Photos by Juan Ocampo for Metro.
Café Creole is one of the premier eateries along the alignment of the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project. The restaurant opened in 2014 and is located in the food court area of the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. Café Creole is owned by Eric Lanueville, while business partner Keith Adams provides day-to-day operations and food design. Both Eric and Keith are natives of southern states — Louisiana and Texas, respectively — and have intimate knowledge of the distinct flavors and cooking style that makes Creole food unique.
Café Creole has quickly become a community staple, drawing customers from around the city, and is known for using only the freshest ingredients ensuring food is made to order. Menu items include grilled and fried po’boys, gumbo, jambalaya, and red beans & rice. One of their most famous dishes and a menu favorite is called Dirty Swamp Fries, which consists of freshly cut fries with a choice of protein including deliciously prepared shrimp scampi and BBQ chicken. Many customers choose the Crazy Creole Mix which comes with shrimp, chicken, beef and sausage.
Mr. Lanueville stated that since Metro’s construction activities began there has been a reduction in overall mall traffic, impacting the number of people visiting the food court area. However, Mr. Lanueville and Mr. Adams remain optimistic regarding the long-term prospects for their business. “We remain committed to the success of Café Creole and look forward to increasing customers when the Crenshaw/LAX Line opens. In the meantime, it is great to have the support from a program such as the BIF that looks out for small businesses.”
Café Creole is located at 3650 W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008 inside the food court of the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. The restaurant partners with a number of food delivery services including Grubhub and Postmates. For more information, please call (323) 389-8355 or visit them at eatatcafecreole.com.
Metro’s Business Interruption Fund (BIF) provides financial assistance to small “mom and pop” businesses directly impacted by transit rail construction along the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, the Little Tokyo area of the Regional Connector, and Purple Line Extension, Section 1 and Section 2. For more information about the BIF, visit metro.net/bif. To apply for a BIF grant, visit Pacific Coast Regional Small Business Development Corporation (PCR) at pcrcorp.org.
Visit metro.net/bif to view additional business spotlights in the BIF’s Community Footprint.
Categories: Projects