Fort Worth gas station welcomes Always Cooking NOLA restaurant
In the small grill of a gas station in the west suburbs of Fort Worth, the chef thinks about the month of June.
“Two years ago last week I came to Fort Worth and prayed to the Lord,” said Damian Crockem, a New Orleans native finding a Texas clientele for his Cajun cuisine.
“And June was also when I lost my boy.”
In 2017, before Crockem came to Texas to marry now-wife Christina, he lost a son to gun violence in East New Orleans.
But now, the start of summer also marks new hope. That’s the month he stumbled upon a vacant grill in a rundown convenience store and transformed it into a West Side outpost of Cajun classics: Always Cooking NOLA, 5001 River Oaks Blvd.
In addition to the usual burgers and tacos, Always Cooking NOLA sells shrimp, crawfish, etouffee, jambalaya, catfish, soft shell crab, fried pork chops, boudin and po-boys on New Orleans bread.
The name was his son’s idea, Crockem said.
“My son, bless his soul, said, “Dad, man, you always cook!” That’s how I came up with the name Always Cooking.
Crockem has been cooking almost non-stop since it opened, even without any sign except for a banner on the front of the 72-year-old gas station. And even that gets lost among all the vape store signs and beer and cigarette ads.
First, people in River Oaks started talking about Always Cooking. Then foodie groups on Facebook took off. Now delivery orders are pouring in.
The mood is early Chevron.
The restaurant has only one Formica table in a storage area near the drinks fountain. On the other hand, you have the choice among 12 cases of refrigerated drinks.
The classic gas station grill success story is that of Chef Point Cafe, which started out serving orange duck with motor oil in Watauga before moving to Colleyville.
Like Chef Point, Always Cooking is a superb overachiever with a likeable chef.
Crockem, a former chef at New Orleans casino hotels and French Quarter cafes, prepares an incredible selection of delicacies at the counter alongside patrons purchasing lottery tickets.
It serves creamy Cajun pasta. grilled shrimp, Cajun ribs, and crawfish mac and cheese, as well as little-known breakfast dishes here like catfish and grits.
Side dishes include collard greens, spinach and Cajun-spiced boiled potatoes with Crockem’s own seasoning.
Even the small side salad is meticulously cut and looks much more appealing than in some mid-priced restaurants.
Its “Treme Sixth Ward” seafood spring rolls combine crab with shrimp, crawfish, bacon and dirty rice.
If it is closed the day you pass or call, it is to go to New Orleans for more provisions and bread.
Crockem said he was in New Orleans two years ago, praying for help and strength when, “20 minutes later, I got his number,” pointing to his wife, Christina .
When she had to take out a short-term title loan from a lender across River Oaks Boulevard, he saw the grill for rent.
“We’ve been busy ever since,” he said.
His recipes come from “the spirit within me,” he says. He tried half a dozen different combinations before settling on the recipe for seafood rolls.
A fried catfish fillet was huge and lightly breaded. It’s either a starter or a po-boy.
The greens are Southern sweet. The jambalaya is outstanding, loaded with chicken and sausage.
Crockem said his next goal is to add a food trailer for events. But he wants Always Cooking to remain a two-person business and not grow enough to need staff.
He calls himself the “NOLA Cowboy Chef.”
“I became a Cowboy,” he said with a smile, holding up a New Orleans Saints victory sign and referring to the Saints fans’ nickname.
“But I’m still a ‘Whodat?’ fan all day.
Always Cooking NOLA is open 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday; 504-688-9548, facebook.com/alwayscooking.nola.
This story was originally published June 3, 2024, 5:30 a.m.
Related stories from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Support my work with a digital subscription
Related Posts
-
Taste Buds BBQ makes perfect side dishes and a patriotic desert
No Comments | Jun 29, 2024 -
El Pollo Loco Launches NEW Fire-Grilled Chicken Burritos with House-Made Guacamole at No Extra Charge
No Comments | Jul 19, 2024 -
Netflix’s ‘Barbecue Showdown’ Taps Self-Made Contestant From Orlando
No Comments | Jul 8, 2024 -
Presque Isle and Fort Fairfield Barbecue Masters Take Home Top Barbecue Trophies
No Comments | Jul 16, 2024