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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



Cavan (Uptown, New Orleans, LA)

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Cavan opened just a few months ago and was on my food radar. I was excited when the hubby decided to surprise me one night. Cavan is gorgeous! It’s in an old historic mansion located on Magazine St. with high ceilings, beautiful chandeliers, and your classic old New Orleans home feel.

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Oysters. Mignonette and Cocktail Sauce.

 

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Scallop Crudo. Lime. Pistou. Pickled Red Onion.

 

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Crab Deviled Eggs. 

 

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Old Bay Fries. Malt Aioli.

 

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Fried Oyster Caesar. Kale. Romaine. Pecorino. Crackers.

 

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Clam Chowder. Baked Oyster Crackers.

 

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Seared Scallops. Jalapeno-white cheddar grits. Sweet corn. Crab. Arugula.

 

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Complimentary Cherry Meringue. 

 

The menu consists of a lot of small bites and small plates that are quite small in portion so be sure to order multiple dishes. We ordered Oysters, Crab Deviled Eggs, Waffle Fries, Salmon Crudo, Clam Chowder, Fried Oyster Caesar Salad, and the Seared Scallops for my husband and I. The dishes were light and appetizing but were a tease since they were in small portions. The Waffle Fries were more like a thin potato waffle wedge as opposed to fries, but were good and went well with the aioli. The Salmon Crudo was refreshing. My favorite was the Clam Chowder. It was more of a Clam Soup but was very flavorful. There was an herbiness with a delicious oniony finish. I loved it. Too bad I had to share it with my hubby. The Kale Caesar Salad with Fried Oysters was pretty good as well. I only wish the kale were chopped into smaller pieces for easier eating. The scallops were really good and laid atop a bed of homey corn grits. It was a very light entree and I somewhat wished it was loaded with cream or butter, but I won’t complain on reduced fat since it was still very good!

I would definitely like to try Cavan again. Service was super friendly and the food came out fast! I’d really like to see what else they have to offer since this was only their first few months of opening.

 

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Rating: 4/5 spoons
Cavan Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato



Mr. Bubbles (Gretna, LA)

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As we’re approaching hump day/mid-week, I’d like to talk about a great lunch spot! Years ago, there was a bubble tea shop at this location that was easy to overlook and they’ve made quite a few improvements and serve Vietnamese sandwiches are there menu.

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Banh Mi Dac Biet. Combination banh mi. Bubble Tea: Jasmine Iced Tea with Tapioca, Taro and Tapioca

 

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From left to right: Jasmine Green Tea with Tapioca x 2, Mocha and Tapioca, Black Milk Tea with Tapioca.

 

My favorite is the Combination sandwich loaded with delicious Vietnamese cold cuts, pate, aioli and veggies. My go-to drink is the Jasmine Tea with Tapioca…it’s healthy and refreshing! There are more desserty flavors that aren’t as healthy but make a great treat such as the Taro or Cafe Sua Da. Another plus? There’s a loyalty card! With every 10 drinks, you get a free one. Easily done with summer approaching! There are only a few tables since it’s mostly take-out orders, but it’s quite spacious. The restaurant is located right outside of the Hong Kong Market so you if you happen to be in the area, Mr. Bubbles is a great treat!

 

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Rating: 5/5 spoons
Mr Bubbles Sandwich House Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato



Trenasse (CBD, New Orleans, LA)

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It was a Monday night and my husband and I decided to celebrate our first month of being married. Cheesy! I know. But why the heck not? My husband and I tried brunch at Trenasse with some friends not too long ago and had a good experience. After brunch my friend continued to rave about the Escargot and Crawfish Pie and neither were available for brunch. We had to try dinner!

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Escargot “Trebeache”. Sauteed escargot. Button Mushroom. Charred Tomato. Browned French Wine. Wine. Lemon. Garlic and Butter.

 

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Louisiana Crawfish Pie. Crawfish. Creamy Pepperjack Cheese Filling. House made pie dough.

 

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Pan Roast Cauliflower Steak. St. Andre’s Brie. Rough-cut Pistachio Pesto.

 

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TThe Wedge. Crisp bacon. Crumbled blue cheese. Green Goddess Dressing.

 

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Special of the night: Veal and Lobster Ravioli Duet

 

I loved it! My favorite dishes were the Escargot and the Crawfish Pie. The escargot is served differently than your traditional Escargots à la Bourguignonne, a garlic herb butter sauce, but it was really refreshing to try it served a different way. The crawfish pie was perfectly crisped on the outside and filled with a perfectly seasoned crawfish and pepperjack filling. We also ordered the cauliflower steak, Wedge Salad, and the Veal and Lobster Ravioli duet. The cauliflower steak was pretty good! The Wedge salad was refreshing. Honestly, we only ordered the extra salad to appear “healthy”. The Veal special had to be the most disappointing. The veal was over-salted that we couldn’t even finish the last piece. On a brighter note, the lobster ravioli were delicious and balanced the over seasoned veal a bit. Overall, everything was great! Service was super friendly and I loved the ambiance.

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Rating: 4/5 spoons
Trenasse Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato




Pho Bang (Westbank Expressway, Harvey, LA)

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In New Orleans there’s a growing trend towards Vietnamese food. A ton of new “Vietnamese” and pho restaurants are opening in town, but there’s very few that can beat Pho Bang. When I was growing up Pho Bang was the place to go right after church on Sunday. It’s like Vietnamese brunch! Many years later, I am still going to Pho Bang and there are a few locations throughout the city. Two are located on the Westbank, one in the East on Chef Menteur Hwy, and one is located in Kenner on Veterans Memorial Blvd.

IMG_8054ePork Spring Roll. 

 

 

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Pho Chin Nam. Combination Rice Noodles in Beef Broth. Eye of Round Beef. Beef navel.

 

The beef broth is authentic and flavorful and the meat is fairly lean. You can customize your bowl with different cuts of meat, but my favorite is the Pho Chin Nam. It’s simple and it’s just what I always order. The BBQ pork spring roll is a great appetizer as well! There are combination rice and noodle dishes that are offered if you’re not craving a hot bowl of soup especially in this New Orleans weather. My favorite non-pho dish is the Com Bi Thit Heo Nuong (aka Marinated grilled BBQ Pork on top of rice dressed with Tomato, Vietnamese pickles, and Lettuce). If you’re looking for a legit and authentic bowl of pho and Vietnamese food, this is where it’s at!

What’s not good: Bun Bo Hue, smaller portions

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Rating: 4/5 spoons
Pho Bang Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Barcelo Bavaro Punta Cana: A Guide to Eating at an all-inclusive resort

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Barcelo Bavaro Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic was my first time experiencing an all-inclusive vacation. The resort has everything you can possibly need: shopping (although quite pricey), arcade for children, the adult arcade (the casino),24/7 doctor available (which I actually visited!), and of course a plethora of restaurants to try. When dining out at an all-inclusive you can’t help but order everything and eat to your heart’s content, but there’s a smart way to do it.

DINING and EATING TIPS to any all-inclusive resort:

  1. DO NOT have high expectations and expect a fine dining experience. The service is excellent, but food is generally very par with an occasional surprise. I’m not saying that you won’t enjoy your food, but from a foodie’s point of view I’d give everything a 2-3/5 spoons.
    • Restaurants are categorized by cuisine so you’re able to choose a cuisine of your liking for that night. My favorites were Sante Fe Steak Restaurant and La Fuente Spanish Restaurant. My least favorite was Kyoto…I would definitely pass on sushi in the Dominican Republic next time!
  2. AVOID bread. Most are stale probably due to the humidity but an occasional dinner roll does not hurt.
  3. EAT in moderation. Don’t overstuff yourself! Find what you love and enjoy it. It’s hard to turn down “free” food but you have to realize that you can’t eat it all. Don’t sacrifice how you feel because you wanted to eat everything.
  4. Don’t be afraid to venture from the resort to try local foods. Although there are a variety of restaurants, the themes and style of cooking tend to be very similar. I didn’t have the chance to venture too far but here’s a list of casual local places that I tried: (reviews coming next blog!)
    1. El Pollo Borracho
    2. Los Waffles
    3. El Churro Charro
  5. Brush up on your Spanish! It’s not necessary on the resort as most concierge, bellhops, and waitresses are able to speak English, but if you want to explore outside of the resort and speak to Taxi drivers, there’s definitely a language barrier. Definitely pick up on some basic Spanish or try the Google Translate app on your phone. It’s super handy, but let’s hope your phone service is great!

 

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La Caribe (adults only) breakfast and lunch buffet.

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La Comedie. French Restaurant.

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Mexican Lindo. 

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La Fuente. Spanish Cuisine

 

I may be a foodie and a little critical of the food and restaurants of the resort, but would I go again? Most definitely! It was such a great getaway and I loved restaurant hopping all the time. How can you say “no” to open bar and open buffets all day? After this experience, I can’t wait to try my next all-inclusive vacation!




Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic)

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“The Chef” and I have finally tied the knot and we just experienced one of the best weeks of our lives at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe for a 6 night, 7 day getaway. My husband (still getting used to calling him this) booked this honeymoon as a surprise so I had no choice or decision but he did such a great job! Barcelo Bavaro’s Beach Resort had it all…

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This all-inclusive resort included a variety of lunch buffet options as well as fine dining (proper attire and reservations required). Nighttime entertainment included casino, magic shows, dance shows, and more.The resort is extremely family friendly with tons of activities for children but also adult friendly with adult ONLY sections for those who need to getaway. My husband chose the Suite Ocean Front View Premium, which gave us a first floor ocean front suite with great views and easy access to the beach. Usually, first floor room views are limited, but this room was great! Our package gave us all-access to all areas of the resort including Adult Only pool and resort areas. Additionally, the Club Premium Concierge was readily available for all Premium club members at all times. The Club Premium’s concierge services, Nescafe coffee and a variety of hors d’oeuvres were served every day and breakfast is available every morning.

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QUICK TIPS BEFORE YOU GO:

  1. Book early for better rates! We booked a little later due to some last minute planning, but noticed the trends for future packages to be SO much more affordable if you book in advance. Obvious, but good to know for the future because we definitely want to return.
  2. Meals are included so lower your expectations. Bread is consistently cold and stale here. I blame the humidity and the fact that everything is…well, FREE (or included). There are quite a few great options though…Those reviews are coming soon!
  3. Dinner reservations are recommended but you can definitely arrive earlier. Our concierge setup dinner reservations to our choice of restaurants for every night we were there, which was very convenient. The earlier you book, the better chance you have at getting a normal reservation time. If not, you may end up with an odd reservation for 10:00 PM. We found it to be nice to have later reservations since it gave us so much more to do otherwise we’d be in bed by 9:00 PM.

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4. Bring a travel mug or tumbler for your alcohol! I didn’t bring one, but noticed how handy it could be. It prevents multiple trips to the open bars since their cups can be so small. Some open bars offered drinks that cost additional money like the Vanilla Pina Colada, which comes in a hollowed pineapple, for an additional $5. Not bad!

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5. Tip your bellhops, maids, bartenders, waitresses and waiters! These guys work so hard to please you and very seldom do they get tipped. When you do, they really appreciate it and you get top notch service and occasionally some freebies! They accept pesos as well as the American dollar here. Anywhere from $1-$5 or more is ideal.

 

The following Barcelo Resort Food Reviews coming soon:

  1. Kyoto
  2. La Fuenta
  3. Mexico Lindo
  4. La Comedie
  5. Huevos 19
  6. Caribe (adults only) lunch buffet
  7. Bohio Bar

Local Foods (non resort)

  1. La Pollo Borracho
  2. Booth 21 (??) – local booth past the adult beach side near the water sports


Gautreau’s (Uptown, New Orleans, LA)

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Happy Valentine’s Day my fellow foodies! This weekend marks 4 years since the launch of www.chefsgirl.com ! It’s been a long and delicious journey of great foods and there’s so much more to come.

This year for Valentine’s Day, “The Chef” surprised me to dinner at Gautreau’s, one of the top ten Zagat rated restaurants in New Orleans. Considering we’re locals, we couldn’t believe that we’ve never been to Gautreau’s!

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Bread. 

 

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Chilled Lobster. Grapefruit Yuzu Aioli. Avocado. Passion Fruit. Pickled Ginger.

 

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Foie Gras Torchon. Cherry-Port Reduction. Hazelnut Granola. Honeycrisp apple. Toasted Brioche.

 

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Crispy Sweetbreads. Spicy Parmesan Cream. Gnocchi. Crawfish. Carolina Green peas.

 

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Special: Crispy Fried Quail and Mixed Green Salad.  

 

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Pork Osso Buco. Citrus Gremolata. Tagliatelle. Roasted Fennel. Castelvetrano olives. Grape tomatoes.

 

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Banana Split. Brulee’d Banana. Vanilla Ice Cream. Banana Bread. Butterscotch. Chocolate Sauce. Toasted Walnuts.

 

Sue Zemanick is the owner/chef of Gautreau’s and you might recognize her from shows like Top Chef Masters and Knife Fight. With her growing popularity, I was really interested in what the restaurant had to offer…

The restaurant is quite small and the waiting area is very limited, but I found it to be quite intimate. As for the food, there was a great amount of detail and thought to each dish. We ordered the chilled lobster appetizer which was amazing! There were so many levels of flavors and it was so refreshing. I owe it to the light touch of passionfruit, grapefruit aioli, avocado, and heck…every element was SO good. The Foie Gras was paired well with a cherry reduction, a nice touch. The sweetbread dish was good, but were quite small. I would have preferred them bit chunkier, but the flavors were there. There’s nothing like a mouthful of ouffel (ironically, pronounced awful)!

Chef’s Notes: “The Chef” gave me a quick course on Sweetbread preparation and some chefs like to prepare the sweetbreads into smaller pieces and others prefer to keep large chunks. It’s all personal preference!

One of my favorite dishes was the Special Quail Salad of the day. The fried quail ate like a perfect crispy fried chicken and was balanced so well with a bed of salad. Lastly, was the Pork Osso Buco. It’s rare to find a Pork Osso Buco so we couldn’t help but order it. It’s not as moist as Veal Osso Buco, but still very delicious! I love the thin and delicate tagliatelle that came with the dish. It was reminiscent of a super thin rice noodle marinated in a deep and flavorful Osso Buco sauce.

To finish off the meal, we had the mainstay Banana Split. This was probably THE best Banana Split I’ve ever had. The bruléed banana and the banana bread was outstanding!

I would highly recommend trying Gautreau’s. Don’t believe me? Just check out those pictures…

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Rating: 4.5/5 spoons
Gautreau's Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato