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Oyster Festival. (Woldenburg Park, New Orleans)

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New Orleans foodies…


Acme’s Raw Oysters. 


Elizabeth’s Fried Oysters w/ Foie Gras and Truffle Aioli. 


Katie’s Restaurant: The Legend Poboy. BBQ Shrimp and Cochon de Lait. The Legend was definitely legendary. At first sight, I though this would be one of those poboys I’d eat and eventually get tired of because of it’s rich flavors, but boy was I surprised! The Legend was Legen….wait for it…wait for it..dary! *Quoting How I Met Your Mother, in case you didn’t know lol 


Andrea’s Crab Ravioli. I know we’re at Oyster Fest, but this ravioli was delicious. It’s such a casual event, yet Andrea’s pulled out their aprons and put out a great dish. Loved it!


Borgne’s Oyster Amandine. Borgne is a fairly new John Besh restaurant and I didn’t expect them to give me anything less than this…Beautiful presentation and wonderful flavors. Big props for such a hectic event…not to mention the scorching heat!


Superior Seafood Red Beans and Rice. Great flavor with a good kick. Only downside is the rice was under/overcooked, depending on how you look at it. I’d give them a second try, but when you’re cooking rice, you know when it’s bad so they shouldn’t have put out that rice. I’ll keep into consideration that this was an outdoors event so who knows what really went down out there.


Katie’s White Chocolate Bread Pudding. This was my favorite…great texture…creamy white chocolate flavor. Well done Katie’s! I’ll have to pay a visit really soon! =)


New Orleans Snowball


Believe it or not, “the chef” and I hit up the Oyster Fest in no longer than 1.5 hours. We were on a mission: to eat, eat, and eat! It was actually really great, because there were restaurants I’ve heard of but never had the chance to try, but now that I know what they offer, I’m definitely putting some of these restaurants on top of my “To Eat” list =)


UPCOMING ENTRIES

  • Honeydeux
  • Coquette

Coulis (Uptown, New Orleans)

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Known for their brunch, Coulis is located in Uptown New Orleans…it’s great spot where the locals eat. Short and simple brunch menu, which I love. It’s as if the fewer items a restaurant has, the better the food is in quality and taste!  

 

Biscuit! Love the crispiness of these biscuits… 

 

Croissant and Egg Sandwich. Cheese, Eggs, and Bacon. I have a thing for croissant with my breakfast so this was a must.  

Eggs Benedict. Jalapeno Corn Cake. Pulled Pork Debris. Poached Eggs. Hollandaise.

 

This was my first time for brunch at Coulis, but I’d love to go again to try their lunch menu. Simple brunch, amped with a touch of New Orleans flava! Coulis was EGGcellent! You won’t regret it =D 

Coulis on Urbanspoon




Root (Warehouse District, New Orleans)

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Root…a hip new restaurant just came to town! It’s in the Warehouse District so it’s definitely got a city vibe…the old brick walls, wooden floors, casual cool atmosphere. So cool, I even noticed the waiters and waitresses all had Converses on! haha…Of course, I would notice something like that. I liked it…it’s very chill. Great for a relaxing night on the town…no fancy clothes, no fancy occasions, just bring your grumblin’ tummies…

Amuse Bouche. Asian-inspired dish w/ Salmon Sashimi. Fresh Herbs.

 

Smoked Cornmeal Encrusted Louisiana Oysters. Andouille Spoon Bread. Manchego Foam.

 

“KFC” Korean Fried Chicken Wings. Pepper Jelly glaze. Kimchi.

 

Black Lacquered Duck Tortellini. Indian Orange Mascarpone. Toasted Pine Nuts. Vanilla Tapioca. Black Duck Tea.

 

Nice presentation! The scallops come in this vintage looking cigar box…it helps to hold the smoke in the box so the scallops absorb every bit of smokey flavor. Let’s just say..it does the job! The scallops were delicious!

 

Cohiba Smoked Scallops. Chorizo Dust. Carmelized Cauliflower. Fennel Choucroute.

 

Hanger Steak. Crispy Sweetbreads. Sweet Kumquat Bordelaise. Pommes Frites.

 

Sweet Corn Caramel Flan. Salted Corn and Caramel Ice Cream. Vanilla Milk Foam. “Cracker Jacks”

 

Strawberry Delight. Toasted Almond Cake. Smoked Black Tea Honey Crunch. Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream. Strawberry Gel. Fizzy Rock.

 

Root’s menu is extremely creative and the presentation is just superb. I love the way Chef Phillip Lopez throws together such diverse elements and combines them to build flavors that work together so well like the duck tortellini (pictured above). Vanilla tapioca and Black duck tea?? Who woulda thought? And it tastes so good! I will say that because of the design and flair in each plate, it doesn’t stuff you so order accordingly.  The other downside was the desserts…Lots of elements and full of different and interesting flavors, but I felt it was a bit “deconstructed”.

Overall, innovative dishes. Great atmosphere. So if you’re feeling like refreshing your palate with molecular gastronomy-type dishes, check out Root!

 

spoonspoonspoon point 5

Rating: 2.5/5 spoons

 

Root on Urbanspoon

La Petite Grocery (Magazine St., New Orleans)

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Romantic setting…Great food…Excellent service…if any of these are what you’re looking for, La Petite Grocery has it all! It’s one of my top 5 restaurants in the city.  My very first time was a few years ago…”the chef” and I ordered a Crawfish Ravioli app that was DElicious and ever since then, we try to go back for it…but sadly, they never have it when we go. On the other hand, the other dishes never fail to please…


Pictured here Blue Crab Beignets, Crabmeat Au Gratin, and Sweetbreads..as you can tell, we have a thing for crabmeat! 


Shrimp and Grits. Love this dish…lighter and more delicate than other versions around the city. 


Clams and Linguine. 


Even though La Petite means small, the flavors are anything but petite! Beautifully plated dishes with a blend of elegant New Orleans and French cuisine…AND the chef, Chef Justin Devillier, just so happens to be a James Beard Award winner. What else do you need? Just go! 

La Petite Grocery on Urbanspoon

Lüke (New Orleans, LA)

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Luke is one of John Besh‘s restaurants and if you know about JB…you know all of his restaurants are sure to please! It’s a nice restaurant located inside the Hilton St. Charles Hotel in the CBD. It’s filled with businessmen discussing work over some fine food…It’s a different setting from your usual New Orleans feel, but I like it!

Baked P&J Oysters. Herbsaint, persillade crust.

 

Found a pearl in my oyster!

 

Fried Oyster, Bacon, Romaine & Avocado Salad. Could not get enough of the oysters. They’re coated in a seasoned cornmeal batter that is so delicately crispy…and then you bite into the fat, juicy oyster. The applewood bacon was nice and thick…great flavors all together!

 

Omelette of Local Crabmeat. My favorite brunch menu item! Filled with asparagus, crabmeat, and creme fraiche.

 

Gaufrettes. Light and crispy, perfect for the omelette!

 

Moules et Frites. I can’t get enough of these mussels…the buttery, herbacious (if  that’s a word!) bowl of mussels. It’s bigger than you think, so it’s definitely shareable. Save your bread for the oh so delicious sauce on the bottom!

 

Pommes Frites.

 

Even though the setting is more business, the dishes here make me feel at home… Besh really knows how to keep it simple, but still have the ability to make the food burst with flavor in your mouth! The flavors are so deep and rich…I don’t know how else to say it! Dinners are delicious as well, but I’ll save my thoughts for another day =)

Lüke on Urbanspoon

You can check out Chef John Besh’s cookbook below:

Angelo Brocato (New Orleans, LA)

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One of my favorite gelato places in the city! It’s family friendly and has a cutesy 1960s vibe. Here, you’ll find traditional gelato as well as an assortment of Italian desserts including tiramisu, spumoni, cannolis, cakes, and more. 

I’ve tried desserts other than gelato and they’re delicious, but every time I’m here, I can’t help but to order a creamy, cold gelato…My Favorite flavor: Pralines and Cream, but they didn’t have it this time =(


Assortment of desserts. There’s so much more, but with such a long line, it was hard to capture! 


Strawberries and Cream Gelato (w/ Waffle Cone)


Pistachio Gelato. (Classic version)


Angelo Brocato the ultimate dessert stop in New Orleans. Nothing fancy. Just classic, delicious Italian desserts. It can’t get any better than that! 


Angelo Brocato Ice Cream & Confectionery on Urbanspoon

Cowbell (New Orleans, LA)

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Unique and eclectic…words to describe this hidden gem. It’s tucked away in a little corner down Oak St. past several homes. Outside are a few picnic tables great for these last few days of beautiful spring weather! Inside, it’s bright and welcoming…

Decor behind the bar…


Menu.


Mac N Cheese. Long spirally macaroni topped with breadcrumbs. Delish!


Quahog Clam Chowder. Applewood Smoked Bacon. Red Bliss Potatoes. Not your usual, creamy chowder, but theirs is more of soupy concoction…really good though! Nice depth of flavor. I would recommend it!


Midnight Skirt Steak w/ Black Bean Sauce. Roasted Plaintains. Fidel’s Mango Salsa. 


Herb Roasted Turkey, Bacon, and Fontina Grilled Cheese. Not your ordinary grilled cheese! Because there were so many ingredients, I don’t know if it should be called a grilled cheese anymore, BUT since it is…it had to be the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had. Very cheesy with big chunky bits of bacon in every bite. mmMmm!


 S’mores Pie.  

For such a casual lookin’ joint, the menu was a notch up from your typical eaterie. It was like southern home-cooking meets high end bistro. Service was uber-friendly and laid back! So fun! Will return again and definitely recommended to you foodies out there =) 

Cowbell on Urbanspoon

C’est La Vie Bistro (Magazine St., New Orleans)

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So “the chef” heard about this new French restaurant on Magazine St. and we just had to try it! Of course, we were hungry for brunch, but after dining here we’ll have to come back for dinner.

Outside, the restaurant appears to be very casual and cutesy joint, but as you walk in, it has a French parlor feel. Very fancy, very elegant…Almost like I was in France at some local French bistro near the Eiffel tower. There was even French music playing…

French bread


Escargot. My favorite! Definitely a rich dish, filled with flavorful herbs and buttery goodness. I used the rest of the French bread to sop up the rest of the “sauce”. The escargot were plump and tender. Cooked to perfection! 


Eggs Parisienne. Eggs Benedict..Truly authentic version. I’m not a big pea person, but it added a nice delicate touch to the dish. 


Potatoes Au Gratin. When I saw this on the menu, I just had to get it. I was slightly disappointed when I didn’t get the good ol’ country style potatoes au gratin, but this was very light and delicate and just as you would expect from a born and raised French chef. 


Pork Forestiere Crepe. Oven-roasted Pork. Mushroom red wine sauce. Pulled pork was great…Very flavorful. Great for the New Orleanian palate.

I definitely enjoyed the dishes here and can’t wait to try their dinner menu and the mussels (They were out this time =( ). Gotta love French cuisine! Til next time, au revoir! 

  C'est la Vie French Bistro on Urbanspoon