Roux 61 Open in Baton Rouge

Never been but the menu looks like countless other places in Baton Rouge. I wish someone would open up an original concept.

I checked out the menu and this caught my eye.

THE ULTIMATE B.L.T. $18.95

Battered and deep-fried bacon, topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles and Roux sauce.

While a BLT with deep fried bacon sounds like something I would try, what possibly makes it worth $18.95 for a sandwich and fries?

It isn't as if frying the bacon is some exotic treatment that adds to the cost. The other Po-Boys are in the $13-15 range (say what you will about that pricing) but I really want to know what prompted them to bump the BLT that much.

Your Mom's, Lasseignes American Grill, Roux 61, Marty J's, Canefield Tavern... all brand new places serving the same thing that Sammys, Dempseys, Chimes, Roccos, BrewBachers, etc. serves.

It seems like if you want to open a restaurant, you probably have a passion for the product. Yet that doesn't seem to be the case. Why someone would sink so much money into opening a place that serves the same food as everywhere else completely confuses me. I mean, Canefield Tavern isn't much different than the very restaurant it replaced.

Because they want to take their concept from Natchez to a bigger population center. They don't care that it is similar fare to their competitors. Were people surprised that their menu is the same as the one at their original location?

Then, I'm not sure I understand your previous post. Why would the owners of a restaurant opening up a second location demonstrate a lack of passion for their product?

I guess the passion part was poorly worded. My question is more a matter of.. do all of these people truly have a passion for making roast beef poboys and catfish plates? Or do they just see Sammy's (or in this case, their first location) doing well making that style of food and make their decision based off of that?

I guess I see where it makes sense to take what is successful in Point A and recreate it in Point B.. but it certainly seems that many commonly failed restaurants in BR are ones doing this type of fare in an over-saturated market.

ETA: Upon 2nd look at the menu, this place is more like a Mike Anderson's, Sammy's, Parrain's .. which may be more successful than the poboy/sandwich joints since it is located on Bluebonnet where the only seafood is Ralph and Kacoos, which is not good.

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I guess the passion part was poorly worded. My question is more a matter of.. do all of these people truly have a passion for making roast beef poboys and catfish plates? Or do they just see Sammy's (or in this case, their first location) doing well making that style of food and make their decision based off of that?

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Some of these cookie cutter places really do have a lack of passion for the product. Menu items (especially 'fresh' seafood not/never available, fish of the day is perpetually tilapia, miserable employees). Fortunately the BR market is starting to reject them and you see more of these places closing doors and more creative and serious ventures around town these days. Not saying this place has that lack of passion but they may be overestimating the market for their product.

Then again, Pat's sank miserably even though there isn't a seafood restaurant anywhere near it.

Honestly, I think people have their tried and true seafood joints and don't mind driving to get to them. The only thing that makes me think Roux 61 may have a chance at being okay (assuming their food is really good) is that it is a better location. It is near the mall and there are restaurants nearby. Pat's had the disadvantage of being in an area that wasn't a destination for many people, even though it was well-traveled through. Also having overpriced bad food.

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Louisiana Lagniappe is right there, too, though.

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ugh, no

I'm excited to check it out, but yeah looks like everything on the menu is about $5 too high.