318 Restaurant Week is coming up, March 14-18, and complete details of the lunch and dinner specials being offered by dozens of local restaurants are starting to pop up. While some participating eateries have opted to simply throw in a bag of chips or a side salad when popular menu items are ordered, others have planned some really exciting lunch and dinner specials. You can see all of the daily specials on the 318 Restaurant Week website.
Here are six of the daily specials that stood out, to me, as exciting or interesting:
Caribbean jerk rib tips over rice with cabbage and carrot stir fry ($10, lunch)
Real BBQ & More
7828 Line Avenue, Shreveport
The only kind of food that I love more than barbecue is Caribbean food, so my brain kind of melted when Real BBQ & More announced this as their 318 Restaurant Week lunch special. I’m pretty much guaranteed to be standing outside when Real BBQ & More opens for business on Tuesday. And possibly several other days next week.
Duck confit with purple hull pea cassoulet ($20, dinner)
Herby-K’s
1833 Pierre Avenue, Shreveport
The full description of this dish is “Duck confit, purple hull pea cassoulet, sauteed greens, sweet potatoes, corn bread. One glass pinot noir wine and Panderina Soumas’ bread pudding for dessert.” If you just heard a soft “thud” coming from the direction of downtown Shreveport, that was the sound of Herby-K’s dropping the microphone.
Nashville blues salad ($10, lunch on Tuesday, March 14 only)
Parish Taceaux
708 Texas Street, Shreveport
Rumor has it that this one-off dish exists because local food and travel blogger Jada Durden persistently bugged the team at Parish Taceaux about how good it would be if the restaurant’s popular Nashville hot chicken taceauxs were re-imagined as a salad. Good work, Jada.
Pork cochinita frybread tostada ($10, lunch)
Tejas Kitchen
855 Pierremont Road, Shreveport
Few restaurants can honestly say they’re the only folks in town serving a particular dish, but Tejas Kitchen is the only place you’ll find Native American-inspired frybread on the menu. During 318 Restaurant Week, they’re going to use that tasty frybread as a tostada-like vehicle for pulled pork, tequila-braised tomatillo sauce, queso fresco and pickled radish. Goodness gracious, that sounds delicious.
Quesadillas de camarón, soup of the week ($10, lunch)
Ki Mexico
3839 Gilbert Drive, Shreveport
Are the flavorful, colorful soups served at Ki Mexico the best in Shreveport? The only way that they could possibly be improved, honestly, is if they were given away for free – which is exactly what they’re doing during 318 Restaurant Week. Order their delicious shrimp quesadillas for lunch and Ki Mexico will throw in a cup of the soup of the week. No word on what that soup will be, but I’d be willing to bet that it’ll be delicious.
Pork and chicken adobo ($15, dinner on Wednesday, March 15 only)
Ono’s Traditional Hawaiian Cuisine
Food truck parked at Great Raft Brewing
Find out more about Ono’s 318 Restaurant Week specials on their Facebook page.
The daily menu of authentic Hawaiian eats offered at Ono’s Traditional Hawaiian Cuisine is very good, but when they occasionally swing for the fences with a special offering, the results can be some of the most interesting food in the city. During 318 Restaurant Week, they’ll be parked at Great Raft Brewing, March 15-18, serving fusion cuisines inspired by the Philippines, Korea, Japan and Ireland. The Filipino-style pork and chicken adobo being served on Wednesday night (seen at top-right in this Facebook post), looks incredible.
If you’re eating out during 318 Restaurant Week, please consider sharing your experiences on social media using the hashtag #Eat318. 318 Restaurant Week is a presentation of The Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau, The Times and Waitr.
