Confined by space and location, the original Rum House on Magazine Street in New Orleans has officially been trumped by its roomy Baton Rouge outpost. It sports a breezy patio with plenty of fans and colorful lights, and even on a warm day it’s a refreshing space. With reggae music at an acceptable volume and a relaxed, rustic outdoor bar complete with rope swing seats and a humongous Bob Marley mural, we felt transported to a barefoot beachside location, albeit with live oaks rather than palm trees.
If the indoors is more to your liking, the beach bar feel also spills into the bright and spacious dining area with a bar that boasts leather and wooden captain’s chairs.
Managing partners Michael Buchert and Kelly Ponder both grew up in Baton Rouge and have family here, so after the success of the New Orleans Rum House, they jumped at the chance to build a Capital City location from the ground up, starting last year and finally opening in March.
The warm breeze, the music and the allure of the surroundings enticed us to sit outside. Glancing at the tables, we noticed empty rum bottles with rolled-up paper sticking out the top. Their message was rum—a broad list of rums from several countries with organized rum flights available for those unable to choose just one.
Slightly overcome by the exhaustive rum list, we thought it best to order food first, beginning with the Rum House Salad and Chorizo Roti Flatbread. The menu claimed a roti should be thought of like a Caribbean burrito, but in flatbread form, it looked more like an island pizza. This substantial appetizer was loaded with cheese, chorizo and a saucy onion mixture. We both thought the dish was a bit salty, but the addition of spicy pickled carrots and lime added a layer of flavor that worked to mitigate the salt. With your buddies, cold beers and a game on one of the TVs, this crispy, charred and flavorful appetizer would quickly disappear.
The Rum House Salad included roasted sweet potatoes, fresh beets, mixed greens, goat cheese and walnuts all tossed in a pungent, sour/sweet curry vinaigrette. The fresh ingredients shined through, but my companion thought the salad dressing was the best part.
With an extensive list of tacos, sandwiches and large plates on the menu, we took some time deciding on our entrees. Still quite hungry after the roti and rabbit food, I went for a “Bigg Plate” of Grilled Fish of the Day with a side of cornbread dressing. It’s normally served with coconut rice, but I substituted Jerk Rasta Veggies to accompany the daily fish of mahi mahi. The fish was flaky and fresh, made more delicious with a succulent, creamy crab sauce and the discovered buried treasure of avocado chunks hidden in the sauce. I thought the vegetable side dish—a mix of squash, carrots, onions and peppers—lacked jerk flavor and consistency, with some veggies overcooked while others were undercooked. But the tasty side of cornbread dressing was soft and rich with more than a hint of sweetness. The surprises of a soft plantain slice and a sweet, crunchy cornbread “cookie” rounded out this gratifying meal.
Aware that the Rum House is known for its unique tacos, my companion chose a Taco Trifecta of Chili Glazed Shrimp, Duck Duck Goose and Calypso Beef with a side of black beans. Fried and coated in a chili rum sauce, the shrimp taco was sticky sweetness that coated the palate. Aside from the sweetness and a sprinkling of roasted poblano and red pepper relish, there was little else to make this distinctive. The Duck Duck Goose taco was simple, featuring crispy duck crackling, slaw and a rum sauce, but it lacked boldness on its own. Paired with my cornbread dressing, though, it transformed into a south Louisiana Thanksgiving dinner with a Caribbean flair.
Heralded by my companion as the best of the three, the meat of the Calypso Beef taco was cooked to the rare side of medium and complemented by guacamole and lime sour cream. This flavorsome four-biter left us both wishing for more.
The bean side dish was slightly thick, flavored with black pepper and the addition of chorizo and cooled with a dollop of sour cream. These beans could easily be my new choice for a last meal.
Never able to resist a Key Lime Pie, we made that our final choice of the afternoon. This pie seems to break all the rules except the most important: immense flavor. Tangy with a colossal wallop of lime, it was textured and cake-like rather than creamy—different but undoubtedly delectable. Topped with a brűléed meringue that contrasted nicely with the tang, it was a praiseworthy rendition of an island favorite.
Before we departed I walked around to get a feel for the whole outdoor space. Upon passing the bar, I couldn’t resist taking a swing on the rope seats. The bartender commented that it makes you feel like you’re not even in Baton Rouge. My suspended reality was almost complete untila siren-blaring emergency vehicle passed on Perkins Road and brought me back. But even with the distractions of road noise nearby, I could be completely content swinging at the bar, sipping rum drinks and whiling away an afternoon.
