New Orleans-style Gumbo A Go-Go

I don't know why it is that Cajun and Creole food so rarely translates well outside of Louisiana. Is it like San Francisco sourdough bread -- it needs something in the air?

Maybe that's fair. I don't know that I'd care for a New Orleans version of Chicago-style pizza, either.

While Gumbo A Go-Go, the newest local entry into the market, is no more authentic than most, this cute, little counter-service spot has several things going for it, such as a handy location near the Palatine train station; fast, friendly service; low prices; and great, homey desserts.

Just north of the tracks in downtown Palatine, the 45-seat eatery opened in August. Owners Patrick and Suzanne Reardon gave up careers in the horse-racing business, selling their horse to launch the restaurant. Patrick, a native of Ireland, does the cooking; Suzanne, who grew up in England, handles buying the beer and wine. Pastry chef Drew Class, who also bakes at Max and Benny's in Northbrook, helps out with the desserts.

Despite its name and a nearly identical menu and concept, the Palatine eatery has no direct relationship with the former Gumbo A Go-Go chain based in Louisville, Ky. There is a connection, however. Patrick Reardon first learned Cajun and Creole cookery from the franchise's Louisiana-born founder, Billy Fox Jr., when Reardon, a horse trainer, and Fox, then a jockey, worked together racing thoroughbreds in Singapore.

The Fox chain is now called J. Gumbo's Down-Home Cajun Cookin'. The Reardons liked Fox's earlier name and decided they'd rather do their own scratch cooking than buy prepared food from the franchise, Suzanne Reardon said.

Sunny yellow walls give the dining room a cheery aspect. On one wall, a New Orleans French Quarter mural by 16-year-old Addison artist Sarah Adams adds color. Up front, a stepped-up section surrounded by an iron railing evokes a balcony.

Customers order at the counter and servers bring their finished meals out to them. The counter staff happily passes out tastes of the various entrees to help patrons decide, and I recommend taking advantage of the offer. In a nice touch, you can order combos of two entrees, half portions served side by side in a single bowl, for a $1.50 upcharge.

Absolutely the best thing to order here, however, is dessert. And the desserts run large and hearty, so bear that in mind when choosing your entrees.

The thick slab of bread pudding, studded with raisins and deliciously drenched in whiskey sauce, was my favorite, but it was hard to choose between that and the hot peach cobbler, served with vanilla ice cream. There's also a raisin-free bread pudding, pear cobbler and plain ice cream.

Main-course options consist mainly of deep bowls of hot stews over long-grain, white rice. Perhaps the best of these is the etouffee -- your choice of crawfish, shrimp or chicken smothered in a thick, rich and savory vegetable roux. The tails in my crawfish etouffee weren't as plentiful as I'd hoped, but the price is right.

For those who like things spicy, the Voodoo chicken packs plenty of heat, with tender, shredded chicken in a sauce liberally laced with crushed red pepper, garlic, Cajun spices and stewed tomatoes. (Real chiliheads can fire it up further with hot sauce on the table.)

A milder version, "drunken chicken," gets its name and flavor from a drenching with beer. Both chicken stews can be ordered over rice or in a po'boy sandwich on toasted French bread, served with a bag of thick-cut Zapp's potato chips from Louisiana.

For vegetarians, "bumblebee stew" mixes sweet and spicy corn with black beans, and white chili includes beans, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and cilantro.

Alas, the house gumbo offered little of the characteristic, zesty flavor of this Creole soup. A dark-brown sludge, it featured a few bits of chicken and a scanty ration of wafer-thin slices of hotdog-like sausage. Though far better, my portion of the jambalaya, supposedly another mixture of chicken and sausage, with onions, green peppers and spices, came with no sausage at all. And the deep-red shrimp Creole was not only light on shrimp but also tasted mainly like tomato paste.

Only three appetizers feature, all dips and chips. The crawfish cheese dip, served with tortilla chips, basically adds cheese to the etouffee, and the "black and bleu" dip crumbles blue cheese into the bumblebee stew. Lastly, there's spinach-artichoke dip.

It would be nice to see more variety, as well as some smaller starters. The dips come in as big a bowl as the entrees, priced accordingly.

You'll find daily specials chalked on a board behind the counter.

Potables include the usual sodas from a self-serve fountain with free refills, half a dozen wines by the glass and a variety of domestic and imported beers, including such Louisiana brands as Turbodog.

If you know what it means to miss New Orleans, Gumbo A Go-Go probably won't ease your longing much. But if you're looking for a quick, inexpensive supper or a homespun Southern-style dessert, Gumbo A Go-Go's a good place to go.

Gumbo A Go-Go

45 N. Bothwell St., Palatine, (847) 934-4646, www.gumbogogo.com

Cuisine: Cajun and Creole

Setting: Casual, counter-service spot in downtown Palatine

Price range: Appetizers $6 to $6.50; entrees $5 to $8.50; desserts $1 to $3.95; wine $6 by the glass

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday

Accepts: Mastercard, Visa and Discover

Also: Beer and wine only; street parking; delivery and curbside pickup