Vermilion Cajun Seafood & Grill. The dining room is deceptive but fret not, cher. Vermilion is Cajun cool with a serious zydeco kick. The Boudreaux brothers, Cori and Dru, cook up a racy slew of roux-based creations amid décor that is best described as eclectic. In Vermilion’s case, that overused adjective is apropos. The stark black-and-white interior is punctuated with whimsy: garage mirrors behind the ornate bar, chain-link fence dividers, vibrant plexiglass artwork, and a grid of pinpoint lights overhead. No, nothing particularly Creole here—except for the food.
A hearty bowl of rich chicken and sausage gumbo was thick and satisfying. Other ideal starters were the crispy and zesty crawfish boudin balls. Dinner entrées are a tantalizing mix of beef, game, seafood, and pasta dishes. Crispy Cajun duck was an instant favorite: the rich bird’s skin crackled with spice, though the accompanying dirty rice was a bit gummy. Filet Jumonville was too much of everything: an 8-ounce filet was stuffed with crawfish and cheese and topped with lobster-brandy cream sauce then set atop a grilled portobello mushroom. It was overkill in the worst way. Much better were the seafood options. Eye-opening catfish was rolled in Cajun spices and fried golden brown. But my favorite was a lunchtime-only offering of mesquite-grilled tilapia. Glazed with honey mustard and blanketed by a shrimp Creole sauce, this fish dish was sweet, sassy, and just filling enough for lunch.
Service is much like Vermilion itself: a crazy-quilt mix of experienced, fun-loving pros and bumbling, novice servers. Given time, this Knox-Henderson cafe should iron out the kinks and become an excellent addition to the neighborhood. 4447 N. Central Expwy., Ste. 100. 214-522-0218. $$. —T.J.
Photo: Doug Davis
