A Trio Of Taste

admin Thursday, February 29, 2024 Comments Off

Panorama Music House

My wife, Shyla, and I did not really have any plans for the weekend outside of the ordinary household tasks and chores. A buddy had hinted at the possibility of brunch, but nothing was set.

But then our friend Bonnie Richard presented us with a pair of tickets to attend a performance by Mike Zito at the Panorama Music House (331 Broad Street). So we suddenly had an itinerary for Friday night. But then we realized the band didn’t start until 9 pm. After a long work week, you can understand that we wanted to relax and tune out. However, with the popular bluesy-rock musician Mike Zito taking the stage and the prospect of good food and drink, we had enough motivation to get up and out.

Shyla and I were greeted by our server, Liv, and we started off with a couple of simple adult beverages. Jay Ecker, owner of Panorama Music House and a musician himself, took to the stage. After a heartfelt welcome and talking a bit about his dedication to keeping live music a part of Lake Charles entertainment, Ecker introduced Zito to the packed house.

In no rush to eat, Shyla and I thought we’d get an appetizer. Our chicken nachos arrived surprisingly quickly. We picked our way through the house pita-style chips topped with smoky grilled chicken, red onion, sliced jalapeño, tomatoes, sour cream and queso blanco.

As Mike Zito slayed the guitar and belted out his tunes, we next opted for a personal pizza — the margherita — to share. The thick crust had a touch of char and was topped with a red sauce and basil under a cap of melted cheese and a balsamic swirl. It carried us to the band’s first break. We decided to duck out for a little dessert.

Crepe Escape

Crepe Escape (4740 Nelson Road), a very recent addition to the SWLA food scene, has a unique offering of savory and sweet crepes that prompt long lines. But, being that it was later in the evening and they were open until midnight, we figured there would be a shorter wait time, and we were correct.

While we were fixated on dessert, I couldn’t help ordering a BLT crepe to take home. I ordered the Brass Monkey to enjoy in-house. The crepier ladled the batter onto a wide, edgeless cooktop, shaped it as it cooked, then filled it. The warm crepe, stuffed with sliced bananas and whipped cream, was then gently folded and topped with powdered sugar and a drizzle of biscoff cookie butter. A scoop of ice cream was added, creating the perfect dessert.

The BLT crepe was beautiful, and I couldn’t help but take a couple of bites. It had a swipe of kewpie mayo, diced bacon, tomato , lettuce and scallions.Sunday morning, we agreed to meet my friend and fellow pilot, David LeJeune, at Chennault Airport. We loaded into his Cessna for a short hop, ducking under the clouds to Jennings. Just a short walk from the tarmac was the locally owned

Bourbon Street Café

Bourbon Street Café, located inside the Jennings Travel Plaza at 1823 Elton, just off of I-10 exit 64.

Fresh brewed coffee was poured into our mugs as David and I contemplated our breakfast options. He took the more traditional route, choosing thick slices of French toast and warm maple syrup, along with an order of fried eggs and a heap of bacon.

I was all about the Crab Cake Benedict. Two homemade buttermilk biscuits were layered with a pair of poached eggs and hollandaise sauce and topped with petite crab cakes. The dish was completed with crispy mini hash brown potatoes. It was a true southern breakfast experience with hospitality to match.