Prime Butcher And Brasserie

3505 Country Club Rd. • Lake Charles, LA

Southwest Louisiana is expanding day by day, and the dining choices that come with this growth are a huge benefit for the residents and also for visitors to our area. 

One of the newer names being dropped around the city is Prime Butcher and Brasserie. This restaurant caught my eye a while back, and I had mentioned it to my wife as something I’d like for us to experience. It’s been on “the list.” There’s no particular reason we didn’t go sooner; it just seemed that the planets weren’t aligned properly for it to happen.  

That was the case until my wife, a margarita aficionado, noticed they have a margarita flight special on Saturdays. 

Hold on one second. I’ve been talking about this place for some time, and she just happens to scroll through Facebook and notice the flights? 

OK, so now it’s become a priority, so much so that she alters our plans and insists we go to Prime. Sounds like a win-win, and I’m not going to argue with her. 

We make our way down to the southwest corner of Lake Charles, near the end of Country Club Road. As soon as we walk in, there’s a pleasant and subtle smokehouse aroma wafting through the air. The building is tastefully structured with exposed beams, tall ceilings and warm colors.   

As we’re greeted, we opt, as we usually do, to make our way to the bar area. The atmosphere is lively and upbeat. Everyone appears to be happy and having a great time. 

Tending the bar area is Ashley. After placing menus and complementary house-made pork rinds in front of us, Ashley kindly asks what we’d like to drink, mentioning the flights and other specials. 

The flights are comprised of four 4-ounce drinks in various flavors. We decide our samples will be: Grand Marnier, pomegranate, Bayou Rum Satsuma and sangria. All are exciting and different — some tart, some smooth, all very pleasant, none lacking flavor or kick. 

Looking through the menus, we debate as to which appetizer to start with, and it becomes apparent we should just each order what we want and share.  Again, it’s a win-win.  My wife decides to try the shrimp boulettes — spheres of shrimp and fluffy potato, fried to a golden crust and served with a cocktail sauce. They were quite tasty.

My appetizer choice is the ribeye bites, and I am impressed with this dish. Little gems of prime ribeye and a slice of jalapeño are wrapped in bacon and fried. The bacon exterior is crisp, and as you bite, you discover the perfect medium-rare ribeye and a little heat from the jalapeño. It all comes together nicely with the horseradish, which I request straight, instead of the sauce. 

Moving through the margaritas and various conversations, it’s on to the meals. We order a pulled pork sandwich and a Reuben.  

The Reuben is remarkable in its presentation — three slices of marbled rye, two thick, juicy layers of corned beef, sauerkraut and melty cheese. It looks and smells delicious, and the first taste doesn’t disappoint. The bread is grilled with a nice crisp, but caves with each bite. It’s flavorful, tangy and filling. Halfway through, I realize I’m reaching capacity, but I’m not giving up. It’s way too good. 

My wife loves a good pulled pork sandwich, and this one has made the top of her list. Everything in this sandwich is in-house. The pulled pork is house-smoked and slow-cooked, tender and flavorful. It’s topped with a creamy coleslaw and homemade barbeque sauce. And the buns are made daily on site. 

Everything you want and expect from a dining experience happens here. From the service point, Ashley is truly a star. She’s friendly, knowledgeable and genuinely appears to be having fun here. The atmosphere is open and inviting. You can chat with those around you and feel comfortable. And the food is really, really good,  from start to finish, every aspect of it.