Da Levee - Columbus, OH - Restaurant Review

I had read a lot of reviews on Da Levee, and was really looking forward to trying them. At the time of this writing, Da Levee is one of the hottest new restaurants around. I had heard it was small, cheap, with friendly service, and a great assortment of tasty cajun/creole dishes. That pretty much sums it up.

The dishes we had were good, but not great. We tried the chili cheese etoufee (a little rich for me), chicken creole (good, not great), maque Choux with Chicken (good after adding some sriracha), and red beans and rice with sausage. The red beans blew the others away with its smoky flavor and general deliciousness. The others were all good, but notable primarily because of their low costs.

Cheap is one of the foremost elements of Da Levee's success formula. A half-plate of food costs $4.50, a full plate goes for $6.00, and a mix and match 2 entree offer for $7. That's a lot of food for not a lot of money.

The inside of this tiny place is funky, from the music selection to the purple walls, and wacky decorations. Think Mardi Gras hits Short North. Equally colorful is the owner behind the counter, a fully tatted fellow who cooks your food after taking your money. Service is very fast.

I didn't think the food was as good here as say Starliner or Louie's,a lot cheaper - a remarkable bargain in the pricey Short North area.