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NOLA (French Quarter, New Orleans)

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Of all of Emeril Lagasse’s New Orleans restaurants, NOLA is the most casual and laid back but still very nice. Great for a night out with the family or just a casual date night with your significant other. The restaurant is very warehouse district. There are approximately 3 stories…just my guess since I’ve only been on the first and second floor, but the see-through elevators are constantly taking guests up and down between floors. 

View from my seat..


Table with a view! 


Casual dining at its best!


Enough pictures of the restaurant..let’s get to the food! When “the chef” and I looked at the menu, many of the appetizers stood out to us much more than the actual entrees so we created our very own tasting menu…


Complimentary Ciabatta bread and Cornbread. 


Miss Hay’s Stuffed Chicken Wings. Homemade Hoisin Dipping Sauce. 

LOVED this dish…I’m typically not a fan of “fusion” types of food, but here, American + Asian = DIVINE! The authentic Vietnamese egg roll stuffing inside a juicy deep fried chicken wing was interesting and leaves you wanting more…


Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza. Parmesan Cheese. Truffle Oil. Baby Arugula.

Although it appears large, it’s light and savory…


Aged Allen Benton’s Country Ham Salad. Moonshine Spiked Watermelon. Arugula. Feta Cheese. Citrus-Herb Vinaigrette. 


Gumbo of the Day: Cochon and Andouille Gumbo.


New Orleans Style Crab Cake. Spicy Corn Relish. Crystal-Butter Sauce. 

Good but not my favorite. The corn relish balanced the heavily seasoned crab cake and gave it a refreshing kick with the Crystal-Butter sauce. 


Crispy Smoked Duck and Mushroom Boudin Balls. Tomato-Bacon Jam. Creole Mustard. 


NOLA Banana Pudding Layer Cake. Graham Cracker Crust. Vanilla Wafers. Fudge Sauce. 

One thing I’ve learned is when you’re craving a good ol’ homemade banana pudding, you won’t get it at these upper echelon restaurants…but what you will get is an overly decadent yet still so delicious version. Not too far from the original homemade kind…fresh slices of banana, light pudding cream, graham cracker crust…loved it! 


Great experience at NOLA in Nola! Great service. Cool and casual vibe. Great place for a laid back night but very good food. Props to Mr. Emeril Lagasse!


NOLA Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Dick and Jenny’s (Uptown, New Orleans)

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Dick and Jenny’s is located along New Orleans’ own Tchoupitoulas street, known for it’s old time New Orleans homes and traditional warehouse architecture. You could almost miss this restaurant, because it blends right in with the homes around it.

Inside…homey decor. Reminds me of Grandma’s house…will it compare to grandma’s food??


Breads!


Corn Fried Oysters, Southern Coleslaw, and Remoulade.


Garlicky Escargot. Sauteed Escargot. Neuske Bacon and Mushrooms. Garlic Butter Reduction. Not your classic French-style escargot, but the touch of bacon and mushrooms was a nice surprise.


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Duck Confit and Louisiana Alligator Sauce. Slow cooked duck confit leg quarter. Alligator Sausage w/ Spaghettie Squash, Southern Greens, and Tangy Orange-Chili Glaze.


Abita Braised Beef Short Ribs. Decadent Mac & Cheese, Brown Butter Sauteed Brussel Sprouts. Spiced Bourbon Demi-Glace.


Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sundae w/ Vanilla Creole Creamery Ice Cream.


As you can see, the food was delicious! Very hardy and homey. I loved the Corn fried oysters and remoulade…perfectly crispy and with the addition of coleslaw and remoulade was soooo good! My personal favorite dish had to be the dessert…Yes, it looks overwhelming, but the chocolate chip cookie wasn’t just your ordinary chocolate chip. Two decadent cookies filled with your local ice cream…yum!

If you’re looking for some good ‘ol Southern cooking, Dick and Jenny’s is a great place to try out. They offer large portions so either be prepared for it OR order less. That’s something the chef and I need to learn…Our eyes tend to be larger than our stomachs!

Dick & Jenny's on Urbanspoon

Truburger (Carrollton, New Orleans)

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So many burger joints are popping up in the Orleans area, it’s hard to pick a favorite! Truburger offers a simple menu: beef burger or veggie burger. Choose your own toppings: grilled onions, mushrooms, bacon, etc. Other items include corndogs, hot dogs, and milkshakes. 

At the bar!


Double Cheeseburger and Fresh Cut Fries. 

I really enjoyed the burgers here…cooked perfectly. Juicy. Flavorful. Dressed with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles.  They don’t ask for a temp on the burger, but as you burger eaters out there know…medium is the way to go! But if for some reason you like it otherwise, I’m sure they’ll cook to your liking. The handcut fries were awesome…One order has enough to share between 2 people! They were crispy and had the perfect amount of salt for me. Loved it! 

Truburger on Urbanspoon

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