If you live in Louisiana, you know the year’s four seasons: Crawfish, Hurricane, Football, and King Cake. If you are from New Orleans, you know there’s no long “e” sound anywhere in it.
If you’re from San Diego and ask where you can get good Cajun food you will soon know the name Louisiana Purchase.
In 2018, Chef Quinnton Austin, affectionately named Chef Q, relocated to San Diego from New Orleans. Chef Q was the executive chef at Cinclare Rustic Southern Cuisine and Chop House in Louisiana. After achieving many accolades, he headed west and set his sights on infusing Southern flair into the San Diego culinary scene. He was voted Best Soul Food Restaurant in 2022 and 2023 by San Diego Reader Magazine.
Chef Q serves Art as food. His menu items are meticulously crafted and thought out.
One of the house specialties, called Chef Q’s Neighborhood Tastes, is a most intriguing Alligator Andouille Cheesecake, a savory cheesecake covered in a Crawfish Cream Sauce. Other uniquely Southern tastes include Acme Chargrilled Oysters with garlic lemon butter and parmesan cheese, and Gator Bites (lightly battered gator tail) served with Cajun fries.
Other modern interpretations of French Quarter entrees are called The Big Easies (a slang name for New Orleans) include Dragos, a chick lobster topped with lobster pasta, Blackened Gator Carbonara, Lemon Pepper Catfish plus some old standards like Shrimp and Grits and Jambalaya are also on the menu.
Every few months they have some specialties and in December, it was the Oxtail Dumplings, Dirty Oxtail Rice, Gumbo Chicken Plate, and Stuffed Beignets, featuring three candied yam-infused beignets with cream cheese topped with toasted marshmallows.
Inspired by the charm of New Orleans, the decor is indoor/outdoor—heavy in woods and various NOLA voodoo-inspired wall art such as a giant Ouija Board.
Stay warm with a voodoo potions cocktail and be transported to the French Quarter, such as a famous Hurricane.
It’s Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler (Let the Good Times Roll) for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
Praline Pancakes should make your sweet tooth very happy. For a savory option Catfish Monica with a catfish filet, crawfish, and Cajun cream.
With so many items on the menu, it will be hard to pick just one or two. Come hungry.
Open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday and brunch on Saturday and Sunday.
Louisiana Purchase is located at 2305 University Ave (oddly enough on the corner of Louisiana Street). Call for reservations at (619) 723-2880.
For a current menu go to louisianapurchasesd.com.
