From Humble to High-end
Shreveport's devotion to good food runs as deep as it does in the state's most celebrated city, New Orleans. While the booming casinos and grand hotels along the Red River have brought many new visitors, it's the homegrown restaurants that still impress us the most. Here are a few of our favorites.

Herby K's Restaurant
Herby K's Restaurant is one of those classic hole-in-the-wall places that has achieved legendary status. Tucked in an old building, the restaurant consists of a small patio, four booths, several barstools, and walls covered in local kitsch. (Look near the cash register for the framed autograph from Paul Newman, who ate here several times during the filming of Blaze.)

The dish to try at Herby K's is the Shrimp Buster. This entrée offers four jumbo shrimp--butterflied, pounded flat, and fried to a golden brown--served atop buttered French bread. It is dressed with a spicy red sauce (the recipe is a guarded secret) and comes with a side of vinegary coleslaw. When we visited, the shrimp were tender, with just the right crispness, and not overly battered. In-the-know folks ask for extra shrimp on the Buster ($2 each).

Janet Bean and husband John also serve seafood classics such as gumbo, crawfish étouffée, and raw oysters. If uncooked oysters make you nervous, take heart: John selects them daily and shucks them himself. He'll even bring the bushel tag to your table so you can see when and where they were harvested. 1833 Pierre Avenue; (318) 424-2724. Entrées: $7.95-$11.95

Superior's Steakhouse
The folks who've built Superior Grill into a mini-empire have tackled the steakhouse genre in high style. Superior's Steakhouse has a clubby, aristocratic feel, without being stuffy.

The menu of standard, upscale steakhouse fare is executed well overall. The Seared Ahi Tuna appetizer, served with mixed greens and balsamic vinegar, featured flavorful medallions of tuna drizzled with sake-chive cream sauce. The tuna tasted so mild and fresh, it would have been better without the distraction of sauce. The filet was tender and perfectly cooked, with only a rub of salt and pepper on the outside. Side dishes are big enough to share, and some were better than others. The whipped potatoes were just average, but the Braised Wild Mushrooms tasted woodsy and delicious.

The superior star of our meal was the Chocolate Molten Soufflé--a small chocolate cake with a warm gooey center served with chocolate sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Like most everything else we ate, it deserves the extravagant setting and was worth the price. 855 Pierremont, Suite 120; (318) 219-4123. Entrées: $18.95-$39.95

Anthony's Steak & Seafood
While Herby K's has built itself into an institution and Superior's Steakhouse is aiming to, Anthony's has spent a decade serving comfort food and Louisiana classics in a humble atmosphere. There's nothing fancy about the restaurant's decor: wood-paneled walls, mauve tablecloths, and dark carpeting suggest that here, food comes before beauty.

We had the lunch special, a mix of well-prepared Southern staples: fried catfish, fried chicken, black-eyed peas, lima beans, and cornbread. The chicken was crispy and perfectly spiced, and the lima beans were plump and firm in a light, peppery broth. Shrimp étouffée was a reminder that in Louisiana, comfort food comes in many forms. With baby shrimp and a spicy mix of tomatoes, peppers, and onions, it was stick-to-your-bones satisfying. The dinner menu is more elaborate, with filet mignon, shrimp scampi, and fried quail.

Owner Anthony Williams was the original chef at The Cub. He's brought much of his former menu to this restaurant and kept the formula simple. Sometimes, basic is better. 7504 Mansfield Road; (318) 688-6830. Lunch entrées: $6.95; dinner entrées: $9.99-$30.99

This article is from the July 2003 issue of Southern Living. Because prices, dates, and other specifics are subject to change, please check all information to make sure it's still current before making your travel plans.