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

Panda King Fine Dining Dim Sum (Gretna, LA)

chefsgirlnola@gmail.com — Sat, 20 Aug 2016 12:26:24 +0000

As the weekend approaches, I’m excited and embarrassed to share my latest discovery. Panda King Dim Sum has been around for years. I tried it years ago and my dim sum snootiness kept me from coming back. I would only enjoy dim sum when I’m traveling to Houston, San Jose, or other major diverse cities because there’s such a lack for authentic dim sum in NOLA. I decided to give it another shot and here’s what I’ve found…

Fried Squid. (Like Calamari)

Rice Noodle with Shrimp.

Pork Spare Ribs. Mushroom Sticky Rice. Shrimp and Pork Xiu Mai. Har Gow.

Xiu Mai. Tofu Skin. Chicken Feet. Beef Tripe.

I am so surprised! The preparation and flavors for some items were slightly different but still very delicious. The Chicken Feet had more of a Szechuan flavor or seasoning, but I enjoyed it! The main room is the Fine Dining Room at Panda King, however, they expand into the buffet room on the weekends. Next time, I’m craving dim sum I won’t let my food snobbery get in the way because I really enjoyed everything and the service was pretty good! It’s no Din Tai Fung (Michelin star-rated dim sum), but it definitely satiates the craving! (By the way, DTF (Seattle) review coming very soon!)

Rating: 4/5 spoons

gretna – ChefsGirl

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

Panda King Fine Dining Dim Sum (Gretna, LA)