Cajun cuisine
With charm and spice, Knotty Pine is a dining destination
CRAIG WALES | CIN WEEKLY CONTRIBUTOR
Even though it is just 15 minutes from downtown, Knotty Pine on the Bayou in Cold Spring seems to be in the middle of nowhere. It is also a little tricky to get to, but this Cajun bistro has made itself a dining destination with down-home cooking and plenty of charm.
The restaurant was built on a hill overlooking the Licking River, and over the years erosion has pulled on the foundation of the building and made the floor bumpy. But this is a small price to pay for a beautiful view of the river.
The Knotty Pine looks like its name sounds. The interior is lined with wood everywhere, from the bar to the walls. Mardi Gras masks line the patio, which is glassed in for the winter but is open when the weather warms up. The atmosphere is casual, but I got the impression that the diners are serious about Cajun food.
SPICY CAJUN
My companion and I started off with two choices from the appetizer list that also are on the entree list. The fried oysters ($10.95 for six, $16.95 for 12) are succulent. I had never tried frog legs ($6.95 for three, $8.95 for five) before, and I was filled with trepidation as I brought the fried meat to my mouth. I was happy to find that the "tastes-like-chicken" rumor is accurate. The taste is similar to chicken, but the meat is much more moist and tender.
Two Cajun favorites that we tried were red beans and rice ($3.95-$8.95) and Cajun gumbo ($4.95-$9.95). We were also looking forward to the crawfish etouffee, one of the specials the night we visited, but the kitchen had run out by the time we placed our order.
The red beans and rice is tasty, but a little thinner than expected. Instead of a thicker stew over rice, it resembles a soup. The mixture of beans, sausage, peppers and other vegetables is still flavorful and spicy, but not too hot.
The gumbo is higher up the spice scale, and thoroughly enjoyable. Thicker than the beans and rice as well, the gumbo is filling and satisfying. This tasty mélange of sausage, chicken, peppers and rice surprises you with each bite, as the flavors mingle in different ways each time.
NEWBIE SAMPLING
The Cajun Sampler ($18.95) allows you to try the above two dishes as well as some sauteed shrimp, chicken and steak. The shrimp is sauteed with the house's own sauce, which is spicy-hot. The first bite set my mouth on fire, surprising me with its heat and setting the tone for the rest of the meal.
The chicken and steak are really too good to be a part of a sampler - each deserves to be enjoyed on its own. The chicken is blackened and provides a peppery kick. And the meat was so tender that it reminded me of the frog legs in terms of texture.
The Knotty Pine makes its own cakes and pies, so we decided to finish things off with some dessert. I had the Chocolate Kahlúa Crème Pie ($3.95) and my friend had the Key Lime Pie ($3.95). The Key Lime was sweet without being too tart, like Key Lime should be, while the Chocolate Kahlúa Crème was rich without being heavy.
