SuSu’s recipes have travelled the Atlantic Ocean to Liverpool
15:35, 02 Aug 2025Updated 15:36, 02 Aug 2025
Christopher is the Echo’s Senior Life reporter covering restaurants, bars, shopping, events, concerts, and shows around Merseyside. Alongside his current role, Christopher led Liverpool’s Eurovision Song Contest 2023 coverage as its dedicated reporter. Christopher joined the Echo in 2022 after years of freelance writing focusing on pop culture and entertainment.
Susu’s recipes have been passed down through generations(Image: christopher megrath)
Susu Pulliam is a Louisiana grandmother, originally from Baton Rouge and raised in Destrehan, who knows her way around a kitchen. Her home was filled with Southern staples like boiled crawfish, gumbo, and red beans and rice, with her recipes passed through the family and down generations.
The moments she spent gathered around the table with her sons, peeling crawfish by hand, was a labour of love that led to other Cajun favorites like crawfish au gratin or étouffée. Her son Reggie, along with his friend Adam Williams, recently brought a taste of that New Orleans comfort food to Liverpool, and I couldn’t wait to try it.
Reggie and Adam opened SuSu’s New Orleans Kitchen in June, occupying the long-vacant space tucked at the back of Irish pub Molly Malones on Victoria Street. There are plenty of Cajun-inspired restaurants around Merseyside, but few seem as authentic as SuSu’s – after all, the owners literally flew in to open the place.
I’ve always wanted to visit New Orleans and try the famous cuisine. My visit will have to wait but my appetite couldn’t hold out much longer knowing a true taste of the South was finally at my fingertips.
One look at the menu and your mouth will be watering. As a glutton, I was in heaven, but under the cautious impression the food would sit heavily on my stomach. Regardless, I decided to go for the famous classics.
Susu’s recipes have been passed down through generations(Image: christopher megrath)
I ordered Susu’s famous shrimp bread, gumbo and jambalaya. The crab dip, Rockefeller dip, and po’boys all caught my attention but I managed to stop my inner fatty from ordering everything. There was no way I could’ve consumed it all but I was very willing to give it a shot. Maybe next time.
Let’s get into it! Kicking things off is the shrimp bread which I can only describe as the ultimate drunk food. A soft baguette is smothered in gooey melted cheese with a generous handful of boiled shrimp bedded undeath. It wasn’t so greasy you need to dab it with a tissue but it’s certainly not something you could eat casually daily.
SuSu’s New Orleans Kitchen’s shrimp bread(Image: christopher megrath)
The best way I can describe the item is a cheesy garlic bread from the boss man on steroids. It was soft and fluffy despite its weight and absolutely mouthwatering. If you ended a night on the town with one of these, you’d experience nirvana.
Next up was the gumbo, which can be ordered in various sizes. I choose the pot. The smell was potent before I popped the lid and became egregious after I did. The small cardboard pot is brimming with chunky pieces of sausage, chicken and rice, with a thick juicy pooling at the bottom.
I took a few cautious mouthfuls before becoming enamored with a flavoursome, smokey taste. The gumbo was packed with spicy, pepper, Cajun flavours and was the only item I managed to finish. The jambalaya was a similar experience but leaned towards sharp and pungent onion kicks.
SuSu’s New Orleans Kitchen’s jambalaya and gumbo(Image: christopher megrath)
While the latter wasn’t my favourite, don’t let that put you off, it was still very tasty. However, it didn’t hold a candle to the heavy hitters it accompanied. I revisited the shrimp bread and made sure to have as much as I could without physically exploding. It was my only choice because I already polished off the gumbo.
SuSu’s New Orleans Kitchen knocked it out of the park. It was hefty, home cooked, delicious food, which is just what you want from such a restaurant. I will certainly be back for more when a craving hits. The delivery also came with a string of famous New Orleans beads for that added authenticity.