Finally!
After three weeks of road tripping, we stumbled on a restaurant in the most unlikely place that met all our food and drink desires with fun and impeccable service to boot.
Regular readers know that one of the things we like to do most when we travel is discover exciting places to eat and drink. We’ve really struggled over the last three weeks, eating mostly at diners and fast-food joints with a couple of nice dinners with good friends at places they know and love thrown in for good measure. During the long drives, however, we’ve talked at length about our frustrations with the food choices. Nothing has really wowed us.
Until we stopped for the night in Ruston, Louisiana, about a half hour west of Monroe in the northern part of the state. This was a planned stop on our drive home along the southern I-20 route from Virginia to Arizona. We got here early to beat some expected afternoon thunderstorms. There were dozens of name-brand fast food spots and some local places near our motel just off the Interstate, but we were looking for something unique. So Judy did some Google research to see what she could find.
White Lightnin’ Cocktail and Culinary Company had us at “cocktail.” We arrived just before five and were seated immediately with only one other couple in the restaurant. Our server, Lucy, was as fun and bouncy as she was beautiful. Within minutes, our beautifully hand-crafted cocktails — an Aviation for me and a French 75 for Judy — were placed in front of us along with shrimp beignets. All were absolutely delightful.
Lucy offered several suggestions for entrees and even brought us a fun amuse bouche “just because.” Halfway through our main courses — a Teres Major steak for Judy and Shrimp and Grits for me (after all, we WERE in Louisiana!), we ordered some more drinks. This time, Judy had a Pimm’s Cup, which she had never had before, and I had one of the best Ramos Gin Fizzes I have ever tasted. Not many bartenders make this — it requires whipped egg whites to give it its frothy goodness — so I took advantage of the mixologist’s skills.
We chatted with Lucy briefly about the surprising (to us) emerging food scene in Ruston and Monroe (her mother is the head chef at a hotel in the latter city). There is certainly a New Orleans influence but the speakeasy vibe was unexpected.
The lesson learned was clear — don’t judge a city’s book by its fast food cover. Dig a little bit and some hidden gems can truly be found. Go early and spend some time talking with the staff and you’ll learn a ton about what’s going on. We had to hit the road the next morning. It’s doubtful we’ll ever be back, but we’re glad we took the time to check out someplace new.
There’s a whole world out there just waiting to be explored. You’ll be amazed what you can find in the most unlikely places when you do a little research.
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