Lake Charles Info.

[Casper]

I just ordered tickets for the Nutcracker performance by the Moscow Ballet in November (quite aways off, I know....but I like to plan ahead).Does anyone have any recommendations for dining in the area? Also, if anyone could suggest accommodations as well, it would be greatly appreciated (the reviews online for hotels in the area are kind of dismal so I was hoping that someone may be able to recommend someplace they stayed). Thanks in advance.

[bdavid]

I travel there frequently. Unless you like the casino atmosphere (which I loathe) there really are no full service hotels in the city that I know of. I stay at a Hampton Inn in Sulphur to get my Hilton points. However, with the type of trip you're planning you would be well served probably by one of the B&B's - I stayed in a lovely one once (and I'm sure Arthur can chime in with the name as I have forgotten it - Aunt Ruby's or something like that). It was a beautiful place, nicely run, but really was not set up for business travel...otherwhise I would have continued to stay there. Arthur's your best bet for restaurants too...he has a blog with all sorts of reviews of area restaurants. http://www.swlaeats.blogspot.com

[hungryone]

If you don't mind casinos, L'Auberge du Lac's rooms are very spacious and comfortable. You can check in & enter the hotel without having to set foot on the casino floor.

[The Bear]

Here is the link to the B&B.

http://www.auntrubys.com/

Finest restaurant in town

http://www.thewildtruffle.com/

If you have any question I monitor this board everyday.

[Tchoupitoulas]

Bear, I know this is not food related but I got this today...any truth to it?

Thought it might interest most of you who use I-10 to Houston .

I attended a briefing on highway issues in South Louisiana held and hosted
by Congressman Boustany this week at which the main bridge in Lake Charles
was discussed among many other highway issues. Knowing of your frequent
travels to Houston via I-10 thru Lake Charles , I listened carefully when
they rated that bridge. Where the safety scale they use for bridge ratings
rated the bridge in Minneapolis (the one that fell) had a rating of fifty
plus, the Lake Charles bridge has a twenty-four rating, nearly twice as
dangerous. Then Dr. Movassaghi, my friend and the former Sec. of
Transportation for the state, told me he never uses that bridge. He and
other highway dept. officials use the loop around Lake Charles . Simply put,
they are truly afraid of the bridge and are considering condemning it. I
urge you to preempt them and condemn it on your own when you are
driving to Houston or other points West that go through Lake Charles !!! It is
obviously a very dangerous bridge and should be closed.

P.S. My brother-in-law, Larry, is a "corrosion" specialist and has been for
over 40 years. About 2 years ago he was meeting someone in Lake Charles
and the designated "meeting" point was under the Lake Charles bridge it was
the fastest meeting point for them to do some oilfield stuff. Anyway---he
waited a while and told me that he studied the bottom part of the bridge,
and when he saw the amount and type of corrosion, he was concerned.

He has NEVER driven over the bridge again --and he goes there fairly
regularly--- he ALWAYS uses the I-210 Loop.

Feel free to share this with anyone. It's a choice - and I choose to take
the loop!!!


This came back from someone in San Antonio :
This is on the US Govt Civil Engineering Reports site - interesting some
parts are BLANKED out.

I have been informed that the bridge over Lake Charles in Louisiana on I-10
is rated structurally unsound by the State of Louisiana . My employer has
issued an advisory to all company employees that no company owned vehicle
may use the bridge.

"This advisory is submitted as a directive which restricts the use of the
Calcasieu River and Lake Charles Bridge on Interstate Highway #10 in the
area of Lake Charles , Louisiana (Coordinates 30 degrees 14 minutes and
13.28 seconds N and 93 degrees 14 minutes and 48.41 seconds West).

The above noted bridge is restricted by <deleted> to "No Travel". This no
travel restriction applies to all vehicles owned and or operated by
<deleted>. Travel in this area must be directed to Interstate Highway #210
(Lake Charles By-Pass) or other routes which by-pass and avoid the above
noted bridge.

The state of Louisiana has rated this bridge at 2.4 on the National Bridge
Inventory Rating Scale of 0 to 9 with 0 being "Failed Condition". The
rating of 2.4 on the Calcasieu River Bridge classes this bridge at or near
"Critical Condition"."

[buzd]

After some quick googling, the statement from DOTD:

From here: http://www.dotd.louisiana.gov/pressrele ... px?key=971

Statement from DOTD Secretary William D. Ankner, Ph.D.
regarding the I-10 Bridge in Lake Charles

The Interstate 10 bridge in Lake Charles is safe. Former DOTD Secretary Kam Movassaghi assures DOTD that he did not make the disparaging remarks that are attributed to him in an email about the condition of the bridge. It is irresponsible for individuals to leverage Dr. Movassaghi’s excellent reputation, causing panic among citizens.

If the bridge were not safe, I would close it immediately, as I have done dozens of times for other bridges across Louisiana. DOTD wants to replace the I-10 bridge, which is more than 50 years old, and we are looking at long-term funding options. In the meantime, we will maintain our ban of overweight trucks and continue our aggressive inspection and repair schedules to keep the bridge in safe condition.

But if you look at the qualifications of the DOTD secretary, he's a philosophy scholar: http://www.dotd.la.gov/about/ankner.aspx

[Tchoupitoulas]

Thanks Buzd...I probably should have done that to start with. Luckily I don't travel that route much any more. But usually there is some truth to even the wildest rumors.

[Schuarta]

Here is the link to the B&B.

Finest restaurant in town

http://www.thewildtruffle.com/

Had a look at their menu. I love to look at the menus of fine restaurants. Puzzled bythe fact that Pan Sautéed Dover Sole 36 is more expensive than Angus Beef Tenderloin Filet 34.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but at most good restaurants today, the filet is as much as twice the price of the sole. Just a curiosity.

AMENDMENT: Maybe they are preparing the whole fish, instead of the more "normal" 3 or 4 filets.

[The Bear]

Knowing the chef there he is probably using real Dover Sole which is quite expensive instead of using some sole or flounder variant and calling it Dover sole. I have had that dish and it is heavenly. Sweet and delicious.

[bdavid]

If you don't mind casinos, L'Auberge du Lac's rooms are very spacious and comfortable. You can check in & enter the hotel without having to set foot on the casino floor.

Maybe I got a poor room, but the one time I stayed there (when my regular hotel was unavailable) I had a dark room which was not spacious and all the furniture had cow horns on them. And the "highspeed" internet was slllloooooowwww. You don't have to go into the casino, but the noise on the main floor and lobby is earth-shattering and the glassy-eyed people wandering around are spooky. And a glass of pretty pathetic wine is $10.