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Vincent's City Club Now in Baton RougeBringing Us the Best of New Orleans
One bite into the Catfish ala Vincent, and I knew Billy was right. This fabulous dish amazed my taste buds. The catfish portion was enormous and perfectly tender with an incredible sauce unlike anything I had ever experienced. The accompanying salad was a meal in itself, and the side of cornbread was fresher and more delicious than any cornbread I have ever tasted. Subsequent trips to Vincent's City Club have only made it more apparent that this is indeed a special restaurant offering not only amazing food (the baby back ribs are stellar) but also a magical atmosphere that draws great entertainers from sheer reputation.
After a brilliant eight-year run in New Orleans, the restaurant was moved to Baton Rouge after being damaged badly by Hurricane Katrina. Vincent and Henry, along with their cook and general manager, Colin (Chuckie) Sylvien, set up their new place at 7132 Florida Boulevard (located on the side street across from Bon Carre Technology Park). "We don't want to be a 'fly-by-night' restaurant," says Vincent. "We've always been in it for the long run."
A DJ entertains on Friday and Saturday nights after 11 pm. "People had been telling me they wanted a place in Baton Rouge where they can enjoy a music-filled weekend and not worry about the madness," says Henry. "We have mature audiences who are here to enjoy a good time." Eight different entrees are offered at Vincent's City club, including the aforementioned Catfish ala Vincent, and their astonishing baby back ribs, a sizable half-order costing only $8.99 at lunchtime. "They are very tender, the very best quality," says Chuckie, "slowly cooked in our sauce, and lots of meat on them." That delicious meet slides effortlessly from the bone for some of the best-tasting ribs you've ever had. "The key thing to our food is that we have our own style," continues Chuckie. "For example, you won't ever taste any other ettouffe like ours." The super-fresh cornbread is made several times daily. "We have customers that come here specifically for our cornbread," says Vincent. This writer recommends this restaurant wholeheartedly, and hopes you will fall in love with it, too. It's a classic, and Baton Rouge is lucky to have it.
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR LUNCH AND DINNER Vincent's City Club 7132 Florida Boulevard (Across from Bon Carre Technology Park) (225) 925-1263
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"You've got to try this restaurant," a long-time resident of Baton Rouge told me a few weeks ago. It was Billy Ross, the State Farm Insurance agent who also appears in this issue of Business Profiles. "It's called Vincent's City Club," Billy said. "It really is special."
"Baton Rouge has opened its arms to us and been very gracious," says Vincent Butler, co-owner along with his partner, Henry Augustus. The two men have been in the food and entertainment industry since the late 1970s, when they opened a successful disco called The Famous Theater. After the disco business petered out in the mid-'80's, the men separated for a time only to reunite in the late '90's for Vincent's City Club, which combined food and musical entertainment to great success.
Music on Friday evening starts at 8 and includes R&B and soul, as well as jazz. Old-school Sundays start at 7:30 and feature the superb Lejit. Other house regulars include Black Ice, Mellow, and 2 da-T. Once a month, blues singer Gina Brown makes her way to Vincent's City Club to wow the crowd with her soulful blues.
