Fast Break: The Jambalaya Shoppe’s pastalaya

Growing up, I was spoiled by my grandmother’s jambalaya. Whenever my family drove down to visit her in New Orleans, she made a huge pot of it, then gave us containers of leftovers (if there were any). When I was in my teens, she finally started sharing her secrets with my mom, who does an admirable job with the Crescent City staple as well. Until yesterday, I would have balked at the idea of pastalaya, a jambalaya dish that subs pasta for rice.

The Jambalaya Shoppe does it right. It’s addicting and flavorful, and each bite is full of chicken and sausage. The pasta itself is non-descript spaghetti, but it tastes like Cajun Lo Mein. Each noodle is layered with pepper. If anyone wanted to get into mixing Asian and Cajun cuisine, this dish could possibly be a gateway. The dinner plate comes with a side of white beans (also delicious), salad and a roll for $7.50. Even my grandmother would enjoy this take on the dish. Me, I call it a lunchtime steal. The new Jambalaya Shoppe opened last month in its new location in the Hammond Aire Plaza shopping center and is open Monday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. —Matthew Sigur