CJ's Roux review starts fine, ends picky

[Robin Garr]

The head and the intro read like a rave, but the CJ’s 3-star review of Roux soon turns picky, with a little hate for the beignets.

What do you folks think? Is Nancy starting to look a little bit like Susan?

http://www.courier-journal.com/story/en ... /19839341/

I don't have a problem with the tone of the review or the way it flowed. She had a generally favorable opinion of Roux, there were a few things that she disliked, and the criticism of the beignets seemed appropriate.

But I do have a problem with the way she dispenses "stars." I know that is subjective, but I keep going back to her review of Coach Lamp, which I perceived as very unfavorable, and the fact that it also received three stars.

Nancy makes some strong points in the review....however, I do disagree about the beignets! Ethan, and his crew, do a grand job with them and have never had a problem with them. They are supposed to be dense and sugary!

3 stars.....fair, but a bit off....I have been there several times (both for brunch on Sunday and for dinner) and have never had a problem....I would have gone with 3.5.....getting a 4 star outta me takes a HUGE wow factor....

Cheers!

Beignets are supposed to be dense? I thought they were more of a fritter that puffed up inside...which is why I was disappointed in Roux's beignets. But all I have to compare them to is Cafe du Monde and Fish House. *Sits back and waits for beignet debate to begin*

Beignets are supposed to be dense? I thought they were more of a fritter that puffed up inside...which is why I was disappointed in Roux's beignets. But all I have to compare them to is Cafe du Monde and Fish House. *Sits back and waits for beignet debate to begin*

I know there are two schools, but I concur with you!

[Robin Garr]

Having had conversations with Ethan about this earlier on, I think he is passionate about the beignet, and - if you know Ethan, you'll get this - he is experimental. He wants to create an awesome bread product using carefully nurtured sourdough. This is breaking new ground.

I can sort of see that sourdough doesn't have the leavening power of the commercial active dry yeast that Cafe du Monde uses, and this may be at the root of the Great Beignet Divide. Strong yeast gives quick and bubbly rise. Sourdough, I'm thinking, does not.

But I don't think the CJ writer knows, and perhaps has little interest in, these background nuances.

I do think she gets the passion that drives Roux, and I get that. But she's mighty dismissive, and casually so, of all the past Creole-Cajun efforts on whose shoulders Roux stands.

Yeah, she is starting to remind me of Susan. And Marty, a little.

While I haven't had the Beignets here, I've had them in France when I lived there as well as many other places and they definitely are supposed to be light and fluffy not dense! The best ones I've had locally are at Selena's which are quite good especially when they are still warm. I'm sure that Ethan will get them on target based on what I've had of his in the past.

I gotta go with the fluffy traditional beignets on this one. I appreciate the trailblazing, but beignets aren't broke, so I don't need them fixed! Give me Cafe du Monde about 3AM (just before they spray down the patio) any and every day of the week!

I still need to get over to Roux, though, as you might imagine, we are all very excited about it over here!

I gotta go with the fluffy traditional beignets on this one. I appreciate the trailblazing, but beignets aren't broke, so I don't need them fixed! Give me Cafe du Monde about 3AM (just before they spray down the patio) any and every day of the week!

Last stop after a hard night of drinking.

Beignets = not dense. Should be light and fluffy. A "dense" beignet is called a doughnut.