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Tag Archives: James Beard

Shaya (Garden District, New Orleans, LA)

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Chef Alon Shaya was awarded a James Beard Award for Best Chef of the South 2015 and deservingly so! I’ve always been a fan of his first restaurant, Pizza Domenica, but now Restaurant Shaya is another top restaurant to add to my list. Restaurant Shaya presents a modern and refined take on Mediterranean food.

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Ambiance. 

 

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Pita. 

 

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Naveh. 

 

IMG_4071e3 for $15: Tzatziki: field peas, sea beans. Watermelon and Bulgarian Feta: Harissa and Walnut vinaigrette. Ikra: paddlefish caviar spread with shallots

 

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Soft Cooked Egg Hummus. Red onion. Pickled cornichons. Harissa.

 

 

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Short Rib Tagine. Fennel. Star anise. Couscous.

 

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Saffron Chicken Salad. Swiss chard. Sunflower seeds. Barberries.

 

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Kibbeh nayah. Two Run Farms beef tartare. Bulgur. Walnuts. Yemenite flatbread.

 

We went on a Monday night and it was surprisingly busy. It was spur of the moment so we didn’t have a reservation. The hostess advised us that the wait would be at least 20 minutes so we left our phone number since we planned on walking down Magazine St. while we wait. Literally, 5-10 minutes later we got our call!

Our server was awesome. She was extremely bubbly and very helpful. First, they brought out pita bread along with an olive oil and herb dip. That pita bread was fresh out of the oven. It was a fluffy cloud of wholesome wheat flavor. From the cocktail menu I ordered the Naveh, which was delicious and lightly fruity. What’s different about their food  menu is that they offer many small plates such as tabouleh, pickles, tzaziki, etc. We ordered Tabouleh, Watermelon & Feta, and Ikra. The Ikra is a caviar with a light yogurt cream, which was creamy and delicious. The hummus with soft cooked egg and harissa was divine. I loved how everything was so dippable. It didn’t hurt that the pita bread is so delicious! We also ordered the Short Rib Tagine, Saffron Chicken Salad, and Kibbeh Nayah.  Each dish was refined, yet had a certain hominess to it. I honestly can’t pick out a favorite, but I’m glad we ordered each one! 

I’ve been craving Shaya again for some time now, but “The Chef” insists we try other new restaurants. Until next time Shaya, I’ll continue dreaming of those fluffy pillowy pitas…

 

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Rating: 5/5 spoons

 

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Rioja (LoDo, Denver, Colorado)

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Rioja…a blend of Spanish, French, Italian influences, and the recognition from the James Beard Foundation. I was unaware of what this meant before I met “The Chef”, but I quickly learned that only the best of the best are awarded with the James Beard Award. Chef Jennifer Jasinski was awarded with Best Chef of the Southwest in 2013.

It’s not often I get to visit Colorado, so why not try the best of the best?! So, how did Rioja measure up to this recognition?

 

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Goat Cheese Biscuit. Seasoned Flatbread. Lavender Sourdough. Loved the lavender sourdough. Perfect note of lavender paired with sourdough!

 

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Pre-meal Rosé. 

 

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Chardonnay. Bodegas Dinastia Vivanco, Rioja.

 

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Amuse bouche: Pork belly bite. 

 

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Fresh Bacon. Pork belly. Cardamom. Curried Garbanzo Bean Pureé.

 

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Duck Confit Flatbread. Lemon Pistachio Pesto. Gorgonzola Dolce. Cherries. Port Pickled Red Onion.

 

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Beet Gnocchi. Strawberries. Hon-shimeji Mushrooms. Walnuts. Tarragon. Horseradish-fromage blanc.

 

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Pacchetti. Rapini Mousse filled Saffron Pasta. Heirloom Tomato. Italian Sausage. Burrata. Basil.

 

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Artichoke Tortelloni. Artichoke Mousse. White truffle brodo. Queso de Mano. Chervil.

 

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Seared Sea Scallops. Arugula Risotto. Baby turnips. Artichoke. Saffron-lemon Puree.

 

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Beignets. Sweet Goat Cheese. Black Mission Fig Filled Pastries. Ruby Port Wine Reduction.

 

 

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Hand made ice creams.  Left to right: Apricot Ice cream. Tangerine Sorbet. Cognac Ice Cream. Lace Cookie Plate.

 

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Candied Mint. 

 

**Keep in mind that “The Chef” and I like to order various menu items and create our own tasting menus so some of the dishes were split in two by the chefs in the kitchen. That’s why the portions appear a bit small, but each small bite was bursting with deliciousness.

I know this sounds super cliché, but the entire meal was like an orchestrated musical. There was never a moment that I felt I was waiting for my food. It’s almost magical how they organized it. Those who are not in the industry don’t realize how difficult food service can be and I can understand why when restaurants like Rioja make it look so easy.

Now, onto the food…

They catered to exactly towards my palate! Delicate, light, and bursting with flavor. I had so many favorites. The amuse bouche was scrumptious and I could eat a bowlful! My favorite pasta was Chef Jen’s signature pasta, the Artichoke Tortelloni. Next, would be the Fresh Bacon dish. It sat on top of a savory Curried Garbanzo Bean Pureé. Lastly, the sweets deserve some mentioning especially since my hometown is the home of the beignets (New Orleans)! The beignets were delicious and complimented the ice cream and sorbet dishes well. My favorite ice cream was the Cognac. “The Chef” jokes that I’m an alchie, but you can’t blame me for having great taste!

From top to bottom, Rioja excelled in great service, food orchestration, and flavorful execution. I can’t wait til I visit Denver again to try brunch at Rioja!

 

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Rating: 5/5 spoons
Rioja on Urbanspoon

Bradley’s Fine Diner (The Heights, Houston, TX)

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I’d been seeing this restaurant being built every time I passed by and when “The Chef” came to visit me in Houston, I thought it would be a good idea for our last meal before he went back home to New Orleans…We were dressed really casual, but that was “fine”. It’s a diner! haha..”The Chef” wasn’t too happy when he found out that I let him dress so casual to a  restaurant owned by Bradley Ogden, a James Beard award winner. For those who aren’t familiar with the James Beard award, it’s quite an accomplishment in the chef world! Check out the website here (click). It was definitely gorgeous inside and I tend to be really skeptical of the trendy and hyped up establishments, but Bradley definitely deserves 5/5 spoons in my book! 

It’s like a gem hiding among some chain restaurants and establishments…

 

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My view.

 

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Smoked Salmon Sliders. 

 

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Crab Cake con Piri Piri. Garlic Pepper Aioli. Avocado Puree.

 

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Kobe Beef Burger with carmelized onions. 

 

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 Fish N Chips. Alaskan cod.

Our meal definitely lived up to the expectations…Best fish n chips I’ve ever had. Maybe it was the amount of delicate crispiness or maybe it was the perfectly cooked tenderness of the Cod OR it was just plain delicious!

Honestly, every dish was delicious…I wouldn’t mind going to THIS diner right about now…

 

Bradley's Fine Diner 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