When you walk into Henry’s Travel Plaza in Lacassine, Louisiana, you might notice that it has a large footprint, yet it feels a bit like home. You might also hear bells. No, it’s not angels, but it’s pretty close. It’s the cashier ringing a bell and calling out the names of regular customers.

If you’re roadtripping through south Louisiana on I-10, take exit 48 for the food, the fun and the family feeling.

Kendal and Brandon Henry own the travel plaza, which opened in 2020. “They traveled a lot. They wanted a place where families can feel safe when they stop. They wanted Louisiana items, clean restrooms and great food available to travelers,” general manager Marlee Henry explained. Marlee is the owner’s niece.

“We are a full-on family operation,” Henry said. “My sister, Corren, is the chef. My parents worked and she learned to cook for us. The Henrys are a farming and ranching family. Rice and gravy and pork chops are things people want to eat. With us not having a smoke house, we get creative with a bunch of different products. [Corren] has done a good job of creating really good food. She’s good at catering to the customers.”

In January, the retailer decided to change the way it does food. “We switched to Cajun food. Our travelers want Cajun food and we felt we were missing the mark,” she said.

If the food here feels like home, it’s because menu items come right from the Henry family table. It starts with breakfast. “The Camp Bowl is bacon, egg and rice, or sausage, egg and rice,” Henry said. The bowls originated during family hunting trips. “We also do smoked sausage on Texas toast,” she said.

“Our burritos are the most popular breakfast item. When we first started selling them, we sold 320 burritos in five days. We put smoked sausage, eggs, cheese and potato wedges in them,” Henry said. Another version uses bacon instead of sausage. “We have a lot of construction guys around here and they love it. It’s easy to eat on the go and it’s filling,” Henry said.

To continue reading, check out the latest Gas Station Gourmet in the April issue of NACS Magazine.