MOEJOE'S CAJUN AND CARIBBEAN CUISINE

510 Lockport St., Plainfield

815-230-2790, www.eatmoejoes.com  

Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday; noon to midnight Sunday

Forget about booking a flight to New Orleans. With a menu that features alligator fricassee, turtle soup, crawfish etouffee, jambalaya and Southern-fried frog legs, MoeJoe's  Cajun and Caribbean Cuisine is a lot closer to home and just as good as anything you'll find in the French Quarter.

And if you decide to experience this downtown Plainfield eatery, save room for a final course. Dessert lovers will be in "voodoo heaven" after sampling the homemade beignets and bourbon chocolate ganache cheesecake. We certainly were. 

Stopping by on a Friday evening, we were in for a pleasant surprise. Not only did every dish we try practically jump off the plate with flavor, the presentation was equally spectacular.

The restaurant's decor is pure New Orleans theme, complete with lamp posts, wrought-iron fencing, Mardi Gras beads and glass lanterns. It's impossible not to get in the groove and almost forget you aren't, in fact, in New Orleans (the only reminder were the snowflakes visible through the front window). We put on the shiny colorful beads we were given and proceeded to enjoy the evening. 

Hands down, the hit of the evening was the alligator fricassee ($17), which is a rare menu item not just for the Chicago area but the entire northern region of the country.

You’re probably thinking, "Oh I’ve had alligator before and it tastes like chicken." That may be, but this cut of alligator comes from the under belly and tastes nothing like chicken. Are you ready for this? The texture is like pork tenderloin and the taste is similar to white fish. The fricassee sauce featured a white roux, rice, carrot slices, peas, celery and parsley.

If you aren’t the adventurous type, no worries. MoeJoe’s offers plenty of other options, including burgers, steaks, pork chops, sandwiches and fish. The blackened catfish ($13) we tried was grilled to perfection; flaky and melt-in-your-mouth good. A choice of two sides come with dinner entrees. We went with the red beans and buttery flavored rice.   

The grilled shrimp kabobs appetizer was a solid choice to start out dinner. And we found the $10 price a bargain as the portion was plenty for two people. It was served on sugar cane skewers, a nice twist, and the shrimp were large, fresh and delicate, not tough by any means. The pineapple chutney it was served with was a perfect pairing in my book. 

It seems that much thought and care has gone into every aspect of the menu. Even the mixed drinks have creative names: Gummy Bear Martini, Sweet Tart Martini, Razzitini. We tried the French Quarter Hurricane, a great mix of rum and fruit juices served in a tall whimsical glass decorated with Mardi Gras beads.

Dessert was memorable and we enjoyed both choices equally. The beignets (pronounced ben-yays) are similar to the elephant ears you'll find at carnivals and fairs. They're deep-fried and covered in powdered sugar, and the ones served at MoeJoe's may be the best I’ve tasted anywhere, and that’s includes those I've sampled on numerous visits to New Orleans. Homemade and served hot, they were light and not greasy.  

Rounding out the evening was another wonderful creation, the bourbon chocolate ganache cheesecake with an Oreo cookie crumb crust and caramel sauce drizzle. This is not your typical Eli’s fare -- there's no mistaking that it's homemade because they've got light and creamy texture down to perfection. 

We saw families dining (they offer a children’s menu) as well as couples and groups. At 10 p.m., they clear away the tables to make way for dancing and entertainment. Live bands are brought in and a DJ spins most weekends.

Author’s notes: Cajun refers to French Acadians that settled from Canada in the South. Creole refers to descendants of France, Spain and those of mixed nationalities in the Caribbean.