After I get married in a few months, I’ll likely take a trip down to Louisiana to visit and meet new in-laws and family members, and introduce them to the world of Louis Fowler. Hooray for me, hooray for love!
Outside of familail obligations, I have three firm mandates for this trip: listen to a Zydeco band (or two), check out Lagniappe Records in Lafayette, and, most importantly, indulge in some authentic, side-of-the-road Louisiana cuisine—and no, I don’t mean Popeyes.
To prepare for this culinary quest, I’ve been training hard, sampling every Oklahoma-style Cajun spot I can find, from the makeshift crawdads of the Red River to the mechanical mudbugs of the Canadian River.
Not only will this season my palate like a cast iron skillet, readying it for the vibrant flavors Louisiana has to offer, but it’ll also help me compare and share my culinary discoveries with all you fine folks when I return.
This week, I found myself at Cajun Corner, located at 312 NW 23rd—a faux-Big Easy, neon-laden take on the downhome authenticity of the Blue Bayou’s cuisine. My fiancée once grabbed takeout from there but couldn’t recall much about it, so this outing was essentially a blind taste test for both of us.
We met some friends in the early evening, and truth be told, the place was already bustling—especially impressive for a casual Cajun spot with such a low price point. After a few minutes of deliberation, we settled on our mostly-fried selections and made our way to a table.
While not particularly authentic, Cajun Corner embodied the vibe of a typical Uptown 23rd outing. The clientele felt familiar—similar to what you’d find at Ted’s Tacos and Cantina, Pizzeria Gusto, or even that Church’s Chicken that used to happily take my plasma donation checks in the late ’90s. Ah, memories!
Our starters arrived shortly after: the Specialty Gumbo ($6.99) for my bride and the Cajun Fried Gizzards ($4.99) for me.
Made with crab, shrimp, chicken, crawfish, and sausage, the gumbo was semi-lukewarm and kind of watery, like a Campbell’s soup variation. Not to our particular liking, I felt like it was a rather grizzled start to our non-New Orleans adventure.
That being said, I was completely on board with the fried chicken gizzards. Made from the digestive muscles of a chicken—bock, bock!—they brought back fond memories of my childhood. Growing up, my dad would make fried gizzards, and I was the only one in the family who ate them. With a sly smirk that comes only from savoring such a niche delight, I found these to be the perfect marriage of Okie comfort food and Cajun grit.
As I pulled a long, golden-brown gizzard from the basket, I reasoned that, given the chance, I’d happily sneak these into a movie theater for a snack. Good stuff!
With appetizers out of the way, my fiancée opted for one of her favorite Cajun dishes: the Blackened Shrimp Basket ($8.99). Cajun Corner’s version came with seven pieces of blackened shrimp, two perfectly crisp hush puppies, and a bed of seasoned rice. Paired with a spicy dipping sauce, it was a hearty plate—so much so that she couldn’t quite finish, though she gave it the old college try.
While it might not win any awards for the best Cajun dish in Oklahoma, she still kind of liked it. The tender, spicy shrimp and the delightfully crispy hush puppies—not to mention the Pineapple Margarita, of course—helped her thoroughly enjoy the meal.
As for me, even though I don’t live in a pineapple under the sea, the Crabby Patty Burger ($9.99) had my inner SpongeBob doing cartwheels. Mouthwatering and loaded with flavor, it featured a house-made beef patty topped with fried crab sticks, crab salad, jalapeños, cheese, and a generous slathering of spicy Cajun mayo. Served with a side of Cajun fries, it was a rich, decadent twist on a burger that I won’t soon forget.
I’m not sure if this burger qualifies as Cajun, but it definitely rang my buoy! While the burger patty itself was just okay, the juicy crab sticks and flavorful crab salad stole the show. They had me ringing out an S.O.S. that deserves the attention of coast guards everywhere! Paired with the Cajun fries, it was a top-tier meal that hit all the right notes.
Despite the Crabby Patty being immensely filling, I couldn’t resist exploring the small nautical desserts on the menu. In the pudgy, giving spirit of sharing, I ordered the Deep-Fried Oreo Beignets ($4.99) and graciously split them with my table.
Featuring seven deep-fried, trademarked Oreo cookies coated in batter and fried to golden perfection, these treats were like overloaded beignets on a sugar high. One was more than enough—deliciously tasty but suuuuuuper rich. If I hadn’t already endured the infamous Great Tooth-Pull of 2024, I might have worried about my dental future.
While Cajun Corner may not be the best Louisiana-style restaurant on the block—or the bayou, for that matter—Cajun Corner delivers the kind of vittles that most folks in Oklahoma City would happily crave… at least until they experience the real deal.
Cómpralo ya!
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Follow Louis Fowler on Instagram at @louisfowler78.
