Baja California

Voodo Stu's Brings The American South's Magical Taste To Tijuana

Authentic "soul food" gets settled in at Pasaje Rodriguez

By Jorge Guevara2015-09-08T17:08:20+00:00

While I've never visited the southern U.S. states, there's always been something from it that has caught my eye: The food. Whether I saw it in movies or in travel shows such as Anthony Burdain's "No Reservations", authentic southern food has always been, at least to me, a sort-of magical thing. Starting from its appearance to what I have always imagined it would taste like and how it got made. That being said, who would've imagined that deep in the heart of Tijuana, of all places, one would be able to find the magical door into this fantastical culinary world: Voodo Stu's and Black Magic Mael Gumbo Shack & Juke Joint.

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Voodoo Stu's opened shop this past May and I finally had the chance to try those traditional dishes I've longed for so much. Luckily, when I tried them, they didn't just taste exactly how I imagined, but they exceeded my expectations, leaving me mesmerized to the point where I had to come back at least three more times in the same week to try out different dishes. From authentic homemade gumbo, to classic fried chicken, and the now popular beer battered Po'Boy, each and every one of the dishes I've had the chance to try out were off the hook.

It's wasn't just the quality of the food and the great conversations you can have with Stu (who's definitely in love with his chicken) that made come back, but there's something about this place in Downtown TJ that transports you to a distant bayou, a different time, I'm still not sure if it's the old photographs or the hardwood tables and floors, it could also be the sheep's head that hangs above an old juke box playing the good ol' blues in the background. Whatever it is, coming to Voodo Stu's is definitely an experience. You can even hang out with Batman, the dog, and make friends.

Founded by Stu and Mael inside Tijuana's artistic and cultural spot, Pasaje Rodriguez, this is a great opportunity for people to try a unique cooking style that literally can't be found any other place in Baja, made by people from that region of the U.S., with real ingredients and family recipes that have been passed on through generations. This is certainly a magical style of cooking that you can't miss, especially since it's a very affordable price.

Fried catfish with veggies, rice and cucumber sauce

Voodoo Stu's is open Wednesday through Sunday from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm, except on Sundays when they open at noon. Special meals are served on certain days so we recommend you check out their Facebook page for more details.