Everyone gloats about their grandmother’s cooking. I’m extraordinarily guilty of this, but some of these hole-in-the-wall eateries along the Boom or Bust Byway will give your grandmother a run for her money. Here’s five that stand out:
- Big Dup’s Cajun Kitchen in Plain Dealing
Big Dup’s Cajun Kitchen is a restaurant and convenient store stashed along Highway 3. Their menu items consist of Cajun and soul food options, as well as breakfast. A few of their most popular menu items include the voodoo burger, boudin, hot water cornbread, ham hocks, and stuffed chicken. That massive pot of chicken and sausage gumbo on a kitchen stove is why Big Dup’s Cajun Kitchen is first on the list. Plus, you can take home frozen Cajun meats from south Louisiana. If you need a pleasant drive to get away, visit them at 307 West Mary Lee Street in Plain Dealing for a meal and road trip snacks. They are open Monday-Saturday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. To stay up-to-date on their menu options, visit their Facebook page.
- Café 180 To Go in Vivian
Café 180 To Go is a food shack placed along Highway 1. Offering to-go only options, their daily specials consists of everything from Cajun food and salads, to pastas and burgers, and more. The main thing that stands out about this spot is the Southern hospitality. The ladies there will love on you just like your grandmother would. Café 180 To Go is located at 308 South Pine Street in Vivian and is open weekdays from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. To stay up-to-date on their menu options, visit their Facebook page, and call 318-375-2600 to place an order.
- Del Bob’s Burritos in Benton
Del Bob’s Burritos is a fairly new Mexican restaurant on Benton Road. They’ve made a reputation for attempting to create the largest-possible, made-from-scratch taco. We know for sure that you’re grandmother isn’t making tacos the size of your head, or is she? Anyway, they are offering customers everything from take and bake options to Taco Tuesday deals, as well as Taco desserts and more. Del Bob’s Burritos is located at 6550 Hwy. 3, Suite 300 in Benton and is currently open daily from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. To stay up-to-date on their menu options, visit their Facebook page, and to place an order call 318-935-5110.
- Longwood General Store in Mooringsport
Longwood General Store is a local secret buried inside a gas station and known for their plentiful portions. They are offering to-go menu items such as homemade burgers and chicken fried chicken, as well as fish and chicken strip baskets. If you schedule a visit later in the year, you may be able to score one of their massive steaks, which is known to get up to 48 oz. Surely, your grandmother can’t compete with that. Longwood General Store daily is located at 3502 LA-169 in Mooringsport, and open daily 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. To place orders, call 318-929-3140.
- Oak Alley Farms Outlet Store in Oil City
Oak Alley Farms Outlet Store is a small-town sweetshop with a nation-wide consumer base. Maybe your grandmother’s pies and cakes are up to par, but is she drizzling and candying hundreds of popcorn and nuts a day? Oak Alley Farms Outlet Store offers quirkily flavored eats, such as jalapeno peanut brittle and dill pickle peanuts, as well as sugary treats, including chocolate covered nuts, pecan brittle, flavored popcorn balls and more. Call beforehand to see if their store is open at 318-995-7000 or place an online order at www.oakalleyfarms.com.
I take pride in my family’s recipes just as much as the next person, but if you want to venture out and try something new, plan a quick road-trip on the Boom or Bust Byway – better yet, take your grandmother with you! For more information about places to eat throughout the rural areas of Shreveport-Bossier, visit www.BoomOrBustByway.com.