Category: bbq

bbq, food, Restaurants

A Labor of Love

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Willie’s Restaurant and Bar has a sweet story to go along with their amazing success. Brother and sister team, Will and Emily Chapman, along with Will’s wife Kayte, started their journey on a leap of faith, incorporating hard work and a lot of grace along the way.

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Willie’s wasn’t always Willie’s. It started out as the Crawfish Place, once located between Siegen Lane and Airline Highway in south Baton Rouge. Will’s soon to be wife Kayte was working as a server there when the original owner decided it was time to get out of the restaurant business. Will, Kayte and Emily saw an opportunity before them and took the plunge deciding to buy the Crawfish Place even though it only had limited equipment and a sparse lunch crowd. They struggled through the ins and outs of learning how to run a business, endured bitter fights, developed a fresh, new menu, and came out shining on the other side. Today, they’ve moved on from that small 50-seat hole in the wall to a beautiful new building on Coursey Boulevard that quickly became a neighborhood favorite.

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Their menu boasts traditional Louisiana flavors and cuisine. They smoke almost all of their own meat including, ham, turkey, bacon and pork belly. Some of their best selling menu items include:

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES – Golden fried green tomatoes topped with lump crabmeat and au gratin sauce.

REDFISH RYN – Blackened Redfish with lump crabmeat and au gratin sauce melted in a cast iron skillet.  Served with your choice of side; and one of my personal favorites,

SAINTSATION POBOY – Grilled shrimp, sautéed onions and bell peppers, pepper jack cheese topped with fried crawfish tails, lettuce, tomato, and jalapeno mayo.

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Willie’s has also recently expanded their efforts to include catering. Their catering menu has a wide range of menu items available at tiered price points to meet anyone’s needs. They even feature $10 Lunch Boxes that would be perfect for catering a company meeting. You can check out their catering menu here.

Next time you’re looking for a family-friendly, comfortable place to have a great meal, be sure to check out Willie’s Bar and Grill. You’ll be glad you did.

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bbq, Restaurants

What do Egg Rolls & BBQ have in common?

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Herb Fong is the man behind the Pulled Pork and Pepper Jack Egg Rolls. He is the Executive Chef and Owner of Hannah Q Smokehouse and Jasmine’s on the Bayou. Two amazing local spots; two totally different concepts.

Take a drive to south Baton Rouge and you will find Jasmine’s, his first culinary baby, tucked away in a small shopping center, in the middle of a construction zone on Jones Creek Road. Jasmine’s features traditional southern Louisiana dishes such as poboys, fried seafood and specialty burgers.

A little further south in Prairieville on Airline Highway you will find his latest endeavor, Hannah Q Smokehouse. Hannah Q serves up exceptional BBQ with a little twist. He features traditional BBQ dishes while also mixing it up a bit with items like his Boudin Egg Rolls and Smoked Gouda Mac Bites.

Both locations are small, but their extensive menus boast items that are sure to make you drool a lil’ bit. Here’s an up-close look at the man behind the magic.

Chef Herb grew up right here in Baton Rouge in a family full of cooks! He got his love of food from his father, who was also a chef and brought a unique culinary experience into their home. “I admire my father. I am still learning from him every day and consider him an expert in his profession.”

One of his favorite memories is centered around food as well. “For my birthdays my parents would literally cook so much delicious food and everybody would be too full to play afterwards! My parents definitely took it to a different level.”

It’s this lifelong passion of food and family that has brought Chef Herb success. Jasmine’s on the Bayou has been a south Baton Rouge staple for many years and has led him to recently open his second restaurant in Prairieville, Hannah Q Smokehouse.

Make plans to visit Chef Herb at either of his locations and use this coupon through the month of January! Be sure to try Jasmine’s homemade chargrilled burgers and anything with their signature Rocket Shrimp! And topping my list at Hannah Q’s is their Pulled Pork and Pepper Jack Egg Rolls.

Visit Jasmine’s or Hannah Q online to see their full menus.