When traveling in Southwest Louisiana, you will find culinary delights that are unique to the area that make it a travel destination for food lovers.
If boudin, cracklins, crawfish and King Cake are on the menu, you are most likely traveling through Southwest Louisiana where many delicious foods await visitors. Lake Charles, located in the heart of Southwest Louisiana, offers all of these wonderful foods, as well as many other attractions that make it the perfect vacation destination. Outdoor adventure, gaming and natural beauty are among the reasons that people return again and again to Lake Charles and Southeast Louisiana.
Lake Charles is located two hours from Houston and three and a half hours from New Orleans. It is also an easy flight from Atlanta. It’s a great destination for a weekend get-away or for a week-long visit.
On a recent visit to Lake Charles and the surrounding area, I tried as much boudin as possible since you don’t find this delicacy in North Georgia. Many different recipes and ingredients can be used when making this. Boudin is a type of sausage made with rice dressing and stuffed into pork casings. While the sausage wrap is edible, the stuffing is usually squeezed out of one end. It is often served with cracklins (fried pig skins) and crackers. Another way of enjoying this treat is Boudin Balls, where the stuffing is formed into a ball, rolled in breading and deep fried.
Taste of Lake Charles: Culinary delights awaiting visitors to Southwest Louisiana
A Boudin Trail has been developed to give visitors tips on where to stop and try the Southwest Louisiana delicacy. We didn’t make all the stops but made sure to hit several of them during our visit. The stops on the Boudin Trail include delis, restaurants, grocery stores and even gas stations.
Our first stop was at Famous Foods, where we tried the boudin and cracklin. The cracklin comes in smoked and original flavors. The regular was my favorite and it made a great snack. I also took some home and we added it to our cornbread mix for a great Southern treat. The Guillory family has been making Boudin and cracklin for over 200 years and says it’s the “years of knowledge” that make is so special.
“That’s just what we do when we get together—cook cracklin and boudin,” Quinton Guillory, son of the owner, told a recent group of visitors.
Another stop is LeBleu’s Landing, which has a restaurant and gift shop. They have some of the best Boudin Balls you will find, so be sure to try them. Lots of local foods can be purchased in the gift shop. A glass display window also gives visitors a great opportunity to see boudin being made.
The Seafood Palace is a another great spot to stop for a meal and to enjoy some Boudin balls and other Southwest Louisiana food. The Boudin balls were wonderful, as was the shrimp pistolette, fried gator (which I tried for the first time and loved), crawfish pie, shrimp and crab gumbo and oyster poboy. It was a Cajun feast and I tried everything.
Hollier’s Cajun Kitchen is another stop on the Boudin Trail and it’s a great place to stop for a meal. We enjoyed the Boudin balls, gumbo, alligator balls and pistolettes. They also have a buffet and the variety and prices are both great.
WHAT TO DO
In between trying all of the wonderful food in Lake Charles and Southeast Louisiana, these are a few fun stops to include on your visit:
•Creole Nature Trail, which has received the designation as being one of 16 national scenic byways, provides a scenic spot to take time out for reflection and to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. The area received the designation in an effort to get travelers off the interstate and into outlying areas. The 180 miles includes marshes, prairies, agriculture fields and beaches. As you drive along, you will see many different things along the route, where 400 species of birds have been reported. Stops along the route include the Pintail Wildlife Drive, where you will find a half-mile walk along a board walk through the marsh. You will see lots of birds while enjoying a nice breeze and scenic view. Another stop along the route is the Cameron Prairie Visitors Center, where you will find displays and information on the area.
•While Lake Charles makes a fun place to visit during Mardi Gras, you can experience a little bit of the celebration any time you visit by stopping by the Mardi Gras Museum. If you are lucky, you will see some of the 12th Knight Revelers, a welcoming committee for the Mardi Gras. They go to balls, hospitals, schools and other places to promote Mardi Gras. The museum features ball gowns and other memorabilia from Mardi Gras from years past. The elaborate costumes are amazing to see.
•If you are in the area for Mardi Gras, be sure to try a King Cake, a wonderful sweet treat. If you aren’t in the area, you can order one from Misse’s Grocery during Mardi Gras, where 7,000 King Cakes a year are made. I had one shipped to my home and it arrived the next day in great shape.
•Delta Downs Racetrack, Casino and Hotel is a fun spot for an evening of horse racing and a meal at the Lookout Restaurant, which overlooks the track. We had a great meal of apple bacon jumbo shrimp with asparagus and chocolate cake before enjoying the races.
•Take a carriage ride with J&R Carriage Tours through the historic Charpentier Historic District, where you will see many lovely historic homes and interesting architecture.
•If you’re visiting in the fall, plan your trip around he Rouge et Blanc, known as the premier food and wine event of Southeast Louisiana. You will be able to try food from the best restaurants in the area during the afternoon festival. Other events are planned, including special dinners at area restaurants. We had an amazing five-course dinner at La Truffe Sauvage, where petite bouillabaisse with fennel confit en croute, moulard duck fois gras, prime beef medallion and braised boneless short rib, chevre chaud with fresh thyme with tomato tartare and boston lettuce and meyer lemon gelato were on the menu. Be sure to visit this restaurant during your visit. Everything was wonderful.
•Imperial Calcasieu Museum has historical exhibits and artwork from Lake Charles and the surrounding area, and gives a great glimpse into the past of the area. The majestic 375-year old Sallier Oak tree graces the museum grounds, alongside sculptures by Lakes Charles artist, Lynda Benglis.
•Henning Cultural Center in Sulpher features a display of local artwork in a historic home.
•Chef Café is a good breakfast stop for some southern favorites, including sausage gravy and homemade biscuits.
•For some Zydeco music, check the schedule at Yesterday’s Nightclub. We caught a performance by Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners and it was great fun.
•If you are traveling with a group, think about renting the Bon Temps bus during your stay. It’s a great way to travel and the driver/owner, Ralph, is an expert on the area. The bus is roomy with seats located along the walls, all facing each other. There’s room for your snacks and drinks and a restroom is also on board. For information, call 337-774-4FUN.
WHERE TO STAY
A great place to make your headquarters during your visit is L’auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles. It is a destination in itself with restaurants and shopping inside the resort. There is also a spa, outdoor pools with a lazy river and golf course, as well as the 70,000 square foot casino. The property is beautiful and the rooms are spacious and comfortable.
During our stay, we dined at several restaurants at the resort and would highly recommend all of them, including:
•Embers is a wonderful place to relax for a fine dining experience. I had an amazing dinner at Embers where I started off with shrimp cocktail and lamb lollipops. Seseme crusted ahi tuna is a great entrée choice, while the beignets with banana cream filling are a wonderful finish to your meal.
•Le Café is open 24 hours and offers a lot of variety. I stopped by early one morning for breakfast and had a great Louisiana omelet — crawfish tails, herb cream cheese and chives.
•Asia’s is a great sushi restaurant and I had a light lunch there one day between my exploring. A great choice is the cucumber wrap, a crab mix and avocado wrapped in cucumber and topped with spicy mayo.
•Le Beaucoup Buffet has an amazing array of foods and is a great stop to fill up. You will find a little bit of everything and all that I tried was great.
•Before heading home on the last day of my stay, I ordered room serve and had the beignets and coffee, to get one last taste of Louisiana before heading home to North Georgia. The beignets were crispy and sweet and very filling — perfect start for a day of travel home.
For more information on the resort, check out the website at www.mylauberge.com or call 1-866-580-7444.
To start planning your trip, check out the website, www.visitlakecharles.org or call 1-800-456-SWLA.
Our first stop was at Famous Foods, where we tried the boudin and cracklin. The cracklin comes in smoked and original flavors. The regular was my favorite and it made a great snack. I also took some home and we added it to our cornbread mix for a great Southern treat. The Guillory family has been making Boudin and cracklin for over 200 years and says it’s the “years of knowledge” that make is so special.
“That’s just what we do when we get together—cook cracklin and boudin,” Quinton Guillory, son of the owner, told a recent group of visitors.
Another stop is LeBleu’s Landing, which has a restaurant and gift shop. They have some of the best Boudin Balls you will find, so be sure to try them. Lots of local foods can be purchased in the gift shop. A glass display window also gives visitors a great opportunity to see boudin being made.
The Seafood Palace is a another great spot to stop for a meal and to enjoy some Boudin balls and other Southwest Louisiana food. The Boudin balls were wonderful, as was the shrimp pistolette, fried gator (which I tried for the first time and loved), crawfish pie, shrimp and crab gumbo and oyster poboy. It was a Cajun feast and I tried everything.
Hollier’s Cajun Kitchen is another stop on the Boudin Trail and it’s a great place to stop for a meal. We enjoyed the Boudin balls, gumbo, alligator balls and pistolettes. They also have a buffet and the variety and prices are both great.
WHAT TO DO
In between trying all of the wonderful food in Lake Charles and Southeast Louisiana, these are a few fun stops to include on your visit:
•Creole Nature Trail, which has received the designation as being one of 16 national scenic byways, provides a scenic spot to take time out for reflection and to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. The area received the designation in an effort to get travelers off the interstate and into outlying areas. The 180 miles includes marshes, prairies, agriculture fields and beaches. As you drive along, you will see many different things along the route, where 400 species of birds have been reported. Stops along the route include the Pintail Wildlife Drive, where you will find a half-mile walk along a board walk through the marsh. You will see lots of birds while enjoying a nice breeze and scenic view. Another stop along the route is the Cameron Prairie Visitors Center, where you will find displays and information on the area.
•While Lake Charles makes a fun place to visit during Mardi Gras, you can experience a little bit of the celebration any time you visit by stopping by the Mardi Gras Museum. If you are lucky, you will see some of the 12th Knight Revelers, a welcoming committee for the Mardi Gras. They go to balls, hospitals, schools and other places to promote Mardi Gras. The museum features ball gowns and other memorabilia from Mardi Gras from years past. The elaborate costumes are amazing to see.
•If you are in the area for Mardi Gras, be sure to try a King Cake, a wonderful sweet treat. If you aren’t in the area, you can order one from Misse’s Grocery during Mardi Gras, where 7,000 King Cakes a year are made. I had one shipped to my home and it arrived the next day in great shape.
•Delta Downs Racetrack, Casino and Hotel is a fun spot for an evening of horse racing and a meal at the Lookout Restaurant, which overlooks the track. We had a great meal of apple bacon jumbo shrimp with asparagus and chocolate cake before enjoying the races.
•Take a carriage ride with J&R Carriage Tours through the historic Charpentier Historic District, where you will see many lovely historic homes and interesting architecture.
•If you’re visiting in the fall, plan your trip around he Rouge et Blanc, known as the premier food and wine event of Southeast Louisiana. You will be able to try food from the best restaurants in the area during the afternoon festival. Other events are planned, including special dinners at area restaurants. We had an amazing five-course dinner at La Truffe Sauvage, where petite bouillabaisse with fennel confit en croute, moulard duck fois gras, prime beef medallion and braised boneless short rib, chevre chaud with fresh thyme with tomato tartare and boston lettuce and meyer lemon gelato were on the menu. Be sure to visit this restaurant during your visit. Everything was wonderful.
•Imperial Calcasieu Museum has historical exhibits and artwork from Lake Charles and the surrounding area, and gives a great glimpse into the past of the area. The majestic 375-year old Sallier Oak tree graces the museum grounds, alongside sculptures by Lakes Charles artist, Lynda Benglis.
•Henning Cultural Center in Sulpher features a display of local artwork in a historic home.
•Chef Café is a good breakfast stop for some southern favorites, including sausage gravy and homemade biscuits.
•For some Zydeco music, check the schedule at Yesterday’s Nightclub. We caught a performance by Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners and it was great fun.
•If you are traveling with a group, think about renting the Bon Temps bus during your stay. It’s a great way to travel and the driver/owner, Ralph, is an expert on the area. The bus is roomy with seats located along the walls, all facing each other. There’s room for your snacks and drinks and a restroom is also on board. For information, call 337-774-4FUN.
WHERE TO STAY
A great place to make your headquarters during your visit is L’auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles. It is a destination in itself with restaurants and shopping inside the resort. There is also a spa, outdoor pools with a lazy river and golf course, as well as the 70,000 square foot casino. The property is beautiful and the rooms are spacious and comfortable.
During our stay, we dined at several restaurants at the resort and would highly recommend all of them, including:
•Embers is a wonderful place to relax for a fine dining experience. I had an amazing dinner at Embers where I started off with shrimp cocktail and lamb lollipops. Seseme crusted ahi tuna is a great entrée choice, while the beignets with banana cream filling are a wonderful finish to your meal.
•Le Café is open 24 hours and offers a lot of variety. I stopped by early one morning for breakfast and had a great Louisiana omelet — crawfish tails, herb cream cheese and chives.
•Asia’s is a great sushi restaurant and I had a light lunch there one day between my exploring. A great choice is the cucumber wrap, a crab mix and avocado wrapped in cucumber and topped with spicy mayo.
•Le Beaucoup Buffet has an amazing array of foods and is a great stop to fill up. You will find a little bit of everything and all that I tried was great.
•Before heading home on the last day of my stay, I ordered room serve and had the beignets and coffee, to get one last taste of Louisiana before heading home to North Georgia. The beignets were crispy and sweet and very filling — perfect start for a day of travel home.
For more information on the resort, check out the website at www.mylauberge.com or call 1-866-580-7444.
To start planning your trip, check out the website, www.visitlakecharles.org or call 1-800-456-SWLA.
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