Coast Cuisine - February 2015

by Lisa Monti
This month - The Cleaver crew enjoys lunch at the new Ricky's location in the Depot District. 

Chef Rickey Peters

On opening day January 7, Rickey’s Off the Tracks’ kitchen and wait staff didn’t miss a beat serving a full house of customers who started arriving even before the official 11 a.m. opening.

Rickey Peters, who had previous restaurants in Waveland and Bay St. Louis, started the new year with a new menu in a new location at the corner of Hancock and Blaize, across from the duck pond in the Depot District.

First-day service was smooth and the food got high marks though Rickey’s is still a work in progress, said co-owner Kevin Jordan.

“We’re getting the kinks worked out,” he said post-opening. “All the little things are coming together.” One addition right off the bat: the addition of veggie plates to fill in the vegetarian gap on the menu.

The opening day lunch crowd included eleven of us from the Cleaver. Selections varied among the salads sandwiches and other offerings. Gumbo was heavily favored on my end of the table. I enjoyed my generous portion too, and next time I’ll try a sandwich on the delicious-looking bread.

Here’s Cathy Lawson’s take:

I love a good gumbo! And I can say the inaugural gumbo Carol McKellar and I had today was wonderful. I know I should have ordered something different to allow a broad review, but when I saw the words "Gumbo Ya Ya" I was weak. And I also followed Carol's lead and ordered potato salad with the gumbo. All I can say is my bowl was empty. Rich roux. Lots of meat and seafood in it. Laissez les bons temps rouler! I'll get the shrimp étouffée tomorrow!

Ellis Anderson gave high marks to the roasted turkey and boudin sandwich, which featured a thick spread of boudin.  I've never seen it on any menu before, so had to try it.  Then I couldn't figure out why I hadn't seen it on any menu before - the combination was a match made in a heavenly kitchen.  The étouffée is built around a seafood stock that marries savory layers of flavor - I'd put it up against some of the best restaurants in New Orleans. 

Jordan said the new meatloaf hamburger, made with fresh ground chuck and dressed, has become a new favorite. It tops the list among the Cubano (roast pork, ham, Swiss), Portofino (ham, Genoa salami, provolone, olive salad), Cochon de Lait (tender roast pork) and other sandwich choices. Along the gumbo lines are crawfish étouffée and alligator jambalaya.

There’s more to come from Rickey’s. “We’re hoping to do some deliveries in the Bay-Waveland area and to start our patio addition soon. Once we get that done we’ll add some traditional Rickey’s entrees.”

Hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. until closing on Saturday. Call ahead at 228-344-3201.

The Turkey and Boudin sandwich - different and to die for.

Bacon lovers will swoon over the BLT at the new Rickeys.

The Cleaver crew enjoys the opening day of Rickeys