Outside New Orleans Suggestions

[Hank Stamper]

I'm from New York, have family in New Orleans and have been down there many times over the past 30 years. For the first time, however, I am am going down with extra time and I'd like to do some exploring (food and general) outside of town. I'm looking to eat some basic grub -- gumbo, etouffee, jumbayla, po boys -- and see some sights I normally would not see. I'm thinking that one day I'll head south and check out Grand Isle? and another day head west to Lafayette? New Iberia? Any suggestions for these cities or would you recommned different ones? Thanks!

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Grand Isle Restaurant
575 Convention Center Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70130

[Littleman]

There's a recent thread on here about driving to Grand Isle. Here's a copy of part of it. I am of the opinion based on what I read is you should go to Lafayette. There are some dives on the way down and a few spots at Grand Isle but nothing like Lafayette. Hungry Celeste is the lady here that knows about both places. Just hope she answers your post. Good luck.

Here's a link to that thread.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/690732?tag=search_results;results_list

GRAND ISLE.........

Awright, ya'll, you're treading on my native earth here. More than 30,000 people live in the southern part of Lafourche & Jefferson parishes--they're not all funny-talking, shrimp boot wearing happy leprechauns, nor are all of the restaurants terrible. Yes, Spahr's does have fried seafood, but since their fire & rebuilding, the menu has expanded a bit and moved just a tad upmarket (a steak or two, some seared tuna) though the real draw is wild-caught (NOT farmraised) catfish.

For downhome dining in Lockport, you can hit Blackies, which has stick-to-your ribs cajun plate lunches (think heavy on the seafood & starches), as well as poboys, etc. The new La Tour golf club's dining facility is open to the public, and it has typical club food (near Mathews, off of LA 308). A good seafood market, Punch's, is also in Lockport: they produce softshelled crabs onsite (as well as crabmeat), and offer some take-home, precooked stuff (seafood stuffed peppers, crawfish bisque, etc).

Heading south on LA 1, you could do worse for a roadside snack than Plaisance's Meat market, a custom-slaughter place that sells prime beef, homemade cracklins, boudin, and other charcuterie. It has a Lockport address, but is technically closer to north Larose.
Switchin' over to the opposite side of the bayou again, Harry's Poboys (just N of the Intracoastal bridge in Larose) offers the full range of s LA sandwiches: sloppy roast beef, crab patties, fried seafood, and so on. Only open weekdays, and only til 2 or 3.

Moving south into Larose, with a 70s sort of vibe, is the Balcony....iceberg lettuce salads, dressings served in those silly, 3-compartment serving caddies, but still turning out a reliable club sandwich, fried seafood, and crabmeat stuffed flounder. (Hell, Larose even has a run-of-the-mill Japanese joint these days; hibachi tables, a sushi bar, and a few seafood specials.) Or you can sit in a converted gas station and eat crawfish & boiled crabs until you can't stand it anymore at the Crab Station.

I've heard about Mexican plate lunches at the old Danny's Fried chicken in Galliano, but I can't vouch for them as I haven't sampled them just yet. No, you won't find a tremendous number of upscale places...but in Golden Meadow, you can eat well at Oceana Cafe. A few more ambitious specials, solid fried chicken, and a delicious house dressing (made with andouille) make it worth a visit on a drive to GI.

The scenery is distinctive: sugarcane fields, with the bayou running alongside the road. Shrimp boats, tons of commercial marine traffic, quaint floating (pontoon) bridges, shipbuilding: it doesn't look like the rest of America. If you want sugar beaches and plastic sameness, skip it. On the other hand, if you like seeing the corners of America that retain regional flavor despite the cultural homogenization of mass media & the internet, come on down...we'll be really nice to you. Bring your ice chest and buy shrimp fresh off of the boat for a price so low as to be criminal. Oh, and be cognizant of the fact that almost 15% of US petroleum imports travel through this area, known as LA's Energy Corridor (while FL and CA reject drilling yet suck down more than their share of oil, both domestic & foreign).

Great info JEverett! To answer other questions: The upscale restaurant on grand Isle is The Lighthouse (985-787-3331), & it is the Conoco gas station (985-787-3707) that has a deli upstairs. Cigar's Cajun Cuisine WAS the other upscale restaurant, but Katrina & Rita demolished it, & they did not rebuild. The "grocery store" near the center of the island is Safeway (985-787-3141), which also features a small department store (clothes, hardware, souvinirs, toys, etc.). You may phone [phone] for GeauxPass information, or [e-mail] for all of the toll information for the new 3 1/2 mile Tomey Ducet bridge. The section to Port Fourchon has not yet been completed, so you will have to make a 90 degree right turn over to the 2-laned highway 1. The 65 mile drive from Houma, LA takes me only 75 minutes on the average, but my ex-wife complained about the 100 mile drive from New Orleans. Extremely scenic drive though - especially the bayou & boats at night with a full moon. Newly paved roads make the trip easier, smoother, & faster. I also suggest that everyone check out grand-isle.com for ALL detailed information BEFORE you go there. They continually update info - especially since the bad-ass hurricanes, plus the BP Gusher of 2010. The east end of the beach is now open for swimming & fishing, & saw some crabbing being done in the surf. However, I would certainly check out the feasibility of eating them, & especially the oysters. Special Alert: A FREE CONCERT will be held on September 5th, 2010 at the Bridgeside Marina (at south side of bridge on the right), from 10AM to 7PM - rain or shine. For more info, contact Libby Foret at 225-291-6990 or upliftingthecoastconcert.com. Yep, I have lived on the island for 9 years, & 19 named storms, & the people are really friendly. I always suggest that everybody should FIRST check the TV weather channel for this area, & even living there - we check it daily. (remember...the recent Tropical Storm 5 came through, then circled around & hit us again, then dumped 14.55" of rain in 12 hours on Bunkie, LA). Check out our new Grand Isle welcome sign before you get to the island. It is hoped to be hurricane proof, with elevated mobile wind-thru fish, but my experience with FL & LA hurricanes - my money is on the hurricanes. That Katrina 30' surge that hit our camp close to the disappearing levee, left nothing but the poles, walls, & roof. Texas got most of it! C'est la vie!

Here's a list of places in GI or on your way down.

Artie's Sports Bar @ 3162 Highway 1, Grand Isle, LA 985 - 787 - 3165.
Sarah's Restaurant @ 2987 Highway 1, Grand Isle, LA 985 - 787 - 2955.
Starfish Restaurant @ 3027 Highway 1, Grand Isle, LA 985 - 787 - 2711.
The Lighthouse @ 116 Chighizola Lane, Grand Isle, LA 985 - 787 - 3331.
Anthony's Lounge @ 27900 Louisiana 1, Golden Meadow, LA 985 - 396 - 2713.
Blackie's Po Boy Shop @ 5674 Louisiana 1, Lockport, LA 985 - 532 - 5117.
Bobby Lynn's Marina @ 24015 Louisiana 1, Golden Meadow, LA 985 - 396 - 2678.
http://bobbylynns.com/
Cafe Oceana @ 2606 North Alex Plaisance Boulevard, Golden Meadow, LA 985 - 475 - 5272.
Crab Station @ 13255 West Main Street, Larose, LA 985 - 693 -3562.
Harry's Po Boys @ 11914 Louisiana 308, Larose, LA 985 - 798 - 7578.
La Tour Golf Club @ 300 La Tour Blvd., Mathews, LA 985 - 532 - 0494.
Plaisance's Meat Market @ 178 Plaisance Street, Larose, LA 985 - 532 - 0710.
Punch's Seafood Market @ 118 North Oak Street, Lockport, LA 985 - 532 - 7340.
Spahr's Seafood @ 3682 Highway 90 E., Des Allemands, LA 985 - 758 - 1602.
http://www.spahrsseafood.com/
The Balcony @ 13550 Louisiana 1, Larose, LA 985 - 693 - 3368.

[Littleman]

NEW ORLEANS TO LAFAYETTE..............

Get off I 10 in Baton Rouge at Exit # 166 and go W on Highland Road. Take your first right on Perkins Road and go to Galatoire's Bistro for good LA cuisine. Chelsea's Cafe in BR has outstanding food at Exit 157B off I 10. Parrain's Seafood has outstanding fresh seafood and steaks in BR also. If you stop in BR go to Parrain's if you can.

Get off I 10 at Exit 109 in Breaux Bridge and go S on Rees Street or Highway 328 and go to Le Cafe for outstanding Po Boys. Or get Off I 10 at Exit 109 and go N on Highway 328 which is Anse Broussard Highway also to Poche Bridge Road. Go N to Main Highway and Poche Market and Restaurant for good Cajun cuisine for lunch. Poche's is a food lover's dream and serves outstanding plate lunches and offers a large variety of custom cajun food to take home. This is a buffet so you might really like it if you are in a hurry.

Galatoire's Bistro @ 17451 Perkins Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 225 - 753 - 4864.
http://galatoiresbistro.com/
Chelsea's Cafe @ 2857 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 225 - 387 - 3679.
Parrain's Seafood Restaurant @ 3225 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, LA 225 - 381 - 9922.
http://www.parrains.com/

Le Cafe @ 124 Rees St., Breaux Bridge, LA 337 - 332 - 2500.
Poche's Market and Restaurant @ 3015 Main Hwy., Breaux Bridge, LA. 337 - 332 - 2108.
http://www.pochesmarket.com/

Get off I 10 at Exit 101 in Lafayette, LA then go S on Hwy. 182 which is N University. Go less than a mile to Creole Cafe for good country breakfast or plate lunch.

Creole Cafe @ 1227 N. University Ave., Lafayette, LA 337 - 266 - 4648.

Or get off I 10 at Exit 101 in Lafayette, LA and go S on Hwy. 182 which is N University. Go S on University and it becomes W University. Take a right on Johsnton St. and go three blocks and take a right on W St. Mary Blvd.then go one block where you will find Old Thyme Grocery for good road food and the best po boys in LA.

Old Tyme Grocery @ 218 West Saint Mary Blvd., Lafayette, LA 337 - 235 - 8165.

Or get off I 10 in Lafayette, LA at Exit 101 and go S on Hwy. 182 which is N University. Go S on University and it becomes W University then it becomes E University. Go to Pinhook and take a right then go about 6 blocks to Blue Dog Cafe for great road food.

Blue Dog Cafe @ 1211 West Pinhook Road, Lafayette, LA 337 - 237 - 0005.
http://www.bluedogcafe.com/

Po Boy's Riverside Inn has outstanding cajun cuisine for lunch and dinner for over 75 years.

Poor Boy's Riverside Inn @ 240 Tubing Rd., Broussard, LA 337 - 837 - 4011.
http://www.poorboysriversideinn.com/

[Littleman]

I have only been to GI once but I have been to Covington and Mandeville a lot. I would take a day trip across the LP Causeway and have lunch and sight see in Covington and Mandeville. Abita Springs is a neat little town nearby where Abita beer is made. Mandeville is on the water and has great shops and food.

[mrsfury]

At the Abita factory you can drink all the beer (and root beer) you like for free! Just don't eat at the brewery's restaurant. The UCM Museum is up there also. Weird little place. If you're in the Mandeville/Covington area try Vig Roux. I loved the shrimp creole I had and my buddies were very happy with their sandwiches.

[Hank Stamper]

Thanks everybody! Between your responses and the related postings I have a lot to work with. At this point I'm thinking of a big loop -- New Orleans to Lafayette and back through New Iberia and Houma.

[Littleman]

Here's a few good restaurants in Houma, LA.............

Big Al's Seafood Restaurant @ 1377 West Tunnel Blvd., Houma, LA 985 - 876 - 4030.
http://www.bigalsseafood.net/

Cafe Dominique @ 8013 West Main St., Houma, LA 985 - 223 - 7540.
http://www.cafedominique.com/

Cafe Milano @ 314 Belanger St., Houma, LA 985 - 879 - 2426.
http://www.cafemilanohouma.com/

Melvin's Restaurant @ 1023 Saadi St., Houma, LA 985 - 868 - 1594.

1921 Seafood and Oyster Bar @ 1522 Barrow St., Houma, LA 985 - 868 - 7098.

[Littleman]

Here's a few in Iberia..............

Boiling Point Restaurant @ 7413 Highway 90 W, New Iberia, LA 337 - 365 - 7596.

Bon Creole Lunch Counter @ 1409 East Saint Peter St., New Iberia, LA 337 - 367 - 6181.

Brenda's Diner @ 411 West Pershing St., New Iberia, LA 337 - 367 - 0868.

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Boiling Point
2998 Pontchartrain Dr, Slidell, LA 70458