Todd is back in Louisiana for his two-month checkup after surgery to correct superior canal dehiscence syndrome (SCDS) in his left ear. In honor of the occasion, I’m posting the only decent photo I got from our dinner in November 2013 at Mac’s on Boston Street.

Located in downtown Covington, Louisiana, Mac’s is a little more than a year old. It wasn’t crowded the night we were there (a Wednesday, I think), but I hope it sticks around because it’s a beautiful house restaurant that serves thoughtful variations on comfort food.

The ceiling was painted pumpkin orange. The tables were laid with white cloths, and there was a rose on each table that was just opening. We sat in the main room and looked out onto an enclosed porch.

It was the night before Todd’s surgery, so he wanted to eat a healthful meal, and I was in the mood for appetizers. The crawfish and andouille macaroni and cheese was creamy but not as spicy as I expected. The firecracker oysters were crisp and light. Although I liked the mango salsa, I wanted more of the wasabi aioli to balance out the dish’s overall sweetness.

Todd’s duck and sausage gumbo did deliver the heat; the roux was dark and rich.

His Linda’s Louisiana Cobb salad, with crab and mildly blackened gulf shrimp replacing chicken, was served unmixed, the veggies dolloped around the lettuce with the crab on top. I had Just a Salad, with artichokes, kalamata olives, roma tomatoes, red onions, feta, and toasted pine nuts in an herb vinaigrette.