‘225 Dine’: Tacos with bayou bite

It was an idea born not so much of innovation but of a lack thereof—at least on the part of the customers. Brennan Ledet, chef/owner of Taco Boudreaux’s on South Sherwood Forest Boulevard near Interstate 12, was working at his father’s Mexican restaurant in Napoleonville when he noticed that his father had to keep certain Cajun staples on the menu to please inhibited patrons who didn’t want to try anything too exotic. Their neophobia sparked an idea: why not combine the two cuisines? Years of experimentation and months of elbow grease later, Ledet opened the doors to his new restaurant, Taco Boudreaux’s, in December. On the menu, nearly everything is a blend of Mexican and Cajun cuisines: from the Oyster Taco-feller appetizer, which features flash-fried Louisiana oysters on crispy tortilla chips, to the popular and self-explanatory Blackened Alligator Fajitas. You can get enchiladas stuffed with fresh Gulf seafood, or a po-boy filled with carne asada, bell peppers and Cajun remoulade sauce. Even their fish tacos feature fresh fried catfish. The drinks menu is equally diverse, with a list of 12 Mexican and 12 south Louisiana beers, and cocktail specials like the Mardi Gras Martini, a sweet twist on the traditional tequila drink. The menu isn’t just Louisiana themed, however. Ledet works hard to make sure all of his items are sourced as locally as possible, from seafood to produce. “I don’t mind paying a few dollars more for good stuff,” he says. “I know it comes back to you tenfold because the customers know the difference.” Read the rest of this story and all of this week’s 225 Dine e-newsletter here.