Shreveport - Bossier, Louisiana's Other Side

I stood silently outside of the Big Top waiting for my turn to be terrified. There were evil clowns, who resembled Pennywise from Stephen King’s “IT,” roaming around the outside of the haunted house, making me even more anxious. From inside I could hear screams. Then came the sound that I had hoped I would not hear: a chainsaw.

The group I was with consisted of some actors (who loved to ham up the scary parts), a young girl, two male adults with her, and my husband (who doesn’t like clowns). We entered the “elevator” that took us to its only destination: a chaotic, horrifying carnival of monsters and gore.

At first, I tried to help the girl in our group as she seemed frightened and my motherly instinct kicked in. However, after we made it through a dizzying tunnel, I couldn’t keep my bearings or composure enough to help.

The first thing I ran into after stepping out of the tunnel was the sound of a chainsaw and then I saw the two men holding them standing directly in front of me. My skin felt clammy and I could feel the blood drain from my face. I don’t think it was until I ran (even though I told myself not to run and show fear) by them that I fully realized how much a chainsaw scares me.

After that, the next 15-20 minutes was a blur of clowns, gore, screams, flashing lights, striped curtains, and a random guy dressed in a goat’s head. In a room full of body parts on a grill I was invited to dinner by a nasty ghoul. My stomach turned at the thought of a meal with him. In another room my husband got a good scare: a bunch of hanging “dead” clowns. I got lost in a maze of curtains and began to feel hot, nauseous, and dizzy before I made it through.  It was maddening! After that, a few more clowns caused me to jump a bit and then I was out. The fresh air and breeze was a welcome feeling after the stifling air in the haunted house.

While the “Big Top of Terror” is not the scariest haunt I have been through, it definitely started off right and made an impression. I would recommend going and I think that mature children can handle it.

For more information, including dates, times and ticket pricing call 318-742-7529 or visit www.shreveportbossierfunguide.com/event.php?id=3856&partner=2.

Restaurant of the Week:

Many sushi restaurants have the same sushi selections, with a few “signature” rolls or pieces thrown in. After visiting most of the sushi restaurants in Shreveport-Bossier, I was bored with the same old selections of Spicy California Rolls, Vegetable Rolls, Shrimp Tempura, etc. Then a friend told me about the new Avocado California Roll and Sushi restaurant near the new Target in Bossier City. He said they had an immense selection of sushi to choose from and that they were a great place to dine. I decided to try it out.

The décor is odd, as there are pictures of Italian villas and gardens on the wall and simple dining chairs and tables. The tablecloths reminded me of the thick vinyl ones my aunt used to put on the kids' table for Thanksgiving dinner. The room was uncomfortably cold.

It took our waiter 15 minutes to even acknowledge we were there and to take our drink order. After that, it took another 15 minutes just to get the drinks and yet another 10 minutes before he took our food order. Yes, by this time we had been there 40 minutes and didn’t have our food. No, it was not busy. There were only six other patrons in the whole restaurant and they had three waiters. We waited 20 more minutes before our food arrived; making our time spent there an hour, thus far. 

I ordered the Spicy Chicken California Roll (not listed on their website) and the Avocado and Cucumber Roll. The Avocado and Cucumber Roll was what you would expect, but the Spicy Chicken California roll was an unexpected experience.

Take your basic Spicy California Roll, top it with fried chicken and walnuts, and drizzle some sort of coconut/ginger sauce on top and you have the Spicy Chicken California Roll. It was delicious! And almost worth the wait…almost.

My husband is not a sushi fan, and unfortunately they didn’t have many other options (although their kids' menu does have corndogs). He ordered Beef Fried Rice. It came piled high on his plate and wasn’t greasy or overly fried. It was actually very good.

If you want to take a look at their menu (which isn’t even half of what they offer; my friend was correct on the size of their selections) you can visit them at www.avocadorollnsushi.com.

I’ll visit them again, but I will make sure I have more time the next time I do. I don’t have a very good review to give, other than that they do have a unique selection and their food was pretty good.

For more comments and other reviews, visit out facebook page at www.facebook.com/LouisianasOtherSide. Next week’s blog will feature the BBQ goodness of Country Tavern. If you have any suggestions on places for review, or any other comments, please e-mail me at ahaney@sbctb.org.

Haven’t heard of the Stiff Necked Fools? You will!  Stiff Necked Fools are a Reggae band based out of Shreveport-Bossier City. The story goes that founder Dan Sanchez, an award-winning Blues artist born and raised in Los Angeles, was looking for an artistic outlet and one day he decided to explore his love for reggae music. His hobby turned into his passion and led him to form a trio. Dan recruited the sounds of John Hoffman (the son of Stan Hoffman of the Killer Bees) on drums, Jason Ball on keys, and Greg Pitts on Bass.  What started out as a side project quickly turned into something much more serious. As the group began to pick up steam, Ryan Viser (trumpet) and Scotty Gerardy (saxophones) were added to the lineup. Daniel Breithaupt (congas) played with the band off and on and joined them full-time at the beginning of 2010. From there, things started taking off.

Unfortunately, just as the band was starting to blossom, Dan fell ill to cancer and passed away in March 2010. Devastated but determined, the Fools worked to pick up the pieces and keep moving and grooving. They recently added Stefan Poole (saxophone and vocals) to their group. Today, they are easily the hottest Reggae/Jam Band in the Shreveport-Bossier City area. They are relentless in their pursuit of achieving the ultimate sound. While they are a Reggae based band, Stiff Necked Fools are also inspired by other musical genres, which include rock, funk, blues, jazz, and jam bands.  Stiff Necked Fools are making their mark on the music scene in Louisiana and are a group to keep your eyes and ears on.

Don’t miss the chance to catch this truly unique band.

Upcoming Shows:

Every Thursday at the Tiki Bar and Grill - 9:30 PM - 12:30 AM - 639 E. Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA
Friday Sept. 24th - Fatty Arbuckles - 12:00 AM - 4 AM - Red River District, Downtown Shreveport, LA
Saturday Sept. 25th - The Riverside Warehouse opening up for Cowboy Mouth - 11:00 PM - 630 Commerce Street, Shreveport, LA
Friday Oct. 8th - The Riverside Warehouse - 11:00 PM - 630 Commerce Street, Shreveport, LA
Saturday Oct. 9th - The Red River Revell - 1:00 PM - Festival Plaza, Shreveport, LA
Saturday Oct. 23rd - 3 Docs Brew House - 9 PM - 1 AM - Ruston, LA

Restaurant of the week:

I took the Downtown Lunch Trolley to Café at Artspace recently and I got a pleasant surprise.

When I entered Artspace, I was greeted by the jazz club setting that Artspace has transformed into for its newest exhibition showcasing the photography of international photographer, Jerry Dantzic, with never-before-seen photographs of jazz legends from  1950-60. The large photos of the exhibit graced the walls and caught my eye as I walked by them and up the stairs to the Café.

The Café at Artspace is in a loft-style setting and on the second floor of the building. There is another gallery one more story up that you can get to by walking up another flight of stairs from the Café. It is all very open and even though the dining area is not very big, it feels much larger than it actually is.

At a table by the top of the stairs were three women sipping on iced-teas and laughing loudly. We sat at a café style dining set covered with a black tablecloth. Around us were tables in a similar style and of varying heights, covered in either black or white tablecloths. Other than the three ladies, my husband and I were the only patrons. From the looks of the tables, however, it appeared that they had been busy earlier in the day but at this later hour (around 1 p.m.) they were slowing down.

Our waitress came and got our drink orders: a sweet tea for me and a Coke for my husband. We took a moment to look over the menu and I finally decided on “The Original,” a grilled chicken sandwich with fresh pesto, spinach, tomato and mozzarella cheese, on grilled sourdough bread. I also ordered a side of pasta salad.

My husband ordered “The Modulation,” a make-your-own style sandwich on which he piled turkey, ham, bacon and Swiss cheese onto grilled sourdough bread. He had a side of potato chips with his creation.

We sat and listened to some jazz music and enjoyed the quiet of the room (even with the ladies still laughing and gossiping.) We chatted and waited for our meal to be served, discussing the art exhibit downstairs and some of the upcoming events that were being displayed on a small TV next to us. We didn’t wait very long for our food, though.

It was clear to the both of us that my husband was going to enjoy his as he did create his own. Mine, however, was much more delicious and filling than I expected! The home-made pesto sauce was tangy and fresh and the bread was simply amazing. The pasta salad had the perfect amount of Italian sauce and vegetables.

But, the final touch that has sealed my fate as a repeat customer was most definitely the Vanilla Bean Crème Brule. I love Crème Brule. It is undoubtedly my favorite dessert, and at Café at Artspace I may have found the best Crème Brule I have ever eaten. My husband kept laughing at me because I seriously could not stop smiling as I ate it! Even thinking about it has me grinning like a fool as I type. Yes, it is really that good.

I highly recommend Café at Artspace, and even took the time to fillout a comment card at the registry. The atmosphere, service, and (most importantly) the food is superb and definitely worth a repeat visit. 

Restaurant of the Week

I took the downtown lunch trolley to the Texas St. Grille one day for lunch last week. The ride was fun and the air-conditioning on the trolley was great, especially after walking a bit in the overwhelming heat. I was originally going to go to the Café at Artspace, but my co-workers convinced me to go to the Texas St. Grille with them.

One of our co-workers was already waiting for us and placed our orders. I ordered a Greek Burger with no cheese, sweet potato fries, and a sweet tea. I’m just not a fan of feta cheese, but the idea of a burger with a Greek olive mix sounded very appealing. We arrived within minutes of our orders being placed, walked through the entryway to Mojo’s Bar, and up the stairs to the restaurant.

The lighting inside was very dim, the restaurant was narrow, and the smell of the grill was almost over powering. We were the only patrons there and sat in the back at two tables pushed together. Even though it was only a little after noon, there were people in the bar downstairs and the noise drifted up to where we were. There was some music I couldn’t quite make out and lots of laughter. It wasn’t unpleasant, however, and not nearly as loud as most restaurants at lunch.

My good friend Rebecca was managing and waiting tables that day. We waited for about 15 minutes before we got our food, served to us on paper plates. My order wasn’t exactly right, as she brought me regular fries. My husband’s order was a little wrong, too. He had ordered a Philly cheese steak, no onions. His had onions. He simply removed his onions and Rebecca brought me a bowl of sweet potato fries. They were not really all that good. I thought they had too much sugar on them and it made them too crunchy. The regular fries were much better; not too salty and had pepper on them, as well.

The burger, however, was delicious! Olive mix on a burger is something I had never tried before, but it was amazing. I put a little mustard on mine, removed the tomatoes, and it was perfect. The sweet tea tasted like it was sweetened with Splenda, but hey! That’s healthier, right?

After lunch, we walked back down the stairs and we were greeted by a “Caution: Wet Floor!” sign and a bar attendant who was making sure we didn’t fall. The sun was bright after the dimness of the restaurant and we decided to walk back to work instead of waiting for the trolley.

Over all, I would say that the Texas St. Grille is a great place to get a quick burger if you’re in the downtown area and are short on time and funds. It’s even open until 6 a.m., for those of you who like to stay out late.

For more information on the Texas St. Grille or to see a menu, visit them at www.texasstreetgrille.com.

Get your dancing shoes and appetite ready! It’s almost time for the 35th Red River Revel Arts Festival, which will be held Oct.2-9. The Revel celebrates the arts with juried artists from across the country, four performance stages that feature live music and a large area dedicated specifically to providing arts education for children. The goal of the festival is to provide the public with a celebration of the finest visual and performing arts experiences, and it reaches and surpasses that goal every year!

This 8-day festival is held at Festival Plaza in downtown Shreveport and this year’s Revel promises to deliver big on the entertainment. Some of the headliners include:

The Hunt Family, 5:30 p.m., Oct. 2, on the Chase Stage: What do you get when you cross world ranked step dancing with champion fiddling and a family of nine? Answer: A high-powered energetic and refreshing experience with The Hunt Family! They perform original, Celtic, bluegrass, inspirational and popular tunes, offering a unique blend of diversity to every show.

Steel Magnolia, 8:30 p.m., on the Chase Stage: The boyfriend/girlfriend crooners won season two of the television talent show “Can You Duet?” Steel Magnolia consists of Meghan Linsey, a Ponchatoula, La., native, and Joshua Scott Jones. They signed a recording contract and released their debut single, “Keep on Lovin’ You,” in August 2009.

The Band Perry, 8:30 p.m., Oct. 7, on the Chase Stage: Siblings Reid, Neil and Kimberly Perry make up The Band Perry. With a sound that perfectly marries country and rock and roll, they say that they bleed the bright red blood of American music.

Dirtfoot, 5:30 p.m., Oct. 9, on the Chase Stage: Whether performing on big stages at festivals, or playing intimate settings in pubs and the finer taverns all over the Midwest and South, Dirtfoot puts on an uproarious show. The crowds come to take part in the fun and chaos, hollering to all the calls and responses, shaking their bean cans, and getting down with the infectious grooves. I have personally never seen a Dirtfoot show, but I have heard all about it! This is something I definitely will not miss!

Revel favorite Buddy Flett is returning to this year’s event. Flett is a local performer who began his career in Bossier City in 1975. He has written songs that have been recorded by John Mayall, Percy Sledge, and many others.

Although the music is always at a fever pitch, the diversity of visual art hits on all the right notes. More than 100 juried artists from around the nation show off masterful works like jewelry, paintings, acrylics, clothing, pottery, photography, wood work and much more.

Dewayne Hill, the world record-holding magician, entertained Revel goers at the 2009 Revel. In April 2007 he set a world record by performing 71 card tricks in 60 minutes using 1 deck of cards. Hill is one of seven professional black magicians performing in the United States. Come let his family-friendly comedy and magic wow you as he performs at the 2010 Revel!

Children and adults can enjoy the 50-foot Ferris wheel (hope you’re not afraid of heights!) which overlooks the Children’s Arts Education Area and the Red River. Children’s events include Artist for a Day, “Twister” Tot Tent, Architecture Alive, Salto Trampoline and the Rock Climb. Bring the kids out for a full day of fun!

If those things aren’t enough to make for an amazing experience, the Revel is known for equally tantalizing food. Sink your teeth into the expected festival foods such as funnel cakes, nachos and cotton candy. Then treat yourself to the unexpected! Savor chicken and sausage gumbo, fried catfish, Cajun dirty rice, and muffalettas. Are you hungry, yet?

Make plans today to attend this nationally recognized festival, Oct. 2-9, at Festival Plaza. Click here (www.louisiana-bookdirect.com/booking) to book your hotel stay.

You can view a listing of participating artists and food vendors, plus information on tickets and Revel hours at the Revel’s web-site: www.redriverrevel.com. Be sure to check back for updates on entertainment, kids’ activities, and food.

Restaurant of the week:

A restaurant that can boast once being a condemned house residing in the historic Highland District, housing antique furnishings and interchangeable local art, growing its own herbs in its outdoor garden, and dining tables built from a fallen 200-year-old pin oak tree, crafted from the owner’s own hands is really nothing to scoff at. It’s precisely these types of bragging rights (plus the memory of great food and atmosphere) that made me decide to feature Columbia Café as our first Restaurant of the Week.

I had eaten at Columbia Café about four years ago for a late dinner. I remembered the amazing service and incredible food, but most of all I remembered the atmosphere. There was an old man playing the piano and singin’ the blues. My date and I sat in the corner of the room and “people-watched” as we enjoyed the music and some marinated crab claws. I forget what else I had to eat that night, or what celebrity was dining in a more private room next to ours, but I do remember that music and the breeze that was coming in from an open door. It’s that memory that had me wanting to re-visit for four years.

I chose to go for lunch this time and took my husband with me. I receive e-mails with the specials that Columbia Café is offering for the week or month and in each of them they have mentioned the 7-7-7 Menu. This menu lists 7 items (you get to choose two) for $7 that you receive in 7 minutes. This is perfect for those with a busy lunch schedule (or a tight budget) and I went with the intention of ordering from this menu, but quickly changed my mind.

When we arrived, we were greeted by the sound of Norah Jones’ “Come Away With Me.” This is a song we played at our wedding, so it immediately brought back memories for me. The door was opened for us by none other than Matthew Linn, the owner of Columbia Café, and he showed us to our seat in the same room I had dined in on my one previous trip. On the table before us was the 7-7-7 Menu and a longer lunch menu. After quickly scanning both, I chose the Greek Salad with added Grilled Chicken and my husband chose the Roast Beef & Gruyere (po-boy style) and a side of loaded mashed potatoes.

We nibbled on fresh-made bread and listened to some more Norah Jones after we placed our orders. The room we were in had windows all around and old hard-wood floors that creaked whenever anyone walked on them. It reminded me of my grandmother’s house and spending hot summer days inside with a glass of sweet tea, which is exactly what I ordered to drink. Hanging from the walls and windows were snap shots of various people and I kept finding myself looking at one of an older man with blue eyes, a slight smile on his face, and flushed cheeks. He looked so happy it was hard not to smile when looking at the picture.

After a few minutes of waiting our waitress came to us and explained that there would be a 30 minute wait due to a large call-in order that came in just before we arrived. She was very apologetic and brought us more bread as we waited. We didn’t mind, though. An acoustic performance by Jewel had started to play and the sun was warm through the windows as the air inside kept us cool. There were eight other diners: an older man sitting in the corner I had sat in during my first visit, a young couple next to him, two ladies next to my husband and me, one man at the bar and a daughter and her father in the room where the unknown celebrity had once dined. The air was relaxed, people spoke soft and low, and the wait for our food was less than the estimated 30 minutes.

My Greek salad was what you would expect from a Greek salad: mixed greens, cucumber, tomatoes, feta cheese, onion, and kalamata olives. What made the salad, however, was the special New Orleans Green Herb Vinaigrette. It was unlike any type of dressing I have ever eaten on a salad! There was the normal vinaigrette twang to it, but the consistency was thicker and went much better with the grilled chicken. Also, I’m not a huge fan of feta cheese, but the feta that was on my salad was surprisingly delicious and fresh.

The best part of my husband’s meal (and the part he let me try only once) was definitely the home made loaded mashed potatoes. That’s right. I said home made! They tasted just like momma (well, my husband’s momma, anyway) made them.

After our meal, I decided to ask about dessert. The menu did say that desserts were made fresh daily, after all. The second choice listed was peach flavored Crème Brule, one of my all-time favorite desserts. I was not as impressed with it as some I have tasted in other restaurants, but it certainly wasn’t the worst I had ever tried, either. I definitely don’t regret buying it!

As we left the restaurant, we saw Mr. Linn pulling into the parking lot. He waved good-bye to us, a big smile on his face. My husband and I decided that any restaurant owner who can take the time to make his guests feel welcome like that will definitely have repeat service from us.

Columbia Café is located at 3030 Creswell St., Shreveport. For more information, call 318-425-3862. To see a sample menu or to sign up for their e-mail mailing list, visit www.columbiacafe.com.

The Downtown Lunch Trolley rolled through downtown Shreveport yesterday between 11am-2pm, picking up lunch passengers and dropping them of at 3 lunch destinations: the café @ Artspace, the Hilton Hotel’s River Rock Grill, and the new Texas Street Grille. Kelly Wells, the Vice President of Tourism at the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourism Bureau, was one of the trolley riders and he shared his experience with me.

He and his group of friends and co-workers were picked up by the trolley at the Regions Bank Tower and were greeted by a girl dressed as a conductor and handing out “tickets” to ride and menus designed specifically for trolley riders so that they could pick something quick and have an idea of what they wanted by the time they reached their destination.

On their way to pick up more passengers and reach the restaurant of their choosing, they were entertained by the trolley’s driver, “Bubba.” I have had the pleasure of riding with “Bubba” before and it’s something I look forward to doing again! He definitely knows how to show you a good time!

Kelly and his group chose to eat at the Café’ @ Artspace. The café allows diners to enjoy art exhibitions on two floors or purchase a unique item in Giftspace while enjoying the café’s signature soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts.

Artspace is currently taking down one exhibit and getting set up for another one. For this reason, Kelly told me they had a walk-way through the main floor where they were working to the stairs that lead to the café.

“It was kinda’ neat, though, because you got a sneak peek of what the next exhibit is going to be,” he stated.

 Kelly said that even though the wait staff was very busy, they did an “incredible” job and got his Turkey Reuben and bowl of fruit (made from fruit purchased at the Shreveport Farmer’s Market!) out to him quickly. He also stated that the meal was inexpensive and delicious! The whole lunch experience, trolley ride and all, took about 45 minutes.

 The next lunch trolley will begin picking up riders next Wednesday at 11am in front of the Regions Bank Tower, 333 Texas Street; Government Plaza, 505 Travis Street; and each of the three participating restaurants. The trolley runs at each of these stops every 20 minutes. Get out, catch the FREE trolley and have your own lunch experience right here in downtown Shreveport!

To check out the menu for the Café at Artspace, visit: http://artspaceshreveport.com/cafe/cafe-menu.

For the River Rock Grill: www.hilton.com.

For Texas Street Grille: www.texasstreetgrille.com.

PHOTO: Don Shea of Downtown Development Authority announces the launch of the Downtown Shreveport Lunch Trolley. The trolley is pictured in the background.

This past Saturday night I attended the 5th Annual Taste of Culture event (presented by the Multicultural Center of the South) at the Skybox at Independence Stadium and I had an incredible time!

There was entertainment, food, drink, music and more from cultures and countries around the world including Korea, Japan, China, Philippines, Mexico, Iran and Greece as well as Black American, Cajun, Creole, Scottish and many others!

Featured Chef Michael Brady (the Executive Chef at Wine Country Bistro) was there with his famous Shrimp and Grits (of which I had two helpings). Indigo Indian restaurant was also there serving Curried Chicken and Rice, one of my favorite dishes! Other dishes I tried included Native American tacos, enchiladas, Scottish eggs, Turkish meatballs, Cous Cous, African Peg salad, peach cobbler, dirty rice, red beans and rice, and Kalampdo. I was absolutely stuffed by the time I finished (and I didn’t even eat everything I wanted to) and a little more enlightened on the food of other cultures. I would have to say that the Cous Cous was my favorite new food. It had a light, refreshing, and somewhat clean taste. I will definitely have to have that again!

For entertainment, there were Scottish Bag Pipers, Japanese dancers, the Zoobie Doobie dance group, the Port Belly belly-dancers, a Karate demonstration, the Pamoga African Drum Circle and the Tinkling Bamboo Dance, just to name a few. My favorite performers were the belly-dancers and the people who performed the Tinkling Bamboo Dance. If you have never seen the Tinkling Bamboo Dance, you must! It’s absolutely amazing! I couldn’t take my eyes off of them and was impressed with how they didn’t fall as they danced through two bamboo poles that were being slapped on the ground around their feet.

Tom Pace of “Talk of the Town” was the MC and host and kept everyone entertained in between performances with his witty comments and funny stories.

I will most definitely go back next year! In the meantime, whenever I need a shot of culture I will head down to the Multicultural Center of the South in downtown Shreveport to view their exhibits representing over 26 cultures from around the world.

For more information on the Multicultural Center of the South, visit them online at http://www.mccsouth.org.