Eating my way through Lafayette.

I must be honest. I got a head start on sampling the 28 restaurants that are partipating in EatLafayette. I started about 10 days ago.

A la carte
I joined a couple of business friends for an early morning breakfast. A la carte is probably best known for its catering services, which founder Michael Doumit excels at. However, there is usually a packed house for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday. The breakfast menu had a variety of options and all 3 of us has something different. We powered our way through our meeting and it wasn't hard to notice that there were several other tables doing the same. In an area where breakfast out of the house options are limited, a la carte is an affordable and yummy option.

Bella Figura
Jack & Mickey Ainsworth's success is due to their constant presence at their restaurant. The food and service is always something to talk about and I mean in a good way. Anyone in business can take a lesson from Jack who knows his customers personally. I know he and Mickey take vacations, but it seems like they are always there doting on you. And, we love it. We made our EatLafayette stop at lunch. Salads and pasta dishes were the fare of the day for us. Of course, we woofed down uncounted loaves of bread dipped in that fabulous olive oil concoction.

El Portrillo
This is one of my favorite casual dining experiences. The food is "authentic" Mexican, which is something relatively new to Cajun Country. The margueritas are dangerous. Bring a designated driver. The chips and salsa take you South of the Border.
It's authentic. It's plenty of food. You'll see families, couples and friends dining. And, there's plenty of parking. Located on Moss Street across just past the Northgate Mall.

Hub City Diner
This was a stop for a late lunch. The sweet potato fries, the hamburger and the company were wonderful. This is truly the "diner" experience in Lafayette. Owner/operator Jimmy Guidry has really kept this food concept on target and on the radar. Breakfast, lunch and dinner leave you with that comfort food experience. Sunday's are a nice stop on the breakfast and brunch circuit. Like I said before, there are not many places for before lunch dining experiences. Keep this one on your list.

La Fonda
Fortunately, this was a lunch experience. Anyone old or new to Lafayette has more than one La Fonda story to tell. I am always amazed at the wide range of people who patronize this restaurant. They are every age and of just about every demographic. So, the word is you don't go for the food. You go for the cocktails. If that were true, why do so many people order off the menu. It's got to be more than to soak up the alcohol. There's a new lunch menu and I sampled the grilled shrimp. They were served on skewers that were so hot, I had to use my fork to get them off. There wasn't anything left on my plate when Ronnie came to pick up our plates. If you want to get Ronnie talking, just say one word - "golf."

Only 23 more to go.