Cajun comfort in the heart of Columbus: Café le Rue celebrates ten years serving cajun classics
Columbus has enjoyed a culinary revival over the past few years. Uptown typically receives the bulk of new restaurant attention, and rightly so; except for the incessant rollout of new chain eateries, most of the dining buzz is centered on Broadway and environs. But also vital to our restaurant culture have been additions in MidTown (Wicked Hen sets a wickedly high bar), and out to Blackmon Road we find genuine gems (Trevioli Italian Kitchen is a special treat).
Many influences have contributed to our food boon. Early arrivals like The Loft not only set a high bar for quality dining in Columbus, they also proved it could be done at all. Since 2009 Café le Rue has served up authentic cajun favorites, making it a bedrock of the community: they were here just as the scene began to take shape, and they’ve remained what owner and chef Vikas Chilkuri calls “one of Columbus’ best kept secrets.”
After culinary school, Vikas saw the need for a cajun restaurant in Columbus. He began building a clientele first through catering. With tremendous local support, particularly the Country Club of Columbus, the Green Island Country Club and The Springer Opera House, Vikas was able to transition his catering business into a brick a mortar restaurant. Opening in May of 2009 in The Landings, Vikas and his staff have ever since provided a cozy destination for authentic cajun cuisine.
Vikas prides himself on serving fresh food daily and listening to his customer’s responses to his dishes. “Listen to your guests,” he advises tyro restauranteurs, “and listen to your feedback.”
“The biggest positive over the ten years we’ve been in business is we’ve survived and thrived,” Vikas said, “and always grown. Thank you to everyone who gives local restaurants a chance.”
Anyone who has given this local restaurant a chance can tell you why Café le Rue has for ten years maintained its status as a local institution. Cajun classics like seafood gumbo, shrimp and crawfish étouffée, and red beans and rice deliver fresh, feel-good dishes at lunch and dinner. Appetizers like cajun inferno fried chicken tenders, fried green tomatoes with spicy remoulade and pow pow cajun fried shrimp allow patrons to get a healthy cajun spice zing before their main courses. And a host of po’ boys, salads and fresh seafood platters—including steel head trout, beer battered grouper and catfish (naturally)—round out a menu both eclectic and familiar. Café le Rue is cajun comfort food, and yes, Vikas has beignets.
The restaurant space is a cozy joint, and it feels like a neighborhood New Orleans spot. There’s even a piano in the room, which Vikas invites patrons to play. Café le Rue offers beer and wine, and local brews, including Omaha and Wild Leap offers, are often on tap. As a cozy date night spot, this MidTown locale is both homey and casual. Kid-friendly to the core, the children’s menu allows younger patrons to explore cajun options, like gumbo and jambalaya, or stick with staples, like chicken tenders. For lunch, Vikas has a host of cajun specials plus a drink for $10. Even at dinner, all offers are under $20, making Café le Rue accessible any night of the week.
Maybe not any night of the week: Café le Rue is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. On Sundays, Vikas serves up brunch from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.. Sourdough French toast, Sunday burger topped with fried egg, and a traditional breakfast complete with biscuits and gravy, make Café le Rue the perfect after-church or lazy Sunday spot for excellent eats without the hefty price tag associated with comparable Sunday brunches.
When it comes to cajun, nothing compares to Café le Rue. High praise, we know, and well-deserved. For a decade now, Vikas has made Café le Rue a mainstay of Columbus dining, offering fresh cajun comfort food for every occasion. And yes, he still caters. Guests can also enjoy the patio, well-shaded and cool even at the height of summer, which is where we last enjoyed a meal with Vikas. The Omaha Brewing beer was cold, the red beans and rice evoked our best memories of New Orleans, and the sun set over a perfect Tuesday evening in the heart of Columbus.
by Tom Ingram