Hi everyone! Chefsgirl is here and back in action! I’ve been MIA for quite a while, but I have so many great eats to share with you. I have made a few trips in the last couple months from New York to Denver to Dallas. I cannot wait to share them all with you. Until then, I hope you are having a great holiday season!
Author Archives: chefsgirlnola@gmail.com
Willa Jean (Warehouse District, New Orleans, LA)
I’ve been eyeing this restaurant since it started building in the up and coming area near the Downtown Rouse’s and Blaze Pizza (click here for review). When I found out it was a Besh Restaurant Group (BRG) project, I definitely had to try it! Every restaurant within the BRG has been a success and has been on par from service to food. What I love, is that every restaurant is different from the last.
Ambiance and Decor.
Willa’s Juice. Botanist Gin. St. Germain. Pema. Blueberries. Nola Blonde Ale.
Crostini Party. Boudin. Salmon. Beet. Avocado.
Lisa’s Cornbread. Pourier’s cane syrup.
Hot buttered Crab Roll. Garlic. Pickled Red Onion. Toasted soft bun with chips.
Louisiana Shrimp Bisque. Brandy Cream.
Cookies & Cream. Edible Cookie Dough. Vanilla Milk.
Even though Willa Jean is a bakery/restaurant, it has more of a restaurant feel but you can definitely stop in for some pastries. I would recommend the blueberry muffin. It’s different and refreshing. I love the added ginger which adds an extra layer of subtle flavor.
As for the dining experience, service was friendly and everything flowed so smoothly. I started with the Willa’s Juice Cocktail, which was a fruity gin type drink. The Crostini Party was a fun appetizer to share between two people but no more because it’s difficult to split the different crostinis (I’ve tried it.). The four crostinis that came out were: the Salmon, Boudin, Beet, and Avocado (most fav to least fav, but they were all really good). Next, we ordered the cornbread, which I can never say “No” to, but if I had to cut anything out it would be the cornbread because we over-ordered. The Shrimp Bisque was solid, but wasn’t the most memorable dish of the night. My favorite dish was the Crab Roll. Who doesn’t like “hot butter” and “fresh crab”? Everything was so perfect about this roll and we don’t have anything like it in the area, but if we did, this roll would be hard to beat.
Lastly, we had the Cookies & Cream. This was definitely NOT your typical cookies-n-cream. What’s unique is the Vanilla Milk that they serve with the Cookies, which I felt was a dessert on its own.
Must haves: Crab Roll, Cookies and Cream dessert
If you’re looking for a great laid back place to eat, Willa Jean is a must-try. With the variety of breakfast pastries in combination of lunch and dinner menus, it’s a great place for all around good food.
Rating: 5/5 spoons
Lady M (Upper East Side, New York, New York)
I first found out about this cake/dessert place when I had a great feast of food at Ippudo (click for review) in East Village. It was one of favorites of all the desserts at Ippudo and I had to try it from the original location. Lady M is a tiny cake boutique, but has such a high demand that there’s a line out of the door. One line is for to-go orders and one line is for dining in. If you’re ordering a whole cake, I would call and order in advance because you can just skip the line. If you’d rather take your cake somewhere else, this is the perfect location because Bryant Park is right across the street. My sister-in-law and I waited no longer than 10 minutes in the dine-in line, but I won’t guarantee that will be the same for everyone.
Entrance.
Green Tea Mille Crepe Cake and Jasmine Tea.
We ordered the Jasmine tea and the Green Tea Crepe Cake. The Jasmine tea complimented the creamy and delicate crepiness of the cake so well. I don’t know how they do it all so perfectly, but it’s impeccable! I love it. If you’re in the area and looking for dessert, you have to try their Mille Crepe Cakes. There are different flavors too!
Rating: 5/5 spoons
Joe Shanghai (Midtown West, New York, New York)
Years ago, I went to Joe Shanghai, the Chinatown location, and experienced my very first soup dumpling. Since then, I’ve almost become somewhat of a soup dumpling connoisseur. I’ve enjoyed decadent and extravagant dumplings from across the U.S. (Yank Sing). I’ve had soup dumplings similar to Joe Shanghai’s too, but nothing compares to that first experience…that chewy bite bursting with a delicious and savory broth.
Pork Dumplings.
Crab & Pork Dumplings.
Snow Pea tips.
It’s been at least 10 years since my first and only time to Joe Shanghai and now I’m back. I’ve decided to try the newer location in Midtown, New York. It’s definitely cleaner and friendlier! My sister-in-law and I wanted a little tasting or mid-day snack and ordered the Pork dumplings and the Crab & Pork dumplings. Our server said his favorite had to be the Crab & Pork and I’d have to agree! The Pork seemed to be on the saltier side. The Crab & Pork was light, delicate and perfectly seasoned. Someone was a little heavy-handed on the regular Pork dumplings that day, but it was still tasty. I always like a little veg with any meal so I ordered the Snow Pea Tips, which was perfect!
There are definitely other options when it comes to soup dumplings, but I’ll always love Joe Shanghai’s for that first bite!
Rating: 4/5 spoons
Bibble & Sip (Midtown West, New York, New York)
I just made it into New York and wanted to meet up my sister-in-law as she got off of work around the corner. We stopped by Bibble & Sip, her local coffee and snack joint. The coffee is delicious! My usual is the Americano, but the most amazing little treat was the Earl Grey cream puff. I love Earl Grey desserts! This cream puff is lightly crispy on the inside and the earl grey cream was cold, refreshing, and fragrant. I loved it. There’s nothing to NOT like so just try it!
Note: The coffee places super small so it’s not the best place to study or sit for a while. It’s best for on-the-go or a quick snack.
Rating: 5/5 spoons
Joe’s Cafe (Causeway, Metairie, LA)
After a late night my friends and I were STARVING. We stopped by Joe’s Cafe in Metairie for some food. I’m always pretty skeptical about late night food and how much love and care is put into it (especially at 3:30AM on a weekend). I was SO surprised. The presentation was good and the food was delicious! I really loved the Fried Pork Chop and I couldn’t get over the butteriness and crispiness of that biscuit. Next time you’re searching for late night bites, try Joe’s Cafe. The cashier and girl working the kitchen that night were super friendly!
Fried Pork Chop. Biscuit. 2 fried eggs. Hash brown.
Country Breakfast: Eggs. Sausage. Biscuit. Hashbrowns.
Rating: 5/5 spoons
Beignets and More (Chalmette, LA)
I recently started working in the Chalmette area and didn’t realize I’d find so many food choices over here! Beignets and More is a family-owned Vietnamese restaurant that serves authentic Vietnamese cuisine. They even offer a small menu of American dishes too. The restaurant is located in a strip on West Judge Perez Dr. During lunch time and dinner time, the restaurant is always pretty full but service is always very quick!
Crab Rangoon.
Pho Dac Biet. Pho with Round Steak, Well-done Brisket, and Round Meatball.
Bun Thit Nuong. Chargrilled Pork and Vermicelli Rice Noodle.
Com Bo Luc Lac. Pan Seared Cubed Beef and Rice.
Every dish I’ve ordered here is so delicious. Not a single one has disappointed me. The Crab Rangoons are perfect! They hold well for to-go orders or even as leftovers. The pho is authentic and maybe one of my favorite places for pho in the general New Orleans area. Other great dishes would be the Lemongrass Pork Spring Rolls, Com Bo Luc Lac (Pan Seared Cubed Beef and rice), and the Bun Thit Nuong (Chargrilled Pork and Vermicelli Noodles). They serve pretty authentic beignets, but I really like the mini beignets. They’re about half the size of a regular beignet and great to eat with the Vietnamese coffee.
I would seriously go out of my way to eat here. If you happen to be in the area, you have to try Beignets and More!
Rating: 5/5 spoons
A Taste of Thailand (Terrytown, New Orleans, LA)
It’s hard to find really good Thai in this city and I’ve surprisingly found two great Thai places on the Westbank. This location is a little out of the way if you don’t live on the Westbank, but I really think it’s worth checking out if you’re craving Thai.
Salad.
Spicy Chicken Pad Thai.
Green Curry.
3 Flavors Whole Fried Fish (Tilapia).
We ordered the Spicy Chicken Pad Thai, Green Curry, and 3 Flavor Fried Fish. The pad thai was very flavorful but was a tad bit too tangy or sour. I’ve been twice this past week and tried 3 different curries. My favorite was the Green Curry. There’s just something so wholesome and flavorful about the green curry and A Taste of Thailand does it so well! The 3 Flavor Fried Fish is SO good and it reminds me of mom’s fried Tilapia. It’s super crispy and the 3 flavors sauce goes so well with it.
It appears to be family-owned and there’s a super sweet Thai lady who always comes to talk to you when you dine in. The restaurant location isn’t the best and is kinda off the beaten path. I wouldn’t have known about it if it weren’t for a friend’s recommendation and I am so thankful, because it’s definitely one of my top two favorite Thai restaurants in the New Orleans area.
What I’d like to try next? The Satay Scallops.
Rating: 4.5/5 spoons