1910 Restaurant And Wine Bar

949 Ryan St. • Lake Charles, LA

I try to go to the restaurants I review as often as possible with my wife.  Doing so allows for more dishes, more pictures and more detail for me to convey. 

Unfortunately, her schedule didn’t allow her time to visit 1910 with me, so I was flying solo for this run.

As local history goes, there were several blocks of buildings destroyed by the great Lake Charles fire of 1910. More than 100 buildings were reduced to rubble and ash by the end of the tragedy. As part of the effort to rebuild downtown, the Phoenix Building was built on the corner of Ryan and Kirby.

Years ago, I remember this corner sitting idle, peeking through the windows as I passed by, boxes randomly stacked throughout. Construction began rather quietly. The rumors started to leak about a new restaurant being built, to be named 1910 to pay homage to its locale.  

Photo By Kate Sanchez

The building has a beautiful brick exterior, with rounded corners, a full gallery and ornamental iron above.  

1910 has a respectable dining area, with soft colored walls with deep, rich trim and dark tables and seats. The tall arched windows offer plenty of natural light and a view. And an outside dining area has several tables and umbrellas which are perfect during unaccommodating weather.  

The bar area is moderate, seating 10 people, and I find an open spot among a good crowd, with hip music and casual conversations all about. Glancing at the array of bottles across from me, it’s apparent the whisky and wine offerings are astounding. 

As I’m reading through the menu, the couple to my right is presented a meat and cheese app that I was envious of, and it almost curve-balled my entire plan. However, I am only one person and had to curb my desire and stick to my original choices. 

My appetizer choice was beef tenderloin poutine, and my main entrée was Shrimp Isabel. 

I’m just going to go ahead and say it now. The appetizer looks gorgeous. Every aspect of the dish is pretty.  

Poutine is essentially fries and gravy, but this one is on a level unmatched. This savory dish is comprised of hand-cut potatoes, tender beef tenderloin with caramelized edges, rich gravy and melty curds of white cheddar. 

Then comes the Shrimp Isabel: cupped discs of nickel-sized pasta, perfectly cooked al dente, mingled with a creamy parmesan and mushroom sauce and topped with large fresh shrimp, garlic and herbs. It’s just good and exciting food.  

My server, Gabrielle, was a pure pleasure, always accommodating, friendly and professional, as were all staff members I encountered during my visit.  

1910 has specials going on throughout the week, from half-priced apps on Tuesday, wine Wednesday and throwback Thursday. 

Although my wife wasn’t able to join me, I couldn’t let her miss out on this.  I saved a few bites, boxed it up and ran a couple of blocks over to her office where she could get a taste of all this goodness. Future visits are definitely in the plans for us, and I hope for you as well. 

An Extra Dish

Weenie Dog’s Hot Dog Joint

Weenie Dog’s made an impressive move by relocating downtown inside Zephyr’s at 710 Ryan St. Weenie Dog’s handles the food aspect, with Jessica executing these great dishes, while Zephyr’s handles the adult beverages and nightly entertainment. Currently, it’s a 21-and-older venue. But you can order through Waitr. 

With the downtown lunch rush to the late-night bar crowd that needs a good bite of grub, Weenie Dog’s is going to do well. It offers more than just hot dogs. In addition to the signature dogs, you’ll find pizza, keto options, nachos and a really good Philly Mopsteak with garlic fries. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The choices are insane. You’re going to be pleased — and stuffed.