Hidden New Orleans in Fort Collins
Lucile’s is a restaurant specializing in Cajun cuisine. Creole
classics are somewhat hard to find this far west of the
Mississippi, but Fort Collins has its own little taste of New
Orleans at 400 S. Meldrum St., just across from the Lincoln
Center.
Lucile’s is a small yellow house that gives off a home cookin’
feel. The scattered, unmatched chairs and tables mixed with a
Louisiana theme and spicy smells intrigue the senses.
I had fast service, with a less-than enthusiastic staff. The
true test for me, however, was the quality and taste of the food,
which proved to be fantastic.
Lucile’s is open for breakfast and lunch only, from 7 a.m. to 2
p.m., so I was a little skeptical of how a Cajun breakfast would
taste. My skepticism was almost immediately altered when I took my
first gulp of the incredible fresh-squeezed orange juice. They also
serve fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, cappuccino, fresh lemonade
and apple cider.
The breakfast and lunch menu is clearly a menu straight out of
the French Quarters in New Orleans. The breakfast choices range
from fresh salmon cooked Cajun style, served with two eggs, grits
or potatoes and a buttermilk biscuit, to Eggs Eisenhower, which is
two eggs, with grits or potatoes, a buttermilk biscuit and a choice
of adding ham, bacon, country sausage, or my suggestion, the hot
Louisiana sausage. It has just the right amount of spices and goes
great with the eggs. The Carlin County is another one of Lucile’s
classics with Chef Mickey’s sausage gravy on a buttermilk biscuit
with red beans and grits. Also, don’t forget to try the beignets,
which are homemade New Orleans-style donuts.
I indulged in the Pain Perdu, which is New Orleans style French
toast, served with fresh fruit, one egg, hot Louisiana sausage and
buttery syrup. I would recommend this dish to any hungry
breakfast-lover. While the fruit was a little on the questionable
side, the French toast and buttery syrup was scrumptious. The syrup
was a thick, Louisiana style that was new and sweet to the taste
buds, and the eggs and hot sausage were the perfect
combination.
The lunch menu reveals an even deeper Cajun food culture with
dishes such as the Popcorn Shrimp Salad, which is a large green
salad tossed with cucumbers, avocados, tomatoes, green chili blue
cheese dressing and fried shrimp. Or try the Crawfish Etouffee,
which is Louisiana crawfish tails smothered in a rich brown spicy
sauce and served with rice. They also offer Po’boy sandwiches and
Lucile’s own gumbo, straight out of New Orleans.
All of the dishes cost between $6 and $9, and from my
experience, I would have to say that, overall, this hidden Fort
Collins restaurant is worth every penny.
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