A Taste of Cajun in Westwood

If you think that Cajun food is all redfish and gumbo and totally hot, you’re in for a surprise. Patout’s (the accent’s on the first syllable, and the restaurant’s at 2260 Westwood Blvd., (213) 475-7100) is nothing like those Cajun clones that are popping up all over town. This is a quiet place, with cloths on the table, rugs on the floor and flowers everywhere you look. Even the menu is unfamiliar--there’s isn’t a muffin to be seen and not a single thing is blackened.

But while this may not be familiar to us, anybody from Breaux Bridge or Bayou Teche would feel instantly at home. When the Patouts fry up a bunch of crawfish tails, they have no need to call them Cajun popcorn; one taste would convert almost anyone to Cajunism. Their gumbo is a hearty brew, and anybody who has been feeling grumpy about the shrimp remoulade served in these parts will be instantly cheered by this tangy version.

Butter figures heavily on the Patout menu (they make their own), and the main dishes ($16-$20) are absurdly rich, not at all spicy, and extremely generous. The menu changes daily, but be prepared to stagger out the door after tackling redfish topped with crab or trout wrapped up in bacon.

Although the restaurant may not look like our idea of Louisiana, it sure feels like it. Call up to make a reservation, and a sweet Southern voice is likely to reply, “Bye baby. See ya.”