Louisiana is 2,000 miles from the Central Coast, but somehow Jerome Stevens brought a little slice of the Pelican State to Guadalupe.
Inspired by his roots in Lafayette, La., Stevens opened a small joint in Guadalupe dishing out both types of popular Louisiana food: Cajun and Creole cuisine.
Calling it Papa Jay’s Cajun and Creole Quezine, it’s one of the few restaurants of its kind to grace the area. It could also be the most authentic, at least in Stevens’ eyes, since his family is from Louisiana.
“We’re the real thing,” Stevens said. “If there aren’t Southern hands cooking, then it’s not Southern food.”
Dishing out plates of barbecue ribs, fried chicken, fried catfish, tri-tip po’boys, jambalaya, and fresh-baked pies, Stevens is already building a clientele. During his opening week in late July, Stevens said he served more than 800 people.
One of the more in-demand menu items, according to Stevens, is the Big Man Plate, coming with three fall-off-the-bone barbecue ribs, two pieces of barbecue chicken, a choice of two sides—red beans, potato salad, coleslaw, or mac and cheese—and two slices of garlic French bread.
Speaking of the potato salad, Stevens adds a spice that gives it a familiar taste, yet it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is. Stevens said many have tried to guess the ingredient. They’ve guessed nutmeg or cinnamon, but all have come up short, he said. Stevens won’t reveal the ingredient because it’s a secret.
But barbecue rib plates aren’t distinctly Louisianan, although similar fare is a Southern staple. The real gem is the gumbo, which is made fresh and from scratch, Stevens said. The menu currently lists $8 for a small bowl and $12 for a large, but Stevens said the menu is undergoing a change in prices.
Then there are the po’boy sandwiches, which are overstuffed submarine sandwiches that use French bread. Shrimp, meatloaf, sausage, catfish, and even tri-tip are included in this category.
Barbecue plates include chicken, pork and beef ribs, tri-tip, meatloaf, and sausage.
Desserts are like a page out of a Paula Dean cookbook: sweet potato pie, peach and apple cobbler pie, bread pudding pie, brownies, and chocolate cookies.
Another popular item, according to Stevens, is the Southern fried chicken.
Papa Jay’s is located in the Main Street Market square across from Kermit McKenzie Junior High School. It may not be much to look at—at least for now—but it keeps the spirit of Louisiana alive on the inside with modest decorations reminiscent of Mardi Gras and music. It’s mainly a takeout joint, although it has a few tables and some chairs for dining in.
Prior to opening Papa Jay’s, Stevens’ history includes a stint as a nightclub owner/operator in Lafayette and Hammond (north of New Orleans). Even though Stevens has roots in Louisiana, he grew up on the Central Coast (his father was stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base).
Stevens moved back to California and became a music promoter and producer, operating Jam Time High Rollers Entertainment in Santa Maria. He said he worked with big artists such as James Brown, B.B. King, and had a hand in producing a collaborative album featuring former Death Row Records rap artist Kurupt and Texas’ Lil’ Brian and the Zydeco Travelers. Food became a part of his Louisiana lifestyle when he began barbecuing on the street corner.
Things weren’t always successful at first. Stevens said it took him three weeks to convince his wife that barbecuing was a worthwhile venture. It was. Eventually, he took Papa Jay’s through the fair and festival circuit, saving money to throw concerts. He was eventually able to save up enough cash to open a joint in Guadalupe.
Papa Jay’s may claim to be the real deal compared to other Cajun or Creole restaurants on the Central Coast, but anyone who moves here from Louisiana will ask: Where’s the crawfish?
It’s coming, Stevens said. He doesn’t have them now because they are out of season and must be imported. There’s no set time for it, but the season more or less begins in March and ends in June. That’s when the prices per pound are the lowest.
Stevens considered importing the savory freshwater crustaceans from a farm in Los Angeles, but he reconsidered, saying that he must have authenic Louisiana crawfish.
Until then, Stevens and his crew of family members are whipping up Louisiana classics in the kitchen from memory.
“We don’t have any recipes here,” Stevens said.
Staff Writer David Minsky can’t wait for crawfish season. He can be reached at dminsky@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 13-20, 2015.