In December of 1957, Leebob Cox opened La Fonda in Lafayette in hopes of making a living by selling Tex-Mex food and charcoal broiled steaks. Unfortunately, his restaurant didn't do so well in its beginning. Cox later moved La Fonda to a new location on Johnston St., and business boomed.
And it's been booming ever since. La Fonda is now one of the premier Tex-Mex eateries, not just in Lafayette, but in all of Louisiana. In addition to being a restaurant, La Fonda is also a well-known social scene, complete with a bar which serves notoriously potent margaritas. The atmosphere is simultaneously fun, friendly, and semi-formal. It's the perfect place to celebrate birthdays or other special occasions. At La Fonda, you're guaranteed to be welcomed with a smile and served outstanding quality Mexican cuisine.
Here's the kicker--perhaps one of the most popular entrees that La Fonda serves isn't Mexican at all. La Fonda's fried chicken is only one of several items on the restaurant's "secret menu".
Actually, if you know La Fonda's history, it's no secret at all. Fried chicken was on the original menu at La Fonda. In the 60s, Cox opened up a fast-food restaurant called Yankee Doodle, where he sold some of La Fonda's more popular menu items, such as the fried chicken and tacos and enchiladas. But as La Fonda's business grew, Cox decided to close Yankee Doodle and focus on La Fonda. The fried chicken was later removed to make room for new menu items.
So, La Fonda's secret fried chicken is merely a very old menu item. And even though it's no longer officially on the menu, La Fonda's staff will still happily serve it to anyone who asks for it.
In addition to fried chicken, other items on the secret menu at La Fonda are:
- the super nacho, an all-inclusive classic
- the waiter style nachos, which are cooked until the cheese is nice and crisp
- sauce-less chicken wings appetizers, served with homemade dressings
- the Don Briggs, a ribeye steak topped with queso, onions, and peppers
"Nothing ever dies," says Ryan Gagnard, Cox's son-in-law. "If it was on the menu once, we will make it, so we have more than 57 years of off-menu items, really."
Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News
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