Bon ton roulet!

Me? My wishes are out of my reach. I wish I were taller—with cheekbones, too. I wish I could sing, or at least carry a tune. And I would be from Louisiana. I never thought I was a princess who got adopted into the wrong family. But I have thought that I was switched at birth with a Cajun girl. I get a deep sense of contentment from listening to Cajun music and eating Cajun food, a sense of, yeah, baby—this is where I belong.

It’s not that hard to find Cajun food in California—but it’s a little harder to find good Cajun. And the sad truth of the matter is, Cajun food is good—but not good for you. The few attempts I’ve seen at healthy Southern food have been misbegotten mishmashes. There actually is a place in Santa Cruz that claims to serve vegetarian soul food. I’m sure that guy’s grandmama is rolling over in her grave, because his food is bland, bland, bland.

But Ike’s Quarter Cafe in Nevada City has made me eat my rant against healthy Cajun food. Sure, Ike’s serves meat, but its meat is free-range Niman Ranch beef. And its greens are spiced with fresh ginger, not pork fat. This may sound weird, but it tastes wonderful. Even people who hate greens like Ike’s. And when you order andouille sausage with your breakfast, you get thinly sliced and well-browned pieces. Less fat, more taste.

Ike and Adrienne Frazee, the owners, are not even from Louisiana. But what Ike has done is take classic Cajun dishes, deconstruct them and make them better. Ike’s motto is “Serving New Orleans-style cuisine with a healthy twist,” and says that his food makes for a happy belly.

Witness the lowly standby of red beans and rice ($8 with sausage). Your dish arrives heaped with Ike’s incredible rice, flavored with a secret blend of about 20 spices, onion and garlic. That is topped with perfectly cooked red beans and slivered andouille sausage and served with a side of greens and cornbread. Open wide and stuff a little bit of each element into your mouth at the same time, so the richness of the meat and beans contrasts with the sweetness of the cornbread and the spicy sharpness of the greens. Heaven on a plate.

The restaurant, just a block off Broad Street, has an attractive patio in front, which fills up quickly. The inside is equally pleasant, with a cheerful array of Mardi Gras beads, feather boas, glittery masks, posters advertising Voodoo Ale and even an accordion bedecking the walls.

Ike’s breakfast menu offers a wide selection of frittatas and flapjacks, but I find it hard to tear myself away from the cheese grits, served with two eggs any style ($6.50-$7.75). The thing to do here is add on the aptly named debris—a mix of bacon, turkey and two kinds of sausage.

Children and the childlike will get a kick out of Grandpa Lee’s Gasserhousers ($5.25). That’s a long name for a childhood classic—two pieces of toast with a hole cut out and an egg cooked inside the hole, served with a Yukon potato hash. Ike’s also serves biscuits and gravy, which is my personal litmus test for a worthwhile breakfast joint.

For lunch, you can stay on the tried-and-true Southern track with a muffuletta sandwich ($7.25, ham, salami and provolone with a green olive dressing) or a po’ boy sandwich with several different fillings ($7.75-$8.25). Or you could opt for a not very Cajun but very yummy burger. Ike’s serves both the basic burger and a delicious variation called the voodoo burger ($8.25), topped with caramelized onions, andouille sausage and creole remoulade.

Wannabe Southerners like me will be glad of the presence of baked macaroni and cheese (when was the last time you saw that on a menu?), jambalaya and a gumbo of the day. Lighter appetites get the nod with soup and several salads. You can also create your own combination plate for breakfast or lunch by combining side dishes.

And yes, Ike’s does cater to vegetarians, with vegan versions of its biscuits and French toast, tofu scrambles, and even a tofu po’ boy sandwich. And, of course, you have the option of requesting your beans and rice without meat.

Ike’s Quarter Cafe is open from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Breakfast is served all day, lunch after 11:30 a.m.