My husband and I took my Mother to the Lecompte Pie Festival yesterday, and there was more of a carnival atmosphere than pie, so we dropped by this famous pie establishment and bought a wonderful coconut creme pie with a merengue topping to take home. The menu changes daily, and Sunday has almost everything you might serve at Thanksgiving. So we will be back.The first 2 pictures are from the postcards I bought, and I just love how the car looks as if it ran into the bushes in the last photo. This restaurant was established in 1928, and is in the Louisisna Restaurant Hall of Fame.
Lecompte Louisiana Pie Capital of Louisiana
Submitted by Planet Joan
October 10th, 2012
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Allee Willis
I WANT TO GO! And I want to arrive in that car.
The height of the little gold bushes just reaching the bottom of the car in the postcard photo kills me. Which makes the fact that the car is now being completely overtaken by the bushes even funnier. I love how they haven’t even bothered to trim most of it. Way too gorgeous of a car to hide.
What does “Dollar General” mean on the smaller sign just above the roof of the car?
How are the pies?
BRBill
Oh boy, Allee you definitely want to go here. I’ve been meaning to make a post about Lea’s for a while, at least since my neice/godchild called a couple three months ago as she was passing by on her way down to Baton Rouge. Planet Joan beat me to it though, great post, cool post cards.
Lea’s was founded by Mr. Lea Johnson and is still family run, i think. It’s located on US167 about 20 miles south of Alexandria, La. You used to drive right by the front door before I49 was opened a few miles to the west. Now you have to make the more than worthwhile effort to go there but man, it is worth the trip. Mr. Lea was one of the largest characters you’d ever want to meet. Anyone one who walked in the door got a very loud HOW YA DOIN’ as they entered. Mr. Lea was on the Johnny Carson show at least once and definitely had Johnny on his toes and cracking up, Mr. Lea was a character and never met a stranger or anyone he didn’t like. My great aunt Hazel once told me that we were related to Mr. Lea but never did say exactly how though.
I’ve known about and have been stopping at Lea’s as long as i can remember. I went to college in Ruston at La. Tech so it was a required stop going up and coming back home to Opelousas. I would sometimes see folks more often at Lea’s than i would in Ruston, everyone from South La. stopped there. My standard order, sitting at the horseshoe shaped counter, is/was a slice of lemon merangue pie and a Coke. Ham sandwiches are one of their “known specialties” also, hence the pig under his arm on the sign. The plate lunches are very good also. My standing order, for anyone passing by Lea’s, is a lemon merangue pie, if you have the time to stop, i got the money for you. I’ve had a few delivered, i’m good for it.
How are the pies? you ask. Best you’ve ever had. I’m a lemon merangue guy, my papa was a chocolate merangue man. They also make apple, pecan, the coconut that Joan had and many more, you name a pie, they pretty much make it, you will like them all.
Dollar General is one of those chain stores that sells everything for a dollar or slightly more. They’re big in Louisiana.
And on a stranger note concerning Lea’s…a friend of mines mother died there. We both agreed that if ya gotta go, Lea’s would be a great place to pass on at.
Allee Willis
Incredible info!!
I wouldn’t mind dying at a pie place.
Planet Joan
I love the Lea’s lunchroom details BRBill! Thanks for letting me know all about it. I will try the lemon Merengue next time (actually, will be trying ALL of the flavors eventually).