It's the rare occasion when I get to visit a restaurant that was featured on the TV show "Diners,…read moreDrive-ins and Dives," and it's a true privilege. I don't take it lightly. I spent a lot of time preparing. My mom even made me a special outfit. Remember, in the movie Goodfellas, when Joe Pesci thought he was about to become a made guy? It was kind of like that.
Fortunately, I wasn't led into an empty room where I was promptly shot in the back of the head. (Whew!) I was conscious of the potential for violence at Hwy 61 Roadhouse, because its name--and the overall vibe--calls to mind the classic Patrick Swayze movie from the 1980s, which was in fact set in Missouri. I was ready to punch my way out of there, if necessary.
The crowd here skews older, and it occurred to me that I may have been able to take out quite a few of them on my own. There was live music, and the band called to mind something you might see in a circa-'97 Christopher Guest movie, or Marty and Bobbi Culp. It gets loud, to the point where you can't hear what the person across the table from you is saying. You might consider bringing a date here, if you'd prefer not having a conversation.
A guy from my running group loves this place and spoke highly of the BBQ Spaghetti. Normally, I wouldn't eat anything like that, but this guy seems like he might know ball when it comes to delicious restaurant meals, if you catch my drift. Turns out, he wasn't wrong. It wasn't just good, this might be the way to eat pulled pork. I'd make it at home, except that store-bought barbecue sauce is disgustingly sweet and processed-tasting, and it wouldn't be worth trying to make my own.
I toyed with the idea of getting a burger, which is a safe go-to in restaurants in areas where the spice level is often inquired about, but I've eaten so many of them lately. Then I saw that they carry a Shrimp Po Boy. It seemed like the perfect choice. Shrimp Po Boys are never not good, even the one they used to carry at Popeyes during Lent back in the pre-chicken sandwich era, and this place supposedly specializes in Cajun food.
It didn't disappoint... for the most part. It was a bit bread-forward for my liking. Some places hollow out the bread a little bit, to make room for the fillings. Hwy 61 doesn't, and they use a weirdly large roll. I love bread, so this wouldn't necessarily be an issue, but there was nothing particularly special about this bread. They load you up on shrimp, which are fried hard, like chicken wings from a hood Chinese place. It makes for a satisfying crunch. The lettuce and tomatoes provided a fresh, healthy-seeming contrast, and the remoulade is just spicy enough to keep things interesting.
I'm definitely curious to try some of the other menu items, including some of the more authentic Cajun selections--the etouffees, gumbos and what have you. If only I could get them to bring me a sampling of everything, "on the arm." I'd show up in backwards sunglasses and tell them I'm there filming a TV show, but alas, they've already been featured on a TV show, and I wouldn't want to run the risk of having to actually fight someone.