chefsgirl

Brunch at La Petite Grocery (Magazine St., New Orleans)

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 22:22:58 -0500

La Petite Grocery has to be one of my TOP 5 restaurants in New Orleans….so why I haven’t I tried brunch until now?

Delicious sourdough bread…Good bread is always a sign of great food!

Paneed Rabbit. Buttermilk Biscuit. Sunny-side up eggs. Braised Greens. Bearnaise.

Pork Cheeks Benedict Jalapeno cornbread. Poached eggs. Collard greens. Smoke Hollandaise.

Carmelized Brussel Sprouts.

Hot Iron Buttermilk Waffle. Salted Peanuts. Caramel. (Chef’s selection of the day)

As expected, La Petite Grocery’s brunch was refreshing and delicious. Delicate and yet so rich! If you’re debating on what to eat for brunch or dinner, La Petite is the place. I’ve loved their dinner menu for years and finally had the chance to try brunch and I love it all. Great rendition of brunch with a French twist.

For La Petite Grocery’s dinner review, CLICK HERE.

Fat Bao (Houston, TX : Kirby)

Tue, 14 May 2013 21:26:00 -0500

There’s a new restaurant in town! Fat Bao took the traditional steamed bun and converted it into a delicious new concept. Steamed buns were most popularly stuffed with delicious roasted Peking duck, but Fat Bao has taken that idea and created their own variety of stuffed steamed buns, delicious appetizers, and even desserts…

Avocado Chips. Panko crusted w/ Jalapeno Dip

Crab Daddy Bao. Soft shell crab. Spicy mayo. Asian Slaw. Bulgogi Bao. Beef ribeye. Kimchi. Green onions. Peking Duck Bao. Roasted Duck. Green onions. Hoisin sauce.

Curry Bao. Beef brisket. Cilantro. Pickled Red Onions.Crab Daddy. (close up)

Peking Duck (left) and *Special*: Fried Portabello Bao w/ Asian Slaw

Fried Bao: Cafe du Monde Bao (left) Spicy Chocolate Bao (right)

Something so simple, but transformed into something so delicious! The idea of stuffed baos is not only impressive but the quality of the food is unexpected. Along with good food, the customer service here is awesome! Check this place out..you’ll love it!

Pho Bistreaux (Carrollton, New Orleans)

Sun, 05 May 2013 20:01:00 -0500

Just what the Carrollton area needed! In the past year, various restaurants have opened down Oak St. and its newest addition is Pho Bistreaux. They have just recently opened but already have crowds of hungry patrons entering the restaurant and leaving satiated…

Chicken and Pork Sliders.

Pho with Brisket.

Flan.

The restaurant has opened its doors for only a little over a week, but the food is delicious and authentic. Great service overall, especially in comparison to its competitors throughout the city! The restaurant is quite small, but the environment is modern and family-friendly.

Click HERE for more restaurant reviews!

The Pancakery (Destin, Florida)

Sun, 05 May 2013 13:43:00 -0500

Every summer the “Chef” and I go to Destin, Florida for our annual vacation. Coming from a city known for its delicious food (“The Big Easy”), you often have high expectations for food when traveling. Destin isn’t known for its food…but well-known for its emerald beach waters and white powdery sand, but we happened to stumble across this cute little brunch place called Pancakery..

Atomic Bomblette. Hot sausage. Jalapenos. Green and red peppers. Onions. Mushrooms. Pepperjack cheese.

Sand dollar pancakes.

Crabcake Benedict.

Sure, they specialize in pancakes, but I much prefer the breakfast items that some even have the option of subbing the toast out for sand dollar sized pancakes…The omelette was about the size of my forearm! Although the menu says the omelette has 5 eggs worth, the waitress told us it’s probably 9! Definitely a stretch, but it was huge! The crabcake benedict was delicious. You could definitely taste loads of crab within..the hollaindaise wasn’t the purest one I’ve had, but it was still delicious.

If you happen to be visiting or just lucky enough to be living in the city of Destin, stop by Pancakery for a delicious breakfast…I know I’ll be back!

Click HERE to check out my other reviews!

Vizard's/Hevin (New Orleans, LA: December 21st, 2012) [CLOSED]

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 16:25:02 -0500

I know I’ve been MIA for quite a while…let’s say I’ve been on a little hiatus, but since I’m coming back to the blogging scene, I thought I should give tribute to one of my favorite restaurants in NOLA…unfortunately, Vizard’s is no longer open, but before the grand closing, Kevin Vizard, created a menu of his best dishes…

Crabmeat Nelson crispy eggplant, jumbo lump crab, crimini mushroom, green onion, bearnaise

BBQ Shrimp and Crab. shrimp, crab claws, onion, abita, lemon, worcestershire, rosemary, garlic

Greens, Egg, and Ham. spinach, arugula, poached quail egg, duck confit, manchego, crouton, roasted shallot vinaigrette

Pan Seared Gulf Fish. crabmeat, brabant potatoes, haricot verts, thyme brown butter

Petite Filet. tenderloin, asparagus, roasted fingerlings, roasted shallot demi

Black and Blue. soft centered dark chocolate cake, blue cheese, port wine reduction, berries, creme.

Each dish was paired with a wine..including the dessert. That’s a lot of wine! “The chef” and I could barely finish our glasses, but it sure was an enjoyable meal. My favorite dish: the Pan Seared Gulf Fish. I’ve always loved simplistic dishes…although the fish was simple, it was well-seasoned and never bores your taste buds. Kevin Vizzard dished out his best dishes for the grand closing. Great job chef! Hope to see a new establishment soon!

Bayou Hot Wings (Audubon, New Orleans)

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 23:13:00 -0600

New Orleans is known for it’s boiling pot of great restaurants all around the city, but when it comes to fast food, where do you go? With the superbowl right around the corner, wings are a hot commodity and Bayou Hot Wings has to be one of the best wings around! It’s so good that the Travel Channel selected BHW to be one of three other restaurants in the city to be on Adam Richman’s special “Super Bowl Tailgate Takeover” airing January 30 9ET/8CT. The owners are local New Orleans chefs that take pride in local flavors and homemade dishes. All the wings are 24+hr marinated and the sauces are made in house. They even offer local dishes: jambalaya, fried frog legs, and gator bites.

Sausage and Seafood Jambalaya. Tasso. Sausage. Shrimp.

Deep Fried Frog Legs. Excellent when paired with Remoulade sauce.

Thick Seasoned Onion Rings.

Caesar Wrap with a touch of Hotboy Sauce.

1/2 lb Burger with Hotboy Sauce. Steak fries.

Last but not least…WINGS: (left to right) Hotboy, Chipotle BBQ, Sweet, Lemon Pepper

I’ve basically tried the whole menu and I have to say it deserves more than the “best fast food” title…Every menu item comes out fully garnished, steaming hot, and packed with authentic chef-made flavors. I LOVE that their specialty is wings, but even the burgers are delicious…probably one of the best burgers I’ve had!

My favorites: Chipotle BBQ wings, Hotboy wings, onion rings, coleslaw, and ALL of the burgers

Local favorites: Jambalaya, Fried Gator Bites, and Fried Frog Legs w/ Remoulade sauce

If you haven’t tried them yet, I HIGHLY recommend this local wing joint. Not into wings? No worries, because I enjoy their non-wing items just as much..if not more! Tell them chefsgirl sent you ^_^

Borgne (CBD, New Orleans)

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 00:20:00 -0600

Chef John Besh does it again! I’ve heard about Borgne by word of mouth, but what really inspired me to go try it out for myself was when I tried the Oyster Amandine at New Orleans Oyster Festival at Woldenburg Park 2012 (click for pictures). I swear, festival food is always the best..Have you ever heard of the law of Diminishing returns? Basically, when applied to food, it means serving food in small bites that leave your palate longing for more…so when I tried multiple miniscule oyster dishes at the festival, you can only imagine how I felt when I only got to enjoy a BITE of Oysters Amandine…After that experience, I’ve had high expectations for Borgne…

Panoramic restaurant view.

Early for lunch…

Charbroiled Oysters.

Duck Poppers. Jalapeno. Bacon.

Slow Smoked Pork Empanadas. White BBQ Sauce.

Sopa Ajo (Garlic Soup). Garlic Soup. Idiazabal Cheese. Cured Egg Yolk.

Honeysuckle Hotty. Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka. Hot Chamomile Tea. (Missing: Sugar Candy pop)

Marinated Crab Fingers. Bread Salad. Torn Herbs.

Ragout of Louisiana Rabbit (Lunch Special). Orecchiette Pasta. Garlic. Tomatoes. Rapini. Reminds me a lot of the Spicy Lamb Meatball dish at Domenica’s except with rabbit!

Fried P&J Oysters Amandine. Grilled Mushrooms. Wilted Spinach. Oh..the delicious Oysters Amandine…Delicious and LOADED with cornmeal crusted oysters!

Seared Jumbo Shrimp. Brandade Ravioli. Shrimp Chorizo Consomme. Brussel Sprouts. Pumpkin. Chick Peas.

Pecan Praline Beignets.

My favorite dishes had to be anything with oysters: Charbroiled oysters and Oysters Amandine. I also LOVED the Pork Empanadas...Honestly, I hadn’t known much about Spanish or Mexican food until I relocated to Texas and since then, I just LOVE it. It’s just so rich, but can be so refreshing at the same time.

What didn’t I like? We had a grapefruit sorbet (not pictured) that was definitely homemade, but the fruit itself was not ripe and left a not-so-enjoyable bitter aftertaste. Another item I could’ve done without was the Honeysuckle Hotty. My girlfriend said the same about her cocktail so if anything, I would suggest grabbing a local beer like NOLA Brewing. I really like the blonde ale..it’s lighter and goes great with the food at Borgne.

Overall, good meal! I feel like Borgne’s menu is a boiling pot of Domenica and Luke…The rusticness of Luke together the Italian refinement of Domenica. If you’re in the CBD and looking for a fine lunch, Borgne is a great place to try!

Emeril's Delmonico (St. Charles, New Orleans)

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 09:23:00 -0600

Emeril’s Delmonico is a classic New Orleans restaurant located along the streetcar line on St. Charles. It’s on the upper end of Emeril’s line of restaurants. Decor was classic NOLA style and the service was friendly…a little awkward at times, but still very good. “The Chef” has a friend in the industry, who works at Emeril’s New Orleans, and ever since our dining experience there, we’ve gained a newfound respect for Emeril’s work so we just had to try Delmonico again after all these years.

Blue Crab Dip. You know how much I love my crabmeat…

Sweet Potato and Ricotta Gnocchi. Nola brown ale braised MS rabbit. Tasso. Roasted mushrooms. Carmelized Onions.

Broccoli Rabe.

20oz. Bone-in Ribeye. (1/2 of the steak pictured above…”The Chef” and I shared it) Served w/ housemade compound butter. Emeril’s worcestershire. Bearnaise and Chimichurri sauces. Naturally raised, dry aged on premises for 17-23 days. Handcut and broiled at 1200 degrees.

Chef friends have recommended this steak and I can taste why...It was delicious. No extra sauces needed. Well-seasoned and moist. We ordered medium since it was a thicker steak and it came out perfectly! Delmonico’s isn’t a steakhouse, but you don’t have to be steakhouse to know a good steak. I’ve been to a few steakhouses in the city and you can’t even compare those steaks to this one…

Overall, it was a great dining experience. Despite the fancy setting, it’s more laid back than the showy presentation I remember from years ago, which I don’t really mind. It’s comfortable and better reflects true New Orleans fine dining..great food with good ‘ol Southern hospitality.

If you haven’t been to Delmonico, I’d recommend that you try it at least once!

Tartine (Audubon, New Orleans)

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:28:00 -0600

Tartine is a cute and quaint little cafe that serves French breakfast and pastries. Before I even show you pictures, I must say that the food here is delicious! All the breads are made in house…nice and crunchy on the outside, but dense and soft on the inside. Breakfast is delicious and lunch is basically a breakfasty version of lunch…(my best explanation). They put a little touch of “Tartine” on every menu item…

Baked Egg in Brioche.

My favorite part about breakfast foods…the cutting of the poached egg. Who knew egg yolk could be such a delicious sauce!

Quiche.

Cafe Au Lait.

Ham Sandwich. Triple Cream Brie. Fig Mustard. Butter Lettuce on a Baguette.

Salmon Rillete.

So I’m showing you pictures from two different occasions…one to go order and one sit down in their tiny patio. It’s THAT good..I’ve been here multiple times and just can’t get tired of the food. It’s refreshing and not overly heavy considering you’re eating quite a bit of carbs. All spreads are flavorful and leave you wanting more…

I don’t know what else to say. I love it so much that writing this post is making me want to visit tomorrow morning. I’ll see y’all there!

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UPDATE 12/28/2012

So as promised, I paid another visit to Tartine and they did it again! I know this is a long post, but I’m sure a little eye candy won’t bother your taste buds…

Soup of the Day: Cauliflower Soup.

House Pate. Dijon. Onion Confit. Baguette.

House Smoked Turkey. Gruyere. Avocado. Roasted Gartlic Aioli. Butter Lettuce. Honey Wheat Bread.

Everything was delicious, as expected. The thing I’ve noticed with Tartine is the simplicity of all their menu items. All tartines consist of a skinny baguette baked to a perfect crunch on the outside and dense yet fluffy inside. Each baguette is topped with a fully flavored, well-seasoned spread of choice (salmon, pork, pate..etc). Sandwiches are simple and plain in appearance, but don’t let that fool you…like the House Smoked Turkey Sandwich did to me. The bread was a light and fluffy texture stuffed with deliciously smoked turkey. What really blew me away was how the garlic aioli could add so much flavor. I just wanna add garlic aioli to everything now! I can go on and on…but you’ll just have to try it for yourself!

My favorite items:

Pork Rillette
Smoked Turkey Sandwich
Ham Sandwich

Dallas State Fair October 2012 (Dallas, Texas)

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 19:06:00 -0600

So it’s been quite a while since my last post. I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus, but I’m back and I’ve got plenty of foodventures to share with y’all! My latest foodie event: The Dallas State Fair! The day before I arrived, Big Tex, the State Fair mascot burned down and I never got to take a picture of him! For those who don’t know, Big Tex was the 60 year old mascot of the Dallas State Fair. He passed due to an electrical fire.

Click here for article…

The Food

Just so you know, the State Fair is known for EVERYTHING FRIED. I mean EVERTHING! I didn’t order everything, but these are just a few things that caught my attention.

Fletcher’s Jalapeno Cheese Corndog. Best corndog ever! Crispy on the outside, jalapeno-ey and cheesy on the inside. One of my favorite items at the State Fair.

Fried Frito Pie. Crispy fried batter on the outside, chili on the inside. Not my fav, but I’d rather an actual frito pie! For those who aren’t familiar with frito pie (it must be a Texas thing!), it’s Frito lay chips with chili and any other additional toppings.

Fried Tres Leches Cake. (above and below) My fav fried dessert at the state fair! Great thing crispiness on the outside with moist tres leches cake on the inside.

Fried Cheesecake. Not my favorite…You get tired of it really fast and the fried part had an old grease flavor..eh!

Fried Brownies.

My favs: Fletcher’s Jalapeno & Cheese corndog, Fried Tres Leches Cake

Not so fav: Fried cheesecake, Fried Frito Pie

Whoever said “Anything fried is good!” may have been on the right track, but you gotta admit, some things just aren’t meant to be fried.

Overall, it was a great foodie trip. If you didn’t go this year, it’s worth a shot! Check it out around Sept/Oct 2013. I had a great time finding good food and enjoying Texas culture!

Cochon Butcher (Warehouse District, New Orleans)

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 21:20:00 -0500

If you’re familiar with Chef Donald Link’s restaurant, Cochon, well you’re in luck because Cochon Butcher is right around the corner! It’s a casual deli as opposed to the finer Cochon. They offer a variety of meats, sausages, and best of all sandwiches! Cochon is known for their charcuterie so it’s only natural that the sandwiches are fresh and equally as delicious as the fine meals at its finer counterpart.

Pastrami w/ Sauerkraut on Rye.

BBQ Pork. “Carolina Style”

Hot Boudin. To Go! I’ve been on a boudin craze lately so anywhere there’s boudin, you know I’ll be getting it! This particular boudin was SO good. Who would’ve thought that creole mustard could go so well with it?

Each dish was served with homemade sweet pickles. Great for balancing out their savory dishes. After dining at Cochon Butcher, I ordered a few other sandwiches for “the chef” so he could enjoy at work…and he agrees! Not a single sandwich disappointed us. Every bite infused with flavor…

Cochon Butcher has been open for quite some time now, but lately has been “Talk Of The Town” (on Urbanspoon). Why now? Who knows, but it deserves the recognition!

Upcoming Entries..

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 00:41:00 -0500

Just wanted to let y’all know that I didn’t forget about you! I’ve been on a little hiatus and doing a little travelling to Houston and Dallas so look forward to upcoming entries from there. And of course, for my NOLA readers, I definitely have some great NOLA entries coming as well!

Texas Entries:

Houston Greek Festival

Dallas State Fair

NOLA Restaurants:

Cochon Butcher

Tartine

La Boca

and more…

Until then..Enjoy your week and have a Haunted Halloweeeen!!

Katie's Restaurant & Bar (Mid-City, New Orleans)

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:41:00 -0500

What inspired me to write this post was this lovely Groupon deal: click here. Now I wouldn’t advertise it if I didn’t think it was delicious. And if that didn’t convince you yet, Chef Scot Craig’s restaurant was featured of Diners, Drive-in’s, and Dives.

I discovered Katie’s through Oyster Festival (click here for Oyster Festival post)…and one of my favorite foods at the Oyster Festival was Katie’s White Chocolate Bread Pudding so I just HAD to check them out!

It was a beautiful day outside..so we opted for streetside seating.

Jay’s Chargrilled Oysters. Louisiana Chargrilled Oysters. Garlic Butter. Parmesan Cheese.

Katie’s Homemade Crab Cakes. Two 4 oz Crab Cakes Overstuffed with Crabmeat and topped with Jumbo Lump Crabmeat and Remoulade Sauce.

These crab cakes were GINORMOUS and delicious…fried deliciousness balanced w/ the tartness of remoulade. My only complaint would be the lack of “Jumbo Lump Crabmeat” on top. It was there, just not as JUMBO as you would imagine. The overstuffed crab cake itself made up for that…

Scottie’s Cnn Blackberry & Jalapeno Ribs. Slow cooked baby back ribs marinated in tangy and spicy blackberry and jalapeno bbq sauce with choice of two sides: Mashed Potatoes and Veggie du Jour.

Ribs were fall-off-the-bone and you wouldn’t expect good BBQ in NOLA, but it was delicious!

White Chocolate Bread Pudding. Just as delicious as I had remembered!

Did Katie’s Restaurant live up to all the hype??? Definitely! In fact, I’ll be back to try their brunch and I’ll tell you all about it! =)

Boucherie (Carrollton, New Orleans)

Sat, 29 Sep 2012 09:58:00 -0500

I discovered this restaurant years ago at a Festival downtown, where they had their food truck, “The Que Crawl”…They served these delicious roast beef poboys. Then I found out that “The Que Crawl” is a branch off of Boucherie so I just had to check it out. Went there for lunch one day and have loved it ever since!

12 Hour Roast Beef Po’boy w/ Pickled Red Onions & Horseradish Cream. Moist and savory with a wonderful balance of pickled onions and horseradish cream. What’s different about this poboy is that it’s stuffed into French bread from a local Vietnamese bakery, Dong Phuong. It’s a must try if you eat here!

Boudin Balls w/ Garlic Aioli. I’ve been on a major boudin kick lately and this has to be the best boudin ball I’ve ever had…I don’t know what they put in here, but it was DELISH! Boucherie does a great job at balancing flavors with a little bit of tartness.

Smoked Wagyu Beef Brisket w/ Garlicky Parmesan Fries.

Every dish was a 10/10 and to top it all off, you get so much bang for your buck! Boucherie offers the best prices for upscale dishes. One suggestion…Make sure you make reservations on weekends. It’s a tiny little restaurant so they get packed really easily and with no reservations…it’s a looooonggg wait AND all you can do is be tortured by other guests devouring Boucherie’s finest dishes.

Try it out, you’ll LOVE it!

Restaurant Listing

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 21:12:00 -0500

A guide with LINKS to all of my reviews…Still thinking of a good way to organize them for y’all, but until then… Enjoy!

NEW ORLEANS RESTAURANTS REVIEWS

NOLA DESSERTS

NOLA EVENTS

New Orleans Oyster Festival 2012

TEXAS EVENTS

Dallas State Fair 2012

HOUSTON

FLORIDA

The Pancakery

Restaurant R'evolution (French Quarter, New Orleans)

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 23:46:00 -0500

I’ve been holding back on y’all…There’s a new restaurant in town and it has to be one of THE best restaurants in the city. Award-winning chefs Rick Tramonto and John Folse got together and created a revolution…

Bread and butter!

Torchon of Foie Gras.

“What the heck is torchon???” is the first thing I said when “the chef” wanted to order this…For those of you who are wondering the same thing, it describes the method of cooking the foie gras…”au torchon” which translates to “in a towel”. The duck liver loses a lot of fat in the process, but is cooked to perfection!

If you love foie gras, this dish was perfect…peach infused foie gras with an assortment of dried fruits and nuts.

Toasty sliced bread for foie gras.

Crab and Corn Cappaccino (above and below)

This delicious “cappaccino” came out on a fancy VERSACE tableset…So sad I didn’t get a picture of the whole set, but what a great reason to go back =)

The crab came out separately on a spoon for your own mixing pleasure…Just like sugar in your cappaccino!

Crisp Sweetbreads. Herbsaint Meuniere. Forest Mushrooms.

BEST SWEETBREADS I’ve ever had…Note the microcarrot. Very nice touch!

Foie Gras w/ Peach Brulee (seasonal)

Triptych of Quail: Southern-fried, Boudin-stuffed, Absinthe glazed.

Sheep Ricotta Gnocchi w/ Lobster. Vanilla. Tarragon. Lobster Roe.

White Chocolate Bread Pudding Creme Brulee. Lemon-scented Apricots. Bourbon Caramel Sauce.

What an experience! I have yet to try a Michelin star rated restaurant, but if I were to guess, this comes uber close. The many levels of flavors…One dish that stood out to me was the Crab and Corn Cappaccino. Not quite a cappaccino, but a soup rendition. I was amazed at how intricate the flavors were..with each bite, I could taste each ingredient stand on its own as it passed my taste buds…You have to try it to know what I mean!

My FAVORITE DISH had to be the sweetbreads. I’ve never gotten sweetbreads so honkin’ large before! They were juicy and delicious..UNFORGETTABLE! Another notable dish was the Triptych of Quail…3 quails, 3 different ways. My favorite quail was…can you guess? The Boudin-stuffed one!

Don’t be shy to sit at the bar..great table service, even if you’re sitting at the bar. You’ll be served by their excellent bartenders who are super friendly and accommodating!

Great service, elegant decor, and phenomenal food…You won’t regret it!

Dante's Kitchen (Carrollton, New Orleans)

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 23:24:00 -0500

It’s easy to forget about such a great establishment when so many newer and hip places are opening up in the city. “The Chef” and I decided to visit Dante’s Kitchen, a restaurant we last went to years ago, but LOVED the food. Why haven’t I returned sooner? I don’t know, but here we are…

Wine collection.

Spoonbread. I know it’s only bread, but for some reason, this is the most memorable dish. When I think Dante’s Kitchen, the first thing that comes to mind is spoon bread… Moist and buttery. Warm and syrupy.

Duck Fat Roasted Smashed New Potatoes.

Mashed potatoes infused with Duck Fat??? How can you say “No” to that?!

Seared Scallops. Smoked Peach Puree. Basil Oil.

Slow Cooked Duck Neck Stuffed Buckwheat Crepe. Vineyard Currants. Farro. Chicken Cracklin’.

I’ve never had farro until now, but the way they prepared it was delicious! It was well-seasoned and went really well with the duck neck filled crepe…

Bubble and “Squeak Breads”. Pan-fried Sweetbreads. Housemade Sauerkraut. Dark Beer and Corned Beef Broth.

Escargot. Bordelaise Sauce. Roasted Marrow Bone.

It’s been years since I’ve last been to Dante’s Kitchen and I’m almost sad I hadn’t returned sooner. This was such a good meal…Not a single dish failed to please. Every dish was thoroughly prepared and well thought out. Sauces and broths were simple yet jampacked with flavor.

Dante’s Kitchen has a pretty romantic setting, but would still be great for a night out with friends! Honestly, any restaurant is great for any setting. You can’t go wrong with delicious food and good company =)

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Upcoming Entries:

Restaurant R’evolution

ChefsGirl Restaurant Listing

What are your favorite Cajun dives in Houston?

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 22:31:58 -0500

That’s a really great question! I’ve actually tried a couple places in Houston and unfortunately, haven’t had the best of luck. I am so biased and I love New Orleans food so much that I feel like Louisiana is THE best place to get Cajun food. I know it’s out there, but if anyone knows a good place for Cajun food in Htown, let me know!

Yuki Izakaya (Marigny, New Orleans)

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 23:47:00 -0500

So..I’ve never been to Japan and I’ve never had “authentic” Japanese cuisine, but if I had to guess, Yuki Izakaya is the closest you’ll get around here. Everything from the decor and jazzy Japanese band shouts “I’m in Japan!”. Izakaya means “tavern” in Japanese…so Yuki is more of a bar setting than a restaurant. They don’t offer any sushi or rolls, instead they have a great menu filled with small dishes (Japanese tapas pretty much)…great for late night drinking and Japanese bar food.

Walking in, you already feel this extra cool vibe…Live jazz music playing. There’s no cover, but they do charge 0.50 per dish once the DJ starts playing. Chump change for awesome vibes and great food!

Cool Japanese movie posters.

House Plum Wine.

Spicy Tuna Tataki.

Takoyaki. Octopus Dumplings.

“The Chef” was raving about octopus dumplings he had in NYC and was dying to try Yuki’s…They were different from the ones he tried, but he LOVED them too! Loved the plating!

Snowcrab Pintxo. Basque influenced tapas.

Fried Squid Legs.

Japanese Ramen. Braised Pork Belly and Egg.

Yuki was a great experience! Great selection of beers and have a large selection of shoju. The food was consistent across the board…consistently DELICIOUS! Best bar experience I’ve EVER had…Live music, great food…Can’t get enough of it in this city!

Milk Bar (Uptown, New Orleans)

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:02:00 -0500

I’ve been craving sandwiches lately and who knew we had so many great spots right here in New Orleans! Milk Bar is in the uptown area. Recently renovated to be smoking-free. If you go to use the bathroom, you’ll actually notice that Milk Bar is connected to a bar (which explains why they needed to renovate to be smoke-free). Nevertheless, inside is quite clean with brightly painted walls, and cutesy cow-themed decor.

Outside View.

Condiments Bar and Special Menus.

Seating.

Strawberry Milkshake.I can’t remember the last time I’ve had a milkshake…and this definitely made me feel like a kid for the day! lol

Clooney’s Choice. Marinated Chicken. Avocado. Tomato. Roasted Red Pepper. Red Onion. Mozzarella. Cilantro. Lemon Mayo.

*Special* Shrimply the Best w/ Zapps Chips (New Orleans Voo Doo Flava). Sauteed Shrimp. Pesto. Roma Tomato. Red Onion. Mozzarella. Lemon Mayo.

**Just a suggestion, these sandwiches are HUGE. Unless you have a HUGE appetite, split the sandwich! We were able to finish both sandwiches, but we were stuffed…)

My favorite part of this meal had to be the Ciabatta bread. Light and crispy on the outside, puffy and light on the inside. I’m no bread connoisseur, but as someone who loves bread, this was delicious…As for the sandwiches overall, I loved both! If you had to choose between the two, choose the Shrimp if you want something warm and savory OR choose the Clooney if you want something fresh and delicious. Oddly, “the Chef’s” fav was the Shrimp and mine was the Clooney (not because of the name ^_~), but I had ordered shrimp and he ordered the Clooney!

I can’t wait to try Milk Bar’s other items! If you’re looking around for a great sandwich spot, this is IT. Compared to Stein’s Market and Deli?? You can’t! They both offer different types of sandwiches, but Milk Bar definitely has made my Top 5 Sandwich joints as well.