Villa Harlequin
324 Pujo Street
Lake Charles
Ahhh, ‘tis the season for joyous celebration, merriment and office parties.
My wife is a long time associate at a local family-oriented insurance office. Her boss and his wife often switch it up year to year between hosting a catered office Christmas party at their home or taking the colleagues and their significant others out for a nice dinner.
Little did I know, how unprepared I was when my wife asked for suggestions to book a restaurant. There are issues to consider, like availability, space and timing, as most restaurants have booked by now, but most important to consider? The food.
Now, factor in we’re leaving the office environment behind and, as most do, we tend to have a little fun as we gather around the table. With relatively short notice, finding an ideal spot, especially one with availability, that suits the needs of my wife’s office, it was a very short list. We know for a fact, we want to be mindful of other diners and the staff as we’re not big enough to book out a special room, but we’re plentiful enough to have an presence on a couple that may be trying to enjoy a quiet dinner.
As I began a rotation of possibilities, the upstairs dining area at Villa Harlequin comes to me as the perfect option. The only thing standing in our way is availability. I quickly reach out to Blakelee Kibodeaux, owner at Villa Harlequin, about our party’s date and time. He quickly responded with availability.
The workday has ended, the doors are locked and it’s approaching our reserved time.
Casually early, staffers and spouses arrive sporadically, gathering for a drink around the beautiful wood and marble bar that towers to the decorative stamped tin ceiling dating back to the early 20th century.
With the crowd in attendance, Blakelee escorts our dinner group upstairs to our awaiting table. Just as everyone is seated, Gary, our server approaches and introduces himself. It’s his welcome, his stance, every bit of it says Gary is a professional. He has been doing this for a number of years, exuding confidence and knowledge in his delivery and it’s impressive to say the least.
Gary spends a few moments fulfilling drink requests and details the specials, leaving the table to catch up over conversation and look over the menu. Less time was spent in the latter as Gary asks to start the table with appetizers, prompting a scurried response. Unanimously, we agree upon bread service with a variety of spiced and infused oils, and arancini. Breaded spheres are quickly fried to a crisp. Breaking through the outer shell reveals a well seasoned blend of crab and Louisiana crawfish.
Nearly any restaurant that stands the test of time has a house specialty, one that has become a ”must try” suggested by those who know. The Villa Harlequin’s tomato soup is just that. Or, is it a bisque? The robust tomato base is smooth and silky, loaded with delicate lump crab and finishes with hints of sherry.
Shyla’s entrée is one that I will probably never understand. It’s but a simple chicken leg quarter, or so you would think. The chef’s ability to coax the ridiculous amount of herbaceous aroma out of the juicy roasted chicken, and back it up with all the flavor is an art well executed. Myself, I wanted an Italian classic, a lemony veal piccata. Start with flour dredging thin veal cutlets, give them a pan sear and a gentle crust. Finish them with butter for a deepened flavor, and brighten it up with a white wine and lemon sauce, enhanced with capers, then serve over a bed of fresh pasta sourced from the Pasta Lab. And, what you can’t finish, makes for an excellent leftover meal the next day.
With all the successes and delight of the office Christmas dinner party, it only seemed fitting to return for Sunday brunch to close out the year. Strolling in, I didn’t give it much thought, but soon realized reservations would’ve been beneficial. However, Shyla and I were able to occupy a couple of vacant barstools. Here, we’re greeted by Mike, who is single-handedly crafting cocktails, and serving the guests seated before him.
Mike offers to start us off with a pair of Bloody Mary’s, respectfully dressed with green beans, olives, a slice of thick bacon and citrus slices. An intriguing appetizer, Lasagna Fries easily catches our attention. While my mind ran with its own version of what we were about to receive, I definitely over thought the dish.
We were pleasantly surprised with this amazing yet simple appetizer. Hot seasoned fries, topped with everything you’d expect in a meaty house bolognese lasagna, sans pasta, complete with bubbly mozzarella, it’s a meal in itself, so use discretion. Had we not doggy bagged this dish early on, our brunch would have ended here, as we both would have been full. Our main entrées quickly became a tossup.
Chicken and waffles? Cheesy polenta and gulf shrimp? I learned the lamb was 86’ed earlier in the morning so that was off the table. Shyla chose the Villa Scramble, a flavorful breakfast standard with three eggs, bell pepper, mushroom, onion, cheese and bacon on a bed of home style potatoes. I ask Mike his thoughts on the wild boar sandwich. His eyes light up,” If it hasn’t sold out at the end of the day, it’s what I order every single time.” Good enough for me. If it sounds like a lot it’s because it is. On a toasted ciabatta, base it with tender slow smoked wild boar. Think of this as a brisket that just falls apart, with its sticky burnt ends and the concentration of flavor it holds. Next, add fresh avocado, each half gets an egg over easy, a little green onion, and lather it in chipotle mayo and garnish the plate with house shaved potato chips. Give the top of the bun a gentle press to get the yolk dripping over the edge. Sheer perfection on a bun.
Villa Harlequin was a fantastic dining finish to 2025. Gary is an absolute professional. Always starting with ladies first, addressing any concern or need, his demeanor, his poise is an asset to Villa Harlequin. Mike was personable and courteous, a master at his craft and I highly recommend letting him custom pour an Italiano for you.
Happy New Year
The Coynes
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