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Monthly Archives: June 2016

Dat Ice Roll (Uptown, New Orleans, LA)

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I was in the neighborhood and craving some Dat Dog on Magazine St when I noticed some changes. Dat Dog now has a cute little art market where you can enjoy your hot dog and peruse some cute local art. At the front of the market is a a little stand owned by an adorable French couple who came to the states to share some ice rolls with us!

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Speculoos Ice Roll. 

 

 

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Oreo Ice Roll. 

 

 

Speculoos, a cookie butter, is my favorite so far! I also tried the Oreo and that’s good too. My group was lucky since it was the last one of the day. Typically, they serve until there’s no more cream. The presentation could be quite showy, but it’s definitely a more artistic style to ice cream-making. If you’re in the area, try it! That’s all I gotta say!

TIPS: CASH ONLY

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RATING: 5/5 spoons
Dat Iceroll Nola Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Houston’s Restaurant (Central City, New Orleans, LA)

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Houston’s Restaurant, although part of a small national chain, is probably one of my favorite steak restaurants in the city! I know, everyone loves to eat local and hear all about the places that the locals like to go. Believe it or not, this is one of them!

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House-smoked Salmon. Toast. Chef’s Dressing.

 

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Hawaiian Rib-eye Steak. Pineapple Sesame Ginger Marinade. Rib-eye. Loaded Idaho Baked Potato.

 

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Kale Salad. 

 

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Jumbo Lump Crab Cake. Pan fried Blue Crab. Pommery mustard. French Fries (substituted for Kale Salad)

 

“The Chef” and I usually order the Smoked Salmon, Hawaiian Rib-eye, Lump Crab Cakes, and Kale Salad. I usually substitute the fries that come along with the crab cakes with the Kale Salad. Healthier? Maybe. Delicious? Yes! I’ve heard that certain locations don’t offer the Kale Salad as a side, but be sure to ask. What I love about this particular location is the LIVE jazz music they play every night. Houston’s is a touch of NOLA with a great company and excellent food! How could you not love it?

Dining tip: There’s usually a 40 minute wait especially closer to the weekend so be sure to call for a reservation at least two hours in advance! If not, try going on a weekday for easy, delicious, and comfortable dining!

 

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Rating: 5/5 spoons!
Houston's Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato



Whataburger #503 (Braeswood, Houston, TX)

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I am a breakfast fast food junkie. I typically don’t eat any fast food unless it’s breakfast (or if it’s Taco Bell but that’s another story). All of my Texas friends RAVE about this wonderful BOBs (Breakfast On a Bun) at Whataburger. Whether it strikes a childhood memory or is an overhyped breakfast craze, I just had to try again for myself…

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I ordered one BOB and one Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuit. I was pleasantly surprised! Years ago, I tried a BOB but wasn’t impressed, but I really enjoyed it this time! It was great for breakfast and since I was caddying my husband on the golf course, it was a tasty snack mid-round snack. Next time my crazy Texas friends rave about the Whataburger BOBs, I might have to join in! I loved it and wish Whataburger could come to NOLA! Besides the breakfast, I really love their burgers as well.

We visited the Braeswood location since it was convenient, but I’ve found other locations to be just as consistent…there’s also hundreds of them in Houston and the surrounding areas!

 

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Rating: 5/5
Whataburger Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato



Thai Spice Express (Sharpstown, Houston, TX)

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Every time I go to Houston, it’s mandatory that I go to Thai Spice Express. There’s multiple locations throughout Houston but this one is my favorite! It’s got the best and homiest Thai food around! I’ve also tried quite a few other restaurants in the city and they may be nice BUT not as flavorful. There’s counter service, they bring the food to you, and you pay afterwards.

 

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Pad Ka Praw. Ground Meat. Green Beans. Chili Basil Sauce.

 

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Spicy Combination Pad Thai (with chicken, shrimp, tofu, and egg).

 

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Yellow Chicken Curry. 

 

My favorite items to order are Pad Ka Praw, Spicy Pad Thai, Yellow Curry, and Green Curry. The portions here are usually rather large so it’s best shared family style. You can add spice to anything to kick it up a notch. Other items that I enjoy: Fried Whole Fish, Thai Tea.

Any particular specials to pay attention too? YES! If you’re looking for single portions, there’s a great lunch special for $6.99. If you happen to work in the area and looking for a homey, delicious lunch, this is THE spot. I miss it and wish we had one in New Orleans!

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Rating: 5/5 spoons!
Thai Spice Express Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato



Pizaro’s Pizza Napoletana (Montrose, Houston, TX)

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I recently made a quick trip to Houston, TX to visit some friends and a new pizza place had popped up in my old neighborhood! It’s called Pizaro’s, a family-owned restaurant that began in the Memorial area and has now expanded to Montrose. They make fresh dough in-house and bake their pizza pies in a brick oven. It’s BYOB so be sure to take advantage of that if you like to enjoy your pizza with friends and an ice cold beer or glass of wine!

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Fresh dough, made in-house.

 

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Pizza Makers ready to go!

 

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House Salad.

 

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Fumé. Olive oil. Garlic. Smoked Mozzarella. Basil. Smoked Prosciutto.

 

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Patata e Funghi. Sausage. Mushroom. Truffle Oil. Mozzarella. Rosemary. Garlic.

 

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Arugula Pizza with Iberico Ham (the most expensive ham in the world!). Note: There is an upcharge for Iberico Ham for $11.

 

The pizzas came out very quickly! Service was great and even though it was counter service, someone would come by occasionally to check on us. The pizzas were quite good. The crust was thin and doughy. I do wish there was a bit more of a chewiness to the dough, but I still enjoyed it. The space is very family friendly and great for large groups as well. Looking for Napoletana pizza in the Houston area? Pizaro’s is the home of napoletana pizza in Houston! The customer service was exceptional and really made our large group feel welcome!

 

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Rating: 4/5 spoons

Pizaro's Pizza Napoletana II Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato




Refuel Cafe (Carrollton, New Orleans, LA)

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On a lazy Sunday morning, my cousin and I were looking for a good brunch spot. We noticed that Refuel Cafe was all the rage in the foodie brunchosphere and had to give it a shot! This cute spot is located at the end of Carrollton Street and is not too far from Carrollton Market, Dante’s Kitchen, Boucherie, and the like.

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Huevos Rancheros. Corn tortillas. Black beans. Melted Cheddar. Two over medium eggs. Red peppers.Onions. Avocado, Pico de Gallo. Crema.

 

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Breakfast Burrito. Scrambled eggs. Potatoes. Cheddar. Choice meat: chorizo (other options: applewood bacon, black forest ham, andouille sausage). Spicy Ranchero Sauce. Tomato Tortilla. Choice side: fruit

The restaurant was ridiculously clean with a modern minimalist decor. You wouldn’t even know it was a restaurant if it weren’t for the diners sitting down with their colorful and delicious looking plates. The restaurant is quite small and it setup to where you order first, then find a table. There’s very few places to stand and wait so definitely come early or come on a good weather day in case you have to wait outdoors. Luckily for us, we were able to find the last available table! We sat down and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of a Sunday morning at Refuel. It’s pretty loud and echoey, but we preferred the air conditioned room over the humidity so it was fine!

My cousin enjoyed her Breakfast Burrito, which was loaded with chorizo. I have a feeling they have a thing for high protein here. I ordered the Huevos Rancheros, which was definitely not-your-usual Huevos Rancheros. Usually there are a ton of potatoes, but Refuel replaced the usual “patatas” with a ton of beans. Funny thing is that I’m not in love with beans and I can’t really blame Refuel since I overlooked it on the menu. It was still good, but I really wished there were some potatoes, If you’re looking for a lighter and healthier take on the Huevos Rancheros, this is definitely it!

I’ve seen some other items on the menu that I would like to give a shot so I would definitely like to try it again!

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Rating: 3.5/5
Refuel Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato