By Donna Price

dprice@americanpress.com

By Rita LeBleu

rlebleu@americanpress.com

Photos Special to the American Press

Remember the run on grocery stores a few months ago? Lake Charles Poultry stayed well stocked with fresh meats, vegetables, beans, rice, seasonings and continues to do so. Prices are very competitive, at or below retail. The meat special prices are especially good.

Lake Charles Poultry offers much more than chicken, turkey and ducks. It’s not just a wholesale store, though it does supply restaurant owners and other bulk buyers. Anyone can walk in and shop there.

“Lake Charles Poultry is where I like to get my poultry,” said Mike Strickland, sales manager and meister extraordinaire for an industrial company. “It’s already seasoned just right and the birds are young, none of those old, fatty birds that drip grease and just don’t have the same great flavor.”

Strickland barbecues to support staff at various company sites, for charitable events, and at golf tournaments.

Jude Chantlin was in Lake Charles Poultry on the day the American Press interviewed Lake Charles Poultry Owner Danny Bellard.

“I dropped in for smoked hen wings, drumettes and sausage,” he said.

The weather was rainy and dreary.

“I’m in the mood for a little gumbo,” he said.

Lake Charles Poultry is the place to purchase your favorite part of the chicken or hen, including hearts, livers and gizzards. Get the whole bird or plenty of quarters for that big barbecue for the extended family or to help fund raise. Lake Charles Poultry even has chicken feet.

Lake Charles Poultry has whole turkeys, smoked turkey necks, smoked turkey drumsticks and smoked turkey wings.

At Lake Charles Poultry, it is possible to get the whole hog, literally.

“Yes, we do sell the perfect size roasting pig for your cochon de lait,” Bellard said. “We’ve got just about everything here but the oink: loin, chops, back, ribs, belly, hocks, head, feet and tails. Yeah, a lot of smoked pork, too.”

Lake Charles Poultry has beef short ribs, rib eyes, T-bones and hard-to-find 7-bone steaks, ground beef and stew meat, as well as honeycomb tripe and calf livers, hearts and kidneys.

They also have melt, which is beef spleen. Some cooks like to cut it into small pieces, dredge it in seasoned flour and fry it with onion.

Lake Charles oxtail — slices of the cow’s tail — is a collagen-rich meat with marrow, bone and cartilage, which creates a deep, rich flavor perfect for stock, stews, soups and braising.

Get duck, rabbit, goat and seafood at Lake Charles Poultry.

“Come in, get your meat and a watermelon to have for dessert,” said Bellard. “We’ve got everything you need, right here, including service with a smile, except you won’t be able to see it because we are wearing masks, and observing other protocols such as washing our hands more often, social distancing and using protective plexiglass at the counter.”

While Lake Charles poultry does serve walk-in customers. Nevertheless restaurant owners also depend on Lake Charles Poultry’s same-day, five-day-a-week delivery.

“Our customers deserve the freshest meat possible,” said Bellard, “fresh and free of preservatives is the mainstay of Lake Charles Poultry.”

Lake Charles Poultry offers six different meat deals. The #3 meat deal includes two slabs of ribs, 10 pounds of leg quarters, five pounds of pork chops and two pounds of sausage for $54.99.

Bellard’s father, Leroy started the company 50 years ago after working for an uncle who started a poultry farm in Opelousas.

New hours are Monday through Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EBT cards accepted. Lake Charles Poultry is located at 2808 Fruge Street in Lake Charles. To find out more, call 337-433-6818.