Maplewood Discount & Deli

Mario Pacetti Wednesday, September 20, 2017 Comments Off on Maplewood Discount & Deli
Maplewood Discount & Deli

By Mario Pacetti

4124 Maplewood Dr. • Sulphur • 337-625-5586

If I’ve learned anything over the few years since I started writing this column, it is that you can’t look at the outside of a building and make an honest determination as to the quality of food that’s served  in it.

That statement has never been more true than when it comes to Maplewood Discount, which is a little convenience store tucked away off Maplewood Drive just west of Maplewood Middle School in Sulphur. I’ve driven by that store a thousand times and have read their signs about being the “Home of the Stuffed Burger.” But because it has such a plain, run-down exterior, I have never had much interest in trying it out.

But over the past several weeks, I’ve had some people whose opinions I trust when it comes to food help me make the restaurant decisions rather than letting my eyes make up my mind. I and Chelsea and my niece Amber went to lunch recently; since none of us had been to Maplewood Discount before, we decided to grab three different burgers:

— The Stuffed BBQ Brisket Burger, which is topped with grilled onions, barbecue sauce and two slices of pepper jack cheese.

— The Stuffed Italian Burger, which is stuffed with pepperoni, salami, Italian sausage and shredded mozzarella cheese and topped with  Swiss cheese, fried mushrooms and light marinara sauce.

— The Mac & Cheese Stuffed Burger, which is topped with sautéed onions and jalapeños.

I liked the mac and cheese burger a lot, but the brisket burger was my hands-down favorite because the barbecue sauce had a kick-ass flavor to it. Plus, how can you go wrong with brisket?

Now, I wasn’t sure what to expect with the Italian, but it came together well, and the Italian sausage was what made the Italian theme really jump out in each bite.

This is a family business. The staff were so very friendly and were really interested in the fact that the customers loved their food. I was told that the mom is the real artist behind these insane burgers. But it is clearly a team effort that makes this situation work.

As we were talking about how much I enjoyed the lunch, they told me that they were planning to open in the Nelson and Country Club area, which I felt would be a great move for them, since there are no burger places like this one anywhere near there.

Go to Maplewood and try these rock star burgers, because if you haven’t, then you’re missing out, just like I was.

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Miyako                             

915 E. Prien Lake Rd. • Lake Charles • 337-478-1600

Chelsea and I have been on a sushi marathon most of the year. Every chance we get to eat some spicy tuna, we jump at it.

Well, of course, we have two or three go-to spots in Lake Charles, but for some reason I always forget about Miyako’s on Prien Lake Road. We went in a few weeks ago, and as always, I was not disappointed.

First, I must say that our waiter, Matthew, had the ideal personality for a waiter: he was more than ready to engage us, but never did he overstep and make himself intrusive. He had a great sense of humor that had us laughing several times. But his humor wasn’t silly or a show for us; it seemed to just be part of his personality.

OK, let’s talk food. We started off with the Asian Tartar, which consisted of fresh tuna, avocado, cucumber, tomato and cilantro sandwiched between three layers of fried wanton skin. Our waiter asked us if we wanted two of these. But since we share so much of our meals, we thought one was enough. But after trying it, I realized Matthew knew we would want more, and we surely could have eaten more.

We opted to go with three rolls. One was the Poseidon Roll with black pepper tuna and avocado inside. It was topped with spicy salmon, wasabi tobiko and a chef’s special sauce. We also had the Jurassic Roll, made with spicy salmon, jalapeño and avocado inside and topped with black pepper tuna and unagi. It was served with eel sauce and spicy mayo.

Finally, there was the Fantasy Roll, with spicy salmon, avocado and crunch inside; spicy tuna, snow crab and wasabi tobiko on top; and also served with eel sauce.

The sushi tasted very fresh and simply melted in your mouth. I’ve learned over the years that adding soy sauce to high-quality sushi only takes away from the natural flavors that come from the freshness of the ingredients, and that if I have to add soy sauce, then the sushi wasn’t really that great to begin with.

I know it doesn’t sit in the hub of other restaurants, but don’t let this little gem slip your mind as it did mine.

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Toga Grill                                      

4439 Nelson Rd. • Lake Charles • 337-477-4142

On a closing note, I stopped by with my close friend Garrett Broussard to see my friend Sammi, the chef at Toga’s recently. We both decided to try the lamb chops, and I must say they were perfect! The meat had a nice pinkness to it. It was so tender it melted in your mouth, but it packed such a bold flavor that I couldn’t put it down, even though I was already getting full from the cabbage rolls and hummus I’d been throwing down on before the lamb chops arrived.

I love what Sammi does with food. His passion for life is inspiring to watch. He has a great place and a wonderful family, which makes going to and supporting them a must.

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