It is still so new, but they do know what they are doing. Beware pescatarians: the seafood gumbo is a shrimp and okra with alligator sausage. While alligator might fall on that meat/not meat border like rattlesnake and iguana, every gator sausage I’ve ever encountered was cut with pork and pork fat. They go different directions, some lean heavily towards an Italian sausage, this one seemed aimed more towards alligator andouille, but they need the animal fat because believe me, alligator fat is something you do not want in your mouth. Even if you have already dressed tail meat delivered to your restaurant, it has to be inspected carefully while prepping to remove any fat the supplier might have missed. This sausage, however, helped create the harvest style gumbo where meat and seafood swim merrily together for your pleasure. True to their New Orleans roots, Jed’s Local pushes that roux just a little darker than other joints, resulting in a thinner gumbo. The poboy shrimp as you can see were plentiful and cornmeal battered. I would say Baton Rouge is pretty evenly split on cornmeal and all purpose white flour treatments for shrimp. I do think I’m going to ask for a mustard batter next time I get the shrimp poboy here though. I think Jed’s is small enough and eager enough to please to consider that special request. My momma used to fry her shrimp that way, coated in yellow mustard then seasoned cornmeal then straight into the hot grease. And like Andy Griffith selling crisp Ritz crackers, they were mmm…mmm… good! Again the staff was bright and friendly and the place spotless. You get the same clean and friendly vibe at Eliza as well. I still want to try the root beer glazed ham and cheese, the shrimp and fried green tomato, and the catfish and coleslaw poboys and the oyster loaf, but I might have to check out one of the daily specials first. It is 36 degrees this morning so I’m already thinking of trying the ramen or bao or both at Chow Yum Phat in White Star Market on Government or coming back here to check out the spaghetti and meatballs. Decisions, decisions!