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Frank Randol of Randol’s Restaurant in Breaux Bridge, joins Discover Lafayette in partnership with Eat Lafayette, a yearlong celebration of our locally owned restaurants, to share news of the revival of his unique Cajun restaurant and dancehall concept, a longtime staple in Lafayette. Breaux Bridge is only 15 minutes from Lafayette and is part of a corridor surrounding Lafayette Parish that is ripe for growth. And Frank is a young 78 years old, an Army veteran of the Vietnam War who still exudes energy and a passion for being a changemaker. Frank is a force of nature who works nonstop to promote the beauty of our local culture.
Frank has been in the seafood business for 53 years, and is renowned for his contribution to sustaining and promoting our Cajun culture. As part of that dedication, Frank currently serves as Secretary of the Gulf Seafood Foundation and has always been an avid supporter of Eat Lafayette. He focuses on wild-caught seafood with no additives, only South Louisiana seafood, with a bent toward crawfish, softshell crab, and other seasonal specialties. Hamburger steak is also a popular dish craved by Randol’s longtime patrons.
His experience in the seafood business defines Frank Randol. In 1971, he opened a seafood processing facility in Henderson and operated it for nine years before opening the original Randol’s Restaurant in 1980 when he moved operations to his family property on Kaliste Saloom Road. Over the years, he welcomed thousands of visitors from around the world to his restaurant and dancehall who were looking to experience authentic Cajun culture. To learn more about Frank’s historic career, please listen to our original interview on Discover Lafayette here.
In 2021, the owners of Superior Grill offered Frank a price for his Kaliste Saloom property that he couldn’t refuse. The money afforded him the opportunity to take off two years to consider his future, and he kept his general manager, Jimmy LaGrange, employed alongside him as they contemplated their next move. “It takes two people to do nothing well for two years,” Frank jokes. But in reality, Frank had not only wealth in money, but also wealth in ideas, creativity, love of Cajun food and culture, and a desire to continue in the restaurant business.
“When you throw yourself into something for so many decades, you can’t just go cold turkey. People need to embrace the Cajun Culture. It’s already branded and known worldwide.” Randol’s menu is patterned after the former Randol’s choices, repurposed and retested to ensure perfection for today’s market. A mini-market for fresh seafood purchases is in the works and will be open soon. Today, the restaurant’s success is Frank’s main priority.
Not one to stay retired, Frank envisioned a revival of his original Randol’s concept, and purchased the land where the former Mulate’s Restaurant was located at 325 W. Mills Avenue, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, resurrecting his successful Cajun food/Dance Hall concept enjoyed by people for so many decades. Frank says, “Mulate’s was the perfect spot. It needed work, but it polished up well! The building is 80 years old on high ground and survived the storms in May of this year. We patterned the bathrooms after the high end facilities at Superior Grill, with glass walls that you can’t see through, with 400 square feet of space.” Many of acclaimed mural artist Robert Dafford’s works are on the walls at Randol’s, and Frank says “It’s a historical setting where you can feel the spirit of our culture. It’s alive.”
Frank Randol is just as passionate about sharing his love of Cajun food and culture as he when he took his “Cajun Fest” on the road across the U. S. so many years ago. The World’s Fair held in New Orleans in 1984 ignited an interest in all things Cajun and Frank Randol ensured that accurate information on its heritage was shared. Frank was glowingly written up by the Chicago Tribune on October 25, 1989, where he joked he had earned his “masters in crabology.”
Today, trucks still deliver fresh produce and seafood from all over South Louisiana to Randol’s in Breaux Bridge each day, ensuring that every meal starts with the best ingredients available.
Our area’s finest Cajun and zydeco musicians play on Friday and Saturday nights at Randol’s, and keep the spirit of our culture alive and flourishing. One such musician that the crowds still enjoy is Terry Huval, who was a mainstay at Mulate’s and later, at the original Randol’s. You can still find Terry Huval and his Jambalaya Cajun Trio performing each Friday night at Randol’s in Breaux Bridge!
As part of the celebration of Eat Lafayette, you can receive a free bread pudding at Randol’s until September 8, 2024 when you mention Eat Lafayette’s celebration of locally-owned restaurants.
For more information and to view the menu and events, please visit randols.com. Randol’s also offers catering and can assist in making your events memorable. We thank Eat Lafayette for making this podcast possible and for all they do in promoting our locally owned restaurants.
