WHERE TO EAT IN CAJUN COUNTRY

There are thousands of good restaurants in Southern Louisiana. Here are a few of our favorites around Lafayette and St. Landry Parish.

Charley G's
3809 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy.
Lafayette, LA 70503
(337) 981-0108
email: amg@charleygs.com
Dishes like pistacio encrusted shrimp set this seafood restaurant on a higher level.

Don’s Seafood & Steakhouse
301 E Vermilion St
Lafayette, LA 70501
(337) 235-3551
Where the locals hang out. Try their crawfish bisque.

Randol's Restaurant & Cajun Dancehall
2320 Kaliste Saloom Rd.
Lafayette, LA 70508
(337) 981-7080
1-800-YO-CAJUN

Down-home food, with some fusion dishes in an informal atmosphere, and Cajun or zydeco music every night.

The Palace Café
135 West Landry St.
Opelousas, LA 70570
(337) 942-2142
6AM to 9PM Mon. – Sat.

Operated by the same family for 75 years, the kitchen turns out local (mostly Cajun) fare. They had a dishwasher who started at 18 years old worked her way up to head cook. She worked at the café until she was 70, and all these recipes on the menu are hers. She never wrote them down, and when she passed away the dishwasher took over. She’d never been taught the recipes; she’d just watched for years. She didn’t miss a beat, and the show goes on. This is the hangout for the local judges and lawyers from the court across the street — the round table in the front is set aside for them. If owner Tina Elder had been unscrupulous, she could have benefited from bugging the table, but we’ll leave that to a John Grisham novel.

Steamboat Warehouse Restaurant
513 North Main Street
Washington, LA 70586
(337) 826-7227
Tues. – Sat. opens 5PM; Sun. 11AM – 2PM
Just as Rick Bayless has found ways to bring out the nuances in Mexican cuisine, so Chef Jason Huguet has the knack for making Cajun cuisine both flavorful and refined. Worthy of a side trip.