Alexandra Kennon
The Iron Horse Café
Head north out of Baton Rouge, and as the Mississippi River fades to the west, Route 61 opens up a whole new corridor. I’ve traveled this highway dozens of times, en route to my friends’ camp on Lake St. John in Concordia Parish, but had never veered off into the mystique of the backroads. Word to the wise: take the detour. Going in search of a new restaurant in Jackson, Louisiana, I found myself winding around East Feliciana Parish, no traffic lights in sight. On Audubon Lane, I was certain I’d gone back in time to my previous home in wild, wonderful West Virginia, with its rolling hills, full autumn color and the crisp air to accompany.
First stop on this midweek field trip: The Iron Horse Café, my precise pursuit being a profile of this new eatery. As I was venturing out, I shared my destination with my neighbor Jen Salmon, who said, “my in-laws live in Jackson. They own the hardware store!” I added this to my itinerary, imagining a traditional hammers-and-nails shop with friendly staff and maybe some local guidance.
A spotlight from nature told me I had reached my destination; the sign perched at the edge of the red metal roof captured the sunlight perfectly, illuminating what looked like hammered gold with the vintage letters IRON HORSE, and the first of many signature trains on display. It was an outdoor dining kind of day, a perfect cerulean sky the backdrop to the welcoming patio tables. Instead, to get the full experience, I opted for a seat at the bar.
The challenge of dining alone is: what to order? I get overwhelmed with menus, and a table full of friends gives the option of tasting a bit of everything. I was tempted by the wood-fired pizzas; the tiled dome oven had a train mosaic-ed into the design and was featured front and center by the entrance. The Steam Engine—the namesake pizza loaded with classic toppings plus spicy local honey—will have to wait until my next visit.
Alexandra Kennon
From the Iron Horse menu: Chicken Marsala
I sipped from the tall glass of fresh-brewed unsweetened ice tea with a smile while I made my final decisions. At my server’s suggestion, I got the 10 Napkin Roast Beef Poboy to accompany my salad, which arrived first. The highlight of this generous bowl of mixed greens, splashed with Steen’s cane vinaigrette, was the combination of roasted Roma tomatoes and pickled okra. Next time I’ll ask for extra. When my main course arrived, I slid my salad bowl to the side for later and realized I would definitely need more napkins to tackle the poboy, juicy with roasted meat and fresh tomato, and cloaked with melted provolone. Knife and fork to the rescue, I disassembled it a bite at a time, enjoying each forkful dunked into the side of au jus. A basketful of shoestring fries with the skins on—my French fry ideal—kept me from polishing off the whole poboy, especially since I was already thinking ahead to dessert.
Dessert, again, is something I prefer to share. With a bulging takeout container, I couldn’t justify going all-in on their signature bread pudding. A dark bottle with a clamp top in the beer cooler caught my eye, and I inquired. Five Farms single batch Irish cream liqueur imported from County Cork, Ireland. This intriguing bottle boasted awards on its label, so I caved in to sipping a sweet finale before taking a self-guided tour of the immaculate new space.
The Café, which opened in October, stands on the grounds of the former Bobby’s Drive Inn at 1427 Charter Street, the main street that runs through Jackson. Its furnishings include stained glass that lets the sun stream through from the dining space in the front room to the tufted red leather booths in the bar area. Ornate wood and brick make it all quite cozy, but there is also a designated area, separated by floating walnut doors suspended on tracks, called the ‘snug pub,’ plush with leather sofas and loveseats. “This used to be a drive-in,” my server told me. Now it’s a sparkling new café with friendly staff outfitted in crisp gingham shirts and denim aprons.
Before I left, I asked my server about the hardware store. “It’s just up the street, you can’t miss it,” she told me.
Alexandra Kennon
From the Iron Horse menu: Crispy Asian shrimp, calamari, and onion ring appetizers.
Upon arrival at The Felicianas Store, I found Mary Jo Salmon working the cash register. I was way off on my assumption that I would find simply nuts and bolts in this small shop. I was reminded of my summer trip to Greensboro, Vermont where I visited their famed The Willey’s Store, one of the oldest and largest country stores in a state famed for such places. The Felicianas Store has a country store vibe and is a mini replica of the giant I explored in Vermont. In addition to lawn tools, a paint section, Big Green Egg and Weber grills, there’s a display of Italian stoves and ranges from iLve and Verona. It’s the Jackson country store meets uptown kitchen design showroom.
The quick visit turned into a fascinating history lesson about Jackson and some feedback on the new restaurant in town. “Every time I pass it, it’s packed. It’s named the Iron Horse Café because of LeRoy Harvey’s [the owner’s] love of steam trains,” she said. “He’s a true historian. The town exists today because of him.” She shared her vision of a revitalized Jackson and suggested I contact Mr. Harvey for his story.
When I got a hold of him some days later, Harvey told me “We’ve gotten into the restaurant business by accident and by design,” in response to my first question: “How did you decide to open a restaurant?” With a laugh, he told me how his son-in-law Scott Harrington wanted to get into the restaurant business and, through a circuitous way, they were told again and again about the difficulty of the industry. “A long-time restaurant owner told us, ‘If you want to be successful, know that your wife becomes your mistress because you have to marry the restaurant. You can’t leave it.’”
A native of Jackson, Harvey said, “I’ve seen small towns across America drying up. I look at St. Francisville. It’s a beautiful little city, a little jewel around the center city of Baton Rouge. It’s been saved. Jackson needs to be saved. I accidentally tried to start saving Jackson.” An LSU graduate and veteran of the United States Air Force, Harvey has traveled the world, but continues to dedicate his life to his hometown. In 2016, he was recognized for fifty years of service with the Lion’s Club. “We focused on fixing up old historic buildings,” he said. One of those buildings is on the original site of Centenary College—now the Museum Complex of the West Florida Parishes, which includes a remarkable display of model trains created by the Greater Baton Rouge Model Railroaders. “I have loved trains ever since I was a kid,” he went on. “I have friends in Baton Rouge who collected model trains, and their wives suggested they find a place for their trains to get them out of the house.” The collection is the draw Harvey envisions for his beloved town. “We need something to complement what they’ve done. Come to Jackson, bring your grandkids!”
On November 14, Harvey told me, “in two days I’ll be eighty-eight years old. Can you believe it? Trying to preserve a town that needs preserving has been a labor of love. I hope the restaurant will be the catalyst to make good things happen in the town.” When I asked how he’d celebrate his birthday he answered, “What’s that song? ‘Staying Alive!’”
I took a drive to Jackson and discovered so much more than nourishment by roaming off to a new restaurant. I don’t have grandkids, but I’ll be back to explore more and, of course, try the wood-fired pizzas at the Iron Horse Cafe.
