When people think of Louisiana-style cooking, most picture gumbo, etouffee and jambalaya. But ask anyone who grew up in that state what they crave when they move away, “and they all say the same thing,” explains Kenta Kamo: “Po’boys.”
So he and business partner Isaac Woo teamed up when Kamo needed to open a pop-up to help support his Michelin-recommended sushi restaurant, Temaki Den, which is undergoing a major renovation project inside The Source.
“We both crave po’boys when we go back home. That is what started this. Itap something I can’t really find here in Denver,” Kamo said. Both are from Baton Rouge.
Louisiana Po’boys & Cajun Cuisine opened in late August, serving shrimp, catfish, sausage and other sandwiches, along with gumbo, etouffee fries, red beans and rice, and other sides. The spot, at 3330 Brighton Blvd., is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursdays through Mondays. Eventually, it could also begin operating as a sports bar in the evenings, serving drinks and airing LSU and New Orleans Saints games. The pop-up will last through most of September, and possibly into October or longer.
The hours are important because Temaki Den’s sushi bar and half of its seating are currently blocked off while Kamo renovates, and he has halted lunch service during construction. The back part of the bar space is still open for limited service.
“That is the whole reason we opened Louisiana Po’boys because we had to close lunch service. Itap a way to create more hours for our employees. We didn’t want to lose them,” Kamo said. “As long as we are breaking even.”
Temaki Den has built a good reputation since it opened in 2020 and has become a destination spot, which helps since there is very little walk-in traffic at The Source. The original part of the food hall, which used to be very popular, has had trouble in recent years bringing people and businesses inside; it was sold to new owners in 2022. Kamo is currently the only restaurant vendor there, and he has three concepts: Temaki Den, Louisiana Po’Boys and Kakigori Ken, which sells Japanese-style flavored shaved ice.
Next door, at the Source Hotel and Market Hall, there are several other restaurants, including Safta, Smok and Cimera.
If Louisiana Po’boys is successful, Kamo said he and Woo would like to find a permanent location for it. “It’s something we think is missing in Denver. There is a market for it, and people who know, know it is something that is hard to find.”
