You could make a strong argument that seafood is the backbone of south Louisiana’s unique culinary tableau.
To Baton Rougeans, life without a steady bounty of local fish, crab, crawfish, shrimp and oysters seems unimaginable, not to mention unpalatable. These raw materials, served humbly or gussied up, are the stuff of everyday life. And it’s easy to take them for granted until you travel somewhere less endowed. Few parts of the country celebrate fresh seafood so completely as we do in the Capital Region, where you find it everywhere from tailgates to fine dining and in a range of dishes from omelets to pizza.
Local restaurants, fish markets and home cooks have a long and enduring relationship with seafood from the Gulf of Mexico, a relationship that continues to evolve in new and complex ways as consumers and fishers navigate market disruption, including natural and manmade events that threaten supply. Seafood prices are higher than ever before, further amplifying Gulf seafood’s cachet.
