How CENLA cuisine differs from rest of Louisiana

ALEXANDRIA — Central Louisiana often is not a consideration when it comes to Louisiana cuisine.

But a growing number of regional restaurant owners and chefs want to change that.

Alexandria has long been known as a chain restaurant town, said Lee Gwinn, owner of Spirits Food & Friends. But a small group of local restaurant owners are becoming more creative with their menus and developing a central Louisiana food culture in the process, he said.

The fruit of that labor was visible Friday during the third annual Foodapalooza — a celebration of local efforts to create a vibrant regional foods economy.

More than a handful of local restaurants featured specials utilizing locally sourced foods. Offerings included but were not limited to:

• Kickin' Chicken pizza ($8.50) with Gray-Walk Farms bell peppers at Wildwood Pizza
• Shredded kale citrus salad ($8) Spirits Food & Friends made with ingredients from Ingelwood Farm
• Chorizo, potato and kale soup ($4.99 small and $5.99 large) with kale from Hill of Beans Farm at Good People Kitchen.

Kate Dickey, who opened Good People Kitchen a little more than a year ago, offers what she refers to as the healthy plate lunch.

"A plate lunch doesn't have to be fried and smothered," she said. "You don't want to feel like a slug after you eat. People are more conscientious of what they're eating here and making the move to healthier choices and restaurants are taking notice of that."

Spirits chef Stephen Naegle also notices the local health trend.

"Salads dominate our menu," he said.

But healthier options aren't the only unique components of food in this region. Here's a few other interesting elements of Central Louisiana cuisine.

• Central Louisiana contains many ethnic groups and that influences its cuisine, local restrateur Gary Perkins said. Simple European goulashes and stews and rich Belgian food are common dishes on family dinner tables.
• In 2001, Lecompte became the official "Pie Capital of Louisiana." Lea's Lunchroom is famous for its pies, particularly pecan, which made a Thanksgiving Day appearance on the Johnny Carson show in 1989.

• Perhaps fueled by the organized efforts of the Central Louisiana Local Food Initiative, there's a trend self-sufficiency, Naegle said. There's a clear effort to buy and support local food.

Twitter: @wellredtexan