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Pizza Domenica (Uptown, New Orleans, LA)

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Have you heard of Domenica? It’s a John Besh establishment and I have a lot of respect for this group of restaurants…Restaurant August, Luke Restaurant, among others. Well, now they’ve done it again! Pizza Domenica recently opened on Magazine St. I’ve been there twice in the past month and I have to be honest, Pizza Domenica has outdone Domenica…

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Chop Salad. Little gem lettuce. Prosciutto Cotto. Garbanza beans. Tomatoes. Anchovies. Spring Onion. Parmigiano.

 

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Shaved Brussel Sprouts. Golden raisins. Toasted almonds. Creole mustard.

 

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Whole cauliflower. Whipped goat feta.

 

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Wood Roasted Octopus. Potatoes, Jalapeno, Tomatoes.

 

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Wild Mushroom Pizza.

Other notable pizzas: Tutto Carne and Margherita

Pizza Domenica is mainly counter service, but I’ve noticed that they also do table service depending on how busy they are. It’s family friendly, but is great for meetings and get togethers. The pizzas are delicious..warm, flaky, and buttery. Almost like the consistency of a buttery croissant. I love it! The reason why I love Pizza Domenica over it’s mother restaurant is the chewy, yet crunchy  texture, and the main restaurant hasn’t been very consistent with the pizzas.

I also loved the Cauliflower and the whipped goat cheese…the complimented each other very well. Trust me…you’d be surprised how delicious this seemingly simple dish is!

So many pizza choices down Magazine St. and to be honest, they’re all unique to each restaurant and all very delicious!

Here are some other reviews on other Magazine St. pizza options:

Theo’s Pizza

Reginelli’s

 

Pizza Domenica on Urbanspoon

Reginelli’s (Magazine St., New Orleans, LA)

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I’ve been coming here for years! There’s something about their pizzas…I love the thick, crunchy crust that turns into a pillowy softness within…mMmm! It’s the perfect texture. My usual pizza? The Tony’s play minus the capers (I’m not a fan of these things on my pizza.) .

Other notable dishes: Crab & Corn Bisque, Caesar salad, Uptowner Sandwich

I’m pretty picky when it comes to pizza. I like both thick and thin crust pizzas and Reginelli’s is definitely my favorite thick crust! My favorite thin crust would be Theo’s pizza (click to check out post!). I alternate between those since I love both!
Reginelli's Pizzeria on Urbanspoon

 

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Upcoming Post: Pizza Domenica

 

Chef, the movie

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I was so excited to watch this movie! For those who have never been in the service industry, you really don’t realize the time, skill, and commitment that chefs make to their food. I learned this when I first started dating “The Chef”. Working late hours. Holidays=work days. It’s like a whole new world! I even learned some chef talk! I learned so much about food, the restaurant industry, and mainly, I developed a passion for food…

So when I heard about Chef, I couldn’t wait. Chef, the movie, was true to everything from chef talk, the skills, and even portrayed the stresses of maintaining relationships associated with the lifestyle! I love how the movie showed such a strong reverence for what New Orleans brings to the culinary world…a city that’s predicated on food, fun, and life. It represented the city well, directly from a New Orleanians point of view…walking down Frenchmen, soaking in the uniqueness of the city…

Chef is about a chef who realizes his true passion and starts his own food truck…The movie tackled different relationship dynamics…a love story, a father-son relationship, kitchen camaraderie, and mainly a chef’s love for his food. Aside from all that, let’s not forget to mention the food porn…Check out the trailer above!

 

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 NEW ORLEANS LOCALS

Now, if you’re looking for a dinner & a movie kind of place, check out The Theatres at Canal Place: click here for website. The theatre was revamped and there’s now seat side service. The restaurant, Gusto at Canal Place, is owned by partnership by Chef Adolfo Garcia. He is chef and restauranteur with relationships in RioMar and La Boca. Now, I haven’t tried the food at Canal Place yet, but I definitely plan to so look forward to that post! What I do know is that I love La Boca…my favorite “steak” restaurant in the city!

St. James Cheese Company (Uptown, New Orleans, Louisiana)

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My friend and I had been waiting for the right moment to get together for a “foodventure” and what better moment than to celebrate our graduation from professional school. 8-9 long years of delving into stacks and stacks of notes and textbooks. It’s graduation time and whether you’re graduating middle school, high school, college, or any graduate/professional programs…Congratulations to everyone in the Class of 2014!!

After every graduation there’s the lingering question of “What next?”.

If you ask me, it’d be food!

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Menu. 

 

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5 Selection ( 3 meat/2 cheese) Plate. There’s a wide variety of different meats and cheeses so we decided to let them surprise us!

 

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Bread.  Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Perfect choice for the meat and cheese plate.

 

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Tangiers Torta. Two Run Farms Lamb. Feta. Pickeled Fennel. Harissa & Cilantro. Ciabatta.

This was on the special’s menu. It looks deceivingly heavy, but the ciabatta as well as the protein portion was light and satisfying.

 

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Hooks Cheddar. House smoked turkey. Avocado. Basil. Tomato. Mayo. Ciabatta.

Setup almost like a california turkey club, but the touch of basil made it even more refreshing. Loved it!

 

I can’t lie…these are actually photos from two visits to St. James Cheese Company. Two visits…within one week’s time. I enjoyed my first meal so much that I had to return and that’s when I tried the Hooks Cheddar!

Great deli meats and a wide variety of mouth-watering cheese choices! The only downside would be the limited space, although there are quite a few tables. Due to it’s growing popularity, I’d expect a wait for a table, especially on weekends.

If you like mouth-watering, melty goodness in your tummy, I’d suggest you try St. James Cheese Company!

 

St James Cheese Company on Urbanspoon

Noodle & Pie (Uptown, New Orleans)

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After a beautiful day during spring break, “The Chef” and I went for a run in Audubon Park and it definitely built up an appetite! We opted for something refreshing, so what better than to check out the new Noodle & Pie on the way home!

 

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Sake Punch. 

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Matcha Green. Tea. 

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Korean Fried Chicken. House cucumber. Carrot Kimchi. Black bean & chili glaze.

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Mussels.

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Cayenne Rice Dumpling with Simmered Butternut Squash. Fall veggies. Sweet and salty sauce.

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8 hour Brisket Bowl. Shoyo base. broth. 8 hour brisket. Ground pork. Ginger. Fire Ball. Greens. Soft-boiled egg.

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Save room for PIE!

Unfortunately, we didn’t have room for pie, but the selection looked great and I can’t wait to try the pie! Noode&Pie is a great twist on japanese cuisine. It’s a mix like an American twist on Yuki Izakaya (click to see post). Decor was modern, but cute and fitting for Magazine St. The weather was beautiful so we opted for the seats right by the open window-doors (didn’t know what to call them)!

I didn’t care too much for the cocktails and drinks…but my favorite had to be the Korean Fried Chicken. The ramen was good with a deep brothy flavor that I’m not quite used to. It’s not quite an authentic interpretation of Japanese ramen, but it’s still very tasty. You can really tell the noodles are homemade, and I love that! I will definitely go back and will save some room for PIE!

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Rating: 3/5 spoons

Noodle & Pie on Urbanspoon

 




 

Patois (Uptown, New Orleans)

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New Orleans is just flooded with so many great restaurants and among this list is Patois. I’ve heard so much about this place, but never had the chance to dine here…so what better place for “The Chef” to surprise me for my birthday here!

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French Cauliflower Bisque

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Table bread and buttery goodness!

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Charcuterie Plate. House-made boudin. Pork Rillettes. Hogshead cheese.

Yes, this might just look  like a plate of meat, but each piece of meat had so much love! The pork rillete was so moist and savory…it reminded me so much of my favorite brunch place, Tartine (click for post), and I have to say I think I prefer this rillete! The boudin was so memorable…gosh, just get the charcuterie plate!

 

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Potato Gnocchi. Jumbo Lump crab. Wild mushrooms. Edamame. Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.

 

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Sweetbreads. Brussels Leaf Salad. Carmelized Shallot. Crispy Ham. Sherry-mustard reduction.

Not too many restaurants serve sweetbreads..and don’t be fooled by the name. This item is actually a type offal, delicious organ meats. As unappetizing as they may sound, it’s very delish! Patois did an excellent job at making this “offal” sounding meat into a delicate and melt-in-your-mouth goodness!

 

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Crispy Duck Confit Salad. Crispy Lavender Goat cheese. Arugula. Spiced Pecams. Satsuma Vinaigrette.

Overall, such a great experience! Such a great pick for celebrating my birthday with “The Chef”. I’m a sucker for French cuisine and Patois nailed it! Light, rich, and perfect textures in all of the dishes! 
Patois on Urbanspoon

Max’s Wine Dive (Alamo Heights, San Antonio, TX)

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MAX’s Famous Southern Fried Chicken. House-made jalapeno and buttermilk-marinated chicken. Mashed potatoes. Collard Greens. Texas Toast. Chipotle Honey.

So I just had enough of studying at the Alamo Heights Starbucks and decided to stop by for some brunch at Max’s Wine Dive. I’ve heard good things about their Famous Fried Chicken so I had to try it! It was delicious…Flavorful batter and very moist chicken! The chipotle honey sauce complimented it really well. I’d love to stop by and try Max’s other great entrees. My only complaint is the slow service…I made a reservation for one, was seated, but was never greeted or served until 15 minutes later. It was a Sunday morning, but I noticed other people being served before I was. It happens, but I’ve heard similar complaints from other folks.

While exploring San Antonio, the Alamo Heights area has become one of my favorite areas to spend my time so I’m glad I had the chance to try Max’s Wine Dive. It’s a great place for brunch or even to watch the game!
Max's Wine Dive 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