A new Cajun restaurant is taking a crack at Schnitzelburg's growing culinary scene
Bailey Loosemore
Paul Skulas and his wife visit New Orleans at least once a year. But when they return to Louisville, Skulas said they have a hard time finding the same Cajun flavors they've grown to love in Louisiana.
That's part of the reason Skulas is opening a new Schnitzelburg restaurant that will serve the chef's takes on traditional Cajun dishes.
Couvillion, opening Monday at 1318 McHenry St., will be Skulas's second restaurant. The chef previously opened Portage House in Jeffersonville in 2016, but he sold his stake in that restaurant after accepting an invitation to start a new venture in the space vacated by Finn's Southern Kitchen.
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Finn's operated on the Germantown Mill Lofts property for just under two years before it closed in January. Skulas said it's been an interesting process to fit his own concept within the already-built-out space.
"Portage House was from scratch," Skulas said of renovating the Southern Indiana home where his first restaurant resides. "This one was already a restaurant. It was like fitting into somebody else's shoes."
Skulas and his team have brought a new vibe to the building by commissioning New Orleans-style artwork from two local artists: Whitney Carpenter and a man who goes by Junkyard Stu.
He hopes the design change and his mid-priced menu will encourage neighbors to give Couvillion a try.
"I think Germantown is a very strongly opinionated market," Skulas said. "... But I think I have a connection with the area."
So what about the food? Skulas's menu consists of Cajun dishes you might be familiar with, like gumbo and red beans and rice. But the chef said you won't find items that parody the cuisine.
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"It's our interpretation, but it's very close to what my experiences with the flavor profile are," said Skulas, who spent a few years cooking in Mississippi under a chef who hailed from New Orleans.
The restaurant plans to stick with its opening day menu for at least six months before re-evaluating it. But if you have any strong opinions on a dish, Skulas is all ears.
For more information on Couvillion, visit eatcouvillion.com.
Bailey Loosemore: 502-582-4646; bloosemore@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @bloosemore. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/baileyl.
What: Couvillion is a cajun-focused restaurant from chef Paul Skulas, former chef-owner at Portage House in Jeffersonville.
When: 4-10 p.m. Monday, Wednesday-Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday; closed Tuesday
Where: 1318 McHenry St.
More info: Visit eatcouvillion.com or call 502-365-1813