Louisiana Cajun food has a reputation for being spicy. At least, that is what I thought when someone mentioned Cajun cuisine. However, that is inaccurate; Cajun food is well-seasoned, not spicy, which I found out on a group trip to Lafayette during the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles.
After wandering around downtown Lafayette during the Second Saturday Artwalk, admiring the art murals, and browsing the boutique shops, we headed to the Spoonbill Watering Hole & Restaurant for a late dinner. The Spoonbill Watering Hole & Restaurant is situated at the corner of Jefferson and Lee Avenue, occupying a 1930s-era Conoco gas station. Since opening in November 2018, it has attracted a steady stream of customers due to its location, which anchors one end of downtown Lafayette’s main street with its red and purple neon lights, dog-friendly outdoor patio, and creative take on Louisiana cuisine.
Since it was Saturday night, we had to wait for a table that would fit our group of nine. While waiting, we could look out through the open patio wall to see the chef preparing mouth-watering dishes in the open kitchen and order a craft cocktail at the long, curvy bar. I’m unsurprised that Spoonbill Watering Hole & Restaurant was a finalist for the 2020 James Beard Award for outstanding restaurant design. The open concept and friendly atmosphere make it inviting for locals and visitors to Lafayette to hang out here.
We didn’t have to wait long before the server came to take our order after we were seated on the outdoor patio. The drink menu is extensive, covering an entire side of the menu. The creative cocktails have fun names, such as Lafayette Sidecar, Mango Sticky Rice, and Cyn City Sipper. Other beverage options include spritzes, mocktails, margaritas, tiki tropical drinks, beer, wine, and a variety of hot and cold coffee drinks. Once ordered, the drinks were delivered swiftly.
Spoonbill Watering Hole Menu
Since we had a large group, we decided to try a bunch of appetizers to share. We tried the Crispy Duck Tenders with a spicy orange glaze, the Crab Quesadilla, the Artichoke Dip with Spicy Ranch Crackers, and my favorite, the Ginger Chili Cauliflower, which were rice-flour-fried cauliflower florets tossed with green onions in a ginger-chili maple glaze. The chili spice made the cauliflower even more flavorful. We enjoyed ourselves so much, chatting and munching on the appetizers, that we almost forgot to order our meals.
However, I’m glad we didn’t because the main dishes were fantastic. My friends chose the Seared Tuna and BBQ Shrimp. The Seared Tuna was over an avocado crema with roasted poblano and red onion, topped with a green dragon sauce and chili oil. The BBQ Gulf Shrimp was tasty, swimming in a creamy mixture of beer, butter, and Creole spice.
I chose something that reminded me of my time spent in Southeast Asia: the Bibimbap Wrap. The wrap was filled with marinated Bulgogi beef, green rice, carrot kimchi, fried egg, and a red dragon sauce. The conversations slowed down as we immersed ourselves in devouring our meal. Spoonbill Watering Hill & Restaurant also has many dessert options, but we had other plans for the rest of the night, so we passed on dessert.
The chef, Jeremy Conner, takes seafood harvested from the Gulf and transforms it from traditional Gulf seafood to something extra, as he puts it, “in-your-face flavor.” I think most dishes at Spoonbill Watering Hole have an Asian flair, which I found exceptional. The rest of our group thought the same, as we kept mentioning how wonderful our dinner was that night for the remainder of our visit to Lafayette…