Crying Eagle Brewing Lakefront

911 North Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles

Many of us in and around Southwest Louisiana are fortunate enough to have become familiar with Crying Eagle Brewing since 2016.  The hip and chill vibe of the on-site micro-brewery and the acclaimed bistro serving my favorite brick-hearth-baked pizzas and top-notch culinary cuisine. The outdoor bandstand, host to many concerts and social events. The McNeese Street location, “Crying Eagle University,” has been a crowd favorite for many years.

Little did we know, Crying Eagle had a much more sophisticated alter ego tucked away. The hurricane ravaged and once idle North Beach of Lake Charles has begun a resurgence of growth and development, and its latest introduction, Crying Eagle Brewing Company Lakefront, is another massive step forward. The new lakefront location is completely different from the university location. If offers the perfect environment for elevated, fine dining.

It was a pleasure to accompany my friend, Colt Mire, along with several other guests early into the series of soft opening practice runs as CE Lakefront puts the servers and kitchen to the test.

Certainly, this was not the kind of night that I would ever critique in a sense of conveying my experience as a diner, or to predict what we can all expect to see in future visits. For myself, this was merely a dress rehearsal, at best, and I was a guest. It was my first glance and first opportunity to witness how Avery’s dreams have transitioned from concept to fruition. And I’m equally excited to see the dishes Chef Lyle Broussard has crafted in this sure-to-please menu.

As Colt and I were led from the foyer through the main dining room, I first noticed that the design, color and layout is nothing short of spectacular. Windows from floor to ceiling offer a panoramic view of the lakeshore from a waterfront advantage. 

We hopped into the elevator for a short ride to the second floor and stepped out into a cozy dining room featuring a gorgeous bar, a blend of high-top and traditional tables across the floor, spilling out into the open-air deck. CE Lakefront has a very coastal feel. The design and décor are reminiscent of a California seaside restaurant overlooking Monterey Bay.

We planted ourselves on a pair of corner stools, the veined marble-like bar top and all its real estate ensuring plenty of room for plates and drinks without being crowded. It was a mild frenzy as staff tried to find their footing, but seasoned pros Devan Hebert and Katrina Baccigalopi kept it in check.  

Colt and I really didn’t have a plan, outside of sharing a variety of specialty drinks and appetizers. Starting with smoked duck tostadas and the peach caprese salad layered with grilled peaches, prosciutto, mozzarella and basil, and topped with lump blue crab.

The second round of appetizers included deviled eggs with flash fried oysters as well as a tasty trio of Calcasieu Croquette — a cool blend of shrimp and crab topping a potato croquette. My eyes were bigger than my stomach, and I failed to finish the I-10 smash burger with its two wagyu beef patties and sharp cheddar accompanied by a heap of fresh shoestring fries.  However, we were not going to leave behind the fantastic pan seared scallops with andouille cream. 

Overall, it was a great evening for this early in the game.  However, I left looking forward to a return visit with my wife.

It was Saturday, the final day of hosting soft opening invitees and special guests before opening to the public in a reservation-only introduction.  This was a smart move, allowing them to throttle the influx of customers, making sure each aspect of the restaurant was fully prepared. 

Eric Avery stood poised and proud as he welcomed the lunch guests. We gathered together for a guided tour, starting in the brewery, where brew master Ryan O’Donnell hand crafts the Old World European style beers special to the lakefront cuisine. If you’re looking to sip your generic commercially available beer, sorry, you won’t find that here.

Around the corner, Chef Lyle flaunted the amazing kitchen and its welcoming staff, giving us a peek into what it really takes to execute fine dining.  Our conga line transitioned through the dining room and onto the beautiful sunny patio, Eric proudly detailed the nuances embedded in the hand painted mural.

We were handed off to the dining room. It was now time for lunch service, and this was the real deal, putting it all to the test. Shyla and I were seated at a window-side table with a gorgeous view of the lake. We were welcomed and greeted by our server, Leigh Ward-Broussard, who was composed and personable. Leigh was well-versed in the different styles of brews on tap and asked my personal preferences. She recommended Shadow in the Farmhouse, a French born, fruity and peppery IPA.  Shyla asked for a naked Moscow Mule.  

We started the table off with a couple of appetizers, sharing one of Shyla‘s favorites, shrimp cocktail. These large fresh Louisiana Gulf shrimp were boiled to perfection, served with a house made creole cocktail sauce. We also had an order of a half dozen oysters chargrilled in tasso butter. Shyla ordered the hot honey chicken sandwich as her main dish. Start with a tender, juicy dark meat chicken thigh, coat it in a crunchy yet delicate, almost translucent, batter, then drizzle with hot honey, top with Gruyère, cool slaw and garlic aïoli on brioche. Add a nest of shoestring fries.

On my first visit, the grilled redfish on the half shell most definitely caught my attention on my first visit, and now was my opportunity to fully enjoy it.  A skin-on redfish fillet, perfectly seasoned, was placed upon blackened asparagus. The gorgeous fish was topped with a generous portion of fresh blue crab and spooned with a brown butter cream sauce.  

My fork broke through the slight crust on the top of the fillet and revealed a steamy and flaky flesh. Undeniably amazing. 

In a rare instance, we both had room for dessert. My wife opted for bread pudding. As Leigh presented the dessert to the table, we gazed in wonderment at the sight.  The pâtissiers had outdone themselves with this one. A soft and warm bread pudding formed the base, upon which was a buttered caramel drizzle, a scoop of vanilla ice cream slowly melting, shaved ribbons of fried plantain, and a dusting of powdered sugar. It was a wonderful finish to a spectacular dining service.

Crying Eagle Brewing Lakefront is perfection in elevated waterfront dining on all levels, from the concept and design to the decor and the ambience. Add in the unbelievable views, the professional and accommodating staff, and the remarkable dishes marrying fresh coastal and Creole cuisine, and you have a true destination restaurant.