Cajun in South Florida

For some of us, the French Quarter in New Orleans conjures images of French architecture, lively street musicians, and great food. For others, the quarter is a neon blur of blues bars, beads, and atomic green cocktails. The French Quarter Bar and Grill in Pompano seems to be going for a restaurant/sports bar hybrid - albeit heavy on the sports bar. From the outside, it looks similar to an old Irish Tavern - with a patio bar and Tiki torches. Inside, find oversized booths, a pool table, and several large flat-screen TVs. The restroom stall doors, deftly carved with the names of people to call for a good time, are a special treat. A charming, sun-baked musician may be strumming away and/or an MMA fight may be blaring from the TVs while you peruse the Cajun and Creole goodies. Appetizers include chicken wings, fish dip, and Southwest egg rolls. The New Orleans-influenced offerings include a seafood gumbo and blue cheese oysters. A $17 Cajun trio entrée overflows with shrimp Creole, crawfish étoufée, and jambalaya. Though the jambalaya oddly includes spaghetti noodles, the trio is delightfully filling and "junky," like a dish you'd want to eat after a night of heavy drinking. Which brings us to... cocktails. Although the French Quarter Bar and Grill doesn't have New Orleans' legendary Hand Grenades, it does sell Hurricanes that are prepared using Pat O'Brien's famous mix. Also available at the bar: Voodoo Cherry Kiss Cosmo (a cherry vanilla cosmo) or a Cool Brees (huckleberry-flavored vodka and Red Bull). Hot on the heels of the alcohol pitcher craze, the restaurant serves your choice of liquors - rum, vodka, or coconut rum - with a mixer in flame-red plastic pitchers for just $7.50. Not a bad way to start (or polish off) an evening.

By day, students and suits crowd Rosey Baby for crawfish pasta and other Louisiana favorites, but by night, the tiny club pushes tables and chairs aside. Patrons literally bump elbows with the regional crop of traditional blues purveyors regularly holding court. This spicy little number feels like a New Orleans bar mysteriously picked up and planted in Lauderhill. The kicks range from mild, found in appetizers like crawfish bisque and sautéed alligator, to seriously zingy, in main courses such as blackened catfish or blackened rib eye. Buckets of crawfish, served in season only (not available July through December) are the best around, as are boiled Cajun blue crabs, when they're on special. Po-boys and muffulettas are requirements for N'awlins food-lovers. Live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays.