NYC Eats: File Gumbo Bar

I know we all run to our typical cuisines when dining out. Your full proof Italian restaurant, Taco Tuesdays at your favorite Mexican spot or treating yourself to a Steakhouse. May I highly encourage you to add File Gumbo Bar into this rotation when you want to mix it up. This Creole cuisine is defintiely not your ordinary and is an elevated version of those homestyle dishes you would expect.

**Iconic Jazz Fest Crawfish Bread**
A creamy succulent cheese mixture with sautéed crawfish tail meat and the holy trinity of aromatics (onions, celery, and bell peppers), smeared on fresh Leidenheimer French bread and baked till golden brown

The crawfish bread is a can’t miss. This just screams flavor on the perfect vessel of crispy bread. Cheese and seafood isn’t always my first thought but it comes together in such a beautiful way.

**Tiny’s Gumbo**
This heavily seasoned stew is anything but tiny. Our signature dish defines the diverse roots of American cuisine. Gumbo starts with a velvety peanut-butter-colored, full-fat roux base, flavored with the holy trinity, Cajun spices, fresh herbs, and chicken stock. Served with nutty popcorn rice, a Louisiana-bred long-grain variety, and topped with a dusting of filé powder and gremolata. Choose your proteins and spice level

There really are so many layers of flavors in this gumbo and all these elements come together in just a softly smoky, not overly spicy (although that can be amplified and I wish I tried it with a little mroe kick). It is just a medley of shit going on, and it really does work. That grilled shrimp has the most amazing char on it and even alone without the rest of the sauce is just delicious.

**Grilled Creole Caesar Salad**
A warm, smokey spin to this classic. Leafy hearts of romaine, lightly charred and finished with a drizzle of creamy house-made Creole mustard Caesar dressing, fresh croutons, parmesan cheese shavings, and a grilled lemon wedge

I guess once you have your salad grilled you can never go back, because honestly, this might be the best caesar salad I have ever had. The grill man is doing something right back there because the lettuce really does have a nice char on it too and subtle smokiness that adds an unbelievable amount of flavor to the dish on its own. But wait there is more. This creole version of caesar dressing is the most phenomenal Caesar dressing I have had the pleasure to try. I will say, with all that flavor, some may find it could lean a little salty, but I call it perfection.