8 Lenten Dishes Sure to Satisfy

The second Friday of Lent is upon us. As a Catholic, this means I stick to a Lenten diet of abstaining from meat on Fridays. Living in south Louisiana, there is no shortage of creative seafood dishes that we can enjoy.

Our team has put together a list of amazing meatless dishes to help you stay on track this Lent. Each Friday, we will share our recommendations for creative dishes and Lenten specials sure to satisfy.

Crawfish Bread, Peppers Pizzeria
With locations in Houma and Thibodaux, the area’s popular pizza joint has stepped up their game with their version of a festival favorite. The crawfish bread is so filling and full of flavor. The French bread is stuffed with a creamy Louisiana crawfish sauce. This Lenten special is only available through Easter, so enjoy while it lasts!

Chipotle Shrimp Wrap, Off the Hook
“Real Cajun, Real Fast” is the most accurate description of the Houma and Thibodaux favorite. Known for their delicious, locally sourced seafood, Off the Hook just does seafood right. While you can’t go wrong with any of their fresh fried catfish or shrimp platters or po-boys, our favorite is the Chipotle Shrimp Wrap. Stuffed full of grilled Gulf shrimp, the chipotle adds just the right amount of heat in every bite. (The Chipotle Shrimp Wrap is pictured above.)

Corn & Shrimp Chowder with Crawfish Cornbread, Cannata’s Café
Cannata’s Café, found inside Cannata’s West Park location in Houma, is one of our favorite places for a home-cooked meal any day of the week. It’s during Lent, however, that their seafood dishes really shine. Their corn & shrimp chowder is simply perfection. With shrimp in every bite, this chowder is filling as a meal on its own. But the secret? Be sure to get a slice of the crawfish cornbread. In a hurry? Curbside and delivery are available.

Boo Special, Quizine Quarters
Boldly opening their doors during a pandemic, Quizine Quarters has quickly become a Houma favorite, known for their unique dishes, amazing service and friendly staff. Did I mention the unique dishes? We were hard-pressed to select a single favorite dish at this restaurant. Today’s recommendation is the Boo Special. This seafood stuffed baked potato is unlike ANY you have tried before. The GIANT potato is STUFFED FULL of crawfish, shrimp and crabmeat. The shrimp are served draped over the side of a potato, in a presentation unrivaled in this town. The potato is topped with a creamy seafood sauce. As if the potato alone isn’t enough, it was also served with fried fish.

Shrimp Po-Boy, Frostop
I know what you’re thinking… A hamburger joint made the list? It sure did! While Frostop in Houma is best known for their burgers and root beer, they do offer another option for those going meatless. The golden fried shrimp po-boy is served on soft, fresh French bread, fully dressed with lettuce, tomato and mayo. I recommend still enjoying that ice-cold mug of root beer, too!

Flash-Fried Garlic Parmesan Oysters, Cinclare
Chef Logan Boudreaux and the team at Cinclare in Thibodaux are celebrating five years of business this month! As a part of the celebration, Chef Logan is bringing back customer favorites from over the years, as well as throwing out new and wonderful Lenten specials each week. Since the specials are always revolving, we chose a favorite from the menu to recommend. The Flash-Fried Garlic Parmesan Oysters are on the appetizer menu but are enough for two to share. Served atop a healthy serving of shrimp butter grits, this appetizer is the perfect first course for any entree you might choose.

Cajun Boil Pizza, Rotolo’s
There’s really nothing better than sharing a warm pizza and a cold beer with family or friends after a long work week. How about spicing things up a notch with Rotolo’s Cajun Boil Pizza! This Spring special on menus in Houma and Thibodaux is topped with Cajun Alfredo sauce, red onion, mushroom, corn, garlic, and shrimp. Not really feeling like pizza? No worries! You can also request the Cajun Boil as a pasta dish.

Baked Stuffed Flounder, Cajun Bahamas
With its laid-back, island vibe, Cajun Bahamas in Houma offers amazing seafood dishes with a bit of an island twist. While it was a close contest with a few favorite menu items, such as the fish dip and crab cake grilled cheese, it’s this week’s special that I want to recommend. The baked stuffed flounder is done to perfection without being dry. The flaky white fish is complemented perfectly by the stuffing.  It is served with your choice of side (I suggest the roasted rasta veggies) and the beach salad.

Did we miss your favorite meal or restaurant? Email me at mary@rushing-media.com to add your pick to next week’s list!