LOUISIANA
“HIGHWAY 90 IS NOT THE DANKEN TRAIL.”
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“This place was called The Hitching Post when my partner Ken and I bought it. We just put our names together and stuck with the western theme.”
You might be a bit disappointed if you want to whet your whistle on a good sarsaparilla, but you won’t be disappointed if you’ve got a hankering for some fine barbecue.
Dan Bannister came from Monroe. After eighteen years as a commercial deep-sea diver, often going to depths of 500 feet and being away from home for three months at a time, he was ready to start a new phase of his life on dry land.
“Owning a barbecue joint is not as dangerous as diving, but it is every bit as crazy. My partner bailed on me and I was fortunate to have Patricia and our five kids to help out.”
Dan met Patricia in Hawaii, where he was stationed in the Navy and she was a student.
“I just went up to her and asked for a date. I must have looked good in a uniform, because she said yes.
“It turned out that she was from Haynesville. I knew her cousin and we had mutual friends. I went off to Vietnam for two years and didn’t keep up with her, but when I came back home to Monroe, I looked her up. She was still around. Five months later, we were married.
“I have a no-compromise policy here. I don’t compromise on my food or the service. We do everything the right way. It takes a lot of hard work, but it pays off in the long run, with loyal customers and little employee turnover.” (Image 74)
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Managing the place for the past dozen years is Delores Crowe, or as everyone calls her, “Miss D.” She is assisted by Dewayne Simmons, or “Double D.” He has been with Dan since he was fourteen, when he would come by to cut the grass. Eighteen years later, he does just about everything else at The Danken Trail.
This location of The Danken Trail will be coming to an end soon. Dan will be breaking ground on a new building next door.
“This place was run down the day I bought it twenty-five years ago, but we got as much as we could out of it.”
Maybe the new building should be called “D’s Place.” Just a suggestion. (Image 75)
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CAJUN RED BEANS AND RICE (NOT ON THEIR MENU)
Chop celery, bell pepper and onion to small dice. Cut sausage into small quarter-size pieces. Saute until onion turns translucent.
Put into large 2-gallon-plus pot. Add bay leaves, chili powder, cumin and paprika. Wash beans and add to pot. Stir well to keep veggies and sausage from burning.
Add about 1-1/2 gallons of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook until the beans are soft (about 2 hours). Add salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste here—because their content varies greatly in the sausage. Serve over cooked rice.
Avoid soaking the beans overnight because that will start a fermentation process that is very undesirable. (Image 76)
Image 76: Danken Trail Bar-B-Q 7702 DeSaird Street • Monroe, LA 71203 • (318)343-0773