Restaurants in Prairieville

Bayleaf Indian Cuisine's menu marries traditional dishes from both North and South India to populate gleaming, white tablecloths with plates of marinated lamb and seafood, each sizzling from the tandoor and slathered in spices such as ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. After clinking glasses of wine or imported beer, patrons sop up sauces spuming from curry dishes with morsels of warm naan before crowning the overseas adventure with crisp, honey-laden bites from gulab jamun dumplings. Meanwhile, groups can commandeer the executive room to furnish dinner celebrations for parties of 50 or boring musical-chair games for parties of one.:m]]

Established by two brothers in 1994, El Magey feeds the masses with family recipes every day. After warming up with complimentary tortilla chips and salsa, bellies fill up on entrees from a menu of authentic Mexican and Latin American fare. Seasoned grilled skirt steak, grilled shrimp, tilapia, and crawfish star in some of the eatery's specialties supported by a cast of homemade guacamole, pico de gallo, and mole-covered backup singers. A buffet emits swirls of savory aromas, with specialty items starring on Friday seafood nights and Wednesday kids' night buffets. Homemade desserts seal each meal's deal, tickling taste buds with in-house-crafted flan and tres leches cakes as sweet and smooth as a kindergartner's pickup lines.

A warm breeze ruffles the bayou grasses that grow beside the Petite Amite River, pointing pontoons and passersby toward a tropical haven lined with glowing tiki torches. Known as Riverfront Tiki Hut, this getaway teems with the scents of house-made sausages and the sounds of bands from ports near and far. Guests devour slow-smoked pork ribs in an air-conditioned interior filled with long marble bars and exposed rafters, pausing to savor sports highlights on a flat-screen TV. Outside on the deck, bartenders pour shots of rum in an island-style hut as guests drink in views of the dock or line up for rides in the restaurant’s bathysphere. On Friday and Saturday evenings, guests can take part in a crayfish boil or grab a bucket of worms to practice for the bar’s next catfish rodeo.

Kamal’s Kafe strives to replicate the feel of a Mediterranean eatery with its burnt orange walls, spacious dining area, and menu of herb- and spice-infused Lebanese cuisine. The cooks shave beef and lamb off revolving gyro cones before loading the lean slices into pita bread along with dabs of tahini sauce. At the grills, they roast tilapia and shrimp kebabs and broil marinated chicken in fragrant wine sauce. They can also load platters with such vegetarian classics as hummus and homemade falafel.

Although the dining room houses more than 10 tables draped with blue-green vinyl tablecloths, Kamal’s Kafe can also seat guests outdoors on its covered patio. The patio’s ceiling fans help to ward off territorial helicopters and circulate fresh air throughout the space.

Clad in floppy sombrero, the Carlos cartoon crawfish leans fearlessly against his cactus, a plateful of steaming Mexican food in hand for all to see. This emblem is an apt evocation of the eatery's culinary aesthetic––traditional Mexican dishes kicked up a notch with Cajun flair. Sure, the restaurant keeps things authentic with cheesy enchiladas and chili rellenos, but along with chicken or steak, skilled chefs insulate tortillas with bayou-style crawfish, shrimp, and even crab. Margaritas help to soothe mouths after spoonfuls of spice, as do imported beers and tongue massages administered with aromatic guacamole.:m]]

It said locally owned and operated for 45 years, but I saw some info online suggesting they were out of business for awhile, or that ownership may have changed hands, so I left the figure out.

For more than 30 years, Quiznos has toasted its submarine sandwiches to bring out the hidden flavors found in butcher-quality meats, cheese, and artisan breads. Its classic and signature subs take on a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles ranging from the prime rib mushroom and swiss to the classic italian donning black olives, mozzarella, red-wine vinaigrette, and plentiful sliced meats. Those closely monitoring their waistlines can take unabashed bites of sandwiches that have fewer than 500 calories, such as the pork-cuban, Baja-chicken, and veggie-caprese subs. Quiznos' Toasty Bullets and Torpedoes offer slimmer versions of sub fare and flaunt supreme aerodynamics when shot out of T-shirt cannons and into mouths. A selection of Flatbread Sammies, soups, and salads round out Quiznos' varied menu.