Prejean's

3480 N. I-49, Lafayette, LA - (337) 896-3247

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Posted By Richard Keistler on 5/14/2009 10:18:00 AM

Though I am a Texan, my family hails from Crowley, Lake Charles, and Jennings. I grew up eating Louisiana-style food and still travel regularly to Lafayette on business. Is Prejean's truly Cajun cooking? Who knows? We all see a difference between what is cooked at home in small quantities and what restaurants serve. Regardless of that silly argument, the food served at this restaurant is delicious, spiced properly for the public, and of a variety not found elsewhere.

I have eaten here in Opelousas many times for both business and pleasure. I am a crawfish fan, and there are many dishes here featuring that local delicacy. I ate at Prejean's recently and got the shrimp Louella with macque choux and dirty rice; perfect. Does it taste like someone's home cooking? Probably not--individual home cooking is as variable as everyone's gumbo.

Service is superb, with friendly waiters. I've been to Prejean's in the evening when there are musicians on stage. It's fun and they don't play so loud you can't hear yourself think. I remain amazed that the prices are so reasonable. Though Michael Stern describes the restaurant as an eating hall, it's not just one enormous room; there are different dining rooms.

In summary, it remains a most pleasant place to eat, particularly for those unfortunates who can't access this cuisine regularly. It's just a hop up I-49 from Lafayette and worth the drive.

Scorecard

Overall: Excellent - Worth a Detour

Eggplant Abbeville	Chicken & Sausage Gumbo (cup)
Shrimp Louella

Rate this place

"Named for the nearby town known for its delicious oysters, Eggplant Abbeville contains no oysters. It is fried eggplant topped with crab and surrounded by shrimp."
Michael Stern

"One of several crawfish combo plates on the menu, "Singing Crawfish" is etouffee and crawfish pie. We like the etouffee best of all the preparations at Prejeans. That's steamed white rice at the left."
Michael Stern

"Each table at Prejeans is equipped with plenty of hot sauce, as well as a roll of paper towels nicely fitted inside an old yam can."
Michael Stern

"Big, muscular shrimp stuffed with blue crabmeat, presented in a puddle of crab butter cream and accompanied by dirty rice and a ramekin of macque choux: Shrimp Louella!"
Michael Stern

"A popular item on dessert menus here in Cajun country, red velvet cake is here festooned with ribbons of sweet icing. The cake is great but the icing is so sweet that you can hardly taste it."
Michael Stern

"Prejean's motto is "Simply Cajun." Located by the side of I-49, it is popular among tourists, but also a regular haunt of Lafayette locals."
Michael Stern