Cheap Eats: Whitney's

This Aurora spot offers down-home tastes

By William Hageman

March 2, 2007

 

First impressions: Gamblers who come to Aurora are missing a sure thing if they shuffle from the parking garage to the Hollywood Casino through the giant Hamster Habitat-like walkway. A half-block west of the casino and its three restaurants is Whitney's Creole Cafe 7 Grill, a small storefront restaurant that's worth seeking out. On one side is a standard bar--and a good jukebox with a great sound system--while the other is a small dining room with a New Orleans decor (posters, musical instruments and harlequin masks on the wall). Quiet, clean and uncrowded, it's one of those downtown Aurora nuggets awaiting discovery.

On the plate: In recent months, there has been a shift from mostly New Orleans-themed fare to a scaled back, less-expensive menu. Fortunately, some of the Cajun and Creole dishes -- gumbo, muffulettas, crab cakes -- have been held over. Only the Cajun pasta (shrimp over pasta in a tomato cream sauce) is beyond the Cheap Eats $13 budget. Leaving New Orleans, Whitney's has the usual pub grub--Italian sausage, pulled pork and Italian beef sandwiches, burgers and the like. A bonus: house-made banana cream pie and bread pudding desserts pop up most nights.

At your service: The wait staff is accommodating and friendly--delightfully chatty, in fact.

Second helpings: The crab cakes -- two per order plus Whitney's very good fries -- were moist and tasty. The gumbo is not to be missed. It's thick, just tangy enough and wonderfully flavorful. And if you're in the mood for a sandwich, go for the muffuletta ($6.95) over the subs: There's a lot more to it . . . and you can get turkey sandwiches almost anywhere. You can't often find a good muffuletta in these parts.

Take a pass: The veggie sub, consisting of avocados, tomatoes and lettuce, was dry.

Thirst quenchers: A full bar with about 15 varieties of bottled beer (nothing on tap) and a selection of pop, tea and coffee.

Extras: Whitney's offers daily specials, ranging from Italian beef ($3 on Wednesdays) and fried fish ($3 on Fridays) at lunch to a New York strip steak ($9.99 on Tuesdays) and all the ribs you can eat ($9.99 on Thursdays) for dinner. There's also a limited kids menu (hot dog, small burger or grilled cheese, $1.50).

Price range: Salads $3.50-$3.99, 6- and 12-inch subs $3.99-$6.99, entrees $5.99-$13.99, side dishes $1-$4.99, drinks, $1-$2

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