Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler! With Papa Beaudreaux’s

Where Authenticity is King

Copyright 2009 Shari Lacy

Our drive down historic Old Boyd Mill Pike took us through the rolling landscape next to the new Westhaven Golf Course and out to Old Hillsboro Pike where we headed south to Leipers Fork and then onto the Natchez Trace towards the Kinderhook Exit.

Two momentarily interested white tailed deer shot us a quick glance as we passed their roadside dinner spot at sunset, only sparing a brief moment to see what we were up to and then quickly turning back to their grassy meal. It was dinnertime.

Our car, filled with five hungry passengers, was headed to Fly, TN, for an evening of culinary enjoyment and Cajun excitement, at a small, out of the way hole in the wall that we’d all heard tales about but that all but one of us had yet to experience. We were headed to Papa Beaudreaux’s.

Resident Alison Ude’s drove us in her car past the Fly general store on our left where we could see Mr. B. Wilbur Fly closing up shop for the night. Kacky Johnson told us about the town of Fly saying, “The Fly family settled the area. Fly is full of Flys! As a matter of fact, most of ‘em are Flys!”

We then passed the Fly Church of the Nazarene and not long after, we saw it. A tree lit up with Christmas lights and a canary yellow cinderblock building sitting quietly at the back of a gravel parking lot. This was Papa Beaudreaux’s.

The building, although utilitarian in appearance, also looked fun and colorful amidst all of the brown trees and faded out grass. Signs hanging from the building, lights along the gutters and the signature Cajun flavor wafting through the air, greeted us as we exited the car. We were ready and very, very hungry.

First thing to know is that Papa’s is not a big place. With only 7 or 8 tables in the entire place, you’d better arrive early or off-season if you want to be seated quickly. Red and white checkered picnic style cloths cover the old diner style tables and Mardi Gras beads serve as decoration. Chili pepper lights provide a warm red glow around the ceiling.

Everything is made from scratch here and dishes can be made to order if you call ahead. Gumbo, Shrimp Creole, Garlic Shrimp Pasta, Catfish Diablo are some of the items on the handwritten menu on the wall. We were the first to arrive this time but Westhaven Operations Director Amy Law was with us and she’d been here before. She introduced us to Papa Beaudreaux. When I asked him what originally brought him to Fly, of all places, the straightest answer I could get was “The witness protection program…ssshhh…don’t tell anybody!” and then he threw me a wink.
Papa is a shorter gentleman with a large presence, eyeglasses and a politically incorrect style of speaking that after a few minutes becomes endearing and intriguing at every turn. It is quickly apparent that he’s the real thing. Nothing pretentious here.

Born and raised in New Orleans, he’ll be the first to tell you that he doesn’t appreciate anything fake. He’s all about the real deal and makes no bones about it. “I retired 7 ½ years ago, lived in Russia and the Ukraine, a Buddist temple and an Oshram and then I decided to get married! My wife’s from New York.“

There are times during our conversation that I wondered if I was getting the true story or fabricated bits and pieces that made for more adventure. I’ll never know but either way, I was completely engaged in the conversation. Papa and his wife started a family and wanted to raise their daughter someplace other than the big city. It was through acquaintances that they knew about Fly. Arriving 5 years ago, they bought some land and a small building that was originally intended to be horse stables but now encompasses the restaurant.

The original concept for Papa Beaudreauxs was for catering and after visiting a Cajun restaurant in Nashville, whose “authentic gumbo” was more like “my grandmother’s vegetable soup,” as Papa puts it, he decided to start a Cajun restaurant that served it up just like they did in NOLA in his younger years. “I believe a chef needs to dwell with an authenticity,” he says. “My daddy helped me get back to authenticity with my cooking. My brother Charles does it differently. He’s a wonderful cook! He cooks what he does, the best and I do what I do, the best. I like eating other peoples food rather than mine. I’m really adamant about authentic food and eating what someone else cooks, and the way that they cook it is the real deal,” he adds.

I continued talking with Papa while Kacky Johnson, Amy Law, Julia Corrigan and Alison Ude delved into our delicious family style servings of Catfish Diablo and Shrimp Creole to name a few. We ordered five dishes in all. The Catfsh Diablo was a favorite as it was spicy but not too spicy, literally melted in your mouth and was doused in a delicious red sauce cooked up in the back room. “I like things to be soupy yet hearty. The way they make it in South Louisiana. I knew I was on to something when comedian David Brenner, a Louisiana native, said to me, ‘Your gumbo is just like my grandmothers! There was passion oozing through his every word,’” he says with a sly grin.

Amy says, “When you take a bite, the flavor literally just explodes in your mouth!” and the feeling among the group was mutual. There wasn’t one dish one the table that someone didn’t truly enjoy but if you’re on a diet, best to think twice before coming. Papa’s uses the best ingredients but he doesn’t cut any corners. This was evident when we finished our meal with our choice of blackberry cobbler and chocolate bread pudding.

It is telling that Papa’s culinary hero is Gordon Ramsey from the television show Hell’s Kitchen. “I love that show. He’s my idol!” Papa even sent a letter challenging him to a cook off. No word on that yet.

Above all, it’s quite apparent that Papa B loves what he does and he’s very good at it. His son does much of the kitchen work in the Fly location now. He’s getting ready to open up a second location off of I-40 near Dickson in the Ramada Inn. Who knows if the new location will be as good as the original. Many times, a sequel loses the ambiance but either way, you’re sure to get some delicious Cajun cooking.

We left with our bellies filled, our souls happy and ready to visit Papa’s again. Leave yourself a good 45 minutes to an hour to get there, but you won’t be sorry. Be ready for the real thing. You’ll be sure to find it at Papa Beaudreax’s.