by Jeanni Ritchie
I’d been trying to get to Cane River Commissary for a while. Aeryn, a friend’s daughter was working there and it was owned by the family of one of my dad’s favorite coworkers, Camille. It had been popping up all over social media and word of mouth indicated it was very good.
My first planned trip was while I was staying in a gorgeous airbnb on nearby Cane River in Natchez, LA. Check out those digs here: airbnb.com/l/ZV6b3eaG
Alas, I’d inadvertently left my debit card on my dresser so it was peanut butter and crackers all week. It would be another three months before I was able to try again.
It was worth the wait! Cane River Commissary wasn’t just a meal, it was an entire experience.
My sister and I took our dad for Father’s Day lunch, along with our mom, my brother-in-law, and niece. We spent a couple of hours in the plantation commissary-turned-restaurant filled with history and charm. We chose the indoor seating, a smart decision as an afternoon storm rolled in halfway through our meal.
It did nothing to dampen our spirits. Half our table had cocktails while the other half focused on the appetizers Chef Chuck brought out: mini meat pies and boudin eggrolls, the latter of which were concocted by Chuck and absolutely amazing. (And that comes from non-boudin eaters!) Chuck creates many dishes each week that will only be found on the chalkboard outside. They aren’t on the menu, the dishes merely coming to life in the chef’s head. With Cane River Commissary for five of the eight years they’ve been opened, he’s been creating dishes for over 30 years. Like many chefs, Chuck is a true artist in blending flavors and plating creations.
We all had different entrees: Dad had the day’s special, the off-menu chicken fried chicken with gravy and homemade mashed potatoes that we all had a bite of, feeling like Mema Ritchie had come down from Heaven with an assist in the kitchen! Around the rest of the table were chicken strips, steak, shrimp pasta, pork tenderloin, loaded potato casserole, corn maque choux, French fries, garlic bread, and a fried shrimp and catfish platter. Everything was fresh and seasoned well. We went home with multiple take-home containers but not without trying dessert first. After all, it was a celebration!
Chef Chuck brought us his dessert specialty of the day- italian crème cake eggrolls drizzled with a coconut sauce which the coconut lovers at our table devoured while the rest of us said thank you, next.
Next was a little menu mash-up: the fluffy beignets with the hot praline sauce that usually accompanies the bread pudding. One can never be too full for beignets!
We enjoyed our meal, a long leisurely Sunday dinner filled with laughter, love, and great food. We loved meeting and visiting with everyone, from the other diners to the servers. From cutie pie Dominick to sweet Tiffany and adorable Camryn, the service is top-notch and you leave feeling like you had been the guest of honor!
Cane River Commissary is located at 4191 Hwy. 494, Natchez, LA. They are open Tues–Fri 4 pm – 9 pm; Sat 11 am – 9 pm; Sun 11 am – 8 pm. They can be reached at 318-238-6360.
Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana. She can be reached at jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.
