MEEKER | “We’re bringing a different flavor, sourcing everything from South Louisiana, and you know, we just want Meeker to taste what we grew up with on a regular basis,” said Don Lima, owner of Meeker’s latest eatery, Caroline’s Louisiana Kitchen. The new establishment brings fresh tastes from fresh ingredients, sourced directly from Southern Louisiana. From the seafood items like red snapper to the crawfish to the crab and others, Caroline’s menu is fresh and authentically sourced. “Even the beans in the red beans and rice, there’s a specific red bean kidney bean that we bring up from Louisiana. We just don’t trust any other beans.”
That dynamic is possible thanks to a group of business partners, family and Lima himself making regular ingredient delivery trips.
“Hey, look, we’re getting something that we’ve never had. It was requested of us by plenty of people throughout the town, from the city council to the chamber to other business people. Like if you guys can get fresh fish, or shrimp or anything like that. We’ll be there,” Lima told the HT, explaining that Meeker locals have held up their end of the deal to keep the kitchen and dining room busy since its opening earlier this month.
Lima said he made his way to the area vacationing to participate in vacationing activities like OHV trail riding and hunting, eventually discovering Meeker “one of my business partners said, Hey, you gotta check out this place, it’s amazing, it’s untouched, There’s no Walmart’s, there’s no fast food. It’s like a Hallmark movie,” said Lima.
Soon after, Lima’s property management group Enterprise Property Management, which owns/manages properties in Louisiana, expanded to the Western Slope, purchasing 685 Main St. in Meeker. When the group found out the Elk Mountain Inn’s restaurant and bar were available for lease, Lima said it sparked a new idea, recounting a discussion in his business group, “they don’t have Louisiana style food up there, what are the chances of us bringing it up?” Lima said upon agreement, the next step was to find a chef. Fortunately, he didn’t need to look far thanks to a lifelong connection with award-winning New Orleans chef, Daniel (Shoney) Lima, who also happens to be his brother.
“He was chef of the year in New Orleans, that’s like major hoopla down there” said Lima, listing off various accomplishments of his brother Daniel (aka Shoney) who originally learned to cook in his mother’s kitchen at the age of six.
Shoney has worked in the French Quarter dining scene for more than three decades in head positions including executive sous-chef and executive chef of prominent five-star restaurants such as Arnaud’s, one of New Orlean’s busiest dining establishments that is known for its reputation of serving traditional New Orleans cuisine, in addition to being one of the largest restaurants in the world.
Shoney’s love of simple, filling and flavorful “home-cooking” shines through just as brightly as his illustrious past, as evidenced by his desire to introduce culinary Louisiana staples in a way that is approachable and accommodating for people who may not yet be familiar. Some of these staple dishes include Red Beans & Rice + Pork Chop, Boudin Balls & Wraps, Seafood Gumbo, BBQ Shrimp, Étouffée and& a few others. He told the HT the simple selection helps to introduce some of the new flavors and gives him the opportunity to figure out what works in the area. Moving forward the menu will expand to introduce a wider variety of dishes, all made with fresh ingredients sourced from Louisiana.
Another new resident that brings expertise to the operation is the bartender, who boasts years behind the bar serving drinks in Tampa Bay, Florida. She’s ready to whip up anything from a whiskey sour to specialty drinks including drinks similar to New Orleans’ Hand-Grenade cocktail, another drink called a “Hurricane” and a wide assortment of other options.
Beyond the opportunity to bring Louisiana culture to a small Western Slope town, the endeavor and those behind it share a special, personal motivation. “A year ago this month, our daughter was diagnosed with a rare form of muscular dystrophy” Lima said, describing how the diagnosis of Bethlem Myopathy (aka Bethlem Muscular Dystrophy) inspired the company’s board of directors to suggest “Caroline’s Louisiana Kitchen” as a name, to pay homage to Lima’s daughter.
That designation also played a role in motivating Caroline’s uncle, Chef Shoney, to move to Meeker after 30 years working in New Orleans. Lima said “It was actually my daughter that goes, ‘Hey, Uncle Shoney, are you going to cook at my restaurant?’”
Caroline’s contributions have also helped shape the menu. According to Shoney, Caroline asked for mac and cheese because it’s what her little sister would want to eat.
From the simple selection of delicious, fresh and authentic dishes to the highly qualified staff, the theme of Caroline’s Louisiana Kitchen and the attitude of those who operate it is consistent, quality home-cooking and southern hospitality. “We’re just really nice, southern hospitality type people, and we want to stick around,” said Don. We want to be here. We like it here.”
