Dat's brings ragin' cajun to Bloomington

I don’t know why it took me so long to get to Dat’s. The Cajun-creole café, on Grant Street between Third Street and the ethnic paradise that is Fourth Street, redefines comfort food. Amid a dining culture built around capital and competition, Dat’s takes a firm stance in putting the food first.

Dat’s is a gem built into what used to be student housing. The floorboards are bowed, and the paint is tired and fading, but the food, like the rich Louisiana heritage it comes from, is timeless.

There were two customers dining when I walked in at the odd hour of 8 p.m. for dinner. Classic tunes you’d hear in a Zataran’s commercial played unobtrusively over the speakers, and a cashier excited to have a new customer took my order for Bourbon Chicken and Thai Peanut and Chicken Étouffée.

Étouffée is a French word that loosely translates to “smothered.” In the case of Dat’s, the étouffée is similar to a thick stew: a savory blend of spices, sauces and crawfish or chicken over rice. They happened to be out of the storied Chili Cheese Étouffée, which has come highly recommended from Dat’s regulars. Fortunately, the extremely spicy Thai Peanut with chicken variation was nothing to sneer at and was rather a sign that Christ truly had risen and was in the kitchen.

Since étouffée isn’t usually a dish teeming with meat, I supersized my order and split the plate, asking the Dat’s kitchen staff to fill the other half of my plate with Bourbon Chicken. The sweet, tender chicken was shredded and placed atop yet another bed of white rice, and after sampling both dishes separately, I took the liberty of stirring everything together.

For the hoity-toity diners out there, I must provide a disclaimer. Dat’s serves each Cajun-creole favorite on Styrofoam, with a plastic fork and a plastic knife. For some, this style of dining may be unpleasant. I don’t particularly enjoy eating on disposable plates or wiping my mouth with paper napkins, but Dat’s provides dishes so rich and palatable that these shortcomings can be overlooked. When you taste the food, you’re not only at a loss for words but have also been immersed in flavors many would think impossible outside of Louisiana.

I boxed up what little leftovers I had from my supersized order, and because Dat’s didn’t have any Abita or similar beers, headed to The Tap.

I’ve decided that I’d like to make Dat’s another bad habit of mine. The speedy dining time and mind-blowing flavors make it perfect for lunch between classes, and its close proximity to campus makes for a short walk.

If you want a quick, cheap meal that will devastate your appetite for traditional American cuisine, head to Dat’s. Bon appetit.