ChefsGirl

Monthly Archives: June 2012

Cafe Zen (Gretna, Louisiana)

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BEST sushi on the WESTBANK! There’s quite a few new sushi restaurants that are poppin’ up in the city, but Cafe Zen still has got to be one of the best. It’s located in a strip mall on Belle Chasse Hwy. They use to be a few suites down, but moved to a more spacious and exposed location on the main corner of the strip mall. 

The sushi is always fresh. The sushi rolls are unique…you won’t find these same rolls anywhere else in the city. 


Sashimi Roll w/ Soy paper. Fresh Sashimi. Japanese Herbs. Optional cucumber or soybean wrapper. 


Tiger Roll (front). California roll wrapped with fresh salmon and BBQ Eel.  Caterpillar Roll. Snow crab. BBQ eel. Cucumbers. Avocado.


Sashimi Dinner (comes with Miso Soup). 


Tornado Roll. Fresh tuna, salmon. Avocado. Smelt Roe. Cream Cheese. Snowcrab. Deepfried in Tempura batter. 


Hana Special Roll. Tempura shrimp. Fresh tuna and salmon. Snow Crab. Omelet. Cucumber. Avocado. Smelt Roe. 

This roll is GINORMOUS but it’s delicious! It’s one of my favorite rolls..probably because it’s fully loaded and you get a little bit of everything in one roll. I’d say there’s about 4 true rolls in ONE of these Hana Special rolls. I tend to get 1/2 Hana Special so I have room for my other favorites!


Baked Salmon Roll. Baked fresh salmon filet wrapped around snow crab.

Notable Dishes (not pictured) 

  •  Noodle Salad – they provide a small complimentary dish just for coming to dine in, but I always order a whole extra order just because I love it that much. 
  • Red Dragon Roll. 

If you’re  searching for a great sushi joint, this is it. Fresh, original sushi rolls. Always fresh sashimi. Whether you’re in the city searching for good sushi or just happen to be in the area, Cafe Zen is a must try! 


Cafe Zen on Urbanspoon

Torchy’s Tacos (Houston, TX)

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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! 

Torchy's Tacos on Urbanspoon

Gott Gourmet’s Brunch (Magazine St., New Orleans)

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I’ve been wanting to try Gott Gourmet’s brunch for some time now, but every time I’ve gone, they stopped serving it or didn’t serve it that day. So before you go, make sure you know their hours: 

Tues-Fri 11AM-9PM, Sat-Sun 8AM-5PM 

Brunch: Weekends ONLY 8AM-12 NOON

Remember my last blog about Gott Gourmet’s lunch menu? They had THE best mac and cheese ever (w/ jalapenos and bacon)…so it definitely set a high standard for the brunch menu that everyone’s been talking about. I really wish they served it for brunch as well…I kinda wanted a side of it to go with my meal. What can I say? I’m not a light breakfast kinda girl!


Welcome!


Biscuits and Gravy. Buttermilk Biscuits w/ Local Creole Country Brand Sausage, Caramelized Onion, and Portabello Mushroom Gravy.


Ham and Brie Eggs Benedict. Eggs Benedict w/ Chisesi Dr. Pepper Shaved Ham, Melted Brie. Grilled Tomatoes. Asparagus. 


Designed my own omelet! We’ll call it, the ChefsGirl Omelet. Lump Crabmeat. Baby Spinach. Swiss. Truffle Oil. Portabello Mushroom. Loved what I got, but I wish I added some sort of protein…possibly bacon or ham. My mistake! 


After my long awaited brunch at Gott Gourmet, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Food was delicious! “The Chef” and I shared a table outside on the sidewalk…it was nice to finally enjoy the outdoors with nice weather, great food, and just the chill vibe that Magazine St. has to offer…

Gott Gourmet Cafe on Urbanspoon

Coquette (Magazine St., New Orleans)

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After hearing rave reviews, I just had to try it. Tucked onto a corner, Coquette adds a little character to the street. Outside it almost looks like a French Quarter home. Inside…very romantic feel…brickwalls, candlelit tables. There was a bar that took up almost half the restaurant, but who’s complaining?? haha..

Now let’s get to the food….

Bread and Butter!


Fried Oysters.


Pork Belly Fritters.


Duck Breast. Roasted Fennel. English Peas. Citrus. 


Black Drum. Crawfish tails. Green Asparagus. Ricotta gnocchi. 


Old Fashioned Donut. Huckleberries. Oatmeal Crunch. Sour Cream Ice Cream. 


On the house treat. Some sort of jelly swirl…very light treat to a delicious meal! Don’t be fooled like I did, the cup is filled with sand and serves as a holder for the lollipops! There’s nothing edible in there…=P

Everything was delicious. Simplistic yet flavorful. Light, so you’re not overwhelmed with flavors. I don’t think I’ve seen dishes like this anywhere else in New Orleans so  their dishes are definitely original. Only disadvantage was the small portions, but I have quite the appetite so that most likely explains that! 

Coquette Bistro & Wine Bar on Urbanspoon

Honeydeux (Magazine St., New Orleans)

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Looking for a refreshing treat in this HOT weather? Honeydeux is a new local dessert shop located on the slightly hidden area of Magazine St. They have bubble teas, ice cream, and shaved ice. They even offer lunch wraps. 


Inside. Clean and sleek decor. Great service. 


Shaved Ice. Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream. Strawberries. Mangoes. Condensed Milk. Above is the Regular, which is about $5.50 and well worth it, because the cup is HUGE. 

Lovin’ the new shaved ice concept! If you’re in the mood for a refreshing, fruity treat, try Honeydeux! I love commercial places like Pinkberry, but Honeydeux is just as great. Support the locals! 


Honeydeux on Urbanspoon

Oyster Festival. (Woldenburg Park, New Orleans)

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New Orleans foodies…


Acme’s Raw Oysters. 


Elizabeth’s Fried Oysters w/ Foie Gras and Truffle Aioli. 


Katie’s Restaurant: The Legend Poboy. BBQ Shrimp and Cochon de Lait. The Legend was definitely legendary. At first sight, I though this would be one of those poboys I’d eat and eventually get tired of because of it’s rich flavors, but boy was I surprised! The Legend was Legen….wait for it…wait for it..dary! *Quoting How I Met Your Mother, in case you didn’t know lol 


Andrea’s Crab Ravioli. I know we’re at Oyster Fest, but this ravioli was delicious. It’s such a casual event, yet Andrea’s pulled out their aprons and put out a great dish. Loved it!


Borgne’s Oyster Amandine. Borgne is a fairly new John Besh restaurant and I didn’t expect them to give me anything less than this…Beautiful presentation and wonderful flavors. Big props for such a hectic event…not to mention the scorching heat!


Superior Seafood Red Beans and Rice. Great flavor with a good kick. Only downside is the rice was under/overcooked, depending on how you look at it. I’d give them a second try, but when you’re cooking rice, you know when it’s bad so they shouldn’t have put out that rice. I’ll keep into consideration that this was an outdoors event so who knows what really went down out there.


Katie’s White Chocolate Bread Pudding. This was my favorite…great texture…creamy white chocolate flavor. Well done Katie’s! I’ll have to pay a visit really soon! =)


New Orleans Snowball


Believe it or not, “the chef” and I hit up the Oyster Fest in no longer than 1.5 hours. We were on a mission: to eat, eat, and eat! It was actually really great, because there were restaurants I’ve heard of but never had the chance to try, but now that I know what they offer, I’m definitely putting some of these restaurants on top of my “To Eat” list =)


UPCOMING ENTRIES

  • Honeydeux
  • Coquette

Coulis (Uptown, New Orleans)

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Known for their brunch, Coulis is located in Uptown New Orleans…it’s great spot where the locals eat. Short and simple brunch menu, which I love. It’s as if the fewer items a restaurant has, the better the food is in quality and taste!  

 

Biscuit! Love the crispiness of these biscuits… 

 

Croissant and Egg Sandwich. Cheese, Eggs, and Bacon. I have a thing for croissant with my breakfast so this was a must.  

Eggs Benedict. Jalapeno Corn Cake. Pulled Pork Debris. Poached Eggs. Hollandaise.

 

This was my first time for brunch at Coulis, but I’d love to go again to try their lunch menu. Simple brunch, amped with a touch of New Orleans flava! Coulis was EGGcellent! You won’t regret it =D 

Coulis on Urbanspoon