There’s something to be said for a son who carries on his mother’s legacy, especially when it has to do with a cooking style whose roots are more than a thousand miles away. At Momma Pearl’s Cajun Kitchen, Chef Robert “BB” Brunet pays homage to his mom and his native Louisiana despite the absence of a Gulf Coast and the presence of Rocky Mountains.

Diners are transported to the bayou through freshly prepared and uniquely seasoned Cajun dishes. The Zydeco music blaring through the speakers and the all-things New Orleans décor on the walls further the experience.

Brunet opened his restaurant in a Rockrimmon strip mall three years ago. The family touch extends to his wife and kids, who help out. Brunet spends a lot of his time in the kitchen, but also has a strong presence in the dining area where he checks with patrons to see how they’re enjoying the food and shakes hands with regulars who stop in for a bite.

The menu is extensive, almost daunting in the number of choices. I venture to say if it’s served in Louisiana, it’s served at Momma Pearl’s. When we asked our server (Brunet’s wife) for suggestions she pointed out half a dozen possibilities. We joked that she didn’t help much; she said she hears that a lot.

The Cajun Sampler ($12.99) was something she suggested as a way to try a few different items. Ample servings of three out of the five options provide variety for the taste buds. The choices include red beans and rice, shrimp Creole, crawfish etouffee, chicken and sausage gumbo and Cajun jambalaya. Etouffee is a stew most often composed of crawfish, while gumbo is also a stew but combines a swamp-load of other ingredients, and jambalaya is more souplike, usually with a tomato and red pepper base. A dark roux is what truly sets gumbo apart from the pack. All are served over rice.

We chose the red beans and rice, gumbo and shrimp Creole. The beans and rice are garnished with green onions, but the flavor of the dish relies on the earthiness of the beans. The gumbo is made with the trinity of diced onion, celery and red pepper, all of which make their presence known in the dark roux. This is like the gravy of the gods with a kick, albeit a subtle one. The addition of sausage slices enhance the spiciness. I didn’t detect any chicken, but, to be honest, neither did I miss it. The shrimp Creole was spicy, which may have been more evident because of the acidity of the tomato base. The shrimp were supple and plentiful.

The barbecue shrimp and grits ($10.99) combined the best of the sea and the South. Shrimp sautéed in house-made barbecue sauce served over cheesy grits was a new taste sensation for me. I’ve had shrimp and grits, but never with the addition of a smoky, tangy sauce. The grits were creamy thanks to the cheddar, Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheeses.

As much as I enjoyed the shrimp, I’d push them aside to get to the crab cakes and yellow saffron rice ($11.99). Loaded with blue crab meat, celery, onions and seasoned breadcrumbs, these are thick and rich. The crusty exterior belies the soft crab mixture within. The rice is aromatic and could easily be served alone, but with the crab cakes it’s an ideal salty-nutty combination. This entree may be ordered as an appetizer over romaine lettuce for a dollar more. It’s an impressive serving both in quantity and quality.

Brunet tempted us with white chocolate bread pudding, but we were already packing up what we couldn’t finish.

Our selections barely touched the tip of the Pelican State.

Momma Pearl’s can get busy, so reservations are accepted; the exception is on Saturdays, beginning at 11 a.m., when the Crawfish Boil is offered. Then it’s first come, first served.