Bayou Eats | Monroe’s Restaurant

article by VANELIS RIVERA
photography by KELLY MOORE CLARK

While some are calling his revival “a big return,” Roy Arthur’s  Monroe’s Restaurant is also a reflection of the current local  community and aims to bring together some of the old and some  of the new. Arthur values family-owned restaurants with  well-trained staff, consistent service, an inspiring atmosphere,  and, of course, a passionate chef.

When Roy Arthur was ready for a new restaurant venture, he turned to a Monroe classic for inspiration. “I remember way back in the latter part of the early seventies and eighties, the name of it used to be called Monroe’s Steakhouse.” He fondly recalls the pull that restaurant had on the community. Whether there was a prom or a special event, seemingly everybody went to Monroe’s Steakhouse. “It was the place to go back then,” he says. While some are calling his revival “a big return,” Arthur’s Monroe’s Restaurant is also a reflection of the current local community and aims to bring together some of the old and some of the new.

“I worked for Johnny Huntsman with Johnny’s Pizza from seventh grade all the way through college,” says Arthur proudly. With such solid restaurant tutelage, he maintained his enthusiasm for the food industry, which led him to become involved with Portico Restaurant and Bar in 2017. After close to five years there, he tackled the restaurant business solo and opened Miro’s. “And then that’s when I decided to talk to the Perry’s about opening this restaurant,” he says. Pulling from his Johnny’s Pizza experience, it was important to Arthur that his kitchen takes a respectable amount of time to create dishes. “Back then, we had very good pizzas because of gas ovens,” he says, adding, “We weren’t worried about getting it out in a hurry.” At Monroe’s Restaurant, Arthur aims to provide the type of “top-notch” service that he tends to enjoy in other local eateries, like Genusa’s. He values family-owned restaurants with well-trained staff, consistent service, an inspiring atmosphere, and, of course, a passionate chef.

“When Roy brought me on, he basically just showed me the menu and said, ‘Make it tasty,’” explains Chef Jon Claiborne Mcknight. Cooking started quite early for Mcknight and his brother thanks to their grandmother who patiently passed down her culinary chops. Additionally, growing up in New Orleans naturally added to his gastronomic enthusiasm. During school vacation, he’d spend most of his time in the French Quarter working at a seafood restaurant alongside his father, who was a skillful chef and pastry chef. “It’s kind of bred into my lungs, you know? It’s just everywhere I go,” he says. A stint in California only exacerbated his exposure to an assortment of kitchens. He worked with Chef Peter at Loquita and Chef Weston Richards at Les Marchands Restaurant & Wine Shop. Additionally, he received mentorship from Jason Paluska at The Lark in Santa Barbara. Mcknight moved back to Monroe in 2019, but when COVID hit he decided to shelf his culinary career. He went into construction, and for five years freelanced his expertise, performing maintenance and repairs on apartment complexes. The culinary world found him again by chance. He was at his grandmother’s house when she received a call from his uncle, a buddy of his who was looking for a chef. “I’ve got one right here,” his grandmother responded enthusiastically. For Mcknight, the opportunity felt like another shot. “So I’m putting a lot of effort into this, a lot of heart,” he says.

Mcknight’s effort began in the form of research, making sure that he maintained classic dishes on their intended flavor profiles. One such dish, the Burgundy Mushrooms, is a French classic. “I don’t want to change the way that is,” he underscores, adding, “I’m a very traditional type. If it’s supposed to be a certain way, then that’s the way it needs to be. I don’t need to vary from something that’s been done 1000 years perfectly.” Even so, there are a few recipes he claims are distinctly his, such as the French Onion Soup. Here he begins by caramelizing Spanish onions, which carry a sweet and subtle flavor. Sherry wine is added along with flour. The mixture is finalized with a rich beef stock made in-house every Monday. An ardent believer in making food from scratch, Mcknight saves all the onion peels to create steak dust—a combination of dry onion peels, salt, and garlic powder. “The onion peels bring out the flavor of the meat. It increases the whole marbling around it as you eat. So just a very good seasoning,” he says.

Attention to detail is most noted in how Mcknight handles the meat dishes. “I have a deep passion for red meat,” he claims, emphasizing, “I take a very deep pride in a good piece of meat to give to somebody because of how much money that it costs that person; it means that to me as well.” For like-minded meat enthusiasts, he recommends starting with the Cowboy ribeye. The restaurant orders the 10-ounce Hereford, a high-grade beef, and one of the best Mcknight has ever gotten to work with. Even the house burger is treated with Mcknight’s creative flare. In the Triple “B,” an 8-ounce patty is spread with balsamic glaze, topped with bacon, smoked gouda, caramelized onions, garlic aioli, and spring mix, and served with house cut fries. Add to any table one of their “Shareables” to further enhance what already promises to be a delectable culinary experience. Mcknight recommends his personal favorite the Mac and Cheese with White Cheddar and Bacon. This carefully crafted dish begins with a béchamel sauce—a French sauce made from roux and milk. The sauce gets thrown into a sauté pan where butter is added. Once melted down, lemon juice is added with a little bit of salt, and then cooked pasta gets added along with a “bunch” of cheese which gets rolled around and then topped with bacon. The final step occurs in a 500-degree oven, just for a minute or so. “It’s probably the best mac and cheese you’ll ever eat,” he affirms. 

Leading by example, Mcknight keeps his past culinary experiences close to home, establishing a kitchen culture based on mutual respect. “Just the pure discipline, the understanding, and the learning to shut your mouth and listen,” he says, acknowledging that he doesn’t know everything. “I learned just as much value from anybody. You just had to be open to take.” In particular, he thinks of his time with Chef Weston Richards who, unlike other chefs he has worked with, led with understanding and patience, even when someone in the kitchen messed up. “That’s why I don’t look at cooking as a competition,” he says. “I look at cooking as learning and knowledge sharing.” Arthur echoes similar sentiments when considering the restaurant business in the area. “We all compete,” he says referring to other restaurant owners. “But we’re also all in it together…We all want to see everybody survive.” 

This sense of community is a vital aspect of the atmosphere being created at Monroe’s Restaurant, one delicately complimented by the understated elegance of the interior. The black-and-white concept was designed by the Perrys. Glossy black and white tiles meet patrons in the side dining hall, sharing a room with the newly extended and fully stocked bar. Emerald hues radiate from a fashionable carpet in the dining room area, where walnut-colored tables and chairs are warmly lit by funnel-shaped sconces. In the bar area, leather stools line the white quartz countertop. Ultimately, the result has customers raving about the chic and romantic feel.

“It’s all about the customers,” says Arthur who, once again, has gleaned the importance of service from his experiences working alongside Huntsman, a man he considers great for the community and even the University of Louisiana Monroe. In his admiration, he recognizes the importance of supporting local businesses, but also of being the kind of local establishment that aims to improve a place he has called home for sixty-two years. He says, “All I’m doing is trying to put back into the community. That’s what it’s all about.”