Drusilla, Ralph & Kacoo’s, Bonefish Grill & Chimes
Last week I explored my home town of Baton Rouge, LA. Like a tourist on steroids and I had a blast! Here is a brief synopsis of my culinary exploits in the capital city.
Drusilla
Drusilla is a sentimental favorite for me. My father and I used to seek refuge there when my mother was pregnant with my brother—our boisterous behavior was not amusing to her at that time and we just needed to get away. I arrived there in a fit it nostalgia to find that my sacred ground, the oyster bar was occupied by a large group. I didn’t feel comfortable taking pictures on another family’s event. So I snapped these few shots and moved on to the next childhood favorite restaurant on my list---most kids liked McDonald’s, right? Not in Louisiana. My favorite restaurants as a child were, The Village (now closed), Drusilla’s, Ralph & Kacoo’s, Don’s Seafood and if you really wanted to get fancy and look down on others, The Camelot Club (it is located on the top floor of one of few skyscrapers in downtown baton rouge and is somewhat famous as the restaurant where several scenes from Richard Pryor’s “The Toy” were filmed). Each of these restaurants holds a unique memory for me. The Village is where my date and I dined before our prom. I discussed Drusilla’s in my first post. Ralph and Kacoo’s was owned by family friends and was a family gathering place before they sold it to the Piccadilly franchise. The Camelot Club is where every very special occasion has been celebrated in my family for as long as I can remember. It’s where I celebrated my college graduation and where my fiancée and I stole away for a private dinner the night before our wedding.
Ralph & Kacoo's
I really hate to say this but I was utterly disappointed with this hometown favorite. Don’t let the pictures fool you, it looked good but tasted processed and uninspired. A far cry from this restaurant in its hayday. It disgraced my nostalgia and the hard work of Ralph and Kacoo that built the brand of that restaurant for decades. As a rule, I do not like talking about bad dining experiences, but this one so shocked me that I felt compelled to warn others. This is not your father’s Ralph and Kacoo’s, you would do better going directly to Piccadilly. Then you wouldn't be surprised. At least the food photographed well (most of it ended up in a box that was disposed of in haste).
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| Bread Basket/Huspuppies |
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| Crawfish Etoufee and Fried Crawfish. |
Bonefish Grill
By now everyone knows that I am a seafood kind of lady, greatly affected by my southern Louisiana upbringing. At Bonefish I decided to take a detour from my usual seafood fare and take the suggestion of my waitress. She recommended “Lily's Chicken”. It was robust and creamy with wonderful flavor--a welcomed departure from my usual plates.
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| Lilly's Chicken |
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| My sister's pork chop dish. She loved it. |
Chimes
This restaurant is set just outside the gates of Louisiana State University (LSU--Geaux Tigers!) and has been a favorite of students from both colleges in the city for decades. Chimes boasts an impressively unique beer selection and menu to match, all neatly packaged within the atmosphere of an Irish pub. I stepped out on a ledge at chimes and went with another wait staff suggestion. This time the dish was brand new to the menu, the seafood lasagna. It was fantastic. So much so, that I took it with me as I headed out of town and back to Texas. I pulled over to eat it several hours later—and it was still wonderful.
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| My Sister's Red Beans & Rice. |
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| My Grandmother's Chicken |
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| My Seafood Lasagna |
-Astrya
Drusilla is a sentimental favorite for me. My father and I used to seek refuge there when my mother was pregnant with my brother—our boisterous behavior was not amusing to her at that time and we just needed to get away. I arrived there in a fit it nostalgia to find that my sacred ground, the oyster bar was occupied by a large group. I didn’t feel comfortable taking pictures on another family’s event. So I snapped these few shots and moved on to the next childhood favorite restaurant on my list---most kids liked McDonald’s, right? Not in Louisiana. My favorite restaurants as a child were, The Village (now closed), Drusilla’s, Ralph & Kacoo’s, Don’s Seafood and if you really wanted to get fancy and look down on others, The Camelot Club (it is located on the top floor of one of few skyscrapers in downtown baton rouge and is somewhat famous as the restaurant where several scenes from Richard Pryor’s “The Toy” were filmed). Each of these restaurants holds a unique memory for me. The Village is where my date and I dined before our prom. I discussed Drusilla’s in my first post. Ralph and Kacoo’s was owned by family friends and was a family gathering place before they sold it to the Piccadilly franchise. The Camelot Club is where every very special occasion has been celebrated in my family for as long as I can remember. It’s where I celebrated my college graduation and where my fiancée and I stole away for a private dinner the night before our wedding. 
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