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Monthly Archives: August 2012

Dante’s Kitchen (Carrollton, New Orleans)

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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 =)

Dante's Kitchen on Urbanspoon


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What are your favorite Cajun dives in Houston?

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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)

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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!

Yuki Izakaya on Urbanspoon

Milk Bar (Uptown, New Orleans)

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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.

Milk Bar on Urbanspoon

Stein’s Market & Deli (Magazine St., New Orleans)

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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!


Stein's Market & Deli on Urbanspoon