Culinary Enlightenment at Dark Roux in Lafayette

by Chuck P

If you’re ever in Lafayette, Louisiana, and find yourself struggling to decide what to eat, just know I’ve felt your pain.

And that’s not because choices are limited; it’s because there are so many different types of delicious food to choose from, your brain will go into overload. Luckily for me, I have an awesome boss to make those decisions for me.

On our recent trip to Lafayette, we found ourselves at one of the city’s newest restaurants, Dark Roux.

Jay and I were instantly impressed with our surroundings. The small, intimate interior seats about 40, and a nice bar area creates the perfect atmosphere for couples or small groups to engage in conversation.

Interior at Dark Roux

After being joined by Lafayette food writer Andre Arceneaux, we were brought a small bowl of Dark Roux’s signature gumbo. 

How can you not have a gumbo on the menu with a name like that? 

Filled with hefty portions of pastured chicken and Rabideaux’s house-made sausage, this little bowl of heaven was a great way start to the night.

Executive Chef Corey Bourgeois introduced himself to the group and began sending out his Tasting Menu along with a few signature cocktails, saving us choosing from the many amazing looking menu options.

Don Draper cocktail at Dark Roux in Lafayette

The stand-out cocktails were the Don Draper and the Avada Kedavra. The Don Draper, a refreshing, slow-sipping cocktail, was obviously inspired by the TV show Mad Men. Made with rye whiskey, Luxardo, angostura, and satsuma bitters, this drink is reminiscent of an Old Fashioned.

The Avada Kedavra, named after the killing curse from the Harry Potter series, combined green cayenne vodka, orange, lime, and basil for balance. This peppery, refreshing citrus cocktail definitely put a spell on me.

Avada Kedavra cocktail at Dark Roux

The night’s memorable dishes were many, but the Fried Pig Ear with Quail Egg and the Cornbread Bread Pudding really stuck with me.

The crunchy pig ear was perfect for dipping into the broken quail egg yolk. 

Fried pig ear with quail egg at Dark Roux

The mealy texture of the cornbread is a nice change from typical bread puddings.This dessert is beyond words will probably be making my list of the top five things I have eaten this year.

Cornbread bread pudding

Next time you find yourself in Lafayette and you’re stumped on dinner options, do yourself a favor and check out Dark Roux. You will leave one satisfied customer.

Wanna hear more about Dark Roux? Listen to the podcast below!