Cajun Potato Kitchen serving up spuds in a unique tasting way

Bruce J. Hebert
December 11, 2006
Houma man leads police on chase
December 13, 2006
Bruce J. Hebert
December 11, 2006
Houma man leads police on chase
December 13, 2006

Five years ago, a dining experience unique to area residents opened along Audubon Avenue in Thibodaux, and today that restaurant has continued its growth. In June 2001 Robbie Talbot and his uncle Lloyd opened the doors to the Cajun Potato Kitchen, a small restaurant offering baked potatoes topped in a variety of unique ways.


“Someone could get a potato twice a week,” said Robbie Talbot, “but the 18 different types of potatoes that we serve gives them a little bit of variety.”


And just how can a potato be served in 18 different ways?

Along with traditional toppings of shredded cheese, sour cream, tomatoes and chives, employees at the Cajun Potato Kitchen can top the spud with red beans, chili, crawfish or shrimp etouffee and a number of other choices. “Our signature right now would be the Seafood Potato,” said Talbot.


The popular Seafood Potato is topped with margarine, boiled crawfish and shrimp, cheese sauce, crabmeat and bacon bits—along with the previously mentioned traditional toppings. “It’s easily the most popular,” Talbot said.


The Thibodaux-based Cajun Potato Kitchen is the only franchise of its kind currently open in Louisiana. Talbot said previously there were as many as seven others throughout the state, but most closed a couple of years ago during the low-carbohydrate diet fad.

He added that on a weekly basis the restaurant goes through roughly 1,200 potatoes, most of which weigh around a pound.


Talbot’s Cajun Potato Kitchen has experienced growth in each of its five years, and he says along with the main dish, the popularity is also attributable to the friendly dining experience customers can find in the restaurant. “There’s nothing else like it,” he said. “There may be other restaurants around Louisiana that serve baked potatoes, but I don’t think there’s any that are strictly a baked potato restaurant. And we have that southern, Cajun flair. That south Louisiana flair that is in our Crawfish Etouffee and Shrimp Etouffee potatoes.


“I (also) think what people like about it is it’s locally owned,” added Talbot. “People think of it as sort of a local, neighborhood sort of cafe. They can meet friends and a friendly staff. It’s nothing fancy. It’s just a place where you can go in casual and have a good meal.”

Talbot further compares it to eating a meal in one’s own kitchen. “It’s just a comfortable place for people to eat.”


So what convinced the Talbot’s to open a Cajun Potato Kitchen in Thibodaux?


The answer is simple, according to Robbie. “We tried the product, and we liked it,” he said. “And from that point on, we just knew we wanted to own a franchise. We knew it would be a hit in this area.”

And a hit it has been. Although based in Thibodaux, customers from the Houma, Raceland and Lockport area regularly dine at the restaurant. For that reason, Talbot said he would like for expansion to be in the restaurant’s future. “We would like to expand, one day,” Talbot said of future plans. “Once we can find a viable location, we would like to expand into Houma and into the Raceland-Mathews area.”

The Cajun Potato Kitchen is not the only business venture for Robbie and Lloyd Talbot. The uncle and nephew own five Subway restaurants between Houma and Thibodaux, while Robbie owns two Fantastic Sam’s locations.

But Robbie said the Cajun Potato Kitchen is by far the most unique venture. “Most places you get a baked potato and it’s chicken or broccoli,” he said. “But we have crawfish and shrimp and other toppings—that’s what makes it unique.”

Matt LeBlanc can be reached at (985) 876-3008 or matt@tri-parishtimes.com.

Cajun Potato Kitchen

Owners: Robbie and Lloyd Talbot

Address: 1127 Audubon Ave., Thibodaux

Phone: (985) 447-4212

Staff: 8 employees

Services: Restaurant that serves something different from the ordinary. The Cajun Potato Kitchen serves baked potatoes topped 18 different ways.

Store Hours: M-Sat 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Staff photo by Matt LeBlanc • Tri-Parish Times/ The Cajun Potato Kitchen, along Audubon Avenue in Thibodaux, has been open since June of 2001. The restaurant serves 18 different kinds of potatoes.