When you have a success story like Bâton Rouge West Island, some restauranteurs might be tempted to rest on their laurels. But as the owners have proven, sometimes reinventing the wheel isn't a bad thing, especially when the recipe for success includes incorporating a newly designed interior and new trends into their menu of fan favorites. There's even something for those with special dietary needs.
Don't worry—ever-popular items like their signature creamy Spinach-Artichoke Dip, Louisiana Chicken Salad (tossed with pineapple and soy marinade and topped with peanut sauce), the Bâton Rouge burger ( ½ lb of premium beef topped with smoked bacon and Jack cheese), their Santa Fe Chicken with grilled vegetables and goat cheese, and of course their show-stopping BBQ pork back fall-off-the-bone ribs are all still on the menu.
But pleasing customers is always the recipe for success, and as usual they are ahead of the game by plating up some of the best trends in the foodie realm the way only Bâton Rouge West Island can.
From start to finish, there are a wide variety of classic renowned and new, already-celebrated dishes to please all tastes. Beginning with the appetizers, diners now have some difficult choices to make (as if deciding between the lobster poutine, Cajun dusted calamari, and other favorites wasn't enough!): Will it be the balsamic-drizzled, pan seared crab cakes with corn salsa and tangy chipotle mayo? Or maybe spice it up with the Thai coconut-battered tiger shrimp? If fish is more your fancy, there is the delicious, razor-thin sliced salmon tartar accompanied by a soy dressing, cool cucumber, and bright lime juice with capers to balance the flavors, or the perfectly seared sushi-grade Ahi tuna with a lush soy-balsamic vinaigrette. My recommendation? Go in a group and share a bit of everything!
For the main dishes? Well, it doesn't get any easier to choose. But once again, no worries—you can't go wrong!
Firstly, there's a new kid in town joining the sides for the sandwich and burger section: crispy and delicious sweet potato fries with chipotle mayo! This new side option is bound to be as popular as the Bâton Rouge staples French fries, house style baked beans, and famous coleslaw. And to go with those sides are newcomers like the Big Devil Burger, living up to its diabolically delicious name featuring a ½ pound of premium beef, topped with fried onion rings, Swiss cheese, bacon, and sweet & spicy BBQ sauce. If you want lighter but equally delicious fare, you can go with the Chipotle Chicken Sandwich, with a juicy marinated, grilled chicken breast drizzled with tangy BBQ, bacon, and Monterey jack cheese, and chipotle mayo, atop grilled herb ciabatta bread.
If you're in the mood for one of the city's finest steaks, Bâton Rouge West Island serves up their special Reserve AAA, hand-selected, centre-cut steaks with pride. With cut-appropriate marbling, all steaks are aged for a minimum of 28 days for superior tenderness and the richest flavor before being perfectly grilled-to-order. Still popular is their famous Cowboy Rib Steak—20 ounces of pure beef flavor, along with the prime rib, filet mignon, and top sirloin (aged for 40 days!). Recently added are the imaginative Goat Cheese Sirloin (which pairs premium beef flavours with a topping of crumble goat cheese, Herbes de Provence, and chopped walnuts) and the Crab Cake Sirloin (the ultimate surf & turf where a grilled top sirloin meets a pan-seared crab cake topped with homemade aioli).
Speaking of surf, people who are fish and seafood lovers will find plenty to satisfy their palates. There are the signature fresh Atlantic salmon selections with sauce vièrge; Applewood spice crusted seared Ahi tuna drizzled with a flavorful lime-ginger dressing, and lobster two- tail (two 6 oz lobster tails, perfectly cooked). Rounding out the oceanic offerings are the seafood linguine tossed with tiger shrimp and North Atlantic scallops in a delicate rosé sauce, and the Jewels of the Sea, a crustacean-lovers paradise in a creamy bisque sauce. What's new? That would be the lobster risotto—al dente Arborio rice, bisque sauce, sweet corn, green onions, and aged Parmigiano Reggiano cheese tossed with delicate rich lobster meat.
Dietary restrictions due to gluten sensitivity? Bâton Rouge West Island has not forgotten about you! Their gluten-free menu adapts many of their classic and new signature dishes to deliver all the flavor they are renowned for, minus the gluten!
Never, ever forget to save room for dessert, or take it to go! Alongside classic favorites such as their homey apple cobbler (served with ice cream, of course), crackly and silky smooth crème brûlée, and the sinful decadent chocolate walnut brownie, Bâton Rouge West Island's bakers and pastry chefs have upped the ante with some new twist on their dessert menu. If one crème brûlée is delicious, three must be heavenly! The trio crème brûlée features 3 mini versions in such unusual flavours as chai tea, chocolate, and caramel. And once you taste it, you will crave the Bâton Rouge Cookie—a cookie of dark chocolate chips, baked fresh until crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, served with ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Delectable!
If you think cocktails at Bâton Rouge West Island is a contradiction in terms, think again. Their well-stocked, dark wood bar and creative mixologists shake up some of the greatest beverages this side of the Main—from their Cucumber Cool (dry gin, lime juice, cane syrup, tonic, and cucumber infusion and garnish) to Weiser's Boulevardier (Weiser's whiskey, Campari, Dubonnet, and orange rind, served on the rocks), plus all the classic and artisanal cocktails, you can't go wrong for 5 à 7s or a quick pre- or post-diner drink.
So…what are you waiting for? The friendly staff at Bâton Rouge West Island are expecting you! Bon appetit!