6 of Louisiana’s Best Brunch Spots

6 of Louisiana's Best Brunch Spots - Page 2

CONTEMPORARY CAJUN

At Jack Daniel’s Bar & Grill at L’Auberge Lake Charles, 2016 Chef to Watch Chef Lyle Broussard amplifies his Southwest Louisiana cooking with local ingredients and making as much as he can in house. That combination makes for an epic Sunday brunch that includes delicious food, customizable Bloody Marys, and live music on an outdoor patio.

“For brunch, we have a handcrafted, smaller menu,” Lyle says. “We take classic brunch items and spin them around a little bit.”

Lyle makes traditional brunch dishes his own by incorporating Louisiana flavors and ingredients. For example, instead of classic Eggs Benedict, Lyle creates two uniquely Cajun versions: Boudin Benedict and Crawfish Benedict. The Boudin Benedict is served with tasso hollandaise, while the Crawfish Benedict is served with house-made green onion sausage and crawfish hollandaise. Additionally, both are served with French bread rather than English muffins. Lyle lends regional flavor to his chicken and waffles dish with the addition of an Abita Root Beer reduction.

Brunch isn’t complete without a beverage, and Jack Daniel’s Bar & Grill offers endless options for the ultimate Bloody Mary, such as smoked oysters, beef straws, pickled Brussels sprouts, jumbo shrimp, candied bacon, and more.

6 of Louisiana's Best Brunch Spots - Page 2
Photo courtesy of Overpass Merchant

NEIGHBORHOOD NOSHES

When Nick Hufft and Lon Marchand opened The Overpass Merchant in the former Zee Zee Gardens building in Baton Rouge, they wanted the restaurant to remain true to the neighborhood. With that in mind, the duo created a space where customers could enjoy affordable, high-quality food and drinks with friends.

Nick says that although there are some big plates on the menu, the majority of it focuses on smaller, shareable plates. “It’s really important for us, being that it is such a neighborhood establishment, that we wanted everybody to interact,” he says.

For Sunday brunch, The Overpass Merchant offers traditional brunch items like shrimp and grits, while also serving the snacks and big plates customers enjoy throughout the rest of the week. That includes cheese curds, crispy Brussels sprouts, and the restaurant’s burger, which includes a blend of ground chuck, brisket, and short rib. “We’re kind of known for that burger at this point,” Nick says.

While The Overpass Merchant is known for its snacks and burger, the star of the brunch menu is the biscuit section. “That was something that was really important to me, having a good buttermilk biscuit,” Nick says. The Honey Chicken Cheddar Biscuit is the restaurant’s biggest seller, featuring a fried chicken breast with aged Cheddar and honey butter sandwiched in a buttermilk biscuit.

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