8 of Baton Rouge's Best Restaurant Hacks

by Sydney Blanchard

If you've lived anywhere long enough, you'll become an expert on the area. And if you eat anywhere long enough, you'll learn the area's top secret menu tweaks to level up your favorite dishes.

We rounded a few of our favorite local restaurant "hacks" and threw in some of your suggestions through social media to come up with this list of our best Baton Rouge restaurant hacks. We didn't include fast food (except for Cane's because they started in Baton Rouge) or chain restaurants in this list, because that's not our style.

If you've got any restaurant hacks or know of any secret menu items at local restaurants, let us know in the comments!

Sammy's Grill

This one is Jay's: substitute pickled for fried mushrooms when ordering the Coach's Plate at Sammy's Grill.

The Chimes

The Ale Runner recommends ordering a blackened alligator poboy or a buffalo shrimp poboy at The Chimes.

No better appetizer than blackened gator

A photo posted by BBQ614 (@bbq614) on Apr 29, 2016 at 9:47am PDT

Bistro Byronz

On Instagram, @eatbatonrouge suggested adding the bleu cheese sauce to the debris sandwich at Bistro Byronz.

Beausoleil Restaurant and Bar

According to @gsweathers on Instagram, ordering Beausoleil's truffle fried oyster appetizer on a bun is a recipe for success.

Tio Javi's Fresh Mex Bar & Grill

According to insider sources, Tio Jave (formerly Ninfa's) has a secret third salsa that you can get only if you ask for it by name: the Molcajete.

Atcha Bakery & Cafe

Team Bite and Booze consumes more Atcha per week than anything else. Blair taught us this tip: substitute the rice in any combo plate for extra hummus.

Pluckers Wing Bar

This one was one of my favorites in college! Frachos: order the nachos but sub out the tortilla chips for waffle fries.

Want those boneless wings and lemonade... #pluckers #food #boneless #wings

A photo posted by Pluckers Wing Bar (@pluckerswingbar) on May 25, 2016 at 7:53am PDT

Raising Cane's

There are a number of Cane's hacks, but my favorite is that you can get your toast toasted on BOTH SIDES if you ask for it. Also, unbeknownst to many, they have honey mustard. (Formerly, everyone in the know knew to order the Cane's chicken sandwich with toast instead of buns for a cheaper, two-toast alternative to the three finger combo, but my sources tell me that Cane's caught on and no longer honors this substitution.)

If it can be dipped, it tastes better with #CanesSauce.

A photo posted by Raising Cane's (@raisingcanes) on Apr 11, 2016 at 4:53pm PDT

Tin Roof's Rougarou Heads Out Today

Tin Roof Rougarou Imperial Black Ale

Last week I got my paws on a bottle of the brand new Tin Roof Rougarou Imperial Black Ale right as it came off the bottling line at the brewery. The screen printed 22oz bottle looks intimidating, and to some the beer inside might be as well. It is a black double India pale ale, or bdIPA. The beer is aggressively hopped with a rich roasted malt backbone. It pours dark and mysterious and then will light you up from the inside.

The Rougarou heads out of the brewery today as the Mockler Beverage trucks will pick it up and bring it back their warehouse. From there they'll divvy it up between retail accounts in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and the Northshore. BR bars that should have it on tap on Tuesday or Wednesday include The Cove, Pelican House, Bulldog, and both Chimes locations. Oddly enough, all of those spots were at the top of my recent post about the nine best places to drink craft beer in BR!

If you'd prefer to grab one of these amazing looking bottles to throw in your fridge (or drink it immediately after you drive home), they'll also be available on Tuesday or Wednesday at fine bottle shops like Calandro's Supermarket!

What's that? Tin Roof has bottles? Why yes, they do. They have this nifty three-bottle-at-a-time hand-fed contraption that fills up the 22oz bomber-sized bottles. So now you can expect some more of these in the future.

Tin Roof's Bottling Line

And don't worry... the Tin Roof Parade Ground Coffee Porter will be on its way in about a month, and it'll be in kegs and cans! I can't wait!

Ranking Baton Rouge's Nine Best Places to Drink Craft Beer

Louisiana Craft Brewers' Tap Handles

In honor of the first Louisiana Craft Brewers' Week, I assembled a team of craft beer drinkers and experts to create a list of Baton Rouge's best places to drink craft beer. I asked each participant to rank their top six spots (bars or restaurants) and then compiled the list and tallied the scores. In total, nine venues received votes and they all appear on the list in order of total points.

The team includes:

Jay Ducote, Bite and Booze
Brenton Day, The Ale Runner
Wayne Odom, Bayou Beer
Blake Winchell, Brasseurs a la Maison
Eric Ducote, BR Beer Scene

9. Burgersmith

Louisiana beers and burgers. That's the main thing about Burgersmith. They only have local beers. That's cool.

8. The Londoner

This English pub and grub joint on, appropriately, Sherwood Forest Blvd., is good for more than just a little footie in the wee hours of the morning. Their beer selection is a nice assortment of British Isles imports and American craft, and they also do beer dinners every now and then.

7. Radio Bar

The Radio Bar on Government Street is exactly the kind of neighborhood bar that Mid City needed and they do a pretty decent job with their beer list as well. Between the tap lineup and an eclectic bottle list, Radio Bar will have a beer for everyone.

6. Slinky's

For years Pamela Sandoz has had one of the best kept beer secrets in town. Hopefully she doesn't mind me getting that word out a little bit. Behind the bar of the Chimes Street dive are a couple coolers with an impressive collection of various bottled beer. There isn't a wall of taps or keg room to be found, but Slinky's makes the list because of the bottle assortment that makes beer drinkers happy. She also does monthly beer tastings that are a whole lot of fun.

5. Red Zeppelin

With over 30 taps and great daily specials, this unassuming pizza joint on Perkins has clearly caught on with the the local beer drinking scene. With $3 for any pint on Tuesday and Wednesday, it can be hard to stay away! Holding release parties for beers like Saint Arnold and NOLA beers certainly helps too.

4. The Chimes

The only selection with multiple locations in Baton Rouge, the Chimes came in strong with a spot in the top four places to drink craft beer in Baton Rouge. Those 19.7oz imperial pints are certainly appreciated! The original Chimes at the North Gates of LSU is where many people including myself first learned to appreciate craft beer. In fact, I have my name on the wall twice for going Around the World at the Chimes, though that model was more based on big imports rather than true craft beer. Word around the campfire is that they will be transitioning soon from Around the World to a sort of Around America craft beer promotion. I can't wait!

3. Pelican House

A new addition to the Baton Rouge beer landscape, the Pelican House has shot up the list with their impressive lineup of 136 beer taps with no main label Bud, Miller, or Coors to be found. For the vast majority of people, a stop at the Pelican House will bring about beers never tried before, and possibly even never heard of before. The completely remodeled building boasts a bright interior with natural light, local art, drop down TVs, and plenty of space for large gathering. And there's a conference table in the back where you can look important. Trust me, it works.

2. The Cove

The Cove has long boasted one of the largest alcohol collections on the Gulf Coast and is absolutely worth paying a visit just to see Tom's collection. For a while, all the booze at the Cove came in bottles, even the beer. The bottle list is still just as strong, but Tom's addition of the tap room has cemented the Cove among the top beer bars in the city. With a different set of taps than any other bar in the city, the Cove will always have something different that you can't find anywhere else.

1. The Bulldog

Narrowly taking the top spot from our panel (the top three were really all very close) is the Bulldog. I do believe that the Bulldog offers the best overall beer-drinking atmosphere with character, grub, and selection. With around 80 taps featuring a lot of locally brewed beer, Baton Rouge's Bulldog location is the equal if not superior to the New Orleans locations. Throw in the outdoor area, dog friendliness, comfortable seating, and of course, again, the beer, and it is easy to see why the Bulldog sits atop the standings.


What are you thoughts? Can you think of somewhere that didn't make the list? Do you agree or disagree with this order? Let me know in the comments below or hit me up on Facebook or Twitter. And please share the post to get more people in on the conversation!

"Month of Salads" Post VI: Chimes Covington's Caesar with Blackened Salmon

Blackened Salmon over Caesar Salad at The Chimes in Covington

While on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain to film a teaser for a beer documentary, our crew wound up at the Chimes in Covington for an interview with our fixer and Craft Brands Manager from Champagne Beverage, Vanessa, and their beer buyer, Shane. After the shoot we settled in for lunch where keeping true to my "Month of Salads," I opted for the Caesar with blackened salmon. I've long been a fan of the Caesar salad at the original Chimes in Baton Rouge. The salad in Covington lived up to expectation with the hard boiled eggs, grape tomatoes, parmesan cheese and theirs signature creamy Caesar dressing. The blackened salmon had a great burst of flavor from the spices while being served rare on the inside just like I ordered it. If you're a big fan of the Chimes in Baton Rouge, I definitely suggest that you make the trip to Covington and see that location. It is impressive to say the least. I also had several beers while at the Chimes including a Voo Ka Ray IPA from Chafunkta and the Woot Stout from Stone. Balancing out the beers with a salad and a nice piece of fish is something I could almost get used to!

A Craft Beer Tour of the Northshore

Old 504 Vanilla Coffee Porter from Chafunkta at The Chimes Covington

I've been to a handful of places on Lake Pontchartrain's Northshore, but overall I'm fairly inexperienced when it comes to the entire area other than driving through on I-12.  I've competed in the Hammond Blues and BBQ Festival twice, filmed at the local breweries and eaten at the Abita Brew Pub, and I have visited The Barley Oak a handful of times, but the rest has remained sadly foreign to me.  

This past week I had the opportunity to change that.  I rode around with Vanessa Gomes, the reasonably new Craft Brands Manager at Champagne Beverage, to several popular craft beer retailers on the Northshore.  I had the pleasure of meeting some of the people that are making the craft beer scene flourish in an area that probably gets less attention than they deserve for adding culture to Louisiana.  Our first stop landed us at The Chimes in Covington fairly early in the morning.  Being a Baton Rouge guy, I am certainly familiar with The Chimes by LSU's campus and the one on Coursey, but the Covington location promised to out-shine both of them.  The property that the restaurant sits on is gorgeous.  Along the river in Covington, they still have old courthouse that was built in the 1800s on site as you drive up.  We sat down with Shane Waller, the bar manager and now beer buyer of sorts for all locations, to chat about the restaurant and their beer program.  I began with an Old 504 Vanilla Coffee Porter from Mandeville's Chafunkta Brewing Company since I can't get it in Baton Rouge.  We had a great chat about the business and the push to move towards more American craft beer instead of the previous domestics and imports model of "Around the World" get-your-name-on-the-wall fame.  I support that movement despite my name being on the wall twice at the LSU Chimes.  Shane showed me the keg room and the massive kitchen as well.  They definitely do some volume!

Adam Acquistapace and Jay Ducote

Vanessa and I's next stop came at Acquistapace's Covington Supermarket.  There we met with Adam Acquistapace who manages the the alcohol department and pays especially close attention to his craft beer selection.  Adam and I actually knew each other from undergrad at LSU, though I couldn't recall exactly how we met over a decade ago.  Much like Calandro's here in Baton Rouge, Acquistapace's has become one of the the Covington area's go-to bottle shops.  Paying careful attention to shelf life, storage temperatures, and stocking the right beers individually and in packages, this store definitely has an impressive spread of superb craft brews!

Chicken Fried Steak at Columbia Street Tap Room and Grill

Lunch time came along and that brought us to the Columbia Street Tap Room and Grill, also known around the area just as the "Tap Room."  This Covington hot-spot owes a lot of its success to Jonathan James, the beverage manager and entertainment director.  He joined myself, Vanessa, and Alex from Champagne who had previously met us at Chimes as well.  Before long we added Josh Erickson and a couple of his colleagues from the Chafunkta Brewing Company.  Before we left, Matt and Kyle from LA Craft joined the party as well.  I had a deliciuos chicken fried steak for lunch with an awesome white gravy, mashed potatoes, and sauteed veggies.  I also had several beers from the local selection such as the Chafunkta Voo Ka Ray IPA seen below, another pint of the the Old 504, and a bottle of the Parish Farmhouse IPA.  Life doesn't get much better!

Chafunkta's Voo Ka Ray IPA as seen at the "Tap Room"

Jay and Vanessa enjoying a Gueuze

Our last destination on the voyage took us to Hammond where we visited The Red White & Brew bottle shop.  Owner Todd Delaune greeted us with a smile.  Vanessa and I perused the selection of wines and his expanding craft beer stock.  Todd's store is one where you can take a bottle or twelve to go, or you can stay and drink on site.  The space has a very comfortable charm as you can sit around the bar in the middle of the retail floor.  Todd joined us in drinking a bottle of Gueuze Tilquin, a sour beer that is just sensational.  I'm usually not a huge fan (I appreciate, just don't love) of sours like lambics, but a gueuze doesn't have fruit added like a lambic, which clearly is what I don't enjoy, because this beer was top notch.  The Red White & Brew also just put in a 6 tap beer system so they can feature some local beers that they can't get in bottles.  Hello Chafunkta and Parish in Hammond!  I'll be back to this place for sure!

My small sampling of the Northshore made me want to go back for more.  Obviously Barley Oak and the soon to open Old Rail Brewpub are must-visits as well for the craft-beer loving traveler or local.  Everywhere I went made me want to come again and explore someplace new.  Perhaps next time I'll find a way to stay for dinner and some more evening drinks!  Thanks Vanessa, Champagne Beverage, and everyone I met or met up with along the way!

Geaux Get Some Gumbo!

This article has been published in the December 2010 issue of Town Favorites Magazine. You can visit the Town Favorites website at http://www.townfavorites.com/, follow them on Twitter @TownFavorites, "Like" them at Facebook.com/TownFavorites, and find their magazines at over 150 restaurants and businesses around Baton Rouge! Pick up a copy today!

Jay Ducote shows off a pair of gumbos at The Chimes

Geaux Get Some Gumbo!
by Jay D. Ducote

There is certainly no shortage of Baton Rouge restaurants serving delicious bowls of gumbo this winter, so often times the only real challenge is determining which gumbo is best for you. I recently took a miniature tour aboard the “Gumbeaux Express” to see what local establishments are offering. One thing’s for sure, no two gumbos are ever alike! The tricky thing about gumbo in south Louisiana is that everyone seems to prefer whichever style of gumbo their grandma made. It is culture, tradition, and memories on which our fundamental love for gumbo is developed. Due to this, we can sometimes be hard pressed to find a restaurant version that lives up to our expectations. Still, with so many great chefs and authentic Louisiana restaurants in our great city, somebody out there has to be cooking a pot of gumbo “like grandma makes it!”

The first stop aboard my Gumbeaux Express tour occurred at Dempsey’s on Jefferson Highway. Chef George Gugich and manager Daniel Hatcher met me inside on a cool, rainy day to serve up a sampling of both their seafood gumbo and their chicken and andouille gumbo. George has been cooking gumbo his whole life and continues that passion at Dempsey’s. The Jefferson Highway location is the newer version (opened in July 2009) of their other location on Coursey Boulevard (13 years old and still going strong). Josh Armand, the chef at the Coursey restaurant, has been there since they opened the doors when Josh was 16 years old. The two restaurants have the exact same menus, so you can decide on your own which to visit! At the Jefferson Dempsey’s, George cooks up giant 35 gallon batches of gumbo to feed their loyal patrons. Each batch features everything made from scratch, begining with three gallons of flour and two gallons of oil to make the roux.

Dempsey's Seafood Gumbo

In addition to the medium-dark roux, Dempsey’s adds nearly 40 pounds of vegetables to each batch of gumbo. They use the same roux for both gumbos, which isn’t something you see very often… but why mess with a good thing? Dempsey’s customers rave about everything on the menu, so my anticipation heightened before my first taste of gumbo this winter. The seafood gumbo had a reasonably thick base with a good amount of spice. The bowl contained plenty of shrimp and okra with a little bit of crab mixed in as well. The chicken and andouille gumbo featured a surprisingly smoother texture and a noticeably smoky flavor from the chicken and sausage. The roux seemed to compliment the chicken and andouille flavors a little better, but both bowls were incredibly tasty and left my full stomach feeling very satisfied.

Chicken and sausage gumbo at Dempsey's

The next arrival gate for the Gumbeaux Express came at Drusilla Seafood. General Manager Brad Zito welcomed me in and chatted with me about the restaurant. Brad’s father Jimmy has owned Drusilla Seafood since 1991, though the restaurant has actually been around since 1982. Chef Sonny Creel makes the seafood gumbo that is a year-round staple on the menu. He begins with a classic dark roux made from butter and flour for a richer flavor. Sonny prides himself in his home style gumbo and classic Cajun taste. The Holy Trinity of Cajun cooking, onion, bell pepper, and celery, are all sautéed in butter before being added to the roux, which is then combined with fish and chicken stock. Sonny adds crab claws, crab meat, and shrimp to the gumbo to finish it off with plenty of substance. Sonny told me that the restaurant will typically go through 30-50 gallons of seafood gumbo every week. They make it daily in five gallon increments to keep up with demand. As you might expect, Sonny said that when the temperature drops outside there is a significant increase in demand for gumbo. It certainly is a cold-weather Cajun favorite!

Drusilla Seafood's gumbo features a dark roux

Before taking my first bite of Drusilla’s gumbo, I asked Sonny how the restaurant fared after the oil spill and how their gumbo sales were affected by the tragedy in the Gulf. He told me that seafood in general moved slowly for a little while after the oil spill both because some ingredients got a little pricier and harder to procure and because diners were a little weary to trust the seafood. Fortunately for all of us along the Gulf Coast, things in the restaurant scenes seem to be on the path towards recovery. It will certainly take more time to get everything back to how it was before the spill, but at least we can enjoy our seafood gumbos during the Holidays! Drusilla’s gumbo is really highlighted by the rich, dark roux that serves as the foundation of flavor. It provides enough heat and a slightly nutty flavor that actually goes very well with all the morsels of shrimp and crab. I particularly enjoyed the crab claws that are featured in the gumbo.

The Chimes' seafood gumbo

I knew this tour would not be complete without a trip to The Chimes. The gumbo at the Chimes is consistently rated among the very best in Baton Rouge, so I had to go make sure that my opinion hadn’t changed from back in my college days when I was a regular at three to four different tables and bar stools. I grabbed a seat at the bar of The Chimes on Highland Road at the North Gates of LSU and ordered up a bowl of both their duck and sausage and seafood gumbos. The manager, Wade, and the chef, Harry, both came out and talked gumbo with me for a bit. The seafood gumbo came closest to replicating what I remember both my mom and Maw Maw making as a child. The gumbo is loaded with the Cajun Trinity as well as a plethora of okra. It also features plenty of shrimp, a few crab claws, and a lighter, more liquid base than any other gumbo that I tried. Chef Harry called the roux in the seafood gumbo a “blonde” roux made with butter. The seafood gumbo had a nice kick from the vegetables and spice but certainly not an overpowering heat. It really had a great mix of flavors.

Duck and andouille gumbo at The Chimes

In a totally different direction but equally delicious gumbo, the duck and andouille sausage at The Chimes is sure to evoke some sort of emotional response. The in-house hickory smoked duck pairs with Richard’s smoked Cajun sausage to provide a much thicker, darker, and unique gumbo than any other that I found. This gumbo was created to “stick to your ribs” as it is hearty in consistency while bold and intriguing in flavor. It is prepared with an oil-based dark roux and also contains some extra rendered down fat from the sausage to make it even more rich, smoky, and satisfyingly decadent. As with the seafood gumbo, Louisiana products are used throughout the recipe to support local food producers and ensure that authentic flavor.

There are so many more places that I could have gone to try gumbo, but I can rest well knowing that I hit up three well deserving establishments with their own versions on classic Cajun gumbo. Each creation that I got to try tasted fantastic and I’d be happy to eat any of them again. Do yourself a favor and grab a spoon and make your own Gumbeaux Express tour this December. Your stomach won’t regret it!

Jay D. Ducote is the author of the blog Bite and Booze, which chronicles his culinary and indulgent cultural experiences around Baton Rouge, South Louisiana, and the world. It can be found at www.biteandbooze.com. You can also reach him by email at jay@biteandbooze.com, like the Bite and Booze fan page on facebook.com/biteandbooze, and follow him on Twitter @biteandbooze. 

Thanks to Eric Ducote of BRBeerScene.com for taking all the pictures for this article.

Things To Do
Baton Rouge

Tin Roof Beer rolls out in Baton Rouge

The Tin Roof Brewing Company is ready to roll out their first selections to draft beer starting tomorrow (Thursday, November 18, 2010), so naturally I got a sneak peak at what is in store for craft beer fans in Baton Rouge.  Setting up shop off of Nicholson Drive between LSU and Downtown, Tin Roof is starting with two brews to give us a thirst-quenching taste of local flavors.  The Voodoo Bengal Pale Ale is the beer that I'm most excited about.  It is a slightly hoppy American pale ale that is brewed with Louisiana's own Steen's Cane Syrup.  The beer has an excellent mild fruit nose and a beautiful balance between the malt, hops, and cane syrup taste.  For those who may not be as much of a hops enthusiast as I am, the Perfect Tin Amber provides a solid amber style beer with a nice malt presence.  Either way, you shouldn't be disappointed!

Voodoo Bengal Pale Ale (left) and Perfect Tin Amber (right)

Tin Roof's Brew Kettles

Tin Roof's Fermenting Tanks

The best news about everything is that the wait is over for Baton Rouge to be able to taste their city's very own beer!  This weekend William McGehee and Charles Caldwell at Tin Roof have a roll out planned in efforts to get a beer in as many hands of craft beer lovers and local product supporters as possible.  Here is the schedule:

Thursday 11/18

The Bulldog on Perkins, 4-9 PM

Friday 11/19
Happy's Downtown 4 - close with David Borne for your musical enjoyment
Mellow Mushroom on Burbank 5 -7
Chimes East on Coursey 5 - 7
Chimes LSU 7 - 9

Saturday 11/20
Walk-On's both locations... especially at the Burbank location after the Ole Miss football game!

Many of those featured times and places will also have specials like $3 pints (very good price for such small-batch local craft beer), free jambalaya, and more.  Check it out, bring a friend, drink plenty, and support a new Baton Rouge business!  CHEERS!

Tin Roof 1/6 barrel kegs ready to roll out to a bar near you!

Make sure you keep up with Tin Roof on Twitter and Facebook!  Tell them Bite and Booze sent you!

Things To Do
Baton Rouge

Scotch Tasting at Churchill's

"What is better than a Scotch tasting?", you might ask.  Well the answer is pretty simple: a FREE Scotch tasting!  Yes folks, free.  Churchill's in Baton Rouge recently hosted a tasting of 12 unique Scotches from two different distributors.  I invited Eusebio and Eric to join me for the tasting because I knew they would appreciate the good time.  Among the crowd were a 10-year-old and a Distiller's Edition from Talisker, a Balvenie 17-year-old, a 16-year-old by The Glenlivet, a 15-year-old from The Macallen, and my personal favorite, a 12-year-old from Highland Park.

Talisker's Distiller's Edition from the Isle of Skye

I'm really glad that I tried the Distiller's Edition from Talisker.  As it turns out, I'm actually preferential to their 10-year version that we deemed "The Marksalot".  You can look here for a few more details about it from an earlier post of mine at The Chimes.

Highland Park 12 Year

This Highland Park Scotch was full-flavored and smoky at the start and the finish.  It was dry, succulent, and delicious and left me wanting more after each swallow even though it left a tingle in the back of my throat. The peat flavor was strong from Highland Park, which happens to be the northernmost distillery in Scotland and it dates back to 1798.  For a more in-depth look at all the Scotch we sampled, check out Eric's post from his Beer, Boo!ze, Baseball, and Other B.S. blog.

After the Scotch tasting we were a little tipsy and a lot hungry, so we crossed the street from Churchill's over to Bonefish Grill for a bite to eat at the bar.  I've already submitted a post about Bonefish Grill, so I'll just highlight this visit's food.

Fried Calamari and Crab Cakes... both very tasty, but Calamari was the winner.

Bacon Wrapped Scallops and Seared Tuna, Tuna won by a landslide.

The Main Course: Shrimp Scampi Topped Filet Mignon, Cooked Medium Rare, with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Asparagus

I'm not usually one to order a filet.  I typically leave that to the lady folks.  However, this particular steak, topped with shrimp scampi, was absolutely magical.  The meat was tender and flavorful throughout the entire filet while the scampi sauce with shrimp added a little something extra that paired very well with the beef.  I'm certain that I will order this again during a future visit to Bonefish because it was just that good!

All in all it was a great night of hanging out, trying some new Scotch whisky, and filling my belly with fantastic food.  My life is so difficult, I know!

Nothing like a Chimes Reunion!

Tuesday night brought upon the latest in a long history of reunions at The Chimes by LSU. The Chimes is a classic eatery and watering hole that is dear to so many in the LSU community and all around Baton Rouge. Their beer selection, which was by far the best in town for a long time, is extensive and various, and their food is always delightful. This particular Tuesday night reunion was brought about by Paul Holbrook who happened to be in town from Chicago and wanted to get together with a group of buddies. Brent came and picked me up, and we rolled to The Chimes where we met Paul and Michael Northington at the bar. They promptly sat us at a table for eight where we ordered a round of drinks (Shiner Bock for me), an order of boudin balls, and two dozen oysters. After all, Tuesday is 35 cent oyster day... all day!

Boudin Balls at The Chimes

Two Dozen Raw Oysters at The Chimes

After a few minutes of feasting on the fried boudin and raw oyster delicacies, we were joined by James Lawson, Brian Thom, and my brother, Eric Ducote.  James ordered a double Talisker on the rocks which is one hell of a Scotch Whisky.  Order one whenever you feel like going top-shelf and you'll see quickly why we call it the "Marksalot".  Talisker is distilled on the Isle of Skye and is a single malt whisky with a strong peat content and a very unique, spicy taste and smell. 

With appetizers and drinks in our belly, the seven of us set our eyes on some main courses.  It is pretty hard to go wrong at The Chimes, and there were some pretty good off-the-menu tweaks to popular dishes, which is common with our group.  I went with one of my favorite sandwiches of all time, that way I could write about it here!  My order: The Chimes Club, fried, on a croissant, no mayo, with a side of alligator sauce, and an order of hushpuppies.  The only thing I did wrong was forget to say "no pickles!"

The Chimes Club, Fried, on a Croissant with Alligator Sauce and an Order of Hushpuppies

This sandwich truthfully is one of my all-time favorites, but not many people have ever enjoyed it.  The normal Chimes Club comes with a grilled chicken breast on whole wheat bread and regular old mayo.  Getting the chicken fried, the croissant added, and the alligator sauce in exchange for the mayo... MONEY!  The warm, buttery croissant melts in your mouth as it fills with the juicy, tender chicken breast that is topped with succulent ham and crispy bacon.  What a feast!  The hushpuppies are one of my favorite side items at The Chimes.  They make one of the best hushpuppies that I've ever had so when I'm there I like to get an order.  They are beautifully fried balls of corn meal and spices that make your mouth water with excitement and anticipation while you slice them open to spread some butter on the inside or just dunk them one at a time into the butter to get a nice coat of cream on the outside.

This Chimes reunion was short and surprisingly sober.  I guess we are all getting older now with jobs to worry about and such.  No worries though.  It was still as great time with fantastic friends, plentiful drinks, and delicious food.  I'll be back many, many more times and continue to have a smile on my face every time.