ValueLakeCharles

I was not very excited when I left my house at 7:45 AM yesterday morning to head to Lake Charles for the day. And for good reason: 8 hours in the car by yourself can only be so much fun. I did, however, make the best out of the trip with my lunch and specialty meat stop. First was lunch: Located in the heart of Lake Charles on West College Street is a hole in the wall cabin looking structure called Darrell's Restaurant.

The parking lot, as you can see, was jammed. I had read up a bit and ordered ahead. This was definitely a wise move as there were not many empty tables. The interior of the restaurant was dark but comforting with Saints & LSU flags flying on the walls. I felt at home. There was no glitz or glamour to this 20 year old restaurant. I could tell, it was all about the food at Darrell's. Just the way ValueNola likes it. I am confident, this place was filled with locals.

On this first time visit, there was only one thing to order: The Darrell's Special. Filled with turkey, ham, and some excellent roast beef - topped with three types of cheese and roast beef gravy - Dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, and their special jalepeno mayonnaise, this sandwich was definitely a heart attack within a loaf. The french bread was amazing. The roast beef and jalepeno mayo unreal.

All for $9.92 (which includes tax) this sandwich is amazing and a great value. I will definitely get the Darrell's special next time I am in Lake Charles. I even contemplated bringing the Darrell's Special home with me. The day would have been a success even if I didn't take any more stops, but I had to push my luck. This time at the Scott (#97) exit on the way back home...Keep in mind this meant I would catch Baton Rouge 5 O'clock traffic which I was well aware of.

The Best Stop is an authentic cajun specialty meat & grocery store. Known for it's Boudin & Cracklin, I had to see what this place was all about. The Best Stop is the real cajun experience. Set in a glorified shack, the Best Stop must have had 15 employees working on stuffing chicken, pork chops, and boudin. This is what I live for. The owner was extremely friendly and made me feel right at home. I can not wait to try my stuffed fryer chicken ($14.99) which is stuffed with Boudin. I also bought a stuffed fryer ($19.99) stuffed with crawfish and shrimp. Next time you are heading west on I-10, try these two spots out and I promise you will not be disappointed.