, papa roux, po boy
I would agree that most Cajun food is basically peasant food. I can understand high price points when there is seafood involved or there are ingredients that are not easily found here. However, I am more than willing to pay a few extra dollars at a local place and I would say that you feel that way as well. A common denominator of any purchase is value and it doesn’t look like you were feeling it here.
Speaking of Cajun food, I went to Gumbo a Go Go for lunch today and had gumbo and voodoo chicken and it was $7.00. I walked away feeling content and it was only a few bucks more than fast food.
I love Cajun food, and was disappointed to see that this didn’t deliver.. I had high hopes. However, I am sure that I will try it at some point. Sounds like you liked your wife’s red beans and rice though?
WIBIA, you hit the perfect note, the value just wasn’t there for this meal. When a local biz is going to great lengths to make interesting, exciting food, I’m thrilled and don’t mind a few extra bucks for the experience. This was just a “Miss” in my book.
My wife’s beans and rice were sublime. Beans were perfectly prepared; creamy and full of flavor. Sides are unlimited at Papa Roux when you eat-in and I could have cleaned them out of these if I hadn’t filled up on the sandwich.
Don’t order Cajun food in other states and you won’t have to worry about nasty food, little flavor, and inflated prices.
I live in Louisiana; born and raised here. When I travel, my one rule is to not eat at any restaurant claiming to be “Cajun” because our food is TERRIBLY attempted to be mimicked all over the country.
You food was lacking flavor because of where you live and I mean this in the most respectful way. Many different places are known for their good food, but mocking another region’s food is like restaurant suicide.
I’ve tried hundreds of Cajun cuisine in other states and it’s terrible. It literally makes me sick. Come to LA and eat as much as you want
Agree with WIBIA – I had high hopes for Papa Roux as well. I’ve been thinking of going on my next available Saturday afternoon.
Did other menu items pique your interest? Any chance that another sandwich or meal is more in their wheelhouse?
On the other hand, I’m happy to hear that Gumbo A-Go-Go is good – I’ve been meaning to check it out as well.
AM thanks for reading!
I do think there may be some better choices on the menu at Papa Roux. Looking around the dining room it appeared that the Frito Pie was on nearly every table. I’m going to give tha a try next.
Smokin’ DB
I live on the east side and support my local businesses and dont make it to Papa’s too often but really enjoy it when I do. He makes a mean bread pudding. I also really enjoy the gulf shrimp po boys along with the roast pork and spicy cajun sausage po boy. His prices are a little more than average but if you are friends with him on facebook you can get some discounts and he offers all kinds of different specials. As for a muffaletta that is a sorry excuse if you ask me. Im in culinary school and have made them before and this is nothing like what we had. Ours were round bread that was hearty with piles and piles of meat and cheese. I don’t eat olives so I left those out of mine but I do know there couldn’t of been any way our olive spread was bland with everything we put in it. Sorry you didnt have a great meal. Come back to the Eastside we have lots of nice places for grub!
Lisa Marie thanks for reading and thanks for you comments. I’m going to give Papa Roux another try and probably get the spicy Cajun Sausage Po Boy since I make my own sausage and I’m sort of a freak about it. The Shrimp Po Boy will get a spin too I’m sure.
You’re killing me by not eating Olives. One of the most perfect foods.
Smokin’ DB
Lol long story about the olives. My mom is allergic so all throughout childhood olives were taboo and now when I smell them it makes me stomach hurt a little bit. Just not my thing. I can do olive oil just fine though its weird. I love making sausage its good stuff. Do you ever go to Claus’ they make some pretty good sausage as well.
Whoooooaaaaa, How can you say the valu wasn’t there when you get unlimited side dishes????That’s coservatly a $5 value, free tea as well???? Smokin DB, what ya smokin???? Great value, great taste!
There have been some changes in staff at the Roux. For all of you reading this who have yet to give them a try, I URGE you to do so. I am not related to the owners or staff, I am a humble fan of the place. The owners go through a lot of effort to support small/local businesses. Their beans are local. The bread is from a local bakery. The seafood can ONLY be from the Zirlott family down in the Gulf. Everything is fresh, not frozen. At first glance, the cost may seem steep, but as others have pointed out, if you eat in, your sides come with unlimited refills (as do your drinks). They have initiated an expansion at the current location, so there is more seating, as well as clever table service gimmicks. You’ll also see Papa himself making the rounds to make sure that you ARE enjoying your meal. He is from Nola, so he does know a thing or two about making Cajun food. Don’t let the Indianapolis location fool you.
And BTW, I get no kickbacks for talking them up. These folks are just creating and doing something that I can stand FIRMLY behind.
Hello, Papa here.
It’s been — what — 7 months? I’m just now seeing this post. For that, I’m sorry.
For anything else… not so much.
A few points of clarification, for what it’s worth:
I’m sorry you found the Muffaletta disappointing. I’m even more sorry that you didn’t bring any of this to our attention. Not to get special treatment, but to get the same treatment ANY guest in our establishment gets, in that you don’t leave unsatisfied. Period.
Regarding the bread of the Muffaletta, the truth is, what we sell is technically called a “Frenchaletta” — an actual sandwich available in the French Quarter — which is a Muffaletta made on French bread. We sell POSSIBLY 4-5 Muffalettas a week, and Frenchalettas simply make more business sense.
Regarding the Olive Salad of the Muffaletta, I don’t know how I can help you. We import only the finest Boscolli 100% Olive Oil Olive Salad from Kenner, Lousiana, the very same Olive Salad most groceries in New Orleans use to make their Muffalettas. The only other option I’d consider is making a house recipe, but as it’s generally not an issue, Boscoli seems to be the best solution for us.
Regarding your sides: as you have seen posted by various people as comments on here, the sides are both free and unlimited, with any dine-in meal. I can only assume you carried out? Otherwise, you certainly shouldn’t have been envious of your husband’s Red Beans and Rice. You should have simply gotten your own. And the Bread Pudding, as well. And Etouffee. And more. It’s all free. It’s all unlimited. If you dined in, and missed this detail, shame on us. We shouldn’t have allowed that.
And speaking of things we shouldn’t have allowed… another comment on here mentioned the recent re-staffing of Papa Roux. Please do venture in again. You heard rave reviews of us because, in my opinion, they are well-deserved. It sounds like you had an off experience when you were last in… I can assure you the current Roux Crew would never allow such a thing.
Hoping we see you again soon.
Art Bouvier
(Papa)