A sandwich built from fried plantains offers a different starting point for a Lafayette lunch. At Patacon Latin Cuisine, it also tells part of a family’s journey from Venezuela to Acadiana.

A September profile in The Advocate traces the restaurant to Jose and Wanda Lugo and their son Daniel. The family moved from Maracaibo, Venezuela, to Louisiana in 2006, with Jose’s oil-industry work bringing them here.

The plantain sandwich at the center

The restaurant opened on Bertrand Drive in January 2015. Its namesake patacones use green plantains that are fried, flattened and fried again, creating a crisp substitute for sandwich bread.

The restaurant’s website describes fillings that include shredded beef or chicken, white cheese, avocado and a green sauce. The combination makes the plantain itself part of the meal’s texture, rather than simply a side dish.

Another familiar Venezuelan option is the arepa, a cornmeal patty that can hold different fillings. The Advocate describes a chicken-and-avocado reina pepiada among Patacon’s choices.

More than one way to explore the menu

Pabellón criollo brings together shredded beef, rice, black beans and sweet fried plantains. Empanadas offer another route into the cuisine, with the restaurant’s Venezuelan versions made from corn flour.

The family has also incorporated Louisiana flavors, including crawfish empanadas. That is a tangible connection between the foods they brought with them and the seafood culture they encountered in Acadiana.

The profile describes a plantain lasagna that uses ripe plantains in place of pasta. Because the dish is prepared fresh and can be difficult to keep stocked, diners should ask about availability rather than expect it on every visit.

A family business with two locations

The Advocate reports a second location on Bonin Road in Youngsville, which opened in January 2025. The Lafayette location remains at 308 Bertrand Drive; the reported Youngsville address is 1900 Bonin Road.

Daniel described helping customers understand how Venezuelan dishes differ from other Latin American foods. Asking the staff about the plantains, fillings or cornmeal dishes can be a useful way to begin if the menu is unfamiliar.

For current Lafayette ordering information, use Patacon’s official site, which lists pickup and delivery and the restaurant’s phone number. Confirm the location and today’s menu before ordering.

The story connects a family’s history with the small decisions at the table: which filling to try, how a plantain sandwich differs from an arepa, and how a Louisiana ingredient can find a place in a Venezuelan recipe.