By DAVID ERSOFF, Journal Contributor
One does not expect to say, “Let’s go to a pool hall for some great Cajun food” (or any great food for that matter). But here, Looosiana Bistreaux is making that statement a reality.
Located inside the new Red River Billiards, 2000 Brookshire Arena Drive, Bossier City, the restaurant has a 21-and-over only bar and dining area with many tables outside the bar area for larger groups and some of those for groups including people under 21 years old.
They also feature a dessert display where you can see exactly what you are ordering. The desserts are freshly made, so when they are out, there is no backup.
Looosiana Bistreaux’s menu has a wide variety of items that can easily satisfy even the most diverse group of patrons. The menu features: appetizers, soup and salad, burgers, po’boys, and sandwiches. For full entrees they have pasta, fried dinners, tacos, grilled steaks, and pork chops.
The many appetizers including some that you’d only find in a Cajun style restaurant, such as charbroiled oyster, boiled shrimp and boudin eggrolls, and some traditional ones like wings and fried pickles. I have tried many of them, all of which have been very good. The one that stands out to me, and will always be my starter when there, is the crawfish queso. It has just the right amount of heat and begs to be eaten, making me want to be selfish and not share.
My personal favorite entrée is jambalaya, one of my weaknesses, when I see it on any menu. It has a bite to it making you ensure your drink is full when you dig in.
I have also tried the Bistreaux Burger, and yes, I upgraded to jambalaya as my side dish, a weakness I choose not to work on. The burger was juicy and quite flavorful.
The group I was with had nice variety of items that I was able to look at and take a taste of. Every bite I got was excellent. These included the blackened shrimp, the blackened chicken tacos and the Cajun alfredo pasta. That’s a pretty big range of food, all of which was good.
I haven’t tried the New Orleans-style bread pudding, but it is on my want list, if I can make myself not fill up on my meal. One of my friends did have their brownie sundae and was happy with it.
So next time your friends pick an odd place to get dinner, like a pool hall, maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised how good it can be.
Each week we will explore different places around the Shreveport-Bossier area, in search of good food. If you have a favorite place, send me those suggestions and maybe it will end up a new find here, giving others a chance to share in your restaurant favorites.
Contact David at dersoff@bellsouth.net
