Boudin in the parking lot of Kartchner's in Krotz Springs
True confessions: Before I moved to Louisiana 24 years ago, I had never heard of boudin. When I first heard people talking about it, I was confident it wasn't for me.
That was then.
This is now: Me sitting in the driver's seat, air conditioner blasting, with my family in the parking lot of Kartchner's in Krotz Springs chowing down on hot boudin.
Hot boudin in the Kartchner's parking lot is a delicacy not to be discounted.
Truly, life doesn't get much better than hot, fresh boudin in the parking lot. When I consider other geographic delicacies I have enjoyed in my lifetime — a macaron in Paris, an egg tart in Hong Kong, goulash in Budapest, afternoon tea in London — hot boudin in the parking lot in Krotz Springs is right up there.
Kartchner's, 24562 U.S. 190, Krotz Springs. (Jan Risher, features editor)
Miso soup and the Triple S Roll from Rock-n-Sake
Rock-n-Sake was the first place I ever tried tofu, namely in its miso soup, which includes tofu, green onions and more. It's a delightful and salty soup that transitions well into anything else you order.
Miso soup from Rock-n-Sake in Baton Rouge.
For sushi, I ordered the "Triple S Roll," which is one of my favorites at the restaurant, right next to the garlic salmon roll, because of its many ingredients and flavors. The "Triple S" features tuna, onion ceviche sauce, snowkrab, green onions, spicy tuna, tempura shrimp, cream cheese, jalapenos, smelt roe, black sesame seeds, jalapeno-eel sauce and spicy mayo.
Rock-n-Sake, 3043 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge. (Lauren Cheramie, features writer)
Burger Salad from 5 Mile Eatery
The Burger Salad at 5 Mile Eatery in Lafayette, La comes with an 8 oz. premium angus beef patty, lettuce, pickles, red onion, whole grain mustard, cherry tomato and a lemon pepper vinaigrette.
This busy lunch spot in Lafayette's Oil Center brings in a daily crowd of people looking for delicious food made from fresh local ingredients, organic flours, and other healthy and sustainable staples. The result is a menu that abounds with options for a great working lunch — you know you'll end up with top-notch flavor, without the heaviness that will send you looking for a place to nap around 2 p.m.
On this day, I tried the burger salad, imagining it would be something along the lines of ordering a burger without the bun. I was wrong. This dish is crafted into something more, with lettuce, red onion, pickles and a very bright lemon and pepper vinaigrette that perfectly stands up to the Angus beef patty and whole grain mustard. Feeling satisfied and energized after lunch was the real bonus after enjoying such an unexpected yet exciting marriage of flavors. I'll have trouble not ordering it again — but the jambon beurre with black forest ham and grass-fed butter is calling my name next time.
5 Mile Eatery, 317 Heymann Blvd., Lafayette. (Joanna Brown, staff writer)