The pandemic has affected so many businesses and downtown Lafayette was no exception. In mid-March downtown businesses sales plummeted. Black Cafe owner, Trey Ware, worried his 7-year-old café at the edge of the district might have to close, according to The Acadiana Advocate. Ware said business was less than half of what it normally was during the spring and they had to cut hours for employees. This is all too familiar to other business owners in Acadiana.

It takes creativity to keep the doors open sometimes. That is exactly what happened with this restaurant and many others downtown. Greg Walls, the owner of Johnson’s Boucaniere, had a brilliant idea. The Downtown Chicken Sandwich Snackdown was that idea and it was a huge success. It was held in June and it turned things around for Ware and about a dozen other business owners in Downtown Lafayette. Since this event worked so well, why not do a burger event?

Downtown Lafayette Facebook
Downtown Lafayette Facebook
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What was the Downtown Chicken Sandwich Smackdown? It was a chicken sandwich competition between restaurants downtown. The event lasted a month and it gave people a reason to go downtown which obviously increased sales and at the same time, raised money for the nonprofit, Downtown Lafayette Unlimited.

Black Café sold 200 chicken sandwiches during the month-long competition. Even better, many customers would spend more money on other food items and drinks. It was a win-win.

Because this event was so successful, Downtown Lafayette is launching another competition to help business in the district. This one will be a burger competition. Who doesn’t like a good burger, right? The Burger Battle Royale will be held at 16 downtown restaurants and will run the month of November, through Thanksgiving weekend.

The Burger Battle Royale event will donate $1 from the sale of each burger to benefit Downtown Lafayette Unlimited. Companies and individuals can also adopt a restaurant to match a donation.

BURGERS IN THE BATTLE:

  • Agave's Tex Mex burger: 100% Angus chuck burger glazed with mesquite barbecue, jack cheese, tomato, onions, shredded lettuce, fresh avocado and Applewood smoked bacon served with fries
  • Black Café's fiya mac 'n' cheese burger: habanero mac and cheese, fried jalapenos, 1/3 lb patty, bacon, tomatoes, sriracha mayo
  •  Central Pizza's the downtowner: double smash burger with a fontina and American cheese blend, caramelized onions, grilled jalapeños and a pimento spread on a sweet potato bun with waffle fries on the side
  • Grouse Room's the bootlegger: thick burger topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato, cheese and infused with a sweet and savory Sugarland's blackberry moonshine barbecue sauce
  • Handy Stop Market & Cafe's the gobbler: homemade turkey patty made with secret spices, dressed to order on a fresh wheat bun, served with sweet potato fries
  • Hideaway's I fall to caprese: fresh beef smash burger topped with mozzarella, parmesan, Roma tomatoes, blistered cherry tomatoes and a basil pesto over a balsamic reduction, garnished with fresh basil on a potato roll
  • Johnson's the pastrami burger: house-ground brisket burger topped with our house-made beef pastrami, green chili and smoked habanero Canebrake remoulade and caramelized onions on an Evangeline Maid bun. Served with a side of cucumber and tomato salad
  • La Carreta's barbaburger: beef patty, barbacoa, grilled pineapple, grilled fajita vegetables, Monterrey cheese and lettuce on a brioche bun
  • Pamplona's the Romesco: Wagyu beef, ribeye scraps and hangar steak with Romesco sauce, lettuce and tomato served on locally-baked brioche bun
  • Pat's the knockout: smash burger patty, secret Pat's sauce, lettuce, tomato, bacon and fried onion ring served on house-made bread
  • Pop's patty melt: marble rye, Swiss and American cheeses, caramelized onions and Cow Island dressing. Get a “fatty melt” by making it a double
  • Scratch Kitchen's fall spice burger: Great Harvest graham cracker bun toasted in Steen's syrup coffee butter topped with grilled persimmons, Mahaffey Farms bacon, Ewing Farms sweet potato chevre whip, citrus aioli and St. Joseph Homestead spicy greens. Vegan and vegetarian options also available.
  • Spoonbill's commander in beef: 44 Farms 6 oz beef patty on a Martin’s potato roll with American cheese, grilled onions, bacon and Rosie sauce, served with fries
  • Tsunami's the Wusah burger: salt and pepper beef patty on togarashi-butter-toasted milk bread with avocado slices, kimchee slices, Korean barbecue Portobello mushrooms and mozzarella/parmesan/provolone cheese spread seasoned with furikake, ginger, garlic and green onion. Served with a side of Togarashi Fries (fries seasoned with togarashi, furkake and butter)
  • Tula's green chile cheeseburger: smashed chuck patty, shaved ham, green chile salsa, American cheese, morita mayo on a toasted potato bun with Tula tots.
  • Ye Olde College Inn [Rock N Bowl]'s the banker: double Patty, bacon, pimento cheese, lettuce, tomato, house-made sweet pickles on a brioche bun

For more information about the Burger Battle Royale visit downtownlafayette.org.

 

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