Cajun Corner - Just Like Being in New Orleans!!!

[MajorSlick]

For anyone who likes Cajun food, this place is tremendous!

It's a little "everything Cajun store" (in Leslieville on Queen @ Carlaw) with a takeout counter (and three little patio-type tables) at the back.

The food is great! The owners do a lot of catering and they have a standard regular menu - Shrimp Po-Boys (sort of cajun subs), Red Beans & Rice, Gumbo, Sweet potato frittes (very thin fried potatoes) etc. augmented by a great daily special.

The special is: (a) different every day, (b) comes in a large portion, (c) is only $6.95 and (d) is almost always excellent!

In the past couple of weeks, I've had Chicken, Veal & catfish smothered in great cajun sauces with rice and sometimes with various southern greens.

BONUS - The people at the store/restaurant are super friendly!

If you love southern food, do yourself a favour and try this place - it's a "hidden gem".

PS - I think their web site is cajuncorner.com and it has their weekly menu.

[mramage]

My company is having a spouse's event in March and we are considering using their catering services. Has anybody on the board used them, or heard about events they have catered for - would appreciate any feedback.

[JamieK]

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Cajun Corner
214 Laird Dr, Toronto, ON M4G, CA

[Snarf]

I understand they were doing Turducken at Christmas. Did anyone try it?

[masala]

We have found the Cajun Corner experience to be a disappointing one. We have driven there twice now this month. Once they were closed (when their web site said they were open) and the 2nd time they decided to close their takeout counter early as they had a "rush" catering event. We explained to them that we had made two trips without actually being able to try their food but there wasn't any attempt made to keep us as customers. We won't be back. We have been to New Orleans and a big part of their culture is hospitality. In New Orleans, they would have at least offered a "lagniappe" to encourage us to go back. We didn't find any hospitality at the Cajun Corner!

[julesrules]

That is too bad and I would probably feel the same way. But I have found the people in there are generally very friendly. I guess the lesson for others might be to call ahead - it is a family operation, etc. But again I understand your frustration.

[Professorhiro]

What's the spicest (i.e. HOTTEST!!!!) menu item available at Cajun Corner? I am talking as hot as or, preferably hotter than suicide (as in the wings) on the spice scale!

[galambo]

and this is a problem??????

love the heat. keeps the blood flowing and it is health for you as well.

[Yongeman]

Whatever it is, Professorhiro, if it doesn't rank high enough on the Scoville Heat Scale ( http://www.epicurean.com/articles/hot... ), they sell a variety of bottled hot sauces there too.

[TwinklyTerrapin]

Cajun and creole food actually isn't all that hot-spicy as it's served, but there's always a bottle of Tabasco or Crystal hot sauce on the table in New Orleans 9and at Cajun Corner) so you can do what cha wanna and make it as crazy hot as you like.

[embee]

The two very hot items on their menu are, oddly, coleslaw and corn on the cob. Neither is in the suicide range, though. Heat is added to other items mainly via a large selection of sauces.

[recipefordisaster]

these two items honestly are well seasoned, yes! hot, not hardly!
i am often quite amused at the canadian assesment of heat.

[embee]

I haven't had them in a while and it is possible that Karen toned them down. When I last indulged, they were hot -- very hot. And I love incendiary food (with flavour, that is - not of the Duff's suicide wings variety).

[Wahooty]

"hot", "very hot," and "too hot" are so VERY subjective. I haven't had the corn, just the slaw - found it spicy enough to be (very) tasty, but not hot enough to be distracting. But yes, these are definitely the most inherently spicy items on the menu - everything else leaves the spice level up to you. The variety of hot sauces available for doctoring is pretty sweet, but nothing is going to knock your socks off, heat-wise, by itself.
Damn...now I think I need to go tomorrow...

[embee]

To reiterate an earlier comment, don't go to Cajun Corner without calling first, checking that day's hours and food availability, and asking them to hold what you want.

They are extremely nice people and really are very hospitable, but the catering business is more important to them than the eat in business and their attitude toward their posted hours is more casual than I would like - especially in the evening.

I am surprised that they didn't offer you SOMETHING, but they do run out of food most days and much of the food (including sandwich ingredients) is cooked to order. Though I would share your frustration, they just have a standard kitchen stove. I live around the corner, but still call them before I go.

[chip]

I picked up there jambalaya last night and would simply comment that it was great. I look forward to trying their other dishes. I'm not certain I'd use it for anything other than take-out, but I sure did like the food.

[rsvp7777]

Just stopped by for lunch today. Hadn't been in a while and found the tables a welcome addition for right-there-eating on a cold, damp day like this one.
An awesome and huge Shrimp Po'Boy, great sweet potato fries, Cajun slaw and diet coke for $12 total. You gotta love this place.
Those of us in the area all ought to remind ourselves to drop by more often - especially since they're now open until 10 at night Mon-Fri.

[mummy2Luna]

I love this place! They have been a neighbourhood staple for years, having recently moved from Greenwood/Queen to Logan/Queen to expand their kitchen. The friendly owners make thrice-yearly pilgrimages to Louisiana to procure the products they carry - and they try to
carry things you might not find elsewhere - they really make an effort to find local, small (often home) producers of really quality sauces, condiments, mixes and meat (try the
amazing Andouille sausage they carry!). I spoke with the owners shortly after Hurricane Katrina - their supply chain was almost destroyed, but I'm thrilled the business has survived as have the production of so many fine goods in Louisiana.

The fried chicken is the best in the city - it's crispy, without being greasy, with a juicy centre and it's perfectly spiced. The blackened catfish is delicious. The beignets, with a big cup of Cafe du Monde coffee, are addictive. The shrimp po'boy is excellent.

Pick up some Hurricane Mix for your next party - it's a fabulous drink.
1 oz white rum
1 oz Jamaican dark rum
1 oz Bacardi 151 rum
3 oz orange juice
3 oz unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 oz grenadine syrup
crushed ice
Combine all ingredients, mix well (shake or stir). Pour over crushed ice in hurricane glass. Best enjoyed through a small straw. Garnish with fruit wedge if desired.

I can't recommend enough - thank god it's on the streetcar line.

[Otonabee]

I really need to thank this thread for introducing me to this spot. I ended up going there yesterday looking for something completely different. In the end however I ended up having one of the Catfish Po'Boys and i have to say it was excellent! The person working there was simply lovely as well. Now the Man really wants to go back and try the fried chicken. I personally want to some of Saturday for the Beignets!

[Snarf]

Some of the key ingredients they stock are Andouille sausage, Tasso smoked ham, and the various coffees from Cafe du Monde. All essentials if you're a gumbo snob. On Saturday mornings, they also do the beignets from the Cafe du Monde mix.

[julesrules]

I want to bump this up because it looks like they now do fried chicken (at 3 pieces for $5!!!) every night after 6pm. Based on having it once as a special last winter, their fried chicken is really good, spicy and mahogany brown. And we seriously lack in good fried chicken in this town.

[Vise]

Had their fried chicken a couple of weeks ago and it was great, reminds me of my own homemade version. We've been getting takeout from Cajun Corner about once a week or so, love their gumbos and Shrimp Po'Boys.

[TwinklyTerrapin]

Whoop!...now, if we could get them to do fried pickles and mac n' cheese, it be just like Fiorella's ...except colder, and with stricter liquor laws, but close enough...

[deelicious]

How do you now Fiorella's? LOL. Is it really as good???????

[TwinklyTerrapin]

I've been to New Orleans several times (just got back, actually), and Fiorella's is a must-visit on every trip. I haven't had a chance to try Cajun Corner's fried chicken yet, but I'll be sure to report my contrast-and-compare when I do...

[thegreatfoodhunt]

We stopped by Cajun Corner today to see if we could get a Turducken, but were told they were no longer accepting orders for Christmas. Thankfully, Chef Karen agreed to make us a deep fried turkey.

Also tried the frog legs they were serving today. Very very good!

thanks to everyone who suggested this place... Great little spot!

[EPIcureanTO]

You guys are making me hungry! Thanks for the catering tip!

[bbbradk]

They sell my favorite cajun seasoning there.
Tony Cachere's, damn that's good stuff

[TwinklyTerrapin]

I love the Cajun Corner. Their take-out gumbos are great, and their stash of New Orleans staples means that I don't have to haul so much back with me when I visit the crescent city.

The honey and I hosted the recent family Secret Santa party, and, being big fans of New Orleans, chose a Mardi Gras theme. Cajun Corner was a huge help with everything from getting loads of beads to decorate with, and tiny voodoo dolls for assigning the secret santees to the secret santers, to tasso and andouille for our gumbo. I also got pickled green beans and okra and made amazing Cajun Caesars.

The best though, was the king cake that I got for dessert and to choose who got to host the party next year--get the baby; host the party. It was a lovely cinnamon and cream cheese yeast bread ring, not too sweet, great for after our huge dinner, and best of all, my mother-in-law, who hasn't hosted a Secret Santa party yet, got the baby. It was a splendid party, largely because of Cajun Corner.

[embee]

Cajun Corner is a great place, but be advised that the daily menu is extremely limited in both size and scope. Also beware the slaw and the corn on the cob -- both are extremely hot. (I personally like the slaw, but feel they ruin the corn.)

I wouldn't go across town to eat there (or, as is more likely, for prepared food takeout) without calling first and asking them to hold whatever you want.

They are a great source for Louisiana ingredients that are unavailable anywhere else in the Toronto area.

[galambo]

1) i LOVE hot/spicy food, and thus i don't agree that it 'ruins' the cob.

2) They also make, on demand, turkducken. For those who don't know what that is is, it's chicken stuffed in a duck which is stuffed in a turkey. When stuffing in all the 'right' places. every one should try it at least once.

3) and of course they have some really really good spices, hot sauces

[julesrules]

They do turducken? No way! Don't tell my DH, I already ordered our turkey for this xmas.
I agree these people can cook, they need to open a restaurant already - take-out, weekday lunch only is NOT working for me. I love that slaw too and their fried chicken is awesome.

[embee]

They live upstairs and they cater. I don't hold out too much hope for a restaurant. I couldn't convince them to stay open one extra hour so I could score some takeout for my dinner on occasion. I think they want a life :-)

[munch]

I was just checking out their site, says new extended hours Mon-Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10-5.

[embee]

I hope it isn't just for the holiday season!

[MajorSlick]

They actually have Turducken on their menu for this Thursday.

NOTE: My wife and I were there again today and WE ATE IN ie. they do have several tables at the back. You just order your food at the counter and they call you when it's done.

Mike

[julesrules]

Thanks, I never noticed the tables when I was there. Sounds like they are getting a little closer to a restaurant with the tables and the longer hours. Now I just need them to deliver (RIP Ghali's Kitchen) cause I don't have a car and am actually not that close.
And thanks galambo as well for the turducken info!

[galambo]

no worries

[galambo]

yes way ;-)

they charged me about 100.00 for it (depends on the weight) and it is well worth it.... though it lasted for about 4 meals. talk about heavy

[munch]

How do you you go about serving it? Has the entire flock been deboned?

[galambo]

'very carefully' <S>

but it is like a roast, in terms of serving. since there is no bones. but it is heavy so make sure you either don't eat for a week (<s>), have a freezer, or a large party.

its a lot of meat. and the stuffing to boot.

good luck and let us know.

[Davwud]

I've been going to them for a couple years. It's great. I actually have some crawfish tails in my freezer to make etouffee with.

I have not eaten anything from them but I don't doubt that it's first rate.

DT

[MajorSlick]

I just checked - the web site is actually cajuncorner.ca