Handicapped accessible C hef James Shivers has that Cajun palate. He can make a roux as black as midnight without its tasting burned. His holy trinity of green onions, celery and bell peppers blends into sauces as a medley rather than a disconnected group of solos. His sauces are both hot and mellow, so intricate that they tease you into sopping up every last trace. You could miss all that, though, and never know that you'd simply had the bad luck to order the losers on the menu.
Some dishes are as dreary as the others are tantalizing.
And no matter what your luck, you have to come prepared to wait. With two layers of tablecloths and waiters in black tie and formal pleated shirts, Louisiana Cafe is more glamorous than one might expect from its name. Even so, the mood is more friendly than formal, and the management exudes a gracious warmth. Dishes to seek are hearty, homey stewed things. Red beans and rice is crowded with shredded meat and sausage in a thick brew of herbs and hot spices.