TAYLORVILLE - The best way to describe the generous helpings of tasty Louisiana-style cuisine served up at Gambino's Louisiana Restaurant in Taylorville?
"It's a party in your mouth," laughed owner Gaetano Gambino.
Contrary to popular belief in Central Illinois, cajun creole dishes are zesty, flavorful, invigorating ... and not necessarily hot.
"A lot of people are scared to eat cajun because they automatically think it's going to be hot," Gambino said. "Louisiana food is not hot. Louisiana food has a flavor that has taste; the different spices are not necessarily heat spices but spices for taste. People have been ruined thinking that all Louisiana food is hot."
It is Gambino's hope to prove otherwise to the Midwest.
Gambino arrived in Illinois in 2005 from New Orleans to help a restaurant chain open in Central Illinois. When Hurricane Katrina hit his hometown that August, he felt he had no choice but to stay in the area. His restaurant first opened as a cafe in Rochester in July 2006, and he later added the rich and flavorful cajun dishes that now set Gambino's Louisiana Restaurant apart from other restaurants in the area.
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"My food is unique here; I figured I would try to make my food work up here," he said, and added with a laugh, "plus that first summer and winter were really nice here, so I didn't think Illinois weather was too bad!"
Gambino's move to Taylorville took place in March 2009. The restaurant space increased to 3,000 square feet, which is about triple the size of his last space, he said.
Everything on the menu of Gambino's was either created by Gambino himself or came from a family recipe. For instance, Gambino's sister taught him how to make gumbo when he was a kid, and today, the chicken and sausage gumbo on his menu is his mother's recipe.
"It's always a variation of something I learned along the way," he said. "Nowhere in the world will you find it cooked exactly like that."
Grilled Shrimp Slidell is just one Gambino specialty, served covered with creamy crab and crawfish sauce and named after the Louisiana town where Gambino lived as a child and worked with his parents at their restaurant, Gambino's Seafood. Other specialties on his menu include the catfish platter, Jambalaya, crawfish etoufee and alligator plate. Try one or all of these dishes topped off with a beignet, a traditional New Orleans deep-fried pastry that is dusted with sugar and served warm.
Gambino regularly makes trips to the New Orleans area to get his seafood fresh.
"Creole New Orleans-style ... that's what I do," he said. "It's a better blend of spices, not as much heat. I give people the flavor they can't get anywhere else. I want people to be happy with what they eat and say ‘wow' when they come here."
Jim Weddigen of Springfield first came to Gambino's during its first month of business in Rochester because he likes to support local businesses, he said.
Now, Weddigen makes regular trips to Taylorville to eat at Gambino's and visit with Gambino, who has become a good friend. And whenever Weddigen's parents visit from Detroit, they also insist on dining at Gambino's.
"G is the epitome of a local businessman trying to make a go of it," Weddigen said. "The reason I keep coming back is G; he takes good care of people. He's innovative and tries new things."
Adding to the traditional New Orleans experience is the ambiance and decor of Gambino's restaurant. Murals of New Orleans streets line the walls along with paintings of jesters, New Orleans carnival masks and other Mardi Gras-esque decor. A centrally-located bar, which breaks up front and back dining rooms, serves up hurricane cocktails that transport patrons straight to Bourbon Street. And Gambino himself makes rounds to the tables to socialize with his customers as part of a laidback, welcoming atmosphere.
Diners have begun to drive all the way from St. Louis or the Chicago area to eat at the Taylorville restaurant, Gambino said.
Gambino trains his cooks for at least six months to create his distinctive dishes and assures that his staff knows how to take care of his customers. A good dining and social experience is just as important to him as good food.
"I figure if you get good service and decent food, I have a winning combination," he said.
As you leave Gambino's, you'll not only have a full belly (and a to-go box), but you'll also likely be waving good-bye to Gambino himself and other new friends, finding it hard to stop smiling.
"I have the gratification of making people happy," he said. "I like this particular type of food because it gives people a new experience. Food is not only an edible thing but a social thing where I'm from. In Louisiana, it's not just the food: It's the people, and I try to bring some of that up here."
