Banana Blossom Thai Cafe (Gretna, New Orleans, LA)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Sun, 02 Oct 2016 14:00:53 +0000

I re-discovered this restaurant recently with a group of friends and the hubby and I couldn’t help but return. When the old Cafe Zen relocated to the corner center of this strip, we accidentally went inside this restaurant but never gave it a chance. Now, they’ve “blossomed” into something great. They’ve never updated their signage so it could easily be missed. The sign says “THAI” in red letters and that’s it…

Roasted Brussel Sprouts.

Roti.

Fried Rice with Fried Chicken.

Pad Thai.

YUM! Solid dishes all around and our waitress was so spunky and sweet! She had the best recommendations. We ordered the brussel sprouts as her suggestion and it was beautifully plated but equally as delicious. We also ordered our usual Roti and Pad Thai. Be sure to request for spice if you like a little kick. I forgot and was so sad! We opted for Fried Rice with Fried Chicken and it was actually amazing! If you’re in the Gretna area and are looking for a good Thai spot, try Banana Blossom!

LOVE: Solid Thai food. My fav was the Fried Chicken Fried Rice. Great fresh strawberry mojitos!

What NOT to LOVE: Pad Thai is a bit dry but still good. Signage is poor so it can be easily missed. Look for Yoga Krewe and Cafe Zen nearby.

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Ba Chi Canteen (Audubon, New Orleans, LA)

chefsgirl — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 04:13:44 +0000

Tan Dinh is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant located on the Westbank of New Orleans…it’s menu includes a wide variety of items ranging from pho, BBQ pork with vermicelli noodles, to one of my favorites, the Lemongrass Chicken with rice. With their growing popularity reaching out to those who live across the river, they’ve finally opened Ba Chi Canteen, however, their menu is a bit more eclectic and draws from Thai, Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese influences. I’m not usually a fan of “fusion” or blending of cultural flavors but Ba Chi has got it right!

Bacos: Coconut Curry Chicken w/ Basil Aioli & Sweet Potato.

Curry Beef Stew w/ Roti Bread.

Roti Quesadillas. Pulled Pork. Kim Chi Guac. Thai Chili tomatilla.

Special: Lemongrass & Basil Pork Lettuce Wrap.

Garlic Butter Chicken Wings.

So the Chef and I love to order and create our own little tasting menus, but little did we know that the portion sizes were quite large. My favorite was the Roti Quesadillas, which was a special but should be a permanent item on the menu! What makes this different from a typical quesadilla is the buttery and flaky roti in place of the normally grilled tortilla. Buttery. Savory. Crispy! I’m drooling just thinking about it! My next favorite was the Curry Stew with Roti. Clearly, I have a thing for roti!

I was very surprised that Tan Dinh, an authentic Vietnamese restaurant, would consider branching off with a modernized asian fusion restaurant, but they did it and they did it well!

If you’re looking for great asian flavors and want to try something new, I definitely recommend Ba Chi Canteen.

Rating: 4/5 spoons

curry – ChefsGirl

Banana Blossom Thai Cafe (Gretna, New Orleans, LA)

Ba Chi Canteen (Audubon, New Orleans, LA)