I've never eaten at the Jambalaya Shop, but have been to parties (10 years ago when I still lived in BR) where the host picked up jambalaya from there for the party. It was always good to me. So, my question is, what is wrong w/ JS the restaurant?
I have eaten both gumbo or jambalays from there on several occasions. It was either brought in for a working lunch or was catered at a party. I'll start with the gumbo. The first problem is they don't know how to make a roux. They either add hot water to cold roux or add cold water to hot roux. Whatever they are doing it causes the roux to separate and leaves an oiley film in the gumbo. I have noticed this with every gumbo I have had from there. I think they also add water to stretch the gumbo because I have had a wide variety of consistencies from too thick to Campbell's soup thin. They put way too little onion and bell pepper in the gumbo. You don't even get a hint of them being in there. Lastly they use boneless white meat in the gumbo, so you don't get good dark meet and marrow flavors in the gumbo. It all makes for a rather poor gumbo. The jambalaya is just very bland. The sausage is usually charred, and I get no hint of onion from it. The color is also unappealing because I know it is fake. The brown they get just isn't the same brown you get from cooking a good slow jambalaya.
The wife and I both tried the "Bourbon Street Steak" at Applebees once....I spit out the first bite. The sauce or whatever the hell it was on it was horrible. I asked the server for something else, then he went and told the manager that he had a "problem table", the little punk. The manager comped our meal (since neither one of us made it past the first bite) and said it was an "acquired taste". C'mon dude, it's not alcohol, it's a freakin steak.
I have gone there and found the place open but they were "out" of Jambalaya. That's a big red flag that they don't have their act together.
there is a chinese place close by that is absolutely awful. i have no idea how they are still in business, or why i see cars there at lunch time when i am out and about. cant remember the name. china moon, china sky, china gag.... something like that. the one and only time i ate there was take out. it was so bad, i took three bites and could not eat any more. i thought maybe i was just tired and not hungry so it just didnt taste good. the next day i tried heating it up when i was starved. the one bite i ate was still awful and it went into the trash.
Amen when I saw the title I was going to post joes then I saw yours classic Yes that place sucks...... For the record I have gone my whole life never eating kfc or long John silvers.. I hope to never break that
Can't speak for their gumbo as I've never had it. However, if you to order Jambalaya anywhere outside of LA it will make the Jambalaya Shoppe look like the best in the business. As for worst places. Applebees is pretty bad. Piccadilly has to be up there too.
