Red River Riches
The variety of cuisines featured along this trail means you’ll be planning your next meal before you even leave the table.
If you think South Louisiana has a monopoly on legendary cuisine, you’re sadly mistaken. Find your way to the Northwest corner of the state, where Southern fare meets Louisiana flair. And there’s a little taste of Texas too.
Start your journey in the twin cities of Shreveport and Bossier City, which straddle the Red River. Here, the casinos draw a crowd, and the setting and resources attract the film industry. While you’re dining out, you may just spy a bona fide celebrity at the next table. Spend time south of Shreveport in Natchitoches. Established in 1714, it’s the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase territory. Divine meat pies are the city’s other claim to fame. Other stops along the way include Alexandria and Pineville, plus a detour to Zwolle, where tamales rule.
With the rivers and lakes in this pocket of the state, there are many great restaurants with scenic deck seating. Why not grab a table and enjoy the region’s riches?
August 22, 2011
Friday: Alexandria and Natchitoches
Three-day weekend: Red River Riches Trail Itinerary
Work up an appetite:Indulge your wild side at the Alexandria Zoological Park (http://www.thealexandriazoo.com). The zoo, which celebrates its 85th birthday this year, has more than 500 animals, including African lions, Bengal tigers, monkeys and more.
Lunch:Atwood’s Bakery is one sweet spot for lunch (http://bakingmemories.com/). Start off with a soup, salad, sandwich or wrap but heed our advice: Save room for dessert. Atwood’s Bakery is ...
August 22, 2011
Saturday: Natchitoches and Shreveport-Bossier
Three-day weekend: Red River Riches Trail Itinerary
SATURDAY
Breakfast: If you happen to be staying at one of the area’s charming bed and breakfasts, you’ll likely wake up to a yummy breakfast served in-house. At the Judge Porter House and Andrew Morris House, for example, breakfast is an event you won’t mind waking early for (http://www.natchitochesbandb.com). Courses include treats like cherry crisps, eggs B`enedict, Belgian waffles and more. If you aren’t staying at an inn with ...
August 22, 2011
Sunday: Shreveport-Bossier
Three-day weekend: Red River Riches Trail Itinerary
SUNDAY
Brunch: Marilynn’s Place is new to Shreveport’s dining scene but has quickly earned a following (http://marilynns-place.com/). Housed in a former gas station, this is now the place to go in Northwest Louisiana to fill up on New Orleans flavors. Their daily menu features specialties such as red beans and rice, jambalaya and gumbo. The Sunday brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and features shrimp and grits; biscuits and Cajun ...
June 16, 2011
Like a Local » Chill Out With a Gourmet Ice Pop
There was a time when a highlight of summer was sucking down flavored ice pops by the dozen. But somewhere along the way, this childhood tradition fell to the wayside along with summer camp and catching lightning bugs. Now we require a frozen treat that’s a bit more grown-up. Enter two Louisiana businesses who’ve decided to elevate the traditional summer treat to gourmet status.
In New Orleans, check out Meltdown (504.301.0905) in the French Quarter. They incorporate locally grown ingredients ...
December 03, 2010
Hot Item » Plan a Holiday Getaway to Northwest Louisiana
One simple road trip along our Red River Riches Trail can turn your family Grinch into Santa’s biggest fan. The holiday cheer is contagious when you take in the region’s top-notch Christmas light displays and sample the sweet confections. Work up an appetite as you explore these attractions, and then indulge at one of the many tasty restaurants.
Work up an appetite: See the historic city of Natchitoches dressed in its holiday best during the Christmas Festival of Lights that draws more than ...
September 10, 2010
Northwestern State University, Natchitoches
Like a Local »
The inside scoop on a few of our favorite tailgates.
Northwestern State University, Natchitoches
Mascot: Demons
Big home game: versus McNeese State, Oct. 2
Tailgater’s tip: Demon Alley tailgating is very popular. Make friends with a Demon fan with one of the limited number of paid slots bordering the old football practice field. Those have running water, electricity and cable TV hookups. Presently a new tailgating pavilion, with a covered picnic area and restrooms, is ...
August 11, 2010
Dine In: Spiced Fig Cake
Shreveport Farmers Market manager Noma Fowler-Sandlin tells us that figs and fig preserves are plentiful at the market right now. What to do with your figs? Try Noma’s spiced fig cake. (And be sure to visit the market, open every Saturday until Sept. 4, from 7 a.m. until noon, at Shreveport’s Festival Plaza. A fall market will begin Oct. 23.)
Ingredients:
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (dissolved in the ...
August 11, 2010
Enjoy a Progressive Dinner
Let’s be honest: Sometimes it’s just too hot to be in the kitchen. Instead, invite a few friends for an evening out...with a twist. Plan a progressive dinner for the group, with drinks and appetizers at one spot, entrées and sides at another, and dessert at yet another. In Natchitoches, Iris Harper loves suggesting a progressive dinner to visitors. “There are nine locally owned restaurants within a three- to four-block area in the historic district,” she says. In Natchitoches, why not start with ...
July 01, 2010
SIGNATURE DISH: Meat Pies
In Natchitoches, it’s all about the meat pie, a fried pie filled with beef and pork and seasonings. Lasyone’s Meat Pie Restaurant is where to go to get your fix. James Lasyone didn’t invent the dish, but he sure helped make it famous. Now, his daughters Angela Lasyone and Tina Lasyone Smith run the family restaurant, where they hand make between 400 and 1,000 pies each day. If you don’t fill up on the pies, they also have terrific hand-battered chicken strips and crawfish pie. 622 Second St., ...
July 01, 2010
IN THE KITCHEN WITH: Agatha Fertitta McCall
Fertitta’s Delicatessen is a remaining stalwart in Shreveport’s old Blue Goose District. Behind the counter of this mom-and-pop Italian grocery stands Agatha Fertitta McCall, the third generation of Fertitta to operate the restaurant. She was, in fact, born above it.
McCall is the daughter of Papa Sam Fertitta, inventor of their signature sandwich, the Muffy, not to be confused with the muffaletta. “The muffaletta gets its name from the bread,” she says. “The New Orleans original is a cold ...
