First Impression

John: Copsey was my ride to The Peoples Restaurant and when we pulled into the parking lot, I had one thought, “this is it, Copsey has gone mad, he’s finally going to make me pay the ultimate price for all the lame British jokes I’ve been making for the past three months.” Now why would I have this thought? Because the immediate area around The Peoples Restaurant looks like it was designed for one thing: eliminating friends you don’t like. The parking lot wasn’t paved that well and the actual building looks like it was stolen from an Alabama trailer park. But don’t let this deter you because The Peoples Restaurant is why someone invented the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” The inside of the restaurant was 14 times bigger than I thought it was going to be and it was packed with kids who were running around with such big smiles on their faces you would have thought they just met the Jonas Brothers. Right when you walk through the door, you’ll notice the theme, which is New Orleans. New Orleans equals fun.

Copsey: If I had wanted to do away with John, I would not have picked The Peoples Restaurant. For one, it’s spitting distance from Alpharetta Hwy and Roswell’s Historic District. For another, as John said, the place was packed with people – there would be just too many witnesses. I know the building itself has been around for ages – it looks a little run-down, and further showing it’s age, there’s a photograph of Pug Mabry on the wall; whether this is new or a relic from the Mayor’s 30+ years leading Roswell, I’m not sure, but there’s a good chance the place would be right at home in the historic district.

John: B
Copsey: B+

Appetizers

John: For the appetizer, Copsey and I ordered a cup of the chicken and turkey sausage gumbo. When I first looked at the menu, I thought there was a chicken gumbo and a separate turkey sausage gumbo. I thought to myself, “wow, I really wish they would put the chicken and the turkey sausage in the same gumbo.” Well, it turns out they do. The gumbo was mixed with pulled chicken and since the sausage was of the turkey variety, it felt healthy, even if it actually wasn’t. Oh and it didn’t taste too bad either.

Copsey: This was a good start to the meal. Flavorful and chunky, with enough kick to keep you warm in these 90 degree days. Cajun at its best. For the record, there is no defined “appetizer” on the menu – in fact it’s divided into lunch and breakfast. If you’re looking for breakfast, don’t come after 11a.m. like we did; you won’t find any.

John: B+
Copsey: A-

Entrées

John: When I think of New Orleans, I think of Mardi Gras and then I think of the French Quarter and then I think of the Saints and then I think of fried Catfish. Well, the first three things I just named weren’t on the menu, but fried Catfish was, so we ordered that. We also ordered a Po Boyz Hot Sausage sandwich and a half-pound burger. The Catfish was brilliant. It was light, flaky and tasty, which are three words I never thought I would use to describe Catfish. I really don’t know how such an ugly fish turns into such a good meal. Now let me talk about the hamburger for a second. It was a perfect circle. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to make a perfect circle, but geometrically speaking, it’s almost impossible to do it without a computer. Anyway, I ruined my perfectly circular hamburger when I bit into it and it was 100 percent worth it. Oh and I think I need to mention that there is an $18 burger on the menu called the Swamp Burger. It is huge. It is designed to feed four people and I think it weighs two pounds. That is one-third the weight of a newborn baby, which is absolutely amazing. How amazing? Our server had a picture of it saved in her cell phone like it was some sort of ex-boyfriend that she’ll never get over. Oh and if you’re there, order the candied yams. You can thank me later.

Copsey: I’ll be honest, when I think of Mardi Gras and the French Quarter, I do not immediately think of “Saints.” Far from it. The Po Boy was served on a fresh and crispy French loaf (imagine that); the sausage wasn’t too hot, but it combined with the mayonnaise made for a super-tasty treat. Even the rice that was served with the catfish was delicious.

John: A
Copsey: A-

Dessert

John: For dessert we caught a New Orleans classic, the Beignets (good luck pronouncing it, unless you’re French that is. Then you’ll have no problem, but the tradeoff there is that you’re French and nobody likes you). They were covered in powder sugar and they were pleasantly tasty. A lot of people don’t want something extremely filling or rich for dessert, if you’re one of those people, then the Beignets are the perfect dish for you. We also had some White Chocolate Bread Pudding, which might be the most amazing thing I’ve put in my mouth in about a year.

Copsey: I like a good French joke, but there was nothing funny (other than the name) about the Beignets. We even saved some for our interns; the little pastries were so good we actually felt compelled to share them! I agree wholeheartedly about the bread pudding. John took one bite and almost immediately gobbled it up. It was gooey and warm and really a perfect pudding. 

John: A
Copsey: A

Final Impressions

John: As I said at the very top, I thought Copsey was taking me to a trailer park to kill me, that’s the vibe you get from the outside. However and I repeat, “do not judge this book by its cover.” I was so impressed walking out of this place that I can’t put it into words. Everyone there was friendly. And when I say friendly, I’m talking “I’ve never met these people before but I would let them babysit my nephews while I went on a two month vacation” friendly. Plus, they sell snow cones. I know that sounds unbelievable, but on a hot summer night, is there a better way to cool down than a snow cone? I didn’t think so. I’ll be rounding up my roommates soon so that we can all head to The Peoples Restaurant and see who can eat the two pound Swamp Burger the fastest. I mean, if I am going to eat more Hot Dogs then Kobayashi on the Fourth of July, I have to train.

Copsey: I have to admit that when I first heard the place was called “The Peoples Restaurant,” I thought it would be some weird Soviet place. Turns out it kind of is, only replace the oppressive Russian tyranny with friendly egalitarian happiness with a side of good food. I think nothing we say could outweigh what we heard every customer say to the cashier as they left: “This place is great. I’ll be sure to tell my friends.” I think that just about sums it up.

John: A-
Copsey: A