Bourbon St. Bistro Brings Delightful New Orleans Flavors to Cagayan de Oro
When in Manila, nothing compares to having a delicious meal with family and friends in a charming dining place after a very hectic day at work. Though there are plenty of dining options out there that can satisfy our diverse cravings, there are only a few that truly celebrate the heritage of their chosen cuisine.
My latest food adventure in Cagayan de Oro delightfully satisfied my hungry tummy and virtually took me on an awesome adventure to the culture-rich New Orleans. Also known as the Big Easy, New Orleans is a place where the people, food and music are as vibrant as its colorful Mardi Gras festival.
Bourbon St. Bistro, named after a famous street in New Orleans, is the only place in this city that offers the wonderful flavors of Creole cuisine. This charming food haven was founded by New Orleans native, Chef Andrew Mills, and his Filipina wife, Chef Nikki Cabrera-Mills, during their vacation in Cagayan de Oro City. When the couple is in New Orleans, Chef Nikki’s younger brother, Vince Cabrera, takes care of the business.
It was my first visit to this charming resto and I was automatically hooked. The place was filled with tasteful original decors from New Orleans while southern jazz music played in the background providing a sense of consistency with its cuisine.
The framed prints showcase the rich history and culture of New Orleans
Colorful Mardi Gras beads and masks on heritage iron railings add a festive mood to the place
This alligator head tab holder is a head turner and a nice conversation piece
I love these charming Voodoo dolls hanging on a lamp post
The fleur de lis is one of the many legacies the French left to the people of New Orleans
“Laissez les bons temps rouler” is a French expression that means “Let the good times roll”
Chefs Drew and Nikki studied at the French Culinary Institute and developed their own recipes based on traditional Creole cooking. For this feature, Vince showed us how to truly enjoy the best of Bourbon St. Bistro and I tell you, the food was ahhh-mazing!
We started our Big Easy food trip with this perfect appetizer that’s crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside. I love how the cream cheese dressing beautifully complemented the taste of the smoked salmon.
Salmon Croquettes (P185) – 7 pcs. deep-fried roll of smoked salmon topped with savory cream cheese dressing and served with shredded lettuce, onions and tomato.
Next, we tried this bite-sized uber tasty seafood tacos. The mixed flavors of the salsa and other herbs paired with the equally flavorful tuna are just incredible. Honestly, I could eat two servings of this in one sitting.
Tuna Ceviche Tacos (P170) – Five tacos filled with marinated tuna ceviche, mango salsa, scallions, lime, cilantro served with shredded lettuce salad
Of course, our creole adventure will not be complete without tasting this “quintessential New Orleans dish”, a delectable stew that can be a meal on its own. It is certainly a must-try!
Creole Gumbo (P145) – Thick stew of chicken, shrimp, Andouille sausage, okra and rice
For our first main course, we had this dish made of pork belly with the skin cooked into crispy cracklings and used as a garnish. The pork was really tasty and tender and the creamy apple slaw side dish was perfect.
Pork Belly (Php 310) – Cured pork belly, smoked then grilled and served with apple slaw and dirty rice
Another belly-filling dish we tried was the succulent Pan Seared Chicken. This dish may be for one person but it can actually feed two people as the serving was quite hefty. I must say the chicken was really juicy and the potato puree was so yummy!
Pan Seared Chicken (P315) – Juicy and tender Chicken, sous vide, thigh and stuffed leg, seared, basted and served with potato puree and sautéed vegetables
We also tried these refreshing lemonade drinks with mint, raspberry and strawberry flavors. I highly recommend the strawberry and mint variants.
Mint Lemonade (Php 95)
For dessert, this traditional New Orleans flamed treat is usually served tableside giving customers the opportunity to watch how it is made.
Banana Foster (Php 120) – Banana cooked in butter, brown sugar and dark rhum and then topped with homemade vanilla ice cream
They also make their own cakes, ice cream and other desserts such as these yummy treats for your sweet endings!
Bourbon St. Bistro also offers a variety of non-alcoholic drinks as well as wines, hard liquor and cocktail concoctions. This place is actually packed with young and matured professionals especially during Friday and Saturday nights.
They also sell their own homemade hot sauce and some products from New Orleans at this resto. For special occasions, they accept orders for Roast Turkey during Thanksgiving and for their special Roast Beef during the Holiday season.
Our gastronomic food trip at Bourbon St. Bistro gave us a taste of the rich and flavorful creole cuisine. The delicious food was all made from scratch using quality ingredients, a manifestation of their commitment to provide the best dishes for their customers. In addition, the warm and inviting ambiance, great service and the visual carnival of authentic New Orleans decors totally made our dining experience excellent. Even the former U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, Harry K. Thomas, Jr. was so impressed with the delicious food and looked forward to visiting again. Isn’t that cool?
Letter of appreciation from former US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr. during his visit in October 2012
As owner Vince would say, “appreciate the food, taste the heart and soul of the dish, enjoy the atmosphere, have a good time”. Yes, we did all that and we will surely come back to eat mo’ Gumbo!
Bourbon St. Bistro
J.R. Borja Street, 9000 Cagayan de Oro City
09175493335 / 09177088533 / 09177088233 / 088-880-7339
bourbonstbistro@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bourbon.St.Bistro.CDO
Operating Hours:
Mon – Thu: 11:30 am – 2:00 pm, 5:00 pm – 1:00 am
Fri – Sun: 11:30 am – 1:00 am
Photographers: Judee Dizon Chaves and Noel delos Reyes Villa
“Laissez les bons temps rouler!” (Let the good times roll!)
