Jambonz Deux

Jambonz Deux serves Louisiana cuisine in a colorful setting on Main Street in Rapid City, South Dakota. Crystal chandeliers, brass horns, cozy booths, and brightly-painted walls set the scene for a fun meal.

I recommend sitting up front or at the bar, if it’s not too busy. When we dined here, it was busy, so we took a booth in the back. Incessant flies eventually compelled us to cover our food with paper towels.

Flies aside, the place is charming, and offers an excellent deal on some delicious Cajun cooking. We over-ordered, but you would do well to stick with just the Soul Food Platter. At $15, it is a feast of fried catfish, three ribs, a side of gumbo, beans and rice, corn bread, and your choice of collard greens, coleslaw, or spicy green beans.

The fried catfish is light and flaky, served with thick, pickle-heavy tartar sauce. Ribs are meaty and slightly smoky, served with sweet BBQ sauce. Gumbo and beans and rice taste very much alike, both featuring tasty sausage made in house by the owner. Cakelike corn bread has a moist top and crumbly insides. Green beans have a hint of garlic and are only faintly spicy.

Fried green tomatoes arrive with Dijon mustard dipping sauce. They are thinly sliced, juicy inside, and crisp outside. Thick, comforting hushpuppies come with a bear of honey. What’s billed as The Original Po’ Boy doesn’t really do it for us — the ingredients are there, but the flavors don’t sing together. The muffuletta is huge and tasty, but could use a heavier hand with the olive spread to combat the dry bread.

Our waitress claimed that there is a ghost in the restaurant, which seems fitting for a Louisiana joint. Apparently, the ghost likes to take out the key to the basement and bathroom, lock and close the doors.

So, you know, mind your manners while you’re there.