06/07/2023
What a special place. Even before she had a name, our family would call 1304 W. Pinhook “The Place.” Ironically, even later when the restaurant was named Café Vermilionville, we still referred to her as “The Place.” The moment you walk through the front door, you are removed from modern day life – it’s familiar – and somehow it feels like home. Even if it’s your first time, the next time you come back, you consider it yours, and surely one we can all be proud of. “The Place” where you met your spouse, and the same “place” you would celebrate 42 years together. She has been a beloved family member for most of my life.
We have, and continue to grow up together, and it’s come full circle since Andrea and I initially came into the business in 2011, and consecutively bought the business in 2014. In the years that followed us, we were featured in numerous national and local publications, featured on national television, met and hosted the late Anthony Bourdain, entertained countless dignitaries and celebrities - what a joyride it’s been - truly. Our concert series started as a tiny idea to re-introduce Lafayette to the magic of Café V, and to also give our musician friends a cool mid-week gig – we had no idea the leaps and bounds it would take in a short amount of time. Imagine our surprise when we outgrew the first stage, then the second, and finally, in order to keep up with demand, had to build the outsized pergola you see today. We have hosted the giants of music – David Egan, Jimmie Vaughan, Tommy Mclain, the late Warren Storm, and countless other top-tier musicians in our intimate courtyard - all possible because of your unwavering support.
We like to always tell our staff, “Café V is so much bigger than the restaurateur” – it’s not a profession but a vow, and if you love it, it’s forever in you. The business starts as a calling then becomes a career. As a young person, it’s a crash course in humanity; later in your career, you realize that you have become, in part, a cultural ambassador with a responsibility far greater than four walls. For Andrea and I, our sole pursuit has never been about fame or fortune, but to create a destination centered around a cultural mission, while also creating a life worth living.
For our patrons, it’s a completely subjective experience, where the guest is the only important narrator. The restaurant must appeal to all senses, and to be a success, must inspire sight, sound, smell, taste, and a sense of place to be memorable. All other forms of art can be deduced to merely a few of these, but the restaurant experience is truly all. It is art in motion, and a chaos of coordination – it requires a maestro of madness at the helm – and the truly good stuff is served to you by the hearts of all who work within its impossibilities; the staff who leave weary and return daily – conquering the mesmerizing mix of pandemonium and pride with dogged and unbeatable optimism; and at the end of the night, their dinner is scarfed down gratefully, while standing upright eating the cold scraps of a long-closed kitchen line.
We started our journey with the intention of forwarding this generation of Lafayette restaurants – and while initially, we never saw this coming – nor are we even sure how to break this news – it is time for both Andrea and I, and Cafe V to move on. There comes a time when passion must play second fiddle to practicality. It’s an unfortunate truth, and while our business has flourished as seen by how well we have been supported by our community, too often the generations come to an impasse – and the only path to move forward is to move onward.
We have always considered Café V to be an extension of our home, and in that spirit, it is our hope to usher out the remaining days with a celebratory air - we encourage everyone to visit us through our last day, Saturday June 24th, 2023. Our bar will open at 5pm and dining rooms at 5:30-9pm from Tuesday-Saturday until our last nightly service. Reservations strongly recommended. The month of June has a small smattering of private events – we will release a list of dates in which we have limited availability on both our website and social media with links to our reservations page.
While our hearts will forever be at half mast, we’ll be raising our glasses to the best place we’ve ever known, and we hope you can, too. It’s been a good run, Lafayette - we love you.
-Ken and Andrea Veron
