Try File’ Gumbo in Carson at Darrow’s New Orleans Grill

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carson’s Darrow’s New Orleans Grill.

Please tell us about how you got started in the restaurant business.
I was born in New Orleans, my family once cooked for the world renown Commander’s Palace in the fame garden district of New Orleans for over 27 years and I once worked for the Hilton family in New Orleans. We first started our first generation family business here in Los Angeles on February 1, 1988, manufacturing praline candy for all the Nordstrom’s, Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills and we use to bake for Starbucks. We got into the retail business by default, someone we trusted sabotaged us and we had to find something fast quick and in a hurry. We open Uncle Darrow’s Cajun/Creole Eatery, our first eatery on February 4, 1994 on Venice Boulevard in Los Angeles, our second in Marina Del Rey on December 26, 1999. Then we open a new concept in Carson, Darrow’s New Orleans Grill. It’s the first fast casual of its genre with a full bar. We are the official Rum Bar of southern California. We have put a different spin on this type of cuisine, we give you a healthy version with no beef or pork, fresh seafood grilled or fried. We also give free samples of our food to first time guest.

Has it been a smooth road to get to where you are today?
It was challenging on different fronts, none of us had a business background. First misstep, we got the wrong type of attorney who was not a business attorney but a litigator. Setup the wrong type of business entity, we had to spend more money fixing it. We open a banking account with a bank that wasn’t a business bank. We had to redo the packaging for Nordstrom at the eleventh hour because it was a little controversial. That took a big bite out of our budget. We started cultivating relationships with people who were running successful businesses and sitting at their feet. Ervin “Magic” Johnson was a major benefactor of ours. We partnered with him on several projects. He wrote a New York Times Best Seller called “32 Ways to be a Champion in Business” we are featured in it. We were able to overcome many of our challenges by nurturing relationships.

Tell us about what makes Darrow’s New Orleans Grill special or unique?
We are the first of its kind Cajun/Creole fast casual eatery with a full bar along with a Louisiana theme. We offer tasty vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes, options of grilled or fried, no pork products or lard. Our secret menu items include full entrees like the “Big Easy” Supper which includes 4 catfish, 4 shrimp, 4 oysters along with 2 sides and French Bread. A complete Rum Bar with fresh fruit along with our signature drinks, Darrowrita, Hurricane’s and Daiquiris.