chefsgirl

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
• La Petite Grocery (Brunch)
• 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

• Angelo Brocato
• Honeydeux

NOLA EVENTS

• New Orleans Oyster Festival 2012

HOUSTON

• Fat Bao
• Torchy’s Tacos
• Uchi

FLORIDA

• The Pancakery

NYC deli in NOLA? It exists…with a touch of local flare, of course! Walking in, you can already feel the New York City vibe…NY paraphernalia, assortment of Italian items, and we can’t forget the deli…

Market area. 

NY Wall!

Deli Aisle.

Potato Salad.

Roast Beef Special. Cold Roast Beef. Swiss. Cole Slaw. Rye Bread w/ Russian Dressing.

The Coleslaw was SO goood…..glad it came on both sandwiches!

Pastrami on Rye Bread. The pastrami was thin and crispy on the outside and deliciously savory on the inside. Loved it! I haven’t tried the corned beef yet, but I’ll save that for next time.

Local Zapps Sweet Potato Chips and Zero Calorie Root Beer.  Didn’t care too much for these two. The chips were a little stale, but I believe that’s just how sweet potato chips usually are. They don’t hold much of a crisp. As for the root beer, you could tell it had zero calories…and by that, I mean not good. Although these side items were a little so-so, the overall meal was great!

Truly authentic NY deli…Eating here reminded me of my trip to NYC and eating at Carnegie Deli minus the 40 minute wait. The space is a bit tight, but there’s enough tables for people to dine in.

Will I return again? I already have. After this visit, I even returned yesterday to try the Turkey Panini and it was delicious. Not your ordinary Turkey panini…great depth of flavors in such an ordinary menu item. It’s obvious that every element here is made in house…sauces, pickles, and especially the deli meat.

If you’re looking for a place with delicious sandwiches, this is the place…Stein’s Market & Deli, you have my vote for Top 5 Sandwich Spots in the city!

Of all of Emeril Lagasse’s New Orleans restaurants, NOLA is the most casual and laid back but still very nice. Great for a night out with the family or just a casual date night with your significant other. The restaurant is very warehouse district. There are approximately 3 stories…just my guess since I’ve only been on the first and second floor, but the see-through elevators are constantly taking guests up and down between floors. 

View from my seat..

Table with a view! 

Casual dining at its best!

Enough pictures of the restaurant..let’s get to the food! When “the chef” and I looked at the menu, many of the appetizers stood out to us much more than the actual entrees so we created our very own tasting menu…

Complimentary Ciabatta bread and Cornbread. 

Miss Hay’s Stuffed Chicken Wings. Homemade Hoisin Dipping Sauce. 

LOVED this dish…I’m typically not a fan of “fusion” types of food, but here, American + Asian = DIVINE! The authentic Vietnamese egg roll stuffing inside a juicy deep fried chicken wing was interesting and leaves you wanting more…

Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza. Parmesan Cheese. Truffle Oil. Baby Arugula.

Although it appears large, it’s light and savory…

Aged Allen Benton’s Country Ham Salad. Moonshine Spiked Watermelon. Arugula. Feta Cheese. Citrus-Herb Vinaigrette. 

Gumbo of the Day: Cochon and Andouille Gumbo.

New Orleans Style Crab Cake. Spicy Corn Relish. Crystal-Butter Sauce. 

Good but not my favorite. The corn relish balanced the heavily seasoned crab cake and gave it a refreshing kick with the Crystal-Butter sauce. 

Crispy Smoked Duck and Mushroom Boudin Balls. Tomato-Bacon Jam. Creole Mustard. 

NOLA Banana Pudding Layer Cake. Graham Cracker Crust. Vanilla Wafers. Fudge Sauce. 

One thing I’ve learned is when you’re craving a good ol’ homemade banana pudding, you won’t get it at these upper echelon restaurants…but what you will get is an overly decadent yet still so delicious version. Not too far from the original homemade kind…fresh slices of banana, light pudding cream, graham cracker crust…loved it! 

Great experience at NOLA in Nola! Great service. Cool and casual vibe. Great place for a laid back night but very good food. Props to Mr. Emeril Lagasse!

Dick and Jenny’s is located along New Orleans’ own Tchoupitoulas street, known for it’s old time New Orleans homes and traditional warehouse architecture. You could almost miss this restaurant, because it blends right in with the homes around it.

Inside…homey decor. Reminds me of Grandma’s house…will it compare to grandma’s food??

Breads!

Corn Fried Oysters, Southern Coleslaw, and Remoulade.

Garlicky Escargot. Sauteed Escargot. Neuske Bacon and Mushrooms. Garlic Butter Reduction. Not your classic French-style escargot, but the touch of bacon and mushrooms was a nice surprise.

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Duck Confit and Louisiana Alligator Sauce. Slow cooked duck confit leg quarter. Alligator Sausage w/ Spaghettie Squash, Southern Greens, and Tangy Orange-Chili Glaze.

Abita Braised Beef Short Ribs. Decadent Mac & Cheese, Brown Butter Sauteed Brussel Sprouts. Spiced Bourbon Demi-Glace.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sundae w/ Vanilla Creole Creamery Ice Cream.

As you can see, the food was delicious! Very hardy and homey. I loved the Corn fried oysters and remoulade…perfectly crispy and with the addition of coleslaw and remoulade was soooo good! My personal favorite dish had to be the dessert…Yes, it looks overwhelming, but the chocolate chip cookie wasn’t just your ordinary chocolate chip. Two decadent cookies filled with your local ice cream…yum!

If you’re looking for some good ‘ol Southern cooking, Dick and Jenny’s is a great place to try out. They offer large portions so either be prepared for it OR order less. That’s something the chef and I need to learn…Our eyes tend to be larger than our stomachs!

Luke is one of John Besh’s restaurants and if you know about JB…you know all of his restaurants are sure to please! It’s a nice restaurant located inside the Hilton St. Charles Hotel in the CBD. It’s filled with businessmen discussing work over some fine food…It’s a different setting from your usual New Orleans feel, but I like it! 

Baked P&J Oysters. Herbsaint, persillade crust. 

Found a pearl in my oyster!

Fried Oyster, Bacon, Romaine & Avocado Salad. Could not get enough of the oysters. They’re coated in a seasoned cornmeal batter that is so delicately crispy…and then you bite into the fat, juicy oyster. The applewood bacon was nice and thick…great flavors all together! 

Omelette of Local Crabmeat. My favorite brunch menu item! Filled with asparagus, crabmeat, and creme fraiche. 

Gaufrettes. Light and crispy, perfect for the omelette!

Moules et Frites. I can’t get enough of these mussels…the buttery, herbacious (if  that’s a word!) bowl of mussels. It’s bigger than you think, so it’s definitely shareable. Save your bread for the oh so delicious sauce on the bottom!

Pommes Frites.

Even though the setting is more business, the dishes here make me feel at home… Besh really knows how to keep it simple, but still have the ability to make the food burst with flavor in your mouth! The flavors are so deep and rich…I don’t know how else to say it! Dinners are delicious as well, but I’ll save my thoughts for another day =) 

Since Valentine’s Day was right around the corner, it’s only appropriate that I share my Vday dinner! 

For Vday we went to Ralph’s On the Park, located in New Orleans’ historic City Park. Ralph’s is owned by the Brennan family, a New Orleans’ culinary family. If you want to experience geniune New Orleans flavors, visit a Brennan’s family restaurant. This one is one of the many typically known for their brunch. 

Blue Crab Beignets masa fried oysters, pan seared pork belly, Meyer lemon gastrique

American Wagyu Beef Belly star anise and juniper, cranberry-infused worcestershire glaze

Honey Mussels (Aphrodisiac menu) tagliatelle pasta, fennel sausage, saffron, fresh herbs, tomatoes, white wine

Oysters Aphrodite (Aphrodisiac menu) w/ spicy pepper jelly cream

Salmon Roulade  w/ lobster and white chocolate filling, wilted spinach, salmon roe, vanilla bean beurre blanc

The meal was delicious! My favorite had to be the Wagyu…it just melts into a seasoned butter in your mouth. I love the detail of flavors that Ralph’s brought to my plate. I will definitely return…especially since I have yet to try this epic brunch that everyone talks about!