Cold-weather comfort

The weather is getting damper and chillier, and Baton Rouge is bracing for the first of the inevitable cold fronts that cut into our all-too-short fall season. And so tastes change from light summer salads to heavy, stick-to-your-ribs classics. Here are some of our picks that’ll warm you up from the inside out and leave your stomach satisfied: Poor Boy Lloyd’s chicken and dumplings: This dish is as old-school as it gets, with noodle-style dumplings and hearty shreds of chicken swimming in thick, hot gravy. Made the same way practically since PBL opened for business, you can definitely taste the love. Café Express meatloaf: Downtown soulfood staple Café Express serves up a thick, hearty meatloaf—a Tuesday special—that’ll make your mouth water. Thick but tender, with tons of flavor packed into every bite, it’s the next best thing to your own mama’s recipe. The Little Village lasagna: Another downtown staple, soon to reopen in a new location a block down, The Little Village serves up a more-than-ample lasagna, drenched in sweet red sauce and cheese, and stuffed with meat as smooth as paté. Check out the Little Village II while you wait for the original to open—walking away satisfied is a guarantee. Chelsea’s Café chicken and andouille sausage gumbo: Gumbo is the chicken soup of the Cajun palate, a bolstering mainstay of any blustery day. Chelsea’s version is an aromatic treat, especially when eaten while you’re tucked into a low-lit booth under the overpass.