Adele’s on Canton

Some might say if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. Others recognize there’s always room for improvement.

Chef Marc Wegman of Adele’s belongs to the latter frame of mind — especially when the improvement involves the relocation of his already successful restaurant to Roswell’s premier dining district: Canton Street.

Drawing from his New Orleans roots and Crescent City connections, Wegman and partner, Ruth, opened Adele’s original location on Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell in 2011. Featuring authentic Cajun and Creole dishes, the restaurant was a breath of fresh air in a sea of Southern and American restaurants — it was an immediate hit.

Four years in, the couple was toying with the idea of expanding when Artisan Bakery, home to the crusty, yet billowy loaves of French bread Wegman used for his Po Boy sandwiches, relinquished its space on Canton Street. For Wegman, this opportunity was too good to pass up. The new space deposited Adele’s right into the heart of Roswell’s restaurant and bar scene, yet hid it from the road to give it a fun, speakeasy feel. Its back porch overlooks quieter Woodstock Street and features a covered open-air terrace.

Adele’s on Canton offers patrons the same Nola experience, emphasizing specialty ingredients such as Patton’s sausage, French bread straight from Louisiana, and fresh seafood delivered weekly. Here, you’ll find all your Cajun favorites: spicy shrimp Creole; thick and flavorful seafood gumbo; jambalaya rich with chicken, andouille sausage and Tasso ham; Po Boys piled with Gulf Coast shrimp, oysters and soft-shell crab; a traditional muffuletta sandwich with olive salad from the Crescent City’s own Central Grocery; crispy house-made potato chips and much, much more.

If you simply can’t decide what to order, treat yourself to Adele’ Trio, a sampling of Cajun favorites like jambalaya, gumbo and etouffée. For an extra kick, douse you dinner in Adele’s homemade hot sauce, then cool off with a French Quarter 75, a N’awlins twist on champagne with a mix of gin, lemon juice and simple syrup. Don’t dare skip dessert — the piping-hot beignets are like biting into a cloud of yeast and powdered sugar. There’s also a boozy bread pudding, dense and sweet, flavored heavily with cinnamon and bananas and flecked with sliced almonds and raisins.

While the heart of Adele’s menu remains unchanged, Wegman says it has evolved over time, most notably with the addition of specials prepared on the Big Green Egg: Fresh fish and grilled steaks from Brasstown Beef, as well as grilled oysters and smoked salmon. A weekend breakfast menu boasts decadent dishes like crawfish gravy and biscuits, crab-topped eggs Benedict and chicory coffee. And during the holidays, patrons can expect some extra special offerings, such as fresh turtle soup, a seasonal jambalaya with deep-fried turkey and a winter salad with traditional Creole Godchaux vinaigrette.