Lunchtime just got a lot better on Lafayette's restaurant row. Jolie's Louisiana Bistro started serving lunch on Ash Wednesday, adding some delectable and innovative dishes to lunch choices for those of us lucky enough to work in the historic part of town. The heart of old Lafayette: downtown, the University, the Saints streets and the Oil Center, has a lot of synergy when it comes to restaurants. There are more locally owned places to dine in old Lafayette than anywhere else in town. The classy historic buildings, the century old oaks and walkable neighborhoods all invite culinary creativity, and that's what we're tasting at Jolie's.
It's impossible to choose between the three appetizers, BBQ shrimp, mussels in a garlic cream sauce, and a three way (Bienville, Rockefeller and Jolie's) baked oyster dish. Bring a buddy and order them all. Then you can finish with a salad like the spinach with a prosciutto vinaigrette or the Louis salad, a super combo of crabmeat, shrimp and fried eggplant. If you're hungrier than that, lunch entrees include a seared black pepper crusted Ahi tuna and a grilled rosemary and port glazed pork chop. Lunch runs Wednesday though Friday, and Sundays, which includes some brunch dishes. Happy hour by the way, 5-7 p.m., includes half-price appetizers. Check out the whole menu on Jolie's Web site, or call 504-2382 for more info.