Vestal Restaurant — Restaurant in Lafayette

Vestal

My foodie daughter Sharon and her husband Marty are visiting for the weekend. When we visit them in Dallas, they always take us to the best restaurants—last night, we took them to Vestal. Vestal is one of our favorites, and last night did not disappoint!

We started with cocktails—Rogers and I did our usual filthy martinis—his Grey Goose, mine. Marty followed suit with a Vodka Martini. Sharon ordered from the specialty drink menu and ordered the Girls and Cigars cocktail—all were fantastic!

Starters:

BEEF TARTARE—WASABI, CAPERS, OYSTER EMULSION, FURIKAKE, GRILLED BREAD WOOD ROASTED OYSTERS—TOGARASHI BUTTER, PECORINO CRISPY GARLIC FURIKAKE

Everyone enjoyed the Beef Tartare with its unique blend of flavors—I love how Vestal incorporates unique flavors in their dishes. Those Oysters are a must! Again, a flavor explosion—if you haven’t visited Vestal, definitely order the oysters if available. They also offer raw on the half-shell.

Soups and Salads:

CRAWFISH BISQUE—LIME CREMA, SPICY PEPPER, CHIVE BEET SALAD—BLOOD ORANGE, PICKLED SHALLOT, ARUGULA, FETA, LEMONGRASS VINAIGRETTE CAESAR—PARMESAN, NIBOSHI, CROUTONS

Sharon ordered a bowl of the Crawfish Bisque—Vestal’s take on Crawfish Bisque in a non-traditional way. It was loaded with crawfish and fantastic. Rogers never strays far from Caesar Salad and ordered theirs, and again it was delicious. I did their Beet Salad, and oh my—a layered salad with mascarpone on the bottom, topped with the beets and then the greens and toppings—refreshing and delicious.

Mains:

CRAWFISH BISQUE—LIME CREMA, SPICY PEPPER, CHIVE 6 OZ FILLET—GARLIC BEURRE MONTE & JUMBO LUMP CRAB TWICE-BAKED POTATO—CHEDDAR SAUCE, CRISPY BACON, CREME FRAICHE, CHIVES 16 OZ RIBEYE BRUSSEL SPROUTS—CHILI, PANCETTA, APPLE AGRODOLCE

Rogers enjoyed Sharon’s Crawfish Bisque and ordered it as his main. I love their steak and ordered the filet topped with lump crab—it was terrific. That crab meat was a great addition to the filet. I chose the twice-baked potato for my side, and I loved their take—again, non-traditional and delicious. Sharon and Marty enjoyed the Ribeye—perfectly cooked and delicious. They ordered the Brussels—again, a flavor explosion.

BIG thanks to Joseph for making our visit memorable—you rock!

Vestal is always great for a special occasion or date night. It's a real treat with its unique menu, upscale atmosphere, and fantastic service. If you have not had the opportunity to visit, please consider them the next time you're looking for a treat night.

Sunday’s Soda Fountain

Last night after dining at Vestal with my daughter Sharon and her husband Marty, we decided to head over to Sunday’s for a boozy dessert—it was fantastic. We are huge fans of Sunday’s—they offer a great food menu and an extensive boozy shake menu, and the service and atmosphere are always fabulous. If you’ve been there, I’m sure you love them as much as we do—if you haven’t, visit so you can love them too.

SPIKE A CLASSIC—COLA OR ROOT BEER SODA, JAMESON, AND VANILLA ICE CREAM CRUELLA—VODKA, LEMON SODA, AND MINT AND CHIP ICE CREAM THE DUDE—VODKA ESPRESSO, SYRUP, KAHLUA, AND VANILLA ICE CREAM ESPRESSO MARTINI—VODKA, KAHLUA, AND ESPRESSO BEIGNETS—SERVED ALL DAY. BEIGNETS DUSTED WITH POWDERED SUGAR & ALL THREE DIPS CHOCOLATE, HONEY, OR HOUSEMADE FRUIT COMPOTE. PIMENTO CHEESE BALLS—DIPPING SAUCE. *NEW ITEM.

Every libation is carefully thought out and crafted from the best ingredients—the espresso featured is not a flavored syrup. It’s brewed espresso. All of them were fantastic and delicious!

The beignets were to die for, especially with all three dipping sauces—try them all!

We were pretty full, but we’re happy to try a new menu item—Setareh Mirian-Delcambre brought out their new Pimento Cheese Balls, and oh my gosh—delicious. We will need to re-visit an order of those next time we visit.

BIG thanks to all the staff that always makes our visits unique and special. Also, thank you, Sethareh, for your hospitality, the extra beignets, sauces, and the pimento cheese...

We had a business dinner here, and these are my takeaways: Pros - Super personable waiter. Courteous, kind, and enthusiastic. The drinks were all outstanding. Meatballs and Duck Fat Potatoes were amazing. It was not too loud and the playlist was great.

Cons: -None of the waiter's recommendations were really spot on. For example, I asked about the blackened butter for my steak, and he described it as literally spicy cayenne seasoning in butter. What we received looked like pimento cheese and tasted like limes. I hated it. I wish he hadn't steered me away from the bone marrow butter. He also was sort of so/so about the meatballs but they were the best thing we ate, by far. -My straw had a hole in the side of it and the waiter uncovered and rubbed the entire new straw to ensure it didn't have any holes in it... I would have preferred to do that myself vs having him touch my whole straw. -All of our steaks were overcooked. I asked for Med-Rare and got Med-Well, and my companions asked for Med and got Well. It took a while to get them, and we didn't want to send them back. -The grilled wedge was an 8/10 but almost too charred to enjoy. The charred flavor overwhelmed the palate and you couldn't taste the other components. -The asparagus, tuna app, focaccia bread, and Brussels were all mid. The asparagus was uninspired. The Tuna was cut unevenly and too thick. The focaccia was like $10 for plain bread and butter, it had none of the described toppings. The Brussels were a less enjoyable version of the grilled salad. -The curved ceiling was so distracting, and I wish I had been seated anywhere else in the restaurant. -The creme brule had too much hardened sugar on top, and the donut bread pudding was sickly sweet.

$400+ later and I didn't feel we had a great steakhouse experience at all. I probably would not return and I wouldn't...

My girlfriend and I had an incredible dining experience at Vestal! From the moment we walked in, we knew we were in for a treat.

We came specifically to try their tartare, and it exceeded our expectations. The combination of the fresh ingredients, including the Dijon mustard, capers, and wasabi, created an amazing burst of flavors!

My girlfriend opted for the fried chicken, and it was a delightful choice. The chicken was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The flavors were spot on, and it left us craving for more.

To end our meal on a sweet note, we indulged in the chocolate dome with coffee ice cream. It was the perfect finish to our dinner, and the rich chocolate paired wonderfully with the smooth coffee ice cream.

The service at Vestal was exceptional. When I requested to switch tables, they accommodated our request. The staff was attentive and made us feel welcomed throughout the evening.

The ambiance at Vestal was equally impressive. The dim lights and pastel colors created a cozy and romantic atmosphere, making it an ideal spot for a memorable evening.

Overall, Vestal exceeded our expectations in every aspect - from the food to the service to the ambiance. I am so glad I found a spot in Lafayette where you can eat both delicious and safely prepared tartare. If you're looking for a fantastic dining experience, Vestal is the...