Goode’s Q – Bayou and Grill
Ah, Goode’s Q… Just like morphine, you know how to make all the pain go away.
Seriously, though, if everything can go wrong during my day, there’s always Goode’s Q. ‘Southern Comfort’ without either the alcohol content, or fathers with shotguns.
Admittedly, I acquired a taste for Cajun food from my mom’s cooking. It wasn’t that she could cook ‘real Cajun’ but because she had a knack of ‘blackening’ every meat she ever attempted to cook. On the years she hosted the Thanksgiving dinner for the extended family, her Christmas stocking often consisted of kitchen timers and turkey basters.
I used to eat at the place when it was Frank’s or Frankie’s because they had decent food. Then when it went out of business and became a Cajun restaurant, I decided to give it a try. The first thing I actually ever ate there was a simple hamburger. Why a burger at a Cajun place? Simple: You can always tell if a restaurant is worth eating at by having them prepare the simplest thing on the menu. I’ve eaten at places that can really screw up something as simple as a hamburger (CATIN’S), but I’ve never eaten anywhere that could IMPROVE a burger like Goode’s Q. I’m not sure if it’s some sort of seasoning or if it’s the wood in the BBQ grill they use, but even their burgers have a great ‘smokehouse’ flavor. And for less than $8 for the flame-kissed smokehouse burger and battered fries, it’s a no-brainer.
Impressed by their ability to cook what I deem as ‘The Best Burger in Great Falls’ I experimented with other plates and found myself really enjoying the Blackened Shrimp Salad w/ Raspberry dressing and the BBQ Trio. Other co-workers have had po’boys and pulled pork sandwiches and I’ve yet to hear anything but praise for the flavorful food. One interesting side that they seemed to have dropped, but I wish they would bring back is the Dirty Corn because sweet and just a little zesty at the same time.
I’ll admit that during the first frantic couple of weeks it did take me roughly an hour to get the food I ordered. However, the staff and the owners were very polite and apologetic, and those of us at the counter received occasional complimentary appetizers and drinks. I remember as I walked in, another older, very snobbish couple seemed to be outright insulted that they were made to wait for a whole half-hour before getting their food.
Maybe their noses were pointed too high on their arrival that they didn’t see the other 50 cars crammed into the small parking lot…
The owner was very polite and offered them a free meal if they so chose to return. I’ve had several conversations with one of the owners of Goode’s Q (I believe he remembers me from being one of his countertop customers from his opening weekend) but he is a very hospitable and genuinely friendly fellow.
The ambiance of the restaurant is fitting. Some light bluegrass and New Orleans-style jazz really keep a mellow and welcoming atmosphere. The décor isn’t as appealing to me as, say, the 3D International (another great eating spot), but it fits the theme of the restaurant and of its food.
The only thing I would criticize about Goode’s Q is the small parking lot and the amount of people it can seat. I have yet to see Goode’s Q during dining hours, but during lunches it can be occasionally tight.
Now nearly a year later, the lines have become more stable, the orders are more timely, but the food hasn’t lost its flair.
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