Trail Blog
July 16, 2010
Hot Item: Fun Heats Up In Louisiana’s Prairie
Our Prairie Home Cooking Trail offers a Louisiana experience like no place else. The region’s rich heritage—French, Germans, Spanish, and American Indians all settled here—reveals itself in the food, music and thriving culture still found today. As you explore this gem of a region, add these five experiences to your itinerary.
1. Follow the locals to a corner gas station and fill up. Believe it or not, some of the trail’s best eats are found here and, thankfully, snobby waiters and pretentious menus are not. A few suggestions: Check out Guidry’s Conoco Station for good fried chicken (1030 Coteau Rodaire Hwy., Arnaudville, 337.754.7136). Order the boiled crawfish, cracklins, and boudin from Country Ridge Express (4932 N. I-49 Service Rd., Opelousas, 337.942.8828). Try the tasso sandwiches at Tommy’s Mobil Mart (731 E. Landry St., Opelousas, 337.942.2770) and the plate lunches at Beau Chene Truck Stop (1828 N. I-49 Service Rd., Sunset, 337.662.3527).
2. Dance and dine at the Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Festival. We’re giving you ample notice to make this part of your Labor Day getaway. On Sept. 4, this festival at Plaisance Zydeco Park will feature incredible zydeco musicians plus Creole zydeco dancing and storytelling. Start the day with a zydeco breakfast at the Opelousas Courthouse Square. End up feasting on jambalaya, red beans and rice, hog cracklins, pralines and more (www.zydeco.org). If you miss the festival, you can also hear terrific Cajun and zydeco music every Saturday morning at the Savoy Music Center jam session in Eunice. The session runs from 9 a.m. to noon (www.savoymusiccenter.com).
3. Explore the lives of Louisiana’s prairie Cajuns. A stop at the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice is essential to better understanding the region and its people. We suggest a Saturday visit, when you can check out the exhibits, artifacts and films always on display, but you can also enjoy free Cajun music and dancing and cooking demonstrations. These special Saturday programs start at 3 p.m. Following the demonstrations, head next door to the Liberty Theater for Rendez-vous des Cajuns, a live radio and television show known as the “Cajun Grand Ole Opry (www.nps.gov/jela/prairie-acadian-cultural-center-eunice.htm).
4. Have a seat at our tables for a big dose of culture. That’s right—it’s the best way to immerse yourself into authentic Louisiana. We suggest having a seat at La Table Francaise at Arnaudville’s Town Market, where visitors practice their Creole-Cajun French over coffee and pastries on the last Saturday of each month. Or cook up some conversation with French speakers at the Whiteville School House in Opelousas on the last Wednesday of the month (www.cajuntravel.com). Perhaps you’d rather enjoy a little singing while you supper? Then join the folks at Nunu’s Café for their Gospel Supper (Jul. 18, Aug. 15, Sept. 19, Oct. 17, Nov. 21, and Dec. 19). The music runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., with the meal served from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. To reserve a table, call 337.754.7400.
5. Savor some of the region’s most flavorful Cajun meats. You really can’t go wrong dining along the Prairie Home Cooking Trail, but you absolutely must order up a few links of sausage or boudin. At Bourque’s Super Store, try their homemade sausage, boudin, cracklins and beef jerky (www.bourquespecialties.com). The boudin from Mowata Store always draws a crowd (29017 Crowley-Eunice Hwy., 337.457.1140); as does the sausage and tasso from Lejeune’s Sausage Kitchen in Eunice (108 Tasso Cir., 337.457.8491).
Click here for more great stops along the Prairie Home Cooking Trail.
