Every once in a while, we all have an opportunity to meet extraordinary people who teach us about life. One such person I met is Norwood Clark, the proprietor of Uncle Darrow’s Cajun Restaurant. The fact that this business has been successful for 14 years in Marina del Rey, and that the cuisine is the very best, attracting folks from throughout the world such as Russia, Germany, China, New Orleans and locals from Riverside, California is not the biggest reason people return again and again. It’s the philosophy of Norwood Clark, concentrating on “Customer Care.”
“We care about the people we meet and make them part of our family,” he says. Norwood Clark has the knowledge of Cajun cooking, his family cooked for Commanders Place for 27 years. Known chefs have learned from them.
Norwood was born in New Orleans, raised by his grandfather with 12 other siblings. Norwood lives the American dream and dares to be different and show his appreciation to the people he meets. So, what’s that got to do with food you might ask? Ah, it’s what people remember on the experience they enjoyed at Uncle Darrow’s.
While perusing the menu, I met Courtney Triggs, the Executive Producer for Glassrock Entertainment. Cru, his new film will be released shortly. Mr. Triggs is one of the loyal customers who drive from Burbank to buy a Po Boy sandwich. We were talking about Uncle Darrow’s Turkey or the Cajun Chicken link, and the Oyster, Bayou Classic and the Bar-B-Que.
One young man had driven from Riverside to celebrate his birthday. To his surprise, everyone came out to sing happy birthday to a nice slice of Uncle Darrows cake. This is the kind of memorable experiences patrons enjoy when they stop by for a bite to eat.
In talking with Norwood Clark, we decide to put to the test, the Catfish, Chicken, Collard Greens, and the Red Beans and Rice. There’s no question as to the quality and the taste of this cuisine. In fact, the cooks marinate the beans for 24 hours, along with the chicken. It makes all the difference in taste and the aroma you can smell from the kitchen.
On March 8th, Uncle Darrow’s will host a New Orleans Festival with live blues and other N’Orleans surprises. Of course, they’ll have their famous Jambalaya.
What most folks don’t know is the healthy aspect of the cuisine Uncle Darrow’s serves. Their beans, fish, collard greens are Gluten free. The main ingredients used in preparing these dishes are, celery, green peppers, parsley, garlic and onions with some Cajun spice. One important factor in using these ingredients is not cooking beef or pork. These dishes contain only farm raised catfish and turkey, along with items such as sweet potato, shrimp, oysters, and of course, a salad.
In the words of John Larroquette, the famous actor, “This is the best Cajun cuisine I’ve had in 30 years.”
Don’t be surprised to see some recognizable faces dining at Uncle Darrows, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Denzel Washington, to mention two.
Uncle Darrow’s Cajun Cuisine is located on 2560 Lincoln Boulevard in Marina del Rey. Hours are from 11:00am – 9:00pm Monday to Friday and 8:00am – 9:00pm on Saturday to Sunday. They also handle catering events. Find out more at (310) 306-4862 or www.uncledarrows.com
