Please help with the name of a restaurant in Lafayette (New Orleans: university, living in)

[Rosinante]

I sure wish I could provide more information than I have, but I was there just about 5 years ago, and had a business lunch with a couple guys. I am guessing that it was maybe a mile or so west of the airport. I remember the guy driving was headed north on Evangeline and turned left right there by the airport and that car dealership -- maybe it was a Dodge dealer, I don't remember.

The place was kind of small and not very fancy but was very crowded at lunch time. Poboys might have been their specialty, as I recall having a very good one. It was local food for sure, and very good. I think you might have ordered at a counter and picked up your order when you were called.

If this place doesn't ring a bell, I'd appreciate hearing some recommendations from Lafayette folks for non-chain restaurants that serve good, reasonably-priced food. I'd prefer it be on the south side of town within a few miles of where the airport is, or maybe out by where the mall is.

[JimLFT]

Originally Posted by Rosinante

I sure wish I could provide more information than I have, but I was there just about 5 years ago, and had a business lunch with a couple guys. I am guessing that it was maybe a mile or so west of the airport. I remember the guy driving was headed north on Evangeline and turned left right there by the airport and that car dealership -- maybe it was a Dodge dealer, I don't remember.

The place was kind of small and not very fancy but was very crowded at lunch time. Poboys might have been their specialty, as I recall having a very good one. It was local food for sure, and very good. I think you might have ordered at a counter and picked up your order when you were called.

If this place doesn't ring a bell, I'd appreciate hearing some recommendations from Lafayette folks for non-chain restaurants that serve good, reasonably-priced food. I'd prefer it be on the south side of town within a few miles of where the airport is, or maybe out by where the mall is.

Sounds like Old Tyme Grocery. It's on St. Mary Blvd. just off the main campus. Excellent po-boys!

I'd also recommend Blue Dog Cafe on Pinhook near the airport.

[eborg]

The counter part makes it sound like Old Tyme, but from where you're talking about, dependant upon where you turned you may be talking about Chris' PoBoys. Both are good stuff, but I'd have to say I prefer Old Tyme.

As for other places near the airport, I'd suggest Zeus Cafe, it's right next to Blue Dog on Pinhook and are in the mood for Greek/Lebonese food, you can't go wrong

[JimLFT]

Originally Posted by eborg

I'd suggest Zeus Cafe, it's right next to Blue Dog on Pinhook and are in the mood for Greek/Lebonese food, you can't go wrong

Good call. There's also Gallagher's on University for some good plate lunches. Meatball Stew is great. Then, there's the Hub City Diner near LGMC ten minutes from the airport. They pretty much get everything right, but parking can be a challenge at lunchtime...

[JimLFT]

I also have to ask, since you mentioned the airport, will you be flying in, or are you just using it as a point of reference?

Poor Boy's Riverside Inn isn't far from the airport, but, in the opposite direction down south, but not on, the Thuway. You will need directions if you make that choice. And a great choice that would be. I lose concentration at work sometimes just thinking about their Cajun Shrimp Alfredo. It's that good.

Prejeans is fifteen minutes north on the thruway. Just take the Gloria Switch exit and hit the service road north. For a tourist trap sort of place, the food is amazingly good. Had lunch there Friday and ordered a cup of duck and andouille gumbo as an appetizer. Then, Catfish Grand Chenier for the entree. That cup of gumbo ran about seven bucks, but the entree (just about all of them) was just less than ten off the lunch menu. Lots of food, and the free bread is fantastic.

[Innotech]

Prejeans is ok. I guess Ive eaten there way too much or something and gotten sick of it because it isnt so special anymore. Nimbeaux's is another great little place. It just moved on Pinhook still not far from the airport.
Between Old Tyme Grocery and Chris' I personally prefer Chris'.

[Rosinante]

Thanks for your help. No, I won't be flying in, my wife and I will be headed over from B. R. I was using the airport only as a point of reference.

I haven't been to Preajeans in a very long time, maybe 25 years or so.

I was shocked to see so many chain restaurants in Lafayette ranked so highly at Urban Spoon. This doesn't bode well for what was once Richard Collin's (The New Orleans Underground Gourmet) second favorite restaurant city in Louisiana. He said in his book decades ago that he felt bad for anyone living in Baton Rouge because they had to travel west or east by at least 50 miles for a decent meal. Things have change, although I would be the first to admit that you still have to travel outside the city to Sunshine, LA for the best Louisiana food in the area.

Although Chris' poboy shop didn't make the list, I'm inclined to give it a try since it might not be as crowded as the Old Tyme Grocery.

Lafayette Restaurants | Urbanspoon

[eborg]

I think one of the things you have to take into effect with Urbanspoon though is that pretty much everyone's been to the chain restaurants, but not everyone's been to the smaller better places. Lafayette is still a fantastic place for restaurants, I just wouldn't use Urbanspoon's aggregate scores to decide things. Instead I would actually look at reviews and what not, maybe use urbanspoon on a by-restaurant reference to see, once you have a place in mind, what others have thought of it.

It's just me, but I look at that top ten list and its a really blah list, its a bunch of standards that everyone goes yeah that's a great place, but they aren't all WOAH! That's the best place in Lafayette. I think maybe its b/c there isn't a differentiation with people's votes between great and the best

[JimLFT]

Originally Posted by Innotech

Between Old Tyme Grocery and Chris' I personally prefer Chris'.

Careful now, some locals will label you a heretic. I love them both, but I usually go to Chris' for their catfish poboy and Old Tyme for their shrimp or meatball poboy. To me, it's hard to beat Chris' bread.

And Rosinante, there is a Chris' near the airport. From the Thruway, take Kaliste Saloom and take a left on Pinhook. Chris' will be right there on the right.

[Rosinante]

Thanks again. As it turns out, our ride over to Lafayette was rescheduled. Of course, eborg is right about the Urban Spoon rankings. It's about the same here in B. R., with the Chimes getting the top vote. It ain't bad as long as you don't mind paying ~ $25 (tip included) for an average cup of gumbo and an over-cooked, dried-out ho-hum cheeseburger.

As for looking over individual reviews at the spoon, that's enough to curl anyone's hair, and the disparity of opinion on the Blue Dog was rather alarming. One of the most amusing I've read so far described a restaurant that my wife and I dearly love. It entailed a complaint about having to pay $75 (in 2010 dollars) for meals including prime steak for a party of four.