Eats

Eats 08-08-12

![coyoteblues1](images/stories/Ind 080812/coyoteblues1.jpg)Every week day during EatLafayette, The Independent will spotlight a Dish of the Day; on Wednesdays, our Dish of the Day also becomes the Dish of the Week and is published in the print edition, along with other features spotlighting the local industry. Read more about The Independent's ongoing EatLafayette coverage and how to participate here.

Dish of the Day
Coyote Blues

![coyoteblues3](images/stories/Ind 080812/coyoteblues3.jpg)Coyote Blues Fresh Mexican Grill prides itself on this edible artwork: churrascaria, composed of four different meats and a plethora of spices. This meal is enough to feed the hungriest of men, and offers tastes that should please all parts of the palate. The plate holds a skewer each of marinated chicken ribbons, beef tenderloin, jumbo shrimp and jalapeño sausage, all interspersed with red and green bell peppers and onions and cooked over a mesquite grill. The four skewers are arranged in a pyramid over a bed of mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. Chow down with the restaurant's house-made tortillas, spicy chipotle cream sauce, roasted corn salsa, fresh guacamole, pico de gallo and Chimichurri dipping sauce. If your stomach can hold any more, mention EatLafayette and receive a free spicy beef taquito appetizer with purchase of an entrée. Coyote Blues Fresh Mexican Grill is located at 5741 Johnston St. and open Monday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Churrascaria recipe
3 oz. beef tenderloin tips cut in 1-oz. cubes
3 oz. chicken breast, trimmed of fat, cut in 1-oz. cubes
4 shrimp, 21-25 count, peeled & deveined with tail on
2 oz. smoked jalapeño sausage
red and green bell peppers, cut in 1-inch squares
red onion, cut in 1-inch squares
Chicken marinade:
2 oz. vegetable oil
1 t seasoned salt
1/2 t granulated garlic
1/2 t granulated onion
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t Tabasco jalapeño sauce
1 oz. orange juice
1/2 lime, squeezed

Beef tenderloin marinade:
1 T vegetable oil
1 t soy sauce
1 t worcestershire sauce
1 t granulated garlic
2 t seasoned salt
1 t fajita marinade seasoning
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Shrimp seasoning:**
4 T vegetable oil
2 t seasoned salt
1 t paprika
1 t Tabasco jalapeño sauce
1 t Tabasco chipotle sauce
1 t garlic, chopped

Guacamole:
2 avocados, seeded and mashed
1/2 t salt
1/4 t garlic powder
1/2 cup pico de gallo
lime wedge, squeezed
Pico de Gallo:
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
lime wedge, squeezed

Instructions:
1. Combine all the ingredients for the three marinades in separate containers. Rub the marinade on beef tenderloin tips and chicken ribbons. Place in covered container and refrigerate overnight for best results.
2. Brush or dip shrimp in marinade before grilling and baste with remaining marinade while on the grill.
3. Skewer cubes of beef tenderloin, alternating with red and green peppers and red onions. Do the same with the chicken and shrimp. Cut smoked jalapeño sausage down the center and place on skewer.
4. Cook beef, chicken and shrimp over mesquite hardwood logs or charcoal until desired doneness. Place chicken on first (it takes the longest), then the beef, shrimp and jalapeño sausage skewers.
5. Serve with heated flour tortillas, Chimichurri sauce, pico de gallo, guacamole, roasted corn salsa, mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus spears. (This single serving is enough to share.)

Freshest Ingredients
I'll drink to that

![eats-drinks](images/stories/Ind 080812/eats-drinks.jpg)Indian restaurants are not known for their cocktails. Instead, they garner patrons with fragrant basmati rice and incredible spice blends that provide a foreign dining experience as well as excellent leftover egg omelets in the morning.
Masala Indian Kitchen, opened in 2006, is an anomaly. Bartenders blend drinks of traditional Indian fruits and spices and create cocktails that are a departure from the traditional margarita or martini. Masala's owner, Shashi Gupta, has named multiple drinks after her grandchildren, and all utilize popular fresh ingredients found in Indian food. The house signature drink, the Yasho Mojito, is named after Gupta's grandson and combines an in-house blackberry purée with lime, mint, rum and ginger ale, and is the most popular cocktail on the menu. Bartenders also make different mojitos with a changing offering of fresh purées, including strawberry, raspberry and mango. The Samartini, the first grandchild's namesake, is a layered drink with infused citrus vodka, orange juice, lime and pomegranate liqueur. The Amar-rita is an almond margarita, and the Veertini is an in-house chili pepper-infused vodka with mango juice and pomegranate liqueur. "Veer means brave," says manager Kenneth Babin, "so it's a kick with the pepper. The Veertini is known for the spice, so it makes you feel like you're getting an Indian experience." The Mango Lassi, which is spiked with mango vodka for the adult version, is made from a mango pulp and yogurt made at the restaurant and is a traditional Indian drink. The Lychee Berry Splash features lychee berry juice, which is a fruit favored in India, mixed with raspberry vodka and the same blackberry purée as the Yasho Mojito for a lighter tasting concoction.
In addition to the cocktails and wine, Masala also offers two Indian lagers: The Taj Mahal, brewed in India but not served there, and King Fisher, an Indian-style beer brewed in the U.S. For EatLafayette, the restaurant offers a meal for two for $49.95, which includes one appetizer, choice of soup or salad for both parties, two entrées and one dessert. Eat during happy hour weekdays; on Mondays, mojitos are $5 and on Thursdays martinis are $5. - Elizabeth Rose

First Meal of the Day
It does a body good

By Katie Macdonald

Proven to increase daily energy and have a long-lasting effect on weight loss, breakfast is arguably the most important meal of the day - whether it's scarfed down on the way to work or a drawn out affair while catching up with friends or family.

Blue Dog Café
Late riser? Then brunch means you can have your eggs and eat them, too. For a variation on the standard brunch buffet, visit Blue Dog Café's Sunday Brunch Live. Every Sunday from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., local musicians serenade diners with a range of genres, including Cajun, Creole, Celtic, Folk, Zydeco, Swamp Pop, old standards and original compositions. Brunch includes complimentary and unlimited mimosas, along with a buffet menu that features breakfast favorites like made-to-order omelets and Crab Cakes Benedict and heartier meals like prime rib with horseradish cream sauce and corn and crab bisque. Adult plates are $22.95, children 6 through 12 are $7.95 and children 5 and younger eat free. A monthly list of featured musicians is located on Blue Dog Café's website.

The French Press
Touted both locally and nationally, breakfast at The French Press in Downtown Lafayette is truly an experience. While the restaurant maintains a steady stream of breakfast visitors Tuesday through Friday (7 a.m.-2 p.m.), the busiest days are Saturday and Sunday (9 a.m.-2 p.m.), says French Press employee Yetta Russell. "People make a day of it," she says while describing one of the restaurant's most popular items, the Cajun Benedict ($10.50). The dish is toasted French bread, boudin and two poached medium eggs covered with chicken and Andouille gumbo and scallions. Other popular items include chicken and waffles ($12.50), grits and grillades ($8.50) and buttermilk sliders affectionately named "Sweet Baby Breesus" ($10.50).
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Hub City Diner**
For the past 23 years, Hub City Diner has remained one of Lafayette's most popular breakfast eateries, serving home cooked staples like omelets, pancakes, biscuits and coffee in a 1950s-style setting. But home cooked shouldn't be confused with heavy. Hub City Diner offers several healthy breakfast options, including its Garden Omelet made with egg whites and fresh vegetables, whole wheat toast and pancakes, fresh fruit and baked bacon. Biscuits are made from scratch each morning. Breakfast is served Monday through Friday from 6:30-10:30 a.m. and from 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on weekends.
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ThiboDough's Breads and Bagels**
Ryan Thibodeaux, owner of Thibodoughs Breads and Bagels, is an early riser. Every morning at 2 a.m. he arrives to make fresh bagels, breads and muffins for the breakfast rush. Thibodeaux's most popular sellers are his New York-style bagels, which come in flavors like cinnamon raisin, blueberry, French toast, cheddar jalapeño and Asiago. The bagels also form the base of his breakfast sandwich made with eggs, cheese and bacon. Another savory item includes Thibodough's stuffed breads filled with ground beef, cheese and sautéed onions and bell peppers. Breakfast is served Tuesday through Friday from 6 a.m.-10 a.m. at the bakery's location of 1519 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, and 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday at the Hub City Farmers Market in the Oil Center.
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Other EatLafayette breakfast destinations**
1. Andoli's Sandwich Press, Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
2. Bailey's Bistro, Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
3. Jolie's Louisiana Bistro, Saturday and Sunday brunch, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
4.  Prejean's Restaurant, daily, 7 a.m.-10:15 a.m.
5. The Lab Hand Crafted Coffee and Comforts, Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.