I have had more than a few submissions to check out K’Lynn’s Southern & Cajun Fusion restaurant.

I have a confession: I love Target. I have a Target credit card, and 25% of my time is spent inside a Target retail store.

What I am trying to say is that I pass by K’Lynn’s almost everyday, and I never walked in the doors. I am not sure why but let me tell you something, this place is awesome!

Owner Karen Johnson-Bey was inspired to start her restaurant because of her love of cooking and creating.

“Truly a beautiful thing to do what I love for a living,” Johnson-Bey said.

They offer homemade desserts, beer and good old Southern cuisine. I am talking about fried oysters, gator bites, cajun fries, fried catfish, fried green tomatoes, gumbo, jambalaya and more.

“Working and living in Rio Rancho since the late ’70’s has been a great experience,” Johnson-Bey said. “And a delight to provide a service that brings together such a supportive, loyal and loving group of people together over the last eight years, just based on the connection and appreciation of food.“

First off, every single staff member in this establishment was very friendly, kind and were all joking around with each other. Seems like a fun environment.

I gazed at the menu and decided to order a Jerk Chicken Po Boy with fries, fried green beans, and macaroni and cheese. Hey, you go big or you go home; I can’t afford a home, so I go big.

If you have a hard time deciding, Johnson-Bey recommends fried green tomatoes, fried catfish, fried okra or jerk chicken for first-timers.

The Po Boy sandwich had fresh French bread, lettuce, tomato, jerk chicken (a Jamaican classic) and was dressed in coleslaw.

The jerk chicken was sweet and smoky. The Po Boy was tangy, sweet, savory and creamy. Coleslaw is really good in sandwiches. I don’t think many of you find this surprising, but for me it was a revelation. My sandwich game is forever changed.

The mac and cheese had that pepper flare and amazing cheddar-cheese goodness. The fries were crispy and went well with the slaw and with some of their own house sauce.

A staff member encouraged me to get the deep-fried green beans, and wow! Hey parents, are your children not eating their green beans? Take them to K’Lynn’s. Problem solved.

I finished the day with one of their homemade desserts. Sometimes I wish I had three stomachs because they had banana pudding, peach cobbler with ice cream, and bread pudding.

I settled on the bread pudding. It was light, soft and custardy. Pure deliciousness.

I left K’Lynn’s a happy man, and I think next time I will try some fried alligator. Fried alligator sounds good, and I can finally overcome my fear of alligators.

The Jerk Chicken Po Boy with fries was $10.25, mac and cheese and fried green beans were $3.50 each, and the homemade bread pudding was $4. All worth it.

If you want to contact K’Lynn’s Southern & Cajun Fusion for dining or catering, call 505-453-3068

K’Lynn’s Southern & Cajun Fusion is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. They are closed Sunday through Tuesday.

K’Lynn’s Southern & Cajun Fusion is located 4300 Ridgecrest Drive, Suite O, Rio Rancho.

Where should I go next? Email me [email protected]