Chef Gator's Rustic Burger & His Creole Friends

5 Petaluma Blvd South, Petaluma CA 94952
(707) 658-1845
Parking: in parking lot
https://www.gatorscreolefriends.com/

Last Visited: June 7, 2018

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 to 4 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Cousin Jimmy, a local Petaluma food enthusiast, suggested that I try out this new joint. It's been open for a few months now.

Chef Gator was a contestant on Guy Fieri's grocery games and recently had a food truck with similar fare in Petaluma.  Photos from his Food Network episodes are on display in one wall.  The room has a casual feel with bright colors, seating at the bar, regular tables, and high top tables.  Order at the counter and get a number, then wait for food to be delivered to you.

- Gator's Chicken and Waffles - 2 piece leg & thigh, southern fried, served with peach cobbler butter and maple syrup.  It's as good as it sounds.  The waffle is crispy on the outside and soft in the center.  The chicken is well seasoned, crispy, and golden brown - the portion is hearty and the balance of crunchy with sweet is perfect.  The peach cobbler butter is a pleasant surprise.  Very good.  This dish would get four stars. $12.99

- Smoked Chicken & Cajun Sausage Jambalaya - While there's no photo here, the half order is quite large and sufficient for a small eater.  The jambalaya is thick and well-seasoned.  Tasty and a good deal.  Half order $6.99, Full order $12.99

- Rustic Cheese Burger with Fries - Grass fed beef patty on shredded lettuce, tomatoes, caramelized onions, creole mustard aioli, and choice of cheese.  Chef Gator informed us that the buns are made daily and seemed particularly proud of their rosemary flavoring.  The bun could hold up slightly better - near the last few bites, it seemed slightly soft.  The fries were crispy and also lightly seasoned.  My burger patty seemed to be denser in one section than another, but this didn't seem to be the case with the other burgers.  Otherwise, it was pretty good.  $7.75 a la carte, $10.75 with regular fries

Chef Gator came and chatted with us and shared that he'll soon be battling Bobby Flay on Beat Bobby Flay and is also working on other tv appearances.  I appreciated his friendly demeanor and down to earth spirit.  The staff was friendly, but when it comes to service, there is still room for improvement.  Their computer system seemed to have glitches - one of our three burgers didn't arrive with the rest of the meal and I had to remind them that I had ordered it.  Also, while they were good to inform us that the chicken and waffles may take more time and that they were holding on to all the dishes so that everything would arrive together, when it did come, one of the servers slid a burger across the table (and past three people) in order to get it to the right person. The other server walked her items around to the appropriate person.

Generally speaking, the menu looks good, but I would recommend the chicken and waffles for a real treat.