Tucson Weekly: Bayou Bistro (February 19

Nonie Is A Fabulous Fragment Of New Orleans Cuisine Heaven.
By Rebecca Cook
DOWN IN THE bayou, folks will sometimes inquire about your well being by asking, "Have you eaten well today?"
Cutting right to the chase, the answer to this question not only reveals a lot more about your current status than a response to a general, "How are you?" It also speaks volumes about how important food is to the region's culture.
Chow The culinary capitol of this rich empire is unquestionably New Orleans, a city primarily known for two things: music and food, an intoxicating combination that for many of us comes pretty close to defining paradise.
No wonder so many Tucson desert rats make regular pilgrimages to the place.
The opening of a new restaurant in town may, however, reduce the number of frequent-flyer miles racked up by local epicures.
Styled as a New Orleans bistro, Nonie has miraculously succeeded in invoking the luscious spirit of the bayou in the middle of this dusty old town. Gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, beignets, oyster po' boys, you name it. Nonie has it all, including alligator chili. Culled from family recipes, these dishes are not mere facsimiles of Louisiana cooking, but the honest-to-goodness real deal.
Nonie is the brainchild of one Chris Leonard, whose grandmother provided the inspiration and the name for the restaurant. A New Orleans dressmaker who made many of the gowns for mardi gras, Miss Nonie instilled in her grandson a lifetime passion for cajun and creole cooking.
Even though Leonard's immediate family resided in Michigan (his father is author Elmore Leonard), frequent visits to relatives in New Orleans kept young Chris in touch with his rich culinary heritage.
In 1978, Leonard arrived in Tucson with a three-man traveling circus, hoping to perfect an act in the warm winter sunshine, eat a little Mexican food and return before long to life on the road. What was to be a brief stint as between-sets entertainment for a local band, however, eventually evolved into an opportunity to manage a kitchen. Before long, the circus had disbanded, but Leonard stayed put. Twenty years later, Leonard still has his finger in some kitchen pot (stirring a roux no doubt), and what was a grave loss to the entertainment world can definitely be counted as our gain.
Honing his skills over the years at various Tucson restaurants, including the Sausage Deli and Kingfisher, Leonard was ready to launch his own venture. Familiar with the local dining scene, Leonard astutely observed there was one glaring deficit: cajun and creole cuisine.
(For the record: Creole cooking is the creation of the European settlers to New Orleans, most notably the French and Spanish. Creole cooking is best known for its creamy, full-flavored sauces. Cajun cooking is, generally speaking, the down-home version of creole cuisine. It tends to be more robust and peppery than its upscale cousin, and is characterized by its practical one-pot concoctions, such as gumbo, jambalaya and red beans and rice.)
Taking over a burned-out, abandoned old bar on Grant Road near Tucson Boulevard, Leonard transformed the space into a quaint and cozy little bistro that overflows with the sights, sounds and aromas of Bourbon Street. Not only is Nonie's food absolutely delicious, the place a genuine hoot. I haven't had this much fun at a restaurant in a long time.
With the help of other Louisiana natives, Leonard has put together a small but comprehensive menu that covers all the bases. Chef Jim Echerival orchestrates the kitchen with phenomenal energy and elan from an onstage central and open-view location in the middle of the front dining room.
Appetizers at Nonie embody the idea that not only should food taste good, it ought to be fun as well. Fried pickles, dill slices lightly coated in a crisp coating and served with a spicy relish dip, whet the appetite perfectly. Peppered peel-'n'-eat shrimp require a little effort to divest the edible portion of the crustaceans from their casings, but no one seems to mind the splatters and messy fingers, which soon begin to radiate with the heat of the pepper. Wonderful stuff--but be sure to keep a tumbler of cold beer handy for this one.
Nothing at Nonie qualifies as culinary napalm, but this food is not for the faint of heart. Pepper, especially cayenne and black, rule supreme, and few dishes fail to emanate a slight to profound glow.
Such is the case with the gumbo and jambalaya, specific varieties of which change daily. A seafood jambalaya was exquisite, studded with bits of crawfish, shrimp, scallops and chopped onion in a cup of rice that was fluffy and infused with some of that gentle heat. The chicken and andouille sausage gumbo soup was actually quite mild, but a seafood version of the same item was marked on the daily special blackboard as SPICY HOT! Let the diner beware.
Fresh seafood distinguishes many of the daily specials. The night we visited, a blackened yellowtail served with a zingy and refreshing relish of melon and strawberries caught our fancy, and we were not disappointed with our choice. Three huge pieces of fish, heavily seasoned and then blackened, were a suitable parry for the piquant fruit salsa, the flavors of both exciting every possible taste bud.
The Nonie fettuccine--shrimp, scallops and artichoke hearts served in a creamy, spiced tomato sauce--was absolutely exquisite, a zealous potpourri of pasta, fresh seafood and a stunning example of that signature Creole sauce finesse. Truly, this was a dish that satisfied on every level.
Dessert? Most definitely.
A powdered-sugar-dusted, hot beignet, a rectangular puff pastry served with sliced fresh strawberries and, if desired, a steaming cup of coffee, is a delightful way to conclude a meal, although do keep in mind the pecan pie and bread pudding, both of which are excellent. Chocolate addicts should be advised that the only sweet treat not made on site is the chocolate suicide cake, and, given the eminence of the homemade goodies, it falls short of making the Nonie grade.
"New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin," Mark Twain is reported to have said. What an apt description for the food found at Nonie's, which has given us the supreme gift of New Orleans cuisine.
Nonie. 2526 E. Grant Road. 319-1965. Open 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Closed Mondays. Full Bar. V, MC, AMEX, cash, checks. Menu items: $4-$14.

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