Just south of Lafayette lies the small town of Broussard. In recent years, Broussard has become somewhat of a suburb for Lafayette, but, fortunately, the town has retained much of its downtown area, with oak-lined streets and a number of historic homes. One of these homes now houses Nash’s Restaurant, a wonderful eatery serving a variety of Italian and seafood dishes crafted by chef/owner Nash Barrecca, a third-generation chef originally from New Orleans. The house, which dates from around 1908, has been meticulously restored, and features large porches that almost completely surround the rest of the house (some are enclosed for dining rooms now), high ceilings, wood floors, and antique furnishings. The atmosphere is quiet, tasteful, and romantic, making this a perfect place for a special dinner.
The food at Nash’s is quite good. The menu is almost evenly split between Italian and seafood entrées. On the Italian side, traditional favorites made with veal, chicken, and shrimp dominate, including the excellent Veal Marsala, served with garlic mashed potatoes and a side salad. The seafood menu is a little heavy on fried seafood, including shrimp, catfish, oysters, and a fried combination plate. There are a couple of non-fried seafood items, such as shrimp Creole and crawfish etouffee, but I think your best bet is to order one of the Italian specialties or one of the house specials, which include roast duck, several veal dishes, and several grilled fish entrées. Desserts include two house specialties, bread pudding with rum sauce and peanut butter pie, both of which are very rich and delicious. Also on the menu are the Early Bird Specials, which at $12.95 each, are a true bargain. These specials include a choice of appetizers, salad, choice from at least eleven entrées, dessert, and iced tea or a soft drink. All of this food comes at a price point less than that of most of the entrées. The catch? These specials are available only between 5 and 6pm, Tuesday through Friday, excluding holidays, for dine-in only. The restaurant is very strict about these times too; do not expect to arrive at 6:01 and be allowed to order one of these meals (trust me, I know this after getting caught in traffic and arriving too late once). But, if you plan your schedule accordingly, you can have an amazingly delicious four-course dinner, which would normally cost $30 to $40, for less than $15. Not bad!
Nash’s is a little off the beaten path. However, for the excellent food; classy, historic atmosphere; and good value, it’s well worth the short drive down to Broussard. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, Monday to Saturday, and closed on Sundays.