CAJUN CUISINE

CUBAN & SOUTH AMERICAN CUISINE

GREEK/ LEBANESE CUISINE

HEALTH FOOD

ITALIAN CUISINE

MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINE

PATIO/OUTDOOR DINING

SANDWICH SHOPS

MEXICAN CUISINE

Food For Thought

By Eileen Fontenot


Aztecas Mexican Cuisine satisfies any itch for south-of-the border sustenance

You know youre entering a good Mexican restaurant when the servers humor your friends lame attempts at speaking the language. This is one thing I mus contend with every time I go to a Mexican restaurant. Meanwhile, his wife and I duck our heads in shame.

Aztecas our latest jaunt into the world of all things Mexican, has taken over the old Godfathers Pizza location in the shopping center on the corner of Ambassador Caffery Parkway and Johnston Street. My friends and I have become semi-regulars since it opened, beginning on its third day, and have found the employees to be quite friendly and efficient. Our trio has been there so often, if only two of us arrive together, were immediately bombarded with questions as to where our missing friend is and when he or she will be joining us. Kind of makes you feel like Norm on Cheers.

The decor inside the restaurant is quite cozy, with its tan, adobe-like walls painted to look like arched windows overlooking various scenes, including mountains, cobbled streets with colorful houses and desert. It makes me feel like I stumbled into a little cantina in Tijuana. But, because Ive never been to Tijuana, my estimation way off base. I guess you will just have to check it out for yourself. Mexican music rounds out its authentic atmosphere.

On Wednesdays, they offer $1.50 margarita night. Not overpowering or too limey, their house margaritas are quite good, especially for the novice drinker who cannot handle a stronger beverage.

We get started with the usual at a Mexican restaurant: chips and salsa. I must say the chips at Aztecas are never stale or greasy. The salsa is always fresh, but according to my friend in the know, needs more cilantro. Personally, I can not tell if it needed any thing or not; I think they are just great.

There are also many choices of burritos, enchilada dinners and chimichangas to select. A lunch menu is also offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, offering basic dishes at under $10 a pop.

For a full menu listing, click on our logo. You can also buy gift certificates online with an easy and secure online system for those whom you love.

2 Locations

3535 Ambassador Caffery
Lafayette, LA 70503
(337) 769-1088
(337) 769-1089 Fax

9636 Airline Hwy, Suite A4
Baton Rouge, LA 70815
(225) 928-9210
(225) 928-9212 Fax

Check out our Margarita Specials!!

Welcome to Lafayettes Newest Independent Event Center. The Crown Room is now open and available for booking of your next special event.

At the Crown Room, youre in charge! You choose your own caterer, decorator, event coordinator, whatever you need to make your event a success.

Over 9,500 Total square feet
Holds up to 914 Guests
4 Acres Paved Parking


The Crown Room is now available for weddings, receptions, Christmas parties, corporate activities, reunions, award ceremonies, banquets, Krewe parties, conventions or most any special event public or private.

The Crown Room offers you the opportunity to be completely in charge of your own event. Hire your own caterers, decorators, coordinators or whatever you need to host your special event.

However, The Crown Room also has tons of equipment for rent and lots of formal or fun accessories that can really help add the memories into your big event.

Available equipment includes:

Stage, Walkways, Skirting, Steps, Dance Floors, Conference Tables, Serpentine Tables, Variety of Chairs, (with & without seat cushions) Chair Covers, Tables, ( several sizes ) Table and Napkin Linens, Complete China Sets, Gold & Silver Chargers, Glassware (stem and non), Cut Lead Crystal Glasses, Stainless Flatware, Serviceware, Champagne Fountains, Cake Risers, Punch Bowls, Popcorn Machine & Supplies, Cotton Candy Machine & Supplies, Snow Cone Machine & Supplies Frozen Drink Machine, Chocolate Fountains (3 sizes), Tents, Tent Sides, Ceiling Fans, Water Cooled Fans, Air Blower, Propane Heaters, Green Astro Turf, Board Flooring, Halogen & Can Lighting, Strobe Lights, Laser Light Show, Firecracker Disco Light Show, Black Lighting with Fixtures, Rotating Police Beacons, Fog Machine, Bubble Machine, Helium Tanks, Air Blower, Mirror Balls with Electric Motor, Lectern, Megaphones, Raffle Drum Spinner, Microphone with Speakers, . . . and the list goes on.

The Crown Room also offers several package deals which include chairs, tables ( round & rectangular ) and table linens. Whatever your needs, The Crown Room can deliver for you.

Located at


4607 Johnston Street
Lafayette, LA 70503
337-504-2555

Find the perfect balance between aesthetic appeal and utility here at Iman Oriental Rugs with our handmade rugs that are beautiful, unique, and ideal gifts to give. They make wonderful housewarming presents, perfect wedding gifts, and, when given as business-related gifts, convey a sense of personal care and attention. We can custom order if you cant find it here at our store.

Antiques and Collectibles- For collectors and carpet enthusiasts, we offer a limited selection of antique and semi-antique carpets from Iran, Central Asian, and China. These are authentic, very rare pieces ranging from 60 to 120 years old.

Silk Rugs-The carpets are made across the orient. These extremely fine quality rugs have very high knot counts and very intricate curvilinear patterns. Silk carpets and rugs generally tend to have close-clipped piles and are thinner than traditional wool pile rugs.

We have wonderful and Lovely Rugs currently on sale check the classifieds on Explore Lafayette.com Oriental Rug classifieds section.

We have a large collection of rugs in all styles and designs and we can custom order you a beauitful Rug.

COLLECTIONS

Chobi Rugs Collection- The rugs in our Chobi collection, which are sometimes also called Peshawar rugs, are made with natural dyes and Ghazni handspun wool by Turkoman weavers. The patterns are based on antique designs, and the rugs in our Chobi collection are amongst the finest quality Chobi rugs available. Chobi rugs often have abrash (or varying shades of the same color) through the pile of the rug, and the colors are often muted, both of which are a result of the use of natural dyes and handspun wool. The rugs in our Chobi collection are often available in a variety of sizes and colors.



Pak Persian Rugs Collection- Our Pak Persian collection consists of the finest quality rugs made by Pakistani master weavers, who have passed down the skill from generation to generation since the Mogul rule of the Indian subcontinent in the 16th century. For this reason, they are also often referred to as Mogul rugs. The materials used in these rugs are top quality - most of them use 100% New Zealand worsted wool for the pile, and many have silk fields or highlights of silk. In addition, the rugs use the Senneh (or Persian) weave with very high knot counts, which enables the high intricacy and detail found in the patterns. The rugs in our Pak Persian collection are often available in a variety of sizes and colors. Please submit an inquiry if you like a design listed below but it isnt the right size.

Persian Rugs Collection- Our Persian collection consists of top quality workshop pieces from Iran. The rugs in our Persian collection for the most part have curvilinear, floral patterns and are based on classical designs. The materials used range from the finest quality Kurk wool to top quality silk. The detail and intricacy in the patterns of these rugs is very high and rugs in this collection take from 6 months to 2 years to complete

Tribal Rugs Collection-Our Tribal rugs collection consists of tribal designs originating in Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. For the most part, tribal rugs are 100% pure wool pieces, with designs reproduced from memory and passed from generation to generation

DESIGNS

Bakhtiari Rugs- Because of its distinctive pattern, the best known variation of Bakhtiari designs is the paneled-garden variation. The field of the rug is divided into compartments or panels, containing individual motifs or patterns. Often a set of 3-4 compartments is repeated throughout the field. Although named after a region in Iran near Isfahan called Bakhtiari, the origins of the design lie with a mixed group of nomads and villagers of Luri, Kurdish, Armenian, Turkoman, and other ethnic origins, now settled in Southand Central Persia

Bokhara rugs- Bokhara rugs(also spelled Bukhara) are among the most popular hand knotted rugs in the world. Many believe that the design originated within or near the (Uzbek) city of Bokhara, but it is actually from the nomadic Tekke tribe in Central Asia (the Tekke tribes rugs were predominantly traded in the markets of Bokhara, however, and eventually acquired the name of the city). Bokhara rugs are now made in a variety of carpet-weaving countries, including Pakistan. The design is dominated by rows of guls and surrounding geometric patterns.

Gombud Rugs- Gombud rugs are identified by their spectacular central medallion, which replicates the Islamic (mostly ceramic and inlaid) artwork used to decorate the inside of the domes of some mosques. Some tombs also use a similar design. An example being the tomb of the famous poet Hafiz, in Shiraz, southern Persia. Depicting other forms of art within oriental rugs is not uncommon and we can find many historical examples of this. In some instances, the opposite has been seen; slabs of stone pavement from a palace of King Assurbanipal (dating to 450 BC) seem to have been carved specifically to appear like rugs.

Kashan Rugs- Among the most famous carpet designs, Kashan rugs (sometimes spelled Keshan) usually contain a diamond-shaped medallion on a Shah Abbas field - a series of curvilinear floral forms, creating a garden-like background. During the reigns of Shah Tahmasp and Shah Abbas in the 16th and 17th centuries, several royal factories were established for the manufacture of rugs in the Persian empires major centers - Isfahan (Shah Abbas capital), Kashan, Kerman, Tabriz, and Joshaqan, as well as major centers in what is now the Indian subcontinent. Carpet weavers at these royal factories implemented various technical innovations in response to court demand for more intricate rugs with curvilinear, floral patterns (as opposed to geometric repeating patterns). These royal factories were often under direct court supervision as well. It is at this stage that carpet weaving ceased to be purely a nomadic or village way of life and instead became a sophisticated art form. Designs for highly intricate rugs were based on complex paintings as opposed to a reliance on memory. The senneh knot became the primary knot used, as it was more suited to the types of rugs the courts artists and painters designed. The highest quality materials began to be used in order to enable the highly intricate patterns and to ensure high durability with high intricacy

Kazak Rugs- Originating from the western area of the Caucasus populated by Armenian and nomadic Kurdish tribesmen, Kazak rugs should not be confused with the state of Kazakstan. Kazak rugs, like many Caucasian designs, are dominated by highly stylized floral motifs. If you like these rugs, you may also be interested in Shivan, which are very similar. Reds, blues, greens, and yellows are the main colors used in these vibrant rugs. The rugs in our Kazak gallery are very fine quality rugs based on antique Kazak designs, and are made with natural dyes and Ghazni handspun wool by Turkoman Afghan weavers

Kirman Rugs- Kirman (also spelled Kerman) is a Persian city famous for producing some of the most intricate and detailed designs in hand knotted rugs. During the reigns of Shah Tahmasp and Shah Abbas in the 16th and 17th centuries, several royal factories were established for the manufacture of rugs in the Persian empires major centers - Isfahan (Shah Abbas capital), Kashan, Kerman, Tabriz, and Joshaqan, as well as major centers in what is now the Indian subcontinent. Carpet weavers at these royal factories implemented various technical innovations in response to court demand for more intricate rugs with curvilinear, floral patterns (as opposed to geometric repeating patterns). These royal factories were often under direct court supervision as well. It is at this stage that carpet weaving ceased to be purely a nomadic or village way of life and instead became a sophisticated art form. Designs for highly intricate rugs were based on complex paintings as opposed to a reliance on memory. The senneh knot became the primary knot used, as it was more suited to the types of rugs the courts artists and painters designed. The highest quality materials began to be used in order to enable the highly intricate patterns and to ensure high durability with high intricacy. Kirman rug designs are generally floral, curvilinear patterns and often include a medallion. The pile of Kirman rugs is predominantly wool, while the base is generally cotton

Sultanabad Rugs- Sultanabad (now called Arak) is a Persian city renowned for the bold floral patterns of its rugs. The rugs in our Sultanabad collection are based on these beautiful floral patterns, but have been made in much finer qualities.

DIFFERENT SHAPES

ORIENTAL & PERSIAN RUNNER- Offered in a wide range of designs and sizes, varying from soft, luxuriant double-wool piles to durable hand-spun wool with vegetable dyes, our runners continue to be popular sellers

CIRCULAR RUGS- We have a small selection of circular rugs. Please note that we have access to many more in various sizes and designs. Also, we are able to find rugs from the local market that meet your specific requirements or have them made for you based on the designs of our rectangular rugs.

RECTANGULAR RUGS- We Have a Large selection of rectangular rugs in our inventory. Please note that we have access to many more in various sizes and designs. Also, we are able to find rugs from the local market that meet your specific requirements or have them made for you based on the designs of our rectangular rugs.

Iman Oriental Rugs
Eid A. Kneifati
258 Bendel Road
Suite 103
Lafayette, LA 70503
(337)234-7140
(337)233-7069
imansoriental@bellsouth.net

Flying through our doors and onto your floors