illustration: Ben Anglin
Guide to Southwestern Louisiana
This guide began with Ed Ward, who was teaching a cooking class when he still lived here some years back. Ward decided it wasn't enough to get ingredients locally -- they should come from the source... crawfish from Lake Charles, boudin from Jennings, garlic sausage from Eunice. Somehow, the results just tasted better for having made the trip. This concurred with something that Louis Black, Nick Barbaro, and I had known but hadn't admitted: that while we talked a lot about Louisiana music, we were really dreaming about Louisiana food.
Ward's culinary excursions resulted in a three-page handout for his cooking class, in which the other cultural aspects were almost an afterthought: As long as you're there buying sausage, etc., why not stay over and go to Fred's or Slim's? Why not, indeed. We started making regular trips back and forth, each time discovering new places to go and more things to do, and sharing the knowledge with each other. We were inspired by Ward's guide, agreeing with some of it, disagreeing with parts, and adding our own favorites. Most of these stops are within an hour's drive off Interstate 10.
In his original introduction, Louis Black cautioned readers to consider this "an arbitrary listing of food, music, and places of interest on the road between the Texas border and the Atchafalaya," and he couldn't be more right. We hope you'll find the same charm and pleasure in puzzling over this arbitrary guide as we got in stumbling upon and returning to these wonderful jigsaw bits of Louisiana.
-- Margaret Moser
| Index to sections below: |
| Sidebars: Tourist Information (addresses) |
Jazz Fest (Apr 26-May 5, 1996) Best of the Fests (year-round calendar) |
"Everything out here that flies, walks, hops or crawls got a use. It's all good eatin'." -- Renny Boudreaux, Passion Fish
Nick Barbaro: Yeah, don't skip the tourist center -- free (good) roadmaps, restrooms, and seemingly every pamphlet put out by every podunky chamber of commerce in the state -- it's what a tourist info center should be. Also, if you like the ponies, Delta Downs is just across the border in Louisiana; I think they're the closest thoroughbred track from here.
Margaret Moser: Twenty-two parishes comprise "Cajun Country," from the Sabine River at the state border all the way east to the Mississippi River, and as far north as Avoyelles Parish, just east of Alexandria, down south to the Gulf. Ironically, you'll find more hardcore Cajun settlements and families in the Beaumont-Port Arthur-Orange area of Texas than in much of northern Louisiana. If you haven't driven this stretch of highway in a while, be prepared for the changes that have occurred since gambling was legalized. There are shed casinos full of bused-in Texans starting at the border, and continuing all the way to Lake Charles' waterfront like a backwoods Vegas. A famous old club called Lou Ann's sits vacant on the north side of I-10 just past the weigh station as the Circle Club Cockpit comes into view on the right. The Circle Club attracts lots of Texans, as it's a mere four miles from the border, and gamefighting is legal in Louisiana.
Lee Nichols: Before you even get to the border, when you're refilling the car, check out the cassette racks in the gas stations and truck stops. They'll usually have among their selection several zydeco and Cajun tapes for five bucks a pop, a small gamble to make. I bought three tapes this way on my last trip -- all three turned out great, and turned me on to some musicians I'd never heard.
EW: Lake Charles isn't really a Cajun city, but it is close enough that you can make a run there and be back on the same day. One good place to eat is the Crab Palace (between January and July when crab and crawfish are in season). It's on Enterprise Street, past the ghetto.
Louis Black: Jay Trachtenberg turned me on to Miller's (exit at Enterprise, go left under I-10 and left again on the access road). A small, extremely inexpensive restaurant, they offered both Cajun and barbecue; the shrimp gumbo was excellent, the red beans and rice memorable. My companions raved about the ribs, and there was great sweet potato pie for dessert.
MM: In the last few years, I've started driving US90, the old route between Texas and New Orleans, picking it up here in Lake Charles. You'll need to allot extra time if you choose to do this, as it winds through many small towns like Jennings, Mermentau, and Scott, and the drive between Lafayette and New Orleans is particularly time-consuming. It's also remarkably unfettered by modern-day trappings, and the area around Morgan City and Houma offers unforgettable bayou-sightseeing.
In between Opelousas and Eunice on US190 are a number of small towns. If it's a Friday or Saturday, look for signs saying "French dance here tonite." Generally, these will be peaceful affairs, with a $4 or $5 door. It doesn't make too much sense to ask who's playing: Whoever showed up is who's playing, and you're likely to never have heard of 'em anyway. There are also some black clubs along this stretch that are generally pretty much okay if you act cool and don't make anybody mad at you, and the zydeco is cookin'. Try Slim's Y-Ki-Ki in Opelousas and Richard's in Lawtell.
As you drive closer to Eunice, you'll come upon the Savoy Music Center, owned by Marc Savoy, cantankerous musician and accordion maker. He usually knows if there's something happening, and if you ask nicely, he may even tell you. Good selection of records, tapes, and there's also Ann Savoy's definitive book on Cajun music for sale there.
 Slim's Y-Ki-Ki is the best known zydeco dancehall in Cajun country |
EW: Next to the Liberty is the Jean Laffitte Center, which is probably the best introduction (for free) to the history of Cajun culture, although the movie they show, a Canadian production, doesn't have a lot to do with Louisiana and is weirdly biased. Also the signs, in a weird Franglais, can be distracting.
Kermit LeJeune runs LeJeune's Sausage Kitchen in Eunice, and there, you can buy the special garlic sausage we've been raving about all these years, along with stuffed ponce (pig's stomach stuffed with sausage meat: Pot roast it for an hour or so, slice and serve), pork tasso, and great bacon. LeJeune's is located one block from where LA13 jags, down a side road, just where the road curves to rejoin 13. If you're coming up from I-10, where 13 jags to the left, you can turn right and go two blocks to Johnson's Grocery, a stupendous meat market with superb boudin, stuffed pork chops (cook, covered, at 350deg. F for one hour), and beef tasso. Johnson is related to Mr. LeJeune, unsurprisingly enough, but there's terrible rivalry between the two, so Mrs. LeJeune recommends the boudin at the slaughterhouse in Eunice -- look for the sign at the zig-zag on LA 13.
Another great thing about Eunice is that all the gas stations and Tasti-Freez-type joints sell hot boudin if you're in need of a snack. I've taken to staying in Eunice these days: There are three cheap motels there, the Stone, Howard's, and La Parisienne. Rates are all similar, although La Parisienne looks like a dump. I usually stay at the Stone (one bed, $27, two beds, $36), but Howard's is next to the VFW hall, which has a sometime restaurant and dances.
LN:: Ed's recommendation of the black zydeco clubs seems rather tepid, so let me be more forceful: Definitely check out Slim's or Richard's (say REE-shards). It's much like going to Tejano clubs here, especially if you're white -- I don't care how open-minded you are, being a fly in the buttermilk is a pretty intense cultural experience. My only complaint with Slim's was their complete disregard for the fire code: Earlier this month they featured Keith Frank, currently the hottest act on the crawfish circuit, and there were at least 500 people packed in, despite fire-marshal signs saying club capacity was 217. It made getting to the bar something of an ordeal. The previous year, I enjoyed a slammin' Boozoo Chavis show with a more comfortable 200 or so folks. For dining in Eunice, the Pelican Restaurant on the west end of town (on US190 next to the Best Western Motel) was mighty tasty; I had a mean crawfish bisque there.
LB: D.I.'s is the place in Basile, just west of Eunice. Passion Fish producer Maggie Renzi swears by their crawfish boil, which she says is extra hot, and the restaurant features Cajun music Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday.
EW: D.I.'s really is good, albeit mostly for crawfish. Their boil is something special, unlike any I've had, and if you're feeling adventurous with your cholesterol count, you could try their weird onion flower, a gigantic onion cut so that it looks like a rose, dipped in flour, and deep-fried. They also do a decent version of the catfish fillet with etouffee on it. The music is usually pretty no-name, but it's a great, friendly place.
Mardi Gras is one reason to go to Mamou: They still run the traditional courir on horseback, starting at 7am, and it's usually over by 3pm. All the bars are open, most of them serving food, and there's music in the streets. Great fun.
The most famous bar in Mamou is Fred's, because it was the Saturday morning broadcasts on KEUN that brought the folklorists to town. From 9am-1pm on Saturday (the actual broadcast ends at 11am), people like Dewey Balfa and others of his generation play there and attract the tourists. When I was in Mamou, nobody was in the neighboring Casanova's except the locals, who were enjoying a much better band. And that place called Boynton's makes great boudin.
LN:: I'd say it's to Fred's great credit that it is a tourist destination but manages to maintain a very authentic feel, comparable in that sense to our Broken Spoke. I don't know who played when Ed was there, but current house band Donald Thibodeaux & Cajun Fever really rip. Get there during the radio broadcast and you could win a free bottle of hot sauce.
MM: While Floyd's is famous, its selection is predominantly regional music. Lots of swamp pop, zydeco, New Orleans, and Cajun music but little else except a smattering of contemporary hits. There are also some books on Louisiana music plus little gimcracks like hand-made earrings shaped like rubboards. For extra cool, pick up Floyd's "I [love] Cajun Music" or "I [love] Zydeco Music" bumperstickers for your car or wall.
LN:: Mr. Soileau is currently trying to enter the modern era by getting rid of his vinyl stock. I took advantage of his 5 for $10 special (mostly titles from Louisiana's premier labels, Swallow and Maison de Soul) and came away with quite a haul.
 Local Creoles in Grand Coteau dressed for a trailride |
Continuing on Route 182 west across I-49 takes you into Sunset and serious gamefighting country, evidenced by the crude signs that often just say "pit." Unlike the border-area cockpits geared to tourists and Texans, the cockfights around here are very local, meaning you'll get stared at. This doesn't mean you can't enter them, only that you'll be acutely aware of being an outsider. Most cost under $10, and are probably not as bloody as you think, since lots of families take pride in the breeding and training of gamefowl as sport. There are dogfights, too: They are not only illegal but bloody and cruel, and you definitely won't be welcome.
EW: Church Point has a Courir du Mardi Gras that starts a day early, for those of you who just can't get enough of those masked riders, but the rest of the year, it's a pretty dull place. The one exception is the music store in town, which is also the home of the legendary Lanore Records label, much admired by European swamp pop, R&B, and zydeco fans, who've anthologized it on CD. Good selection of vinyl, LP, and singles, and an okay selection of CDs, including some local products that are hard to find. The guy'll talk your ear off if you let him, and the locals who shop there are always amused by tourists.
MM: While it's true that Church Point doesn't exactly rawk, it is the birthplace of a remarkably large number of Cajun musicians, so something must be happening there. If you are here on a Sunday afternoon, do not miss Lewisburg's Cajun dances at Guidry's and Bourque's. These two clubs are just a few hundred yards apart and folks have come to them from miles around for years. Guidry's is so old, it has a back room the local blacks used as a juke joint; today, a ladies club plays cards there. Guidry's and Bourque's are, hands-down, the most authentic dancehall experiences I've had in Cajun country.
There's not a whole lot to do in Lafayette except drop by the cypress swamp at the University of Southwest Louisiana and see if the gators are awake. No stray dogs on this campus. Their NPR station (KRVS, 88.7 FM) has some programming in Cajun French, but most of it's Parisian. The Times of Acadiana is a Chronicle-style free paper with great listings of all the good music in the area.
MM: Scott is the town just west of Lafayette on US90. There's a regular dance every Sunday afternoon at the Triangle Club, and a very friendly crowd. While I was there, I met a gentleman named John Hebert, who directed me to the Lewisburg dances. Thanks, John!
Whenever I try to sound authoritative about somewhere I've never lived, I like to rely on local recommendations. Lafayette native Doug St. Ament in the Chronicle's production department says Prudhomme's is his favorite. He also likes the Old Tyme Grocery on St. Mary Street by the university for po-boys and thinks Prejean's gets a bad rap. Juanita's mixes Tex-Mex with local Cajun dishes for an interesting combo. Chris's is a good po-boy place with several locations around town. Me? I like The Oyster Reef Restaurant on Pinhook Road for its terrific stuffed crab.
And nothing to do except look for gators on campus? Come on, Ed, at the very least, you're sleeping in until noon from dancing 'til 4am! Those little $30-a-night motels on the Evangeline Thruway often have lounges where you can catch swamp pop legends like Warren Storm, Tommy McClain and T.K. Hulin plus musicians like Willie Tee playing even on weekend nights. For my money, Grant Street is the best club in town, with everyone from Cowboy Mouth to Dr. John playing there, Hamilton's Place off Pinhook is Lafayette's best in-town Cajun dancehall, but if you wanna see local zydeco, head to El Sid-O's where Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Cha's rule as house band. Plus, Eunice and Opelousas are only about 25-30 minutes away. In any case, do grab a Times as soon as you roll into town and check for who's playing around.
 Sign at the Breaux Bridge Mulate's |
MM: Out past Breaux Bridge, Henderson is a great place to play tourist. Geraldine Allemande and her husband run McGee's Landing, where you can get something to eat (good roast beef po-boys), sometimes hear music, pick up souvenirs, have a beer in the bar overlooking the Atchafalaya Basin, and take their tour of the swamp ($8.50/person). You can drive along the top of the levee where we discovered houseboats for rent, and lots of places that will rent you an airboat, but I recommend the guided swamp tours; we once saw a sunburned Japanese couple being hauled in at sunset after getting lost and running out of gas. We've spent whole afternoons just poking around here, then capped it with a seafood dinner at Pat's (Robin's is good, too).
EW: In the opposite direction, across I-10 on the road to Cecilia, is Poche's, which you can also find easily, thanks to their huge billboard. Poche's has the best pork cracklins in the world, makes a very odd tasso from marinated pork, and makes heavenly crawfish boudin along with a very fine regular boudin. Good, inexpensive plate lunches daily 'til 2pm, and a fine selection of sausages you can buy if you're in a hurry and can only stop at one place as you drive I-10 back to Texas.
NB:: If you head south out of Henderson, basically continuing past Pat's (after, perhaps, stopping to pick up some of their barbecue sauce), the way you came from Breaux Bridge, you'll find yourself on top of a levee that runs about 50 miles, joining up with the Bayou Teche down around Franklin. If you turn right off the levee, about 15 miles out of Henderson, you'll be on a backdoor route to St. Martinville, New Iberia, and the US90 route to New Orleans. Note that I didn't call the levee road a "shortcut," because the road's about the most godawful rutted dirt surface I've ever driven on, but it's scenic as hell, except that at night it's pitch black, with no lights anywhere in sight. Serious Deliverance country, but a fun drive.
MM: I love St. Martinville, with its paeans to the romance of Gabriel and Evangeline, even if the story is a bunch of hooey. The Evangeline Oak is gorgeous and the Bayou Teche is hauntingly beautiful.
NB:: "Antebellum mansion" doesn't really do justice to Shadows on the Teche. There are a lot of hokey mansion tours up and down the River Road along the Mississippi, complete with Southern belles greeting you at the door, but this one's really cool. The building has an interesting history -- it was built in 1834 out of handmade bricks made by over 100 slaves, from mud dredged out of the Bayou Teche (that's "Snake Bayou" in some Indian language), which runs through the backyard, and used as a Yankee barracks during the occupation -- and the setting is absolutely gorgeous.
And when you're through, you can walk around the very picturesque little town, get some beignets at the sandwich shop down the block with the slowest service in the universe, and get a feel for why someone once observed that there's just more gravity in Southern Louisiana.
And Ed, you left out Avery Island's gift shop! Tabascoreg. in gallon jars, Tabascoreg. clocks, Tabascoreg. Oven Mitts...
MM: ...Tabascoreg. dish towels, Tabascoreg. refrigerator magnets...
NB: ...Tabascoreg.... well, you get the idea.
EW: Yeah, well, I was ejected from the property when they found out I was press, Nick. Like I said, some of the most paranoid folks on earth....
LN:: In the past, I've taken I-10 straight back to Texas, but this time we swung down to the swamps, cruising down the length of LA82, and it was well worth the extra hours. I've never seen alligators just sunning by the side of the road before, and they were everywhere! There's also zillions of beautiful birds, mostly egrets and herons, as well as some less attractive wildlife --the nutria (those oversized rats you may have seen here along Town Lake) are the bayou's version of armadillo, with carcasses littering the road every five miles. The moss-covered trees arching over the road make the setting just as picturesque as you'd imagine.
MM: This highway takes you by Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge and Game Preserve, through Grand Chenier, and back to the LA27 junction, where you can link up to I-10 back to Austin, or just stay on 82 and drive the coast road into Port Arthur.
MM: There are many reissues of swamp pop, Cajun, zydeco, and blues classics available on CD now that didn't exist four years ago, including works from Slim Harpo, D.L. Menard, and Cookie & the Cupcakes. And don't forget the Les Blank movies, like Dry Wood & Hot Pepper, Spend It All, and Always for Pleasure, though that one's really about the New Orleans Mardi Gras Indians.
EW: And, of course, add to that filmography J'ai Eté au Bal, and its two-volume soundtrack CDs.
NB:: Les Blank rules! I mean, all his movies are about food and music, anyway. Spend It All, about Dewey Balfa, may be my favorite, even though it's more than a little rough.
LN:: Even with the bargain cassette tapes in hand, Louisiana radio should satisfy your need for road tunes. On weekends, just search the dial until you stumble across some Cajun or zydeco music. In the Lafayette area, KRVS (88.7 FM) has zydeco all morning and afternoon on Saturday, and Cajun on Sunday. The Sunday show is especially enjoyable -- unlike here, where you can listen to me butcher Cajun French pronunciations on KOOP, this deejay can not only pronounce the words, but he never says a word of English the entire morning! And don't forget the AM side of the dial -- we found good zydeco on KJCB (770) and KAOK (1400).
MM: My favorite film about this area of Louisiana is Passion Fish, which I can watch endlessly for any number of things: a terrific script, excellent cast (especially the horrible Robicheaux sisters), gorgeous scenery, and mostly its non-commercial slice-of-life depictions like the dance at Slim's.
My favorite books on non-New Orleans music are John Broven's South To Louisiana and the hard-to-find Johnnie Allan's Memories. Broven's book is a comprehensive, albeit dry, accounting of the history and progress of Louisiana's native musics. Allan's book is mostly a photo album with limited text and information, but is priceless for its depiction of regional Louisiana musicians. Allan was a swamp pop performer himself, so his coverage of that genre is pretty complete. But the book on regional Louisiana to watch for will be due this fall from Shane K. Bernard, whose father, Rod Bernard, recorded on of the true swamp pop classics, "This Should Go on Forever." It's how I feel about all my trips to Louisiana.
