Lila's Cakes & Chocolate, 440 Olive St.  Originally uploaded by mikerosebery

We love to go out to eat, no matter what time of day. It's fair to say that most days we have to talk ourselves out of going out. It would be easy to take the path of least resistance and patronize the chain restaurants, but I try to help the local restaurant owner whenever I can. One of The Bosses and I recently took a noonday diversion to Shreveport's Highland district and ducked into Lila's. We thought we would be getting away. Sadly for us and happily for Lila and her family, it simply wasn't the case. We saw some high-profile people from work there, as well as a couple of local celebrities. So, I guess we were among the last people to be let in on the news that Lila's is a little midtown gem. As you can see in Mike Roseberry's photo, the place has an old-school charm.

http://rebouche.blogspot.com/search?q=lila%27s

by Darrell Rebouche

Shreveport/Bossier-City new destination for foodies

Louisiana's twin cities a nearby melting pot of culinary originality
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/travel/texasneighbors/stories/DNNUshrevefood_0217tra.ART.State.Edition1.457ef11.html

By CHRISTINE TIBBETTS / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News SHREVEPORT, La. – This is a city of many cakes, confections, concoctions and fine formal
dinners.
Shreveport and its next‐door city, Bossier, are new territory for foodies. Eating here happens on foot, seated in smart new architecture, perched on ledges overlooking the Red River and in venues as unlikely as the edge of a moat in Chimp Haven, an animal sanctuary.

. . . Cake crossed my lips again during lunch at Lila's Cakes & Chocolate in a pretty neighborhood on Olive Street. This time, it took the form of heart‐healthy dark chocolate shaped like a tennis ball. Trained in India, pastry chef Sopan Tike shakes his head at America's large portions. He serves what diners want, but he prefers moderate servings. Considering my bowl (not cup) of fresh vegetable soup brimming with cabbage, squash, potatoes, carrots and beans, plus chicken salad made with watermelon instead of pickle relish, you might think I would have ordered only a half‐portion of Lila's creamy chocolate ball, but I didn't. And I enjoyed the
whole thing. . .

Christine Tibbetts is a freelance writer in Georgia.