If a customer were to envision the perfect dish of spiciness and tanginess, it would be on the menu at CreoLa.

CreoLa New Orleans Bistro, located at 344 El Camino Real, combines classic deep southern dishes with a sour and spicy twist.

The inside of CreoLa is as interesting as the food. Many of the tables are surrounded by couches instead of seats or stools.

For an appetizer, I had the Shrimp Bourbon Street, which is fried jumbo shrimp in orange marmalade and horseradish sauce. The shrimp was perfectly crispy and had a kick to it.

The appetizers include southern favorites like Fried Okra, as well as many other shellfish dishes with many spices.

For dinner, I had the Cajun Jambalaya, which included rice, smoked chicken, andouille sausage, and tasso ham. The Jambalaya could have had a little bit more meat and less onions. But overall, the salty meat and spicy rice were a perfect combination.

The only problem with CreoLa was that it had very slow service. The waiters were very friendly, but the restaurant is very popular. It took over an hour to get our dishes.

The pricing at CreoLa may be higher than the usual dinner for a high school crowd. Also, the restaurant is considered fancy and a certain attire should be considered.

CreoLa provided me with a satisfactory and unique food experience, but with mediocre service.

Compared to all the other restaurants on El Camino Real, CreoLa brings something unique and new to the table. CreoLa is a great place to dine for that reason alone.