My profile of Mudbugs in Eunice, Louisiana is in the January issue of NACS Magazine.
Thanks to Tom Voinche for tipping me off and lunch.
Acadiana’s news anchor legend, Tom Voinche and Tanya Bollich of Mudbugs.
Unicorn sightings are a rare event. Even more rare is Voinche paying for lunch. That day, I knew I’d seen everything
Too Bad Pigs Only Have One Stomach
A doctor once told me, “It’s too bad pigs only have one stomach. She was referring to ponce.
I had a chance to try the famous jalapeno ponce. In South Louisiana, every part of the pig is used from the pork chops to the pork stomach. The stomach is stuffed with a blend of seasoning and meat. It’s cooked in a gravy, served with rice and is popular in this market. It’s spicy. It’s worth a trip to Eunice. It’s on the Tuesday menu and they usually sell out pretty quickly so call ahead or go early.
Stephen serves up Mudbug’s jalapeno ponce, a customer favorite.
The Stephen and Tayna Bollich are fine folks with a great staff and incredible food.
They do open pit barbecue each day including Sunday. The chicken salad and jalepeno ponce are terrific.
ABOUT THE CHICKEN SALAD
I brought some for my wife to try. She came into my office. “I NEVER thought I’d say this, but…”
She had that look. Like, she’s about to reveal something big. I’m thinking she’s in love with the pool guy and she’s leaving.
She continued, ” …but, this chicken salad is better than mine.”
Shock came over me. I’ll never forget where I was the day I heard these words.
“What’s in it?” -she asked. I was still reeling from her comment. Chicken salad is a big deal here. The food processor comes out, eggs are boiled, chicken is cooked carefully separated by hand. It’s a wild scene.
Cajun Power– Belinda Deshotel, left and Vanessa Duplechain, right, have been cooking together 15 years.
The Bollichs brought in the Cajun culinary experience that Belinda Deshotel and Vanessa Duplechain have gained during a lifetime of cooking. The pair have worked together in the food business for over 15 years. When you let these two ladies loose in a kitchen great food just has to happen.
Mudbug’s rice dressing recipe and America’s nuclear launch codes are closely guarded secrets. Belinda Deshotel, the mastermind behind the rice dressing said this about the recipe, “I’ll take it to my grave.” I quite asking questions after that.
Stephen & Tanya Bollich-Mudbugs
BARBECUE CAJUN STYLE
I love barbecue. One of the things I loved about Mudbugs is they serve barbecue each day of the week including Sundays. This is real barbecue. Traveling through Texas I found that most of the barbecue there is actually smoked, not open-pit. It’s good, but I’m a real fan of open-pit barbecue.
Stephen’s unique barbecue pit is vertical with rotating grills and an open flame to give it that open-pit flavor and texture.
The pork steak is huge. The chicken is cooked to perfection. Coupled with the ample side servings you have a huge meal. Mudbugs is all about value. “I want to give customers more than they can eat. A lot of people make two meals out of our plates lunches,” he said.
There’s way too much great food here. There’s not enough room to write about all of it. Belinda recently came up with a boudin ball stuffed with pepper jack cheese. You just need to go there hungry.
I enjoy a passion for food. Everyone here has that along with true enjoyment of just watching people enjoy what they serve. Stephen is a veteran of Desert Storm and I like supporting vets. I’m grateful for his service to our country. Tanya is certified personal trainer. I should get a few tips from her. But, for the health conscious, Mudbugs has a huge stock of supplements that rivals the selection you’ll find in national chains. Plus, they’re offered at internet prices.
Mudbugs is at 1320 LSUE Dr. (Bruce St) not far from the university. It is worth the drive it you’re not close. It’s a great place to have Sunday barbecue after church.
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