Folie — Restaurant in Lafayette

We visited Friday at 5:30 pm. Upon entering the building we were hit with an overwhelming sewage smell. Honestly I wish I had turned around then because the smell lingered for quite awhile. It was powerful. I noticed multiple customers coming in after me smell it as well. We were seated bar side in a cute little table by the window. This was a great spot to people watch from and we were the only people apart from staff on that side. My husband ordered a peach whiskey beverage and I got tea. Water was promptly brought to our table with a friendly, albeit slightly pushy with up-sales, waitress. The whiskey drink was wonderful and my tea was good, though the sugar in the raw would not dissolve at all. I wish Splenda or something similar would have been an option. Fresh bread was brought to the table and was very good, but the bird's-nest basket made the table an absolute mess for the remainder of the meal. I ordered the Soup to start, a creamy tomato blend with basil infused oil drizzled into it. It was not bad, but really nothing special, though the aroma was good. My husband started with the chipotle shrimp. Warning: spicy! However it was absolutely delicious. Housemade guac and pico accompanied juicy jumbo shrimp cooked to perfection. The house made tortilla chips were icing on the cake. We both loved this appetizer. I ordered the hanger steak and my husband the duck ravioli. My steak was to die for. I love steak, my favorite meal to eat, and this was one of the best I've ever had. A perfect medium rare, seasoned generously and served with delicate potatoes and broccolini, all with the most delicious cream sauce. Sprinkled with tangy mustard seeds to finish it off, I was in heaven. Absolutely recommend this steak and will order this to go sometime again. Unfortunately my husband's duck dish was not the same. The squash sauce was too sweet and too heavy handed, the ravioli were swimming in it. The filling on the ravioli was bland and overall the dish did not have good flavor. The carrots on top tasted okay, but were underdone. He barely ate any and we ended up sending it back. The manager did comp the duck meal, so for that we appreciate the good customer service. Overall impression: the smell was very off-putting, the decor was a strange mix of modern with country, food presentation was on point, the staff was friendly, and my steak was amazing. Like I said, we will get the steak to go sometime, but I doubt we will visit the establishment in...

Entered restaurant not sure which way to enter. Two doors available one said 21 and over to enter and other was open. I walked to the right and found a hostess. Since I was alone I decided to go to the bar. Hostess did not offer to walk or direct me. I found my way and sat down. There were about 5 employees behind he bar. I sat for 8 minutes without anyone greeting me. There were only two other guests sitting at the bar. I was greeted with "hi can I see your ID?". Then I had to asks for the menu and wine list. I reviewed the wine list and ordered a Laluca Prosecco rose and was told it was the last glass. During entire glass of wine about seven guests remained in the bar area. It was very loud and echoed. It was hard not to hear others conversations. I could not imagine if it was busy. The bartender brought an amuse-bouche which was a nice light bite of raw fish it was seasoned well and was balanced. Probably best part of experience. On my way out I decided to check out dining room there was about three tables dining at the time. Again very loud and voices echoed easily. I could not imagine noise level if it were full. I have frequented most restaurants in downtown Lafayette. Folie appears to mimic some long standing staples in the downtown area..... I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I will come back and try the food however I hope they find...

Our first dining experience at Folie was on our anniversary this year in September. Everything from the decor to the service was impeccable. The servers are attentive, quick, and accommodating. They have done a good job finding people that fit the high-end look and feel of this location. The restaurant has faint remnants of what was Kokoro and I am sure that Tony would be proud to see his favorite place in great hands, being renovated and turned into something almost artistic.

Our food ranged from duck confit (which was one of the best meals that my wife and I have ever had) to dry aged steak that was so tender and melt in your mouth you might believe it was butter. The cocktail and wine selection is generous and also approachable. With over 30 different wines on the list, it's nice to have options that stray away from the other locales save perhaps Cellar 422.

We spent a wonderful evening enjoying the atmosphere, eating, and enjoying the libations. It's a hands down simple answer of yes, you should visit Folie. The question is how quickly can you drive down there? Be sure to set up a reservation and if you have a special event, inform them...