Cajun Big Easy (Mall at Tuttle Crossing)

[no spots due to nausea]

I really should have known better than to stop at the Tuttle Crossing food court for lunch. But I'd just picked up a Valentine's Day gift for Mrs. Fine-Burger and needed a quick bite, and the friendly Cajun Big Easy counter guy called out, "Hey, you like chicken! Try a free sample!"

Why, yes, sir, as a matter of fact, I do like chicken. And the little morsel he handed me on a toothpick was promisingly good. So I ordered a bourbon chicken platter with rice, sweet corn, and mashed potatoes, and a big Coke to wash it down, and found a seat at a counter facing the Cajun Big Easy storefront. I was intrigued by Mr. Big Easy's sales pitch and wanted to see how many of my fellow mall patrons would be drawn in. It's easy to ignore a hollering perfume-counter lady or a cellphone-kiosk guy, but who's going to refuse free chicken?

As I watched, I took my first forkful of chicken and rice. Mild and sweet with a hint of garlic. Not bad. Then I took my second forkful, which turned out to be nothing but chicken fat and gristle. Oops. Should have been watching my plate instead of watching the chicken salesman. My instinct was to spit the whole fowl mess back onto my plate, but my mother raised me not to be uncouth in a public dining area, so I chewed it as best I could and gulped it down.

I warily examined the pile of chicken and rice and found that about one-third of the meat was inedible. After I scooped that portion off to the side, I was able to complete the meal, though any pleasure I might have derived from it was long gone. Which is a shame, because the remaining chicken was tasty, or would have been if I hadn't been fighting nausea induced by swallowing parts of a chicken that were never meant to be eaten.

The sweet corn and mashed potatoes were unremarkable. If you'd just had your appendix out and a hospital staffer brought you Cajun Big Easy sweet corn and mashed potatoes, you'd consider them very good.

All in all, not the best way I've ever spent $7.62. Next time I'm hungry at Tuttle, I'll avoid the Big Queasy. Instead of free chicken, perhaps they should give out free Mylanta.