Gerald Ardoin is the youngest of six children. He was just a kid when his father purchased a “fried chicken and ice cream joint” in Opelousas, Louisiana in 1979. He worked with the family at the family’s business, Ardoin’s Seafood, until his Dad retired in 1995. He opened his own restaurant, Cafe Acadiana, in the same area until he decided to sell his business in 2003. In January of 2004, Gerald and his family moved to Baldwin county. He went to work with a major food distributor and got to know all the local restaurants in central and lower Alabama. Being in food sales provided Gerald with extensive product education in addition to being able to learn what local folks wanted and expected. After ten years in the food service sales, Gerald decided it was time to get back to what he enjoyed best. There was a location that came available in the heart of Silverhill that seemed to lend itself to just what Gerald had in mind. He and his wife, Christina went to work on renovating the space to their specifications and in September of 2013 they opened as Cafe Acadiana. Their menu is representative of what people in this neck of the woods enjoy eating. It’s a well rounded mix of All American and seafood with a extra serving of Gerald’s Cajun heritage.
Lunch specials include a home cooked lunch plate with different items featured daily, shrimp, catfish, hamburger steak, etouffee, red beans & rice chicken and mahi. All lunches are served with salad bar and your choice of the veggie or the day or one of the regular sides. They have a variety of authentic po-boys along with a nice selection of burgers and sandwiches served on ciabatta rolls. Their appetizer menu, available at lunch and dinner, is definitely something to jump start your taste buds. It features fried boudin balls – which have become quite a hit – along with the Shrimp Opelousas, Natchitoches Meat Pie, Crawfish Etouffee, bite sized catfish, onion rings, cheese sticks and GUMBO! Cafe Acadiana serves dinner Thursday through Saturday evenings. They have come up with some signature specialties that certainly warrant the drive to Silverhill. The Boudreaux’s Burrito has made a name for itself and is the current people’s choice award winner. It consists of crawfish, shrimp and crabmeat stuffing rolled in a flour tortilla, deep fried and topped with a creamy crawfish and shrimp sauce.
The Ribeye Opelousas is another favorite. A 10 ounce CAB ribeye topped with their popular Shrimp Opelousas (fried shrimp tossed in a sweet & spicy sauce). Other specialties on the dinner menu include a crawfish platter, a surf & turf, blackened mahi and a lump crabmeat lover’s dream dish – crabmeat augratin served with six jumbo blackened shrimp.
Cafe Acadiana can also assist if you are trying to feed a crowd. They offer catering and have a great party tray menu with options that are perfect for group gatherings. Cafe Acadiana is open Monday through Wednesday from 11am until 3pm and Thursday through Saturday 11am until 9pm. Cafe Acadiana, 16137 Silverhill Ave, Hwy 104, Silverhill (251) 945-CAFE • Facebook “Cafe Acadiana”