Coo-Wee! Cajun restaurant opening Monday

Fontenot's Po' Boys held a soft opening Friday night for friends, family and five Facebook contest winners and their guests. The new establishment will open to the public on Monday.
Fontenot's Po' Boys held a soft opening Friday night for friends, family and five Facebook contest winners and their guests. The new establishment will open to the public on Monday.

Bringing the spice of Cajun country to Fulton, Ricky and Candy Fontenot will open the doors of Fontenot's Po' Boys at 11 a.m. Monday, just as our collective spirit is focused on the advent of Mardi Gras Tuesday.

"It's been overwhelming," said Ricky Fontenot of his family's decision to open the restaurant at 505 Nichols St. "But we're ready."

The restaurant is steeped in the family tradition of Cajun cooking, using Ricky's mother's recipes from West Monroe, La. Favorites like po' boy sandwiches, gumbo, creole crab-cakes and debris gravy - named for the meat drippings used in its preparation - are cooked in-house. Only two dishes will be brought in. The first being the buttermilk fried shrimp found on the children's menu and the meat pies.

"I really tried to get them right," said Candy, who loves cooking but finally gave in on the meat and pastry dish. "They have to be perfect, so we will be ordering them from Natchitoches Meat Pies in Coushatta, La."

The Fontenots will also be sourcing their bread from Gambino's, a bakery that has been a foundation to New Orleans breads and cakes since 1949. It will be delivered twice a week.

"If you've ever had a good po' boy," said Ricky. "You know the bread is the most important ingredient."

The Fontenots said their favorite recipe is the gumbo, and Ricky said it's not so hot that it's unpleasant.

"But it'll sure make your nose run," he added, shaking his head. Candy countered that it really isn't too spicy, and for those who want a bit more of a kick, they have additional sauces and spices on the tables.

The Fontenots are joined in their venture by their three children: Justin, Amber and Allison, and Allison's husband, Jon Thomas.

"It's exciting to have your name on a business," said Justin Fontenot, who earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management and currently holds a management position with Campus Dining Services at the University of Missouri. "And I wanted to support my parents, so I offered to help."

When speaking to using traditional family recipes, Justin said it is good in some ways because it is familiar. But serving those dishes to others will make it a different type of experience.

Both Amber and Allison have extensive backgrounds in the service industry, and Candy's father, Jim Cain, also pitched in and built the waitress station and covered other necessities that come along when opening a new establishment.

Ricky said that his mother is very proud her son and his family are using the recipes. But did she give them any advice?

"Just make sure it's good, Ricky," is what she told him.