Monroe, LA: Part 1 - Hotel Food at the Clarion

The weekend in Monroe was full of meetings, but it was definitely full of food. We stayed at the Clarion Inn & Suites and Conference Center in Monroe, and even though I spent most of my time at the hotel, I was quite impressed with this small sampling of local cuisine.

For the first night, I had the chance to try Mistletoe Magic Martini made with Jack Daniel's, Midori Melon Liqueur, Sour Mix, Lemonade, and Lemon-Lime Soda.

Fried catfish with hushpuppies and cajun fries!

As part of our experience here at the Clarion, the wonderful staff of the Clarion surprised us with a "taste test" lunch featuring several of their fine dishes for consideration for our event banquet. The pictures here don't do any of these entrees any justice, but I can say that everything was fresh and very delicious. My favorite comment of the hour came from several of my fellow Board members in regards to Round 2: "I don't do fish, but I enjoyed the seafood dish very much."

Round 1: Stuffed Chicken, carrots, broccoli, and roasted potatoes

Round 2: Blackened Catfish with a little spice, carrots & broccoli with honey glaze sauce, and roasted potatoes with onion and bacon bits

Round 3: Grilled Ribeye, mashed potatoes w/ ranch, and aspargus

Surprise dessert! Blueberry cheesecake with a chocolate syrup topping. I usually don't do fruit in my sweet treats but I'll definitely make an exception to this.

Stay tuned for more adventures from my Monroe trip!