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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.
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!
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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
- Bayou Hot Wings
- Borgne (Hyatt Regency)
- Boucherie
- C’est La Vie Bistro [Closed]
- Cafe Zen
- The Company Burger
- Coquette
- Coulis
- Cowbell
- Dante’s Kitchen
- Dick and Jenny’s
- Emeril’s Delmonico
- Gott Gourmet (Brunch)
- Gott Gourmet (Lunch)
- Katie’s Restaurant and Bar
- La Petite Grocery
- Luke
- Milk Bar
- NOLA (Emeril Lagasse)
- Ralph’s on the Park
- Restaurant R’evolution
- Root
- Stanley’s Restaurant
- Stein’s Market & Deli
- Truburger
- Tartine
- Vizards
- Yuki Izakaya
NOLA DESSERTS
NOLA EVENTS
TEXAS EVENTSHOUSTON
FLORIDA
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I travel a lot between New Orleans and Houston so I thought I’d spice this blog up a little with some Mexican food!
Torchy’s Tacos was originally an Austin taco joint, which expanded and finally reached Houston. Austin is known for it’s laid back atmosphere and character and you can definitely see that in Torchy’s menu and atmosphere…
I ordered To Go so it’s not plated up as nice as when you’re dining in, but I tried!
Chicken Fajita. Tender marinated & grilled chicken breast. Grilled onions and peppers, cheese and pico. Flour tortilla.
Taco of the Month: Tuk Tuk. Marinated and grilled Thai beef fajitas. Cooked cabbage slaw. Pickled cucumbers and carrots. Sriracha. Avocado sauce. Jack Cheese. Lime. Crushed peanuts and mint. Corn Tortilla.
The next taco I’d love to try is “The Independent”…it has hand-battered deep fried portobello mushroom strips and more…but it had me at portobello…
Whether you’re dining in or ordering take out, Torchy’s is a great place when you’re craving some delicious tacos. The service is always friendly and helpful and food service is quick. The tacos vary from authentic Mexican versions to creative concoctions that are just as delicious. I know Houston has tons of taco joints, but Torchy’s will definitely satiate that taco craving!
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“The chef” and I were spending a weekend in Houston and a friend was raving about this new restaurant that opened. Little did we know, it was actually a second location to the original Uchiko (Austin, TX) where executive chef Paul Qui works. In case you didn’t know, Paul is winner of Bravo’s Top Chef Texas!
Our dinner was definitely an experience…every dish brought some excitement to us…both visually and to our taste buds. We ordered the Chef’s Tasting so we had no idea what would show up to our table….
Kaki No Shiki. Shigoku Oyster. Lychee Granite.
Random Fact: These are West Coast oysters. They have deeper bowl-shaped shells from the way they roll along the coast. The flavor profile is less briney than Gulf Coast oysters.
For a girl who use to be squeamish when it comes to raw oysters, these were delicious. Fresh and plump…mMmm!
Roasted Golden Beets. Skyr Yogurt. Bitter Greens. Acacia Honey.
Chef’s Nigiri Selection. (above and below)
Hirame Uzuzukuri. Thinly-sliced Flounder Sashimi. Candied Quinoa. Olive Oil.
This had to be one of my favorite dishes. It was refreshing with a sweet and tangy twist to it.
Wagyu To. Short Rib. Cauliflower. Beet. Black Pepper. Kumquat.
Hamachi Nabe. Baby Yellowtail. Koshi Hikari Rice. Farm egg. Soy broth.
I know, this picture makes this dish look like a plain bowl of rice, but the presentation was beautiful! When the waiter brought it out, there were these dancing rice flakes on top. It was crazyyy! As the waiter mixed the bowl, the dancing flakes disappeared and I didn’t get to photograph the interesting presentation.
Atlantic Salmon. Yokai Berry. Dinosaur Kale. Asian Pear. Yuzu.
Hirame Shiro. Halibut. Shrimp Cocunut Milk. Basil. Candied Onion.
Pork Jowl. Brussels Sprout Kimchee. Romaine. Preserved Lemon Creme Fraiche.
Okashi. Coriander Creme Brulee. Carrot. Rose. Marcona Almonds.
*Sorry for the blurry picture! Must’ve been in food coma at this point! =P
Now that I’ve seen these works of art, I definitely see the influence it had on Paul Qui. Everything from presentation to flavor…it’s no wonder he won Top Chef!
Presentation was top notch! The sashimi dishes were unbelievable! I have never had fish so fresh in my life…it was almost like they plucked them straight out of the ocean for us. Every dish had unique flavors and textures. It’s amazing how they could combine so many different elements onto one dish, and yet, they come together and make such wonderful dishes. I just can’t say it enough!
The experience was definitely a pricey one ($$$$), but well worth it!
