Crayfish, shrimp, potatoes and corn round out a great meal at Brothers Kitchen and Pourhouse.

Will Dowdy put himself through college working in restaurants. His brother-in-law, Dan Stricklin, traveled the globe, sampling all kinds of exotic cuisine.

When they got together to practice with their band, Coal Rain, they sometimes kicked around the idea of opening a restaurant. Finally, they decided that it was now or never. Last month they opened their dream restaurant and brew pub, called aptly, Brother’s Kitchen and Pourhouse.

It’s a family affair, with Dowdy’s wife, Page, and Dan’s wife, Leslie, pitching in to help wait tables, stir the steaming pots and greet guests with a smile and a “Come on in, Y’all, pull up a chair!”

Since the Cajun spices and Creole flavors of New Orleans had long been Dan’s favorite epicurean style of cookery, they elected to focus on bringing Cullman some new and exciting dining choices.  

From the Smoked Tuna Dip, a Brother’s Kitchen and Pourhouse favorite by popular request, to the fresh Gulf shrimp and Louisiana crawfish, this restaurant brings customers in by the dozens. When that pot starts to boil, and the wind is just right, it’s like watching the Pied Piper leading people along 1st Ave. SE to see what Chef Jackson Brown is cooking up.

Chef Brown perfected his craft in the wilds of Alaska, across the boarder in Old Mexico, and cooking at Camp Comer, a summer home to more than 900 hungry kids.

Inside, the atmosphere is convivial and inviting, with seating at the bar or lantern-lit private tables, or at curbside, where you can eat your fill of Boudain sausage, or low country shrimp boil (served in hardy two-pound helpings) while watching the last rays of the sun turn the city into a soft, shimmery Southern summer evening, perfect for dining al fresco.

The menu also includes a lobster ravoli that is to die for, and the Brothers’ homemade chicken salad with a kick is just perfect for lunch. Prices are very reasonable, and the gang will be happy to talk to you about private parties or special events.

You’ll find beer on tap, with both imported and domestic brews, and a growing selection of craft beers, liquors and specialty drinks in fizzy, fruity flavors and on the rocks.

Some nights you’ll hear the sultry sounds of a rhythm guitar, or a rift of jazz, coming from inside. This is a place where food and music come together to give diners a taste of the Big Easy, right here in the middle of Cullman. You might even hear some zydeco drifting out into the night… pinch yourself, you aren’t dreaming, it’s the theme of the down-home Mississippi Delta and the Spanish moss bedecked bayous, where cooking good seafood is an art.

On some occasions, you’ll find Dowdy and Stricklin out from behind the bar, playing with their band, Coal Rain. (Dowdy named it after a sign he saw on a lonely road in the middle of nowhere). They are one of Cullman’s favorite cover bands, with a strong Southern rock background. Coal Rain features front woman, Kylie Gandy, who can easily switch from country to blues and honky tonk, showcasing the band’s versatile style.

With Dowdy on guitar and mandolin, and Stricklin, a former United States Marine, on bass, along with drummer, Arron Williams, and Chris Bushey, singing lead along with Gandy, the group blends their talents to create a harmony that is easy to listen to, fun to dance to, and refreshingly familiar in a below-the-Mason-Dixon-Line, kick-back kind of way. The group records all of their music at Bushey’s studio, Flyin’ Pig Productions. Some of their tunes will be familiar, such as “When the Whiskey Wears Off”, “You’re My Favorite Country Song”, and “Alabama Shore Line” which Dowdy penned for his wife, Page.

 You might have heard them recently on Nashville’s Renegade Radio. The first time Stricklin heard one of their songs on the air, he experienced a surreal rush and immediately phoned Dowdy to let him know that they had hit the big time.

A love of good food, combined with their musical talents, has found them a comfortable niche in Cullman where people can come to experience a little bit of the French Quarter, without traveling all the way to the coast.

For a complete menu, visit Brothers Kitchen and Pourhouse on Facebook. You’ll find them at 216 1st Ave. SE, Cullman 35055, cooking up a feast, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, or to schedule special events or private parties, contact them at 256-735-4240.