Who Has The Best Burger in Acadiana?
It’s burger season, ya’ll! National Hamburger Week and the Memorial Day holiday are all the signals South Louisiana needs to fire up the grill and break out the buns. Put away the propane crawfish boiling rigs; summertime backyard burger bashes are firing up all over Acadiana. “Who has the best burger in Acadiana?” is the…
Spotlight: Yellow Bowl Restaurant – Fried Softshell Crab topped with Crawfish Étouffée
Lately, I’ve gotten lots of questions from folks outside of Louisiana who want to know more about the restaurant scene in South Louisiana. Well, I could write volumes on the subject and still not cover it all. The pages of Acadiana Table are a good start, but I have a continually growing backlog of … [Read More...]
Spotlight: Chris’ Poboys
For over 30 years, Richard Rivet’s real-deal po’boy shop in Lafayette (three locations) has been serving up great sandwiches and a whole lot more. Many think this little eatery has the best chicken and sausage gumbo in town, and while debatable, I can attest that it is a righteous bowl. (Tip: I like … [Read More...]
Spotlight: Joey’s
Joey Beyt set out to open a simple meat market over 30 years ago and what he wound up with is nothing less than a 10,000 square foot food emporium dedicated to quality artisan products. While Cajun Creole infuses the product offerings, it is more of a gourmet store that offers handcrafted signature … [Read More...]
Spotlight: Johnson’s Boucaniere
This charming little restaurant/meat market is a rural, Cajun smokehouse (boucaniere) right in the middle of Lafayette. The compact building houses some of the best smoky, sausage-based eats around. Since the 1930s the Johnson family has been making their signature boudin, tasso and … [Read More...]
Spotlight: Dwight’s Restaurant
Dwight Breaux and his daughter Brandy Mitchell have been serving Acadiana since 1988. Many come for the daily lunch buffet full of Cajun classics, many more come for the boiled crawfish when in season, but everybody lines up at 11 am Sunday for Dwight’s famous barbecue. Cooked on outdoor pits, folks … [Read More...]
Spotlight: Shucks and Oysters Supreme
David Bertrand runs Shucks seafood house in Abbeville, Louisiana with an eye for detail. Along with his partner Bert Istre, they share a keen understanding of the tastes of their South Louisiana customers. This is not a tourist haunt, and it’s not an upscale, white-tablecloth eatery with a big-name … [Read More...]
Spotlight: Cajan’s Eatery
Cajan’s, opened in 2007 by local Jan-Scott Richard (Cajan: his name is Jan, get it?), has a broad menu of plate lunches, salads, and sandwiches, but it is the burgers (13 listed on the menu) that this little joint is becoming known for. (Tip: Try the Dixie Burger: A generously portioned, … [Read More...]
Spotlight: Crawfish Town USA
At age 12, Johnny Hebert was washing dishes in a Cajun restaurant dreaming of owning his own place. A bunch of years (and invaluable experience) later, he and his wife Wendy are the proprietors of Crawfish Town USA, a Cajun institution. Seafood is the specialty, and the crawfish pot is always … [Read More...]
Spotlight: Angelle’s Old Fashion Hamburgers
Order up! I’ll take a Lil Jimmy with O-rings, hold the mayo. There are lots of options in downtown Breaux Bridge, but Angelle’s, with its cheeseburger and extra crispy onion rings, has become a hot spot for a down home burger. (Tip: Spice it up with Angelle’s alligator burger, and cool down with a … [Read More...]
Spotlight: Ton’s Drive In
Alton “Ton” Girouard opened this drive in back in 1963 to a hungry audience. Serving up a diverse menu of breakfast and lunch favorites, there are tons of options: The Monster Burger is legendary, and the plate lunches are the best around. (Tip: Locals know that Wednesday is Pork Chop Day (fried or … [Read More...]
Cajun Crawtator Casserole
Smashed Yukon Gold potatoes infused with fresh herbs, Cajun spice, and creamy Greek yogurt reaches new culinary heights with the addition of rich Louisiana crawfish tail meat. And the crunch of Zapp's Crawtator kettle-fried potato chips is the pièce de résistance. It's pure comfort in a casserole … [Read More...]
Spotlight: Billeaud’s Meat and Grocery
When it comes to Cajun specialties, Billeaud's in Broussard, LA is a hometown grocery and meat market that has it all. There is a hustle and bustle in this little shop that makes it a must-stop on the Main Street corridor through the town. My friend Bob Carriker (aka Dr. Boudin) downed his … [Read More...]
Farmhouse Frittata with Lavender Cream
My neighbor Cookie who lives across the alley is a sweet ray of sunshine that brightens my day and occasionally brings breakfast to my back door. I’m blessed to have a former caterer as my friend, and thankfully, she still delivers. She is an exceptional cook and this particular morning she … [Read More...]
Spotlight: Champagne’s Market
Greg and Beth Champagne have teamed up with the WAITR home-delivery app to bring their store to your front door. Prepared foods, custom meats, fresh produce and much more is available online. This locally owned grocery is a favorite stop whenever I’m in the Oil Center area of Lafayette. The … [Read More...]
I Found My Thrill: Blueberry Cream Pie
With words reminiscent of immortal Louisiana bluesman Fats Domino, I found my thrill on this hill of blueberries piled high on a mountain of cream. And one bite of this easy-to-assemble Blueberry Cream Pie will make you sing the blues, too. Who knew that a magnificent Blueberry Cream Pie … [Read More...]