If you have eaten good Cajun food in Denver, then you’ve been to NoNo’s Cafe, a cozy Littleton eatery tucked into a strip mall at South Broadway and County Line Road (but only until November, when it moves into its own place a few miles away).
As they might say in St. Martinville, the heart of Cajun country, “Ooooweee! You get here da real ting, cher.”
The real thing is a perfectly ripe alligator pear ($5.49), or avocado, cut in half, the center filled with a homemade garlic-laden vinaigrette tweaked with equally garlicky homemade ranch dressing, and served on a bed of microgreens. You scoop the inside with a spoon, as the dressing spills into each new gap.
Equally authentic is a true gumbo, by the cup as an appetizer $3.99 or by the bowl as an entree $7.69. Stock, based on an almost chocolate-colored roux was filled with just enough andouille sausage, chicken and rice to balance out the cup. It was so rich it didn’t need hot sauce.
Blackened catfish ($8.99 lunch, $11.99 dinner) was plated with two true Southern sides: Fresh tomato slices were drizzled with just enough of that wonderful vinaigrette to heighten, rather than obscure, the flavor. The second side was Mayme’s macaroni and cheese.
Unfortunately, it had languished overlong in the warming oven, so some of the melted cheese had dried, but the flavor was still good. The generous square of mac ‘n’ cheese must be wonderful when at its creamy prime.
My friend tucked into his red beans and rice ($7.49/$8.49), a traditional Louisiana dish that dates to a time when Monday was laundry day, and the beans simmered low until the last piece was taken down from the line and folded. At NoNo’s, the beans were perfectly seasoned.
Relocated from New Orleans, Sonda and Brian Brewster opened the cafe in 1996. “NoNo,” the Italian word for grandfather, is a tribute to Sonda’s father, Louis Philip Pechon, Jr. The mac-‘n’-
cheese recipes come from her mother, Mayme.
If for some bizarre reason the Cajun menu doesn’t strike your fancy, there are options, from spaghetti and meat sauce ($8.49/$9.49) and cheese lasagna ($8.99) to rib-eye steak ($13.99)and chicken potpie ($8.99). If you never have had Cajun meatloaf ($10.99) or shrimp Creole ($8.99/$11.99), or you fondly remember your mama’s, this is where you want to be. Sadly, meatloaf is only available at dinner.
Know too that in southern Louisiana there are no calories, so if you’re counting them, say so and the chef will crank the caloric volume down for you.
As for the heavenly NoNo bread pudding ($3.89) in bourbon sauce. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it will leave you chanting “yes, yes.”
Staff writer Ellen Sweets can be reached at 303-820-1284 or esweets@denverpost.com.
NoNo’s Cafe
Cajun/Italian, American|311 E. County Line Road, Littleton 303-738-8330|$2-$15|11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday; Saturday and Sunday brunch 10a.m.-2 p.m. Closed Monday, but available for private parties. Visa, MasterCard, personal checks
Front burner: If you love Cajun food, you’ll swoon with joy. This is the real deal. Limited wines, several domestic and imported beers.
Back burner: At lunch, let your server know if you’re not in a hurry. Otherwise everything might arrive at once.
