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Tag Archives: crabmeat

Ignatius Eatery (Magazine St., New Orleans, LA)

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It’s the weekend and there’s nothing I look forward to more than weekend brunch. Call me a fatty! Ignatius Eatery is a very homey brunch restaurant on Magazine St. It’s the perfect blend of Southern cooking meets breakfast. Quite a few years ago, this spot was a coffee house called Rue De La Course. It’s where I spent my undergraduate days studying. It brought back so many memories…coffee, school, and what I thought at the time was the worst stress I’ve ever felt. Now, Ignatius has taken what I remembered to be this little coffee shop and revamped those old memories into a different kind of hangout spot…

 

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Shrimp Remoulade Salad. Shrimp. Cucumbers. Grape Tomatoes.

 

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Poche’s Pork and Jalapeno Boudin. Creole mustard.

 

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Creole Seafood Gumbo. 

 

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 Corn and Crab Bisque. 

 

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Crab Omelette. 3 egg omelette. Creole Cream Cheese. Local crab meat. Stone ground grits. Fresh fruit.

 

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Tons of crabmeat!

Not pictured above, but the restaurant even kept Rue De La Course’s old coffee mugs, which I thought was a really nice touch. Years ago, this place was filled with college kids intensely studying for their next big test, but now I see a different crowd…middle-aged folks, retirees, and couples like “The Chef” and I.

It’s homey, but the food is refined. I really loved the omelette dish, because it had tons of crabmeat! The grits were cheesy and delicious. The Shrimp and Remoulade Salad is also a great choice and it went so well with the gumbo. I was slightly disappointed with my Corn & Crab bisque, since it wasn’t thickened like I expect chowder to be. It probably needed to be reduced down a bit more…

Overall, everything was the perfect mix of South Louisiana meets brunch. I would love to come back to try the Dinner menu.

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Rating: 3.5/5 spoons

 

Ignatius Eatery on Urbanspoon

 




Tommy’s Cuisine (Warehouse District, NOLA)

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Learning from our experience in a long distance relationship for 5 years now, “The Chef” and I have learned to make sure we make time for date nights and even romantic getaways even if it’s a “staycation”.  This was one of those weekends and of course, we love to eat…

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Amuse Bouche: Bruschetta. MmMm this was delish! VERY close to my favorite bruschetta ever…

 

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Sesame bread. Not my fav, but a good change up from what I’m used to.

 

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Oysters Tommy: Romano cheese. Pancetta. Roasted bell pepper.

Oysters Rockefeller: Spinach. Herbs. Herbsaint.

Oysters Bienville: Crawish. Shrimp. Herbs.

Of the three choices, my favorite had to be the Oysters Bienville. It was savory and melt-in-your-mouth!

 

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Crabmeat Maison. Iceberg lettuce. Jumbo lump crabmeat. Maison dressing.

 

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Sweetbreads. Pan sauteéd. Beurre blanc. Capers. Eggplant. 

 

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Duck Tchoupitoulas. Roasted crispy & deglazed duck. Raspberry reduction. Wild rice. Fresh spinach. Toasted pecans. Bacon.

The meals were a great blend of mostly Italian influence with a pinch of New Orleans and French. There was a hominess to the dishes with a touch of sophistication. Nothing too frou-frou. Loved it!

Afterwards, we stayed at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. Good view, great food at Tommy’s right around the corner, and excellent company!

 

Tommy's Cuisine on Urbanspoon

Besh Steak (Central Business District, New Orleans, LA)

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The Besh empire is well-known for local New Orleans restaurants like Restaurant August, Luke, Borgne, and many others. Not only are these restaurants reputable, but the food is delicious! Besh Steak is unique in that it’s nestled away in Harrah’s Casino…It’s a small, open restaurant with dark mahogany colored decor and leather chairs. Great for large groups, business meetings, and even romantic dates….

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Pate and Chips. 

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3 Little Frenchies. Beef, Duck Confit, and Foie Gras Butter Slider.

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Stuffed Jumbo Lump Crab “Shells”. Baked with Garlic and Lemon Fondue.

Now, when we ordered this dish, we were expecting actual crab shells, but enjoyed the play on words AND the overflowing amounts of crabmeat stuffed within the pasta “shells”.

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Baked Oysters.

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Bibb Salad. Butermilk Blue Cheese Dressing. Spiced Pecans. Added Benton’s Bacon.

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Slow Cooked “Blade” Steak. Added Crabmeat..I could never get enough of this stuff. I could honestly top anything off with crabmeat…even dessert lol.

I was very surprised with this restaurant! The dishes were simple, delicious, and exactly what I had hoped for in a Besh steakhouse. Each of John Besh’s restaurants have character…this restaurants embodies a true New Orleans steakhouse. Great steak, delicious appetizers, fun environment…I was actually surprised by a few reviews on the meals not being “worth it”, but honestly I think some may have spent more than they had hoped at Harrah’s.

My favorite dishes had to be the Crab Stuffed “Shells and the Blade Steak. The shells were literally stuffed with crabmeat…no extra fillers, just pure crabmeat. It was a great dish that left you wanting more. The steak was perfectly cooked to med-rare and well seasoned!

I’m normally not a fan of “steakhouses”, but this one definitely surprised me! If you happen to pass by during your trip to Harrah’s or you’re just looking for a great place for steak, I highly recommend Besh Steak.
Besh Steak on Urbanspoon

Emeril’s Delmonico (St. Charles, New Orleans)

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Emeril’s Delmonico is a classic New Orleans restaurant located along the streetcar line on St. Charles. It’s on the upper end of Emeril’s line of restaurants. Decor was classic NOLA style and the service was friendly…a little awkward at times, but still very good. “The Chef” has a friend in the industry, who works at Emeril’s New Orleans, and ever since our dining experience there, we’ve gained a newfound respect for Emeril’s work so we just had to try Delmonico again after all these years. 

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Blue Crab Dip. You know how much I love my crabmeat…

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Sweet Potato and Ricotta Gnocchi.  Nola brown ale braised MS rabbit. Tasso. Roasted mushrooms. Carmelized Onions.

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Broccoli Rabe. 

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20oz. Bone-in Ribeye.  (1/2 of the steak pictured above…”The Chef” and I shared it) Served w/ housemade compound butter. Emeril’s worcestershire. Bearnaise and Chimichurri sauces. Naturally raised, dry aged on premises for 17-23 days. Handcut and broiled at 1200 degrees. 

Chef friends have recommended this steak and I can taste why...It was delicious. No extra sauces needed. Well-seasoned and moist. We ordered medium since it was a thicker steak and it came out perfectly! Delmonico’s isn’t a steakhouse, but you don’t have to be  steakhouse to know a good steak. I’ve been to a few steakhouses in the city and you can’t even compare those steaks to this one…

Overall, it was a great dining experience. Despite the fancy setting, it’s more laid back than the showy presentation I remember from years ago, which I don’t really mind. It’s comfortable and better reflects true New Orleans fine dining..great food with good ‘ol Southern hospitality.

If you haven’t been to Delmonico, I’d recommend that you try it at least once!

Emeril's Delmonico 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

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: