This New Lafayette Restaurant May Already Have One Of The Top 10 Burgers In Town
Imagine being "a little seafood joint with a burger problem."
That would be an accurate description of Spoonbill Watering Hole and Restaurant, a new local eatery located in Downtown Lafayette. Spoonbill opened up in the old Filling Station building at the intersection of Jefferson & Lee, right across from The Juliet Hotel.
According to their website, Spoonbill Watering Hole and Restaurant "serves a modern twist on comfort food" and their cuisine "embraces the varying cultures" for an "origin of flavors" with "few boundaries, which creates playful yet exquisite dishes."
There was a big buzz surrounding Spoonbill when it first opened up and when I finally made it down there to check it out, I was very impressed with how they utilized the space. The first thing I noticed was how they took advantage of the numerous windows on the building brightening up the inside dining area with a ton of natural light.
There is also a brand new deck that housed tables for outside dining. Built-in heaters made the chilly December elements a non-factor and within minutes we were seated and ready to order. I browsed the menu over one of their specialty house drinks and I noticed there was a LOT of seafood and it all looked delicious.
One small problem. I don't eat seafood. But it wasn't my first rodeo and I was already locked in on their burger—which is always my safe bet at every seafood restaurant. As someone who is a self-proclaimed expert when it comes to ordering burgers at decent seafood restaurants, they're usually well seasoned and pretty good—but this burger was next level.
There was nothing fancy about it. It was the most basic take on a burger: a beef patty, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and their specialty Rosie sauce all between a simple bun. It came with a side of fries that were just as simple as the burger but equally delicious. My hot take was that this might be one of the best burgers in town.
After a second visit a few weeks later, the consistency was there and again, I wondered: "Is this already one of the best burgers in Lafayette?" Third time's a charm, right? About a month after that second visit, I ended up at Spoonbill and the old saying was accurate and the burger was definitely a charm.
Clearly, I wasn't alone. Speaking with Spoonbill partner/GM Stephen Verret he admitted that his restaurant had definitely become "a seafood joint with a burger problem." Given the track record of Spoonbill partner/executive chef Jeremy Conner, it should be no surprise that his take on this American classic is already one of the best in town.
For the record, this isn't a paid advertisement. I'm just a dude who digs burgers—especially at seafood restaurants. If you haven't had the Spoonbill burger yet, give it a try and tell me if you agree.
In the meantime, I still need to try the brunch!