Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

This is a true story that happened within the past decade in Houston. You may not know this but there is a lot of Louisiana Cajun folks who live and work in Houston. And for most of us Texans, we both recognize their charm and contributions and appreciate what they have added to our local color and culture. One of these I wish to point out has to do with Louisiana cuisine.

There is a group of restaurants in downtown Houston called Tree Beards and are named such after the southern moss that hangs on a lot of the trees in the most southern part of southern states. It is appropriate for this chain because they serve true Cajun dishes that all recognize are pure Louisiana tried and true.

If you remember in the movie, Forrest Gump, when Forrest and his friend Bubba are scrubbing the barracks floor with tooth brushes and Bubba is listing all the ways one can cook shrimp, well, that’s about what the menu at Tree Beards looks like.

I was fortunate enough for a long period of time to work in an office building which had a Tree Beard’s in the basement making it convenient to grab a lunch quickly and for that lunch to be a super lunch. Now I could have had any of several culinary masterpieces, but I would often, but not always, just have a simple plate of red beans and rice, with a large hunk of sausage on top. We would often order carryout for our entire group.

There was another Tree Beards out on street level about four blocks from another office building where we had moved our offices later. This one was always packed with lines out the door from around 11:00 AM on. Now while they were serving all the Cajun dishes, still one of the most popular was R.B.A.R. red beans and rice! There was a hamburger joint right next door that would benefit from the overflow form Tree Beards.

The hamburger joint management took notice of how popular the R.B.A.R. dish was and decided to cash in on this dish. After all it was the most simple and easiest one to copy. So, with some fanfare and flourish they advertised they would begin serving Red Beans and Rice, except in their wisdom, they did not use red beans, but pinto beans! Why? No one knows, but Stupid is as Stupid Does! It didn’t fly! After about two weeks and having not gained any of the overflow crowd, but perhaps losing customers, this hamburger joint closed its doors.

Why? All the ingredients of R.B.A.R. were readily available, perhaps the red beans might have cost a little more but could not have been a deal breaker. The management did not have a clue of the almost cult following that R.B.A.R. had and continues to have. Now, there is nothing wrong with pinto beans and corn bread as a meal. But in Houston, with the high percentage of folks either being Cajun, or having a desire for Cajun food, you are stupid to try and switch. It is possible, the company was already on the verge of bankruptcy and trying to switch was simply too late. But they made a serious mistake, or one too many! Just Sayin…RJS

Huntm22 Loc: Northern Utah. - West Haven

Mental lapses cause serious problems!

BadFisherman Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

My Dad's Family, on his mother's side, was pure Cajun. They moved into the greater Houston area just after WWI. Grandma Poindouf was a RN, and Grandpa Slatten was a manager of sorts of the old Rice Hotel in downtown Houston. The elders on that side of the Family are all buried in Leesville, Louisiana.

Rutinbuck Loc: Haysville, Kansas

Good story RJ, makes me hungry for “rbar”. A black man in Winfield KS ran a one man BBQ pit. He’d have his usual menu items but always fixed something not on the menu. Sometimes he’d have jumbolia and rbar. Both were outstanding. He must’ve had some Cajun in him too.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

RutinBuck: You have to know the history of RBAR to appreciate it. In New Orleans and I suppose all over the South, Monday was wash day, and in those days it was an all day affair. To provide a nurishing meal for the family, and at any time of the day, when different members might be available to eat, they would cook a large pot of beans and also a large pot of rice. That way, a hot meal at any time. This lead over to all the restaurants having it all day Monday as well. That's why, on Mondays, if you prefer, you can get a plate of RBAR in any restaurant. Just Sayin...RJS

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

BadFisherman: I have to confess, my great grandfather was a Confederate soldier from Mansfield, or Monroe LA. He was wounded and got a fever. They brought him home to die. Shortly after his death, My Great GrandMother bundled all her kids, my grandfather being the youngest, and brought them to Texas where she had a sister living in Montague County, in a community called Dye Mound. The Indian raids were so bad her brother in law could not farm because Indians kept stealing his teams. My Greatr grandmother had to go back to LA until trhe war was over. Just Syin...RJS

BadFisherman Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

My grandparents raised their children in their home on Trenton Rd, out off old East Little York near US 59 in NE Houston in the 20s, 30s and 40s. That part of Harris County was pure country backwoods back in those days.

Rutinbuck Loc: Haysville, Kansas

Interesting history, ya learn something new on here all the time.