Well, did anyone check out FLOYDS RECORD SHOP and THE PIG STAND restaurant while in town for BALFA?

Y'know, we check out Floyd's just about everytime
we visit.

This year, we drove past Floyd's everyday, but
I'm afraid we didn't stop in :-(

I've accummulated quite a CD collection from there!

--Biggeroo

shoulda stopped, FLOYD'S is celebrating it's 50th year in 06'

Floyd's is great....but the Pigstand is absolutely awful.

My buddy Kev and I had the worst "bbq pork" ever devised -- it was gelatinous, gooey, and hyper-salty. Neither of us managed more than 4 or 5 bites.

Nick B

eewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. sorry about the pig stand. they may have changed chef's since my last visit. I know the quality at Floyd's is consistent though, excellent cajun music. Nick when you are back in the area, you need to check out www.mcgeeslanding.com. guaranteed good food and scenery.

I love the Pig Stand and it doesn't really have much to do with the food. I can eat a greasy bowl of chicken gumbo with coffee there at 10 AM, smoke a cigarette at my table without making anyone mad, and listen to an elderly Cajun couple speaking French over the clamor of pots and pans while wondering if my waitress forgot about me. It's about as "local" and "authentic" as I can get. I suppose I could sit at the counter near the front door, but those stools are generally taken. The Pig Stand does not have the best food or service in Acadiana, but I savor the minutes when I am there, knowing I am far, far away from the expected. It's a little slice of realism. Nothing candy coated in neon. You won't find the waitstaff sporting flair or singing happy birthday. It is Ville Platte, Louisiana. My tab? $6... and an experience no one could fabricate in Dallas, TX (like Razzoo's and Pappadeax's.) Plus, Floyd's Record Shop in right down the block!

Pass the pork, mon ami... ev'rything on the hog is good!

Ricky

Last time that I had visited Mark Savoy's shop,
we ate at a little "smoke-house" not far away.

Dag-nab-it, I cannot remember the name of the place.
It was a small red building. One entered thru the
front door and walked up to a window to order & pick
up.

I think that there may have been one table w/2
chairs inside.

Anyway, we got pork sandwhiches to go.

Liz and I ate them in a near bye park.

Man, I could not believe that sandwich. It had
the equivalent of a couple-two/three pork chops
on a bun.

We had to dissasemble our sanwhiches to eat 'em
becuase they were so large.

(I was sort as if someone had served a half chicken
on a bun!)

So, my LA pork experience was a good one!

Merci!

--Big Nick

Man, Big Nick, you are making me hungry! My girlfriend packed me a ham and cheese sammich today, and it just ain't cuttin' the mustard (literally!)

I got another place for you to try next time you are in St. Landry Parish... heck you've probably been there -- it's been around for decades... in Opelousas: The Palace Cafe (across from the courthouse and next to the Jim Bowie Oak.) You talk about fried chicken... best fried chicken I've ever had! Their plate specials are good and a great bargain, too. And their gumbos and crawfish bisque will take away any hangover you may have from drinking those leetle 10 oz. Budweisers the night before! The place is plain and simple with family portraits and crafty oil paintings adorning the walls. They still have a diner counter with the old stools and cakes and pies behind the counter reflected in angled mirrors. The waitresses (and cooks) have been there since my first visit there back in '93. Occasionally I've run into Hadley J. Castille in there who's always cordial and never short on spinning yarns of the Louisiana gospel and Cajun philosophy. The Palace is a step back in time, fer shure. Love it. Can't get enough of it.

Another great place in Opelousas is Ray's Diner. It's in an Exxon gas station... or maybe the gas station is part of Ray's -- heck, I dunno. But they've got one of my favorite shrimp gumbos and excellent boiled crawfish. It's just south of town on the back road to Washington.

Speaking of crawfish in Opelousas, there's an old Sonic restaurant (on the way to Ray's), which if memory serves me, is named, Crawfish Tyme or something like that. You can get a bag full of fresh spicy crawfish and drive next door to a shady park (I forget the park's name) and enjoy them. Don't forget the cooler... did I mention the cooler?! Don't forget it!!!

Bon ap!

RR

Hey Ricky,

I know what you mean about the atmosphere. Believe me, I really wanted to the love the place. It's true that it's 100% unpretentious, unpolished Acadiana -- nothing like the stressful, pricey experience of having North Dallas waitresses rush past you while you stare at crab nets and quasi-Cajun novelties bolted to the wall. Not to bash Pappadeaux's and Razzoo's -- they're your best bet for Cajun in Dallas (do you remember place called Red's Cajun Queen? It was right off of Northwest Highway.)

But yeah, may I should stick to po-boys next time. The price is definitely right.

Nick B.

Shucks, Nick. It'a all good! I hear ya though... it's hard to find a meal that's less than satifying in Acadie, brutha! And when you do, it usually registers as a shock to the system! I wish I knew of other hole-in-the-walls in Ville Platte, but I don't. I betcha one of these Braves know one they could shed some light on. Pig Stand has always been a VP default, simply because of its close proximity to Floyd's.

After my cold ham and process cheese on two slices of white bread sandwich I just had for lunch today, I'd take dang near anything under par that came from the Golden Triangle!

BTW, your Doc Marshalls are way cool!



T-Rick

Hey Big nick! Nice Pics! The young guy in the first pic is Logan, and he is from Louisiana-don't know too much more but I think we will be hearing more from him! Nice to see you again at camp!