Restaurants in Minden

When Mike Kantrow founded his original sandwich shop in 1979, he thought the name Byron's looked too boring. So, as he explains on his restaurant's website, he scratched the s and added a z to the end, giving birth to both a local legend with the Big Byronz sandwich and a local controversy over how to pronounce "Byronz." "If you want clarification on how to say it," Mike explains, "don't ask me."

So while regulars may fight over phonetics, few argue over the flavors infused in Bistro Byronz's southern-styled bistro cuisine. Hearty entrees anchor both the lunch and dinner menus, inviting diners to dig into the roasted potatoes that flank a French-cut pork chop marinated in Abita root beer. Comfort dishes soothe the soul, such as tender pot roast that wades in creole gravy and the signature Byronz sandwich with three types of meat, cheeses, dressing, and black olives.

Tableside belly dancers and traditional Mediterranean dishes entertain eaters at Albasha Greek & Lebanese Restaurant. Tender, juicy lamb shanks rest atop rice pilaf and are joined by hummus and sautéed pine nuts to complete the lamb-shank plate. Thinly sliced chicken marinated in garlic, oil, and Lebanese spices populates shawarma dishes, whereas butter-broiled shrimp kabobs simmer with the flavors of garlic and lemon juice.

Harry Hoenselaar owes his success to sheer perseverance. After leaving his small Midwestern hometown for Detroit, he was hired as a salesman for the HoneyBaked Ham Company. Relying on his knack for slicing ham on the bone, he found success at the company, but he was hungry for more. One night in 1936, he began toying with the idea for a machine that could uniformly slice bone-in ham. The next day, he devised a primitive prototype with a tire jack, pie tin, washing-machine motor, knife, and a pinch of magical elf dust. Over the next eight years, he worked to perfect his invention—building and testing variations—and filed for multiple patents, but time after time, he was rejected.

Discouraged, he took a job to support his family and set his dream aside—until 1957. The widow of his former employer rang him to offer The HoneyBaked Ham Company to him for $500. He seized the opportunity, and the first HoneyBaked Ham store opened its doors in October of that year. After enjoying years of incredible success, Harry passed away in 1974—but his legacy and the business still flourish thanks to his children and grandchildren. The seed of his idea led to more than 400 retail locations sprouting up across the nation, their dedicated staffs slicing up tender, honey-baked ham while serving sandwiches and sides.

The owners of Monsour's Restaurant and Bar, which was featured on KTBS and the 20x49 blog, tap into their eponymous founding family's 100-year-old culinary legacy to craft classic Cajun and Italian dishes speckled with ingredients such as homemade meatballs and fresh gulf seafood. Occasional live music provides the soundtrack for rhythmic saunters up to a fully stocked bar as the sunlight from ample windows in a covered patio incites metallic tabletops to glisten and photosynthesize.

At Sabores Dominican Restaurant, passionate chefs with years of experience dazzle taste buds, olfactory lobes, and eyeballs with saffron-hued seafood paellas, pastelito pastries, and tender morsels of braised chicken or roast pork. Like a gentle lullaby blown through a conch trumpet, the bill of fare sends brains on a dreamlike vacation to the tropics, tempting diners with specimens of authentic Dominican cuisine such as the fried plaintain mofongo, or rich, meaty sancocho stew. Light notes of sweetness cut through the savory undertones of each dish as guests pair their sandwiches, soups, and cutlets with bowls of creamy tres leches or fruity papaya shakes.

Under the guidance of Stir Tapas' co-owners Chase Boytim and Paul Roney, executive chef Christy Porter crafts small plates that the Shreveport Times calls "a worldwide affair" with an emphasis on "Louisiana, Spanish, and Central American cuisine." Some of her globetrotting culinary creations include fried green tomatoes with a shrimp rémoulade, meatballs stuffed with goat cheese, and calamari served alongside an avocado dipping sauce. To complement the gustatory Baedeker, the cocktail lounge's pours domestic and imported wines as well as specialty drinks such as the Flirtini, a concoction made with pineapple juice, vodka, champagne, and just the hint of an Italian accent. In between bites, sips, and conversation, guests can enjoy acoustic sets from local bands every Thursday–Saturday.