Chicken club from Overpass Merchant
For dinner at Overpass, you really can't go wrong with anything. My usual favorite is the grouper sandwich, but this time I went for the chicken club.
Oooooh weeeee. It was good.
The sandwich features crispy chicken, cheddar cheese, applewood bacon, tomato, butter lettuce and Creole honey mustard on Texas toast. Everything meshed together like a perfect sandwich should. The golden Texas toast crunched with the crispy chicken at every bite, and the tomato and butter lettuce added a refreshing kick.
I'm already looking forward to ordering it again.
Overpass Merchant, 2904 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge (Lauren Cheramie, features writer)
Shrimp Breaux Bridge at Zea
Shrimp Breaux Bridge from Zea in Lafayette
I was having dinner with several Italian journalists who were passing through Lafayette on a road trip of the South, so, of course, I ordered pasta. They didn't hold it against me, though. The Shrimp Breaux Bridge at Zea is less about the ziti and more about the tender shrimp and spicy, cheesy cream sauce.
As flavorful as the sauce is, it somehow doesn't overpower the shrimp. The restaurant can be a bit noisy, but, nonetheless, the conversation was entertaining, the serving was plentiful, and the dish was delicious!
Zea, 235 Doucet Road, Lafayette (Kristin Askelson, Acadiana managing editor)
The Greek calzone at Tommy's on Thomas in Hammond
Greek calzone from Tommy's on Thomas
It's difficult to visit this downtown Hammond pizza restaurant and not order a pizza — they're legendary and unforgettable.
On a recent stop, however, I noticed the calzones on the menu and said, "What the heck?" Tommy's, once again, did not disappoint.
The warm, crusty pocket, sliced in half and drizzled with olive oil, was filled with piping hot fresh garlic, spinach, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese. The dish usually includes gyro, but the eatery was out of that this particular night. I didn't miss it, however, with all these robust flavors tantalizing my tastebuds. Extra olive oil was served on the side for dipping. Wonderful!
Tommy's on Thomas, 216 W. Thomas St., Hammond (Judy Bergeron, features assistant editor)