For more than 15 years The Big Easy has been introducing Kings Road shoppers and Chelsea foodies to the delights of American cuisine. Who needs fine dining when you can have ribs?

The Venue
Split over two levels, The Big Easy has an upstairs bar area complete with TV screens showing live sports, whilst downstairs is the main restaurant area with a small stage for bands. The decor is old fashioned America – not 1950s diner style but more like a restaurant you might find in a seaside party town. Fishing nets laced with coloured fairy lights hang from the ceiling and quirky signs and American license plates adorn the walls.

The Atmosphere
If this place were any more laid back it would be lying down. Think red and white checked tablecloths, paper napkins, wooden bowls provided for bones and shells, plastic bibs complete with a red cartoon lobster – the works. They have live music every night, and Fridays are one of their most popular, with nearly all the tables filled with Londoners chowing down to the alternative rock that’s playing. Staff have the cheery Southern charm thing down pat and although the neighbourhood is a bit stuffy (it is Chelsea, after all) the clientele are anything but. This would be a great place to take a group of friends, provided you get there early enough, that is.

The Food
Although the Big Easy is a nickname for New Orleans, the food here is more barbecue than Creole. True to their American roots, they specialise in meat and seafood. Prices are very decent for Chelsea at about £15 a main (slightly more for things like lobster, obviously) and the portions are enormous so you more than get what you pay for.

The starter of deep fried calamari is a good choice for seafood fans: covered in a light and crispy batter and accompanied by a creamy tartare sauce, the rings of squid are nicely cooked without any of the dreaded rubberiness. The clam chowder is easily one of the most authentic you’ll find in London. It’s made New England style (in a white, creamy broth), with big diced chunks of potato, shredded pieces of clams and strips of bacon – a very indulgent dish and served in an absolutely enormous bowl as well.

If you’ve never had barbecued ribs you’re seriously missing out on one of America’s greatest foods. The ones at The Big Easy don’t disappoint. The char-grilled baby back ribs are highly recommended – there’s kind of an animalistic delight in pulling the tender, juicy meat off the bone with your teeth. The ribs are coated with a sweet and slightly spiced sauce before they’re cooked, but there’s a little paper cup of it on the side in case you want extra. The half rack is more than enough, and with the addition of creamy, crisp and peppery cole slaw, a salty wedge of corn on the cob and a generous helping of baked beans, you’ll struggle to finish what’s on your plate. If you do find yourself ordering a side, however, the chips are the way to go. They’re fat slices (not the thin American-style fries) and taste particularly good with that extra barbecue sauce. Meat and seafood fans can’t go wrong with a good old fashioned surf and turf combo, and the steak and shrimp option comes with an absolutely enormous piece of beef (cooked perfectly to order and easily an inch and a half thick) along with several butterflied prawns covered in a zesty, sweet and garlic-y sauce. This comes with sides as well, coleslaw and crisp onion rings.

It might be best to not stuff your faces completely during your mains so that you’ll have room for some of the dessert they offer. The apple cinnamon waffles (one of the restaurant’s specialties) taste home-made – like they’ve just come out of a waffle iron – whilst the pecan pie is gooey and almost tooth-achingly sweet, served with a jug of maple syrup and a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a crunchy little waffle basket.

The Drink
You can get pretty much any cocktail you’d like mixed at the bar upstairs, although the majority seem to be made with tequila and rum. Pitchers of Margaritas, Pina Coladas, Long Island Iced Teas and vanilla Mai Tais are also available, as well as bottles of Bud, Dos Equis, Michelob, Hoegaarden and Stella. The bar’s cocktail hour is a two for £7.45 deal – it usually costs more than that to get a single drink in this neighbourhood.

The wine list is surprisingly large, with more than 100 bottles available and ten by the glass. Prices range from £18 to a very reasonable £56, and there’s a good mix of countries as well. The Michel Torino 2006 from Argentina’s Cafayate Valley is a good choice for a red that goes well with both meat and seafood; it’s light and thin but the taste is rich enough to accompany the meat dishes.

The Last Word
A slice of America in Chelsea. The Big Easy is loud, brash and loves its food – and would make its motherland very proud, indeed.

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