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Where Southport Avenue Meets Bourbon Street
Monday Jan 22, 2007.
By Dana Kavan
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 photo: Dana Kavan The damage: $9 with a free string of beads tossed in. Thousands of bars in Chicago, why this one? I've never been to New Orleans, but I would venture to guess Chicago's Southport Avenue and Bourbon Street have little in common. For starters, Bourbon lies in the French Quarter, a historical name to represent the area's crepe and croissant roots. Southport, on the other hand, is the main hub of the Southport Corridor neighborhood, a name cooked up by real estate agents to sell more condos in West Lakeview. Like Bourbon, there's plenty of drunken debauchery on Southport—most of which can be seen at Justin's after 3 a.m.—but instead of flashing for beads, partiers stumble into cabs. Despite the neighborhood's shortcomings, Southport is home to a place that represents The Big Easy better than any other locale in Chicago: The Blue Bayou. How it went down: The Hurricane's high sugar quotient, thanks to generous pours of pineapple and orange juice, serves as its own defense mechanism. Without it, I would've sucked the drink down without stopping for air. The bright pink elixir could come in a juice box, it tastes so innocently alcohol-free. But alcohol-free it is not. Bayou's Hurricane blends Bacardi dark and light rums and is topped off with Bacardi 151. I don't know if it was the 151 proof alcohol or the fact that the sweet drink looks like a beach sunset in a glass, but the Hurricane (though it's served nice and cold) warmed my body with each sip. Would I want to become a regular? It would be easy to go overboard with a Mardi Gras theme, as there's nothing understated about the legendary party. But Blue Bayou's intricate woodwork, intriguing chandeliers and festive prints craft an elegant decor. Dramatic masks, photographs and sculptures honor New Orleans' heritage while decorating the darkly lit room. The crowd fits the mid-twenties age bracket that most Southport bars entice, but Bayou draws a mellower group looking to hang out with friends and dine on quality Creole and Cajun cooking. For dinner, pick any item with seafood, like the Louisiana crab cakes to start and the pecan-crusted tilapia or etouffee with shrimp for your entree. Wash it down with one of the specialty drinks and you'll be good to go. Or, as the message written on the bar says, you'll be ready to "let the good times roll." Dana Kavan scours the city for drink deals so good you'll offer to buy a round and creative libations that outshine your average on-the-rocks concoctions. Want to give Dana tips on where to rack up a bar tab? Share your finds before her next night out.
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