A Louisiana Transplant Brings Cajun Soul to a Utah Gas Station
As he watched owner Jason Davis mix his signature spice blend using a cement mixer, Guy Fieri commented, “It’s only somebody from Louisiana who has a cement mixer that they’re gonna mix their own Cajun blend.” While that cement mixer may be slightly out of the ordinary, it is a testament to the ingenuity and passion that is inspiring Bayou Namos located in Logan, Utah—a gas station converted into a Cajun culinary powerhouse.
Davis has relocated from Louisiana, and brought with him true Cajun and Creole cuisine to an unexpected corner of Utah. Guy also discovered the Smoky Blackened Chicken Pasta, which shows precisely why this restaurant has been deemed to be \\”the epitome of Cajun and southern cuisine.\\”
The Art of the Cajun Spice Blend
The process begins with the homemade Cajun seasoning. Davis filled his cement mixer with salt, cayenne (and a lot of it), onion powder, black pepper, chili pepper, paprika, and granulated garlic. He said, “That’s it”, and let the mixer run for five minutes, creating the base for everything to come.
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What Bayou Namo’s does differently is that they make their own seasonings from scratch. As Davis explained to Guy, many people think that Cajun food revolves around spice, but “it’s a method”, and he tries to express that through each dish.
Building the Blackened Chicken Pasta
The chicken gets seared for near four minutes on each side, afterwards it is placed into the smoker for 40 minutes at 225 degrees. Smoking adds a depth to the dish without making it hot, Guy noted.
The creativity in this former gas station kitchen is clearly displayed as Davis cooks the entire pasta dish on only two small burners. When they opened, he even worked with just one burner. He adds the mushrooms, tomatoes, and green onions that he has been warming up to the pasta that is only partially cooked. Then, he adds garlic, parmesan, black pepper, and heavy cream along with his homemade Creole seasoning.
The completed dish is finished with some garlic bread and chives “for color and fun.”
Guy’s Verdict
Guy articulated why the pasta worked after tasting it. He stated, “You add just enough cream to keep it moist and just enough seasoning to keep it alive.” He complimented the sauce for how well it absorbs into the pasta, and called the spice “incredible.” The other dishes Guy has highlighted, from Barbecue from a Baltimore Food Truck to a Gigantic Meatball Sub in Alaska, have also worked because of technique and not cutting corners.
Tips from the Bayou Namo’s Kitchen
Smoke your protein: This step takes plain blackened chicken and adds some real interest. It takes 40 minutes at low heat (225°F) to do its thing.
To make sure there are pieces of chicken in every forkful of the dish, Davis adds the smoked chicken to the pasta after cutting it into ‘nice bite-sized pieces.’
Make sure you control your cream: Do not drown the pasta! A little goes a long way when it comes to keeping the dish moist and not overwhelming the Cajun seasoning you built.
Pre-cooking the pasta: When using pre-cooked pasta, it will finish cooking in the sauce and absorb all the flavors instead of sitting on top.
Visit our restaurant directory to discover more Triple D destinations, as well as Cajun-inspired places that Guy has been to, and find out what’s cooking near you.