Eastern Iowa chefs give a taste of New Orleans

Hear the words "Mardi Gras" and what comes to mind? Parades, beads, revelry, food and drink, among others.

Mardi Gras, the French term for Fat Tuesday, is held the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent - a period of abstinence and preparation of Easter. This year, Fat Tuesday is Feb. 16.

New Orleans transplants Chef Kevin Williams at Chef Ben Halperin and his wife, Jeri, bring Louisiana traditions and tastes to Eastern Iowa.

Williams was born and raised in New Orleans. He moved to Iowa in 1982 when he entered the Coast Guard in Dubuque.

Fulfilling a lifelong dream, Chev Kev opened A Taste of New Orleans restaurant on Mehaffey Bridge Road north of North Liberty in September 2009.

“I started cooking with Mama at 3 years old,” Williams says. “When Mama used to take us down to the bayou, oh the food.”

The Louisiana bayou was dotted with mom-and-pop shops specializing in homemade Southern food. He brings that atmosphere to his restaurant.

The Halperins left New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit in August 2005. They stayed in Chicago, Ben's hometown, for a couple years before moving to Oxford, where they opened Augusta Restaurant in 2009.

Both chefs say New Orleans food is flavorful.

“The way food is prepared in New Orleans, it's not all spicy. We season our food,” Williams says.

Oregano, basil, thyme, paprika, garlic, parsley and cayenne pepper are used in many dishes. The “holy trinity” includes celery, onions and peppers.

"Most things are based on these," Ben Halperin says.

Seafood is also a staple in New Orleans because of its location on the Gulf of Mexico. Crawfish, shrimp, oysters and crab are especially popular.

“It's very seafood heavy down there,” Ben Halperin says. "It's hard to get fresh crawfish up here.

 Seafood boils are common in coastal areas, like Louisiana. The typical ingredients - seafood, corn, spicy sausage and potatoes - are all cooked in the same point with the boil - a mixture of spicy seasonings.

“You mix all the flavors,” Williams says. “You put things in the order of what takes the longest.”

At a traditional boil, the food is spread out on a table covered with newspapers to soak up the juices.

“Everybody's standing by the table and eating and drinking,” Ben Halperin says.

Since opening the Oxford restaurant two years ago, Ben Halperin has seen his Midwest customers' tastes broaden.

“People were hesitant to eat a lot of seafood in the beginning,” he says. "People need to trust you before they come out of their comfort zone."

Likewise, Williams' supply of alligator has tripled since he opened in September.

"Most people are wary of it at first, but once they try it, they're hooked," he says.

Alligator is popular in Williams' PoBoy, Louisiana's version of a submarine sandwhich.

A PoBoy, or Poor Boy, is served on French bread which has a crunchy crust and soft, airy center. It is loaded with meat, including alligator, shrimp, catfish or oysters, and topped with lettuce, pickles, onions and mayonnaise.