New Orleans flair in Ithaca's West End at Maxie's Supper Club

This week, we're in Ithaca's west end at the consistently great Maxie's Supper Club. Maxie's brings an unmistakable New Orleans flair to Ithaca in its straightforward menu of fish, seafood, sandwiches, and hearty jambalaya and gumbo; its raw bar and cocktail list, and a fun atmosphere that's always lively and often full of free live music.

I'll admit I often start with the appetizers and stop right there, because they're so good. The raw bar features hand-shucked raw oysters and clams, as well as peel-and-eat shrimp, and I get oysters at every opportunity. These come from wherever they'll be freshest right now, whether it's the Canadian Maritimes or New England coast, the Pacific Northwest or the Gulf Coast. Right now they're coming from Connecticut and Massachusetts, and this week's are meaty, tangy, tender, and sweet. Go for a sampler so you can try all the options, then if you need more, you'll know which ones are best. I love the presentation of the oyster platter, with a little bit of cocktail sauce, a little garlic, and freshly grated horseradish, but often as not I'll just pop down the oyster by itself.

If raw shellfish isn't your thing, I suggest the Cajun popcorn, spicy breaded crawfish bites with a delicious remoulade... probably my single most common order at Maxie's, whether I'm there for drinks or dinner or just a late-night snack. Or the fried green tomatoes, always a crowd pleaser.

Maxie's sandwiches are better known as po'boys, a New Orleans term for a chunk of french bread piled high with everything you can imagine. Here at Maxie's they pile their bread with excellent andouille sausage, or fried oysters or shrimp, blackened catfish, grilled chicken, or a bleu cheese burger. An occasional special is the boursin burger po'boy, a mouth-watering burger spread with the herbed cheese and topped with a sliced portobello mushroom. This burger caught my eye the moment I saw it on the specials list, and I'm glad my dining companion convinced me to accept fate. It was a sensational burger with a Dijon mustard zing.

If you like your dinner in a bowl instead of a roll, try the perfect jambalaya or one of my favourite comfort foods, the shrimp and grits with tasso sauce. Maxie's is also one of the best places in town to get pulled pork or BBQ ribs, but I hardly ever get that far down the menu. Vegetarian options include a portobello po'boy or grilled portobello platter, veggie jambalaya, or even BBQ tofu. Add a side of the sweet potato fries just about no matter what else you're getting.

I mentioned the cocktail list, and it's hard to recommend just one specialty, so I'll give you two choices... the perfectly shaken New Orleans Sazerac or a Bloody Mary with a kick... plus a good set of beers on tap and a respectable wine list.

Plan on spending ten to twenty bucks per person on a meal, more if you're really thorough. Pop in at 635 West State Street, visit maxies.com, or call 272-4136 and tell them you heard about them here.