Pig Ears at Chow Yum
The Eat the Boot podcast is always raving about the pig ears at Chow Yum, so I went, and it exceeded expectations. Don’t let the name of the dish scare you — it’s actually super approachable when it arrives at the table. The dish comes garnished with green onions and cilantro. The crunchy, sweet and sour of the pig ears was a perfect complement to the savory, Viet-style crawfish. It’s everything that I love about sweet and sour chicken with an added delightful crunch. It’s the perfect addition to any meal at Chow Yum.
Chow Yum, 2363 Hollydale Ave., Baton Rouge (Serena Puang, features writer)
Lettuce wrap tacos from Superior Grill on Highland
It's patio season! While the weather is still nice, I am venturing to as many outdoor restaurants as possible. My first stop was a Monday night dinner at Superior Grill on Highland Road.
Yes, the margaritas are great (as always), but the lettuce wrap tacos were a fresh, crunchy and delicious alternative to the heavier options — perfect for an early-week dinner.
The lettuce wrap tacos have bright, lemon-flavored grilled shrimp, sautéed zucchini and squash and fresh, creamy slices of avocado. The dish also comes with a side of rice and an option for beans or soup (in lieu of the side dish, I chose extra rice and queso to put on top of my taco).
Superior Grill, 7333 Highland Road, Baton Rouge (Margaret DeLaney, health coordinator)
Homemade ranch and fries at Pop's Poboys
Hands down, these are my favorite fries around. With that homemade ranch dressing, eating these fries is akin to a spiritual experience. They're crunchy. They're flavorful. They have all the things I'm looking for in a good fry — and that dip. Chef Collin Cormier once told me that he tried every potato and cooking process he could find to figure out how to make these fries — and that the restaurant takes three days to make their ranch dressing.Ìý
No shortcuts. Just good eats.Ìý
Pop's Poboys, 740 Jefferson St., Lafayette (Jan Risher, Louisiana culture editor)
