1. Bar Frances. I’ve been back to Bar Frances twice in the last week! Why? Despite the minimalistic menu, it’s clear that they strive to focus on a few set items and execute them well. I love the brunch options on the weekends…especially the list of bottomless drinks! I’m looking forward to what else Bar Frances has in store. Order the Chicken Biscuit and the Lemon Compari to start your day!

2. Nomiya. This HOT and NEW ramen “bar” made its entrance to the New Orleans food scene and it’s here to stay. Nomiya’s authenticity steams from their homey broth to their sweetly balanced braised pork. This ramen bar does not currently serve liquor, but Geki-Kara (“too spicy”) ramen bowl is a great choice to kickstart your night!

3. Seaworthy. I am absolutely in love with Seaworthy right now. They are truly the “Best Bar” in NOLA this Fall. Why? It’s hard enough to find a great eatery and hangout spot open past 10 PM, but Seaworthy’s kitchen is open until 12 AM Sun-Wed and 1 AM Thurs-Sat! You won’t find your ordinary hot dog and nachos (which I still love from time to time). The menu consists of an array of oysters from coast to coast as well as some sophisticated items such as the Gulf Coast Roll or Blackened Redfish.  Seaworthy is a rare pearl in my book!

Check them out and let me know what you think! What other NOLA food bars would you recommend?

Dinner

Hot Apple Cider. 

Grilled Broccoli. Walnut. Radish. Sieved egg. Paper-mustard vinaigrette.

Wagyu Hangar Steak. Tomatillo. Fingerling potato. Cipollini onion. Creme fraiche.

Pan-seared Cobia. Saffron Broth. Israeli couscous. Black eyed peas. Field Peas. Caramelized Fennel

House made Raviolo. Egg yolk. Ricotta. Maitake mushroom. Porcini Cream. Truffle Pecorino.

House made Pappardelle. Spicy Pork Sausage Ragu Basil. Parmigiana.

Duck Confit Agnolotti. Delicata squash. Pepitas. Caramelized onions. Sage.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta. Louisiana passionfruit. Gingersnap cookie.

Lemon Cream Tart. Candied satsuma. Vanilla syrup. Whipped cream.

The restaurant nearly takes you out of NOLA and you could almost find yourself feeling as if you’re in NYC or SF. There’s little Cajun and Southern influence in the food so if you’re looking for local cuisine, you won’t find it here. I would particularly pay attention to their pastas, which had to be my favorites. For dessert the Panna Cotta was the table’s favorite! It was lightly sweet and balanced well with the tart passionfruit.

FAVES: Tuna Crudo, House made Raviolo, House made Pappardelle, and the Duck Confit Agnolotti. Panna Cotta for dessert!

LEAST FAVES: The protein dishes (steak) tended to be on the blander and not-so-memorable side, but they weren’t terrible. I would stick to the pastas! Brunch was so-so.

TIPS: Paladar 511 is more of a tapas-style dining experience. Be sure to bring friends to order and share with!

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Brunch at Paladar 511

Dinner was so great that we had to return for brunch! We were particularly eyeing the Korean Steak & Eggs, since there’s a lack of Korean cuisine in NOLA. We also ordered the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.

Hot Apple Cider. 

Yellowfin Tuna Crudo. Avocado. Pistachio. Fennel. Cumin-lime Vinaigrette.

Brunch: Korean Steak and Eggs. Braised Short Ribs. Shiitake Mushrooms. Rice. Fried Egg. Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. House made Kumquat Marmalade.

We repeated another order of the Tuna Crudo because it was the highlight of our meal from the night before. Aside from that were the mediocre Steak & Eggs, but the Lemon and Ricotta Pancakes were outstanding. I love the balanced tartness from the Kumquat Marmalade. Paladar 511, you’ve done an excellent job and I can’t wait to come back to see what’s new. Please keep the pastas as your mainstay! Loved them all!

Rating (for brunch alone): 3.5/5 spoons

Beef Barbacoa Flautas. Guacomole. Crema. Valentina. Queso Fresco.

My flautas were great and flavorful, but I will say they are pricey for what they are. Every dish I’ve ordered here including the Plato de Carnitas and Fajitas were all so-so that’s why I highly recommended eating family-style dining here. It’s fun to eat a little bit of everything and due to the deep flavor profiles, it’s easy to get bored of your one dish. I wouldn’t call this authentic Mexican, but more of a modern take. It’s great for large groups and very family friendly. Service was wonderful and accommodating!

What to LOVE: Happy hour is 3-6 PM with $2 tacos and half off drinks!

What NOT to LOVE: $$$ Tacos are definitely pricier when it’s not HH. Small plates and appetizers are more tasty! Sharing entrées or family-style dining is recommended.

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Chicken Thai Basil. 

Green Curry. 

Pad See Ew. 

Royal Dip. 

Thai Chicken Wings.

Curry Puff. 

Nothing failed to please! My friends and I LOVED the Royal Thai dip and ordered a second..maybe even a third??? (Along with maybe 5 rounds of sake…) Everything was great. We ordered the Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, Chicken Wings, Curry Puff, and Green Curry. I loved every single dish. The restaurant is not too far from the Elmwood Shopping Center, but it is hidden in a more warehouse-y commercial area. It’s so worth it!

LOVE: Royal Thai Dip. Solid and delicious classic Thai dishes. Affordable drinks.

What NOT to LOVE: nothing?

Rating: 5/5 spoons

Sac-A-Lait has to be one of my top 5 restaurants in the city right now. I’ve been here a couple of times for dinner and my first time for happy hour just a couple days ago. I LOVED happy hour so much that I had to share with y’all.

When you talk about Happy Hour in New Orleans, you’ll most likely get half off oysters and half off wine. At Sac-a-Lait you get exactly that but be sure to sit at the bar to participate in Happy Hour, otherwise, it’s regular price if you dine at the tables. 

1 Dozen oysters. 

Pig’s Ear. 

Truffle-Honey Fries. 

The oysters at Sac-a-Lait were so delicious! They were a good size with a briney finish. Love it. I do, however, I miss the regular saltine crackers that you would usually get, but the fancy Sac-a-Lait crisp does the job. The appetizers and snacks that we ordered were so memorable. The Pig’s Ear was a tease since you literally get one ear (as barbaric as this sounds). That first bite has a crunchy crisp with a deliciously chewy and juicy bite. It paired very well with the accompanied cream sauce topped with black sea caviar. I wish I had a bagful of them. Imagine cracklins, but on steroids! If Pig’s Ear isn’t your thing, I wouldn’t order it but if you’re feeling gutsy, you may just fall in love with it. The truffle-honey fries were my all time favorite fries in the city. There was a truly delicate truffle flavor with a light sweetness, which really set these fries apart.

Sac-a-Lait is hands down my favorite happy hour joint in the city. Happy hour begins at 5:30 til 7:00. I’ve been to Sac-a-Lait for dinner which is also very delicious. Everything I’ve tried is so homey, but with a refined touch. It’s perfect. I’ll post another review very soon on Dinner at Sac-a-Lait!

Rating: 5/5 spoons

The Halal Guys. 

Indoor Seating. 

Beef and Chicken Combo Bowl. 

What’s inside the Combo Bowl…

Beef gyro. 

Hummus. 

Fries…because I can’t say “no” to fries…

I definitely enjoyed the short wait time and delicious food here at the NOLA location. The gyro was delicious and the Combo bowl was good, BUT the chicken is consistently dry here. I would go easy on their HOT sauce. It’s deceivingly HOT but very flavorful!

The Halal Guys purists will say that “Nothing beats The Halal Guys in New York City!”, but until I try it, I’m still enjoying the Halal guys here in New Orleans. The location is quite small, but there’s a good amount of seats considering the location downtown. Service is hit or miss, but I’m usually in and out so no biggie.

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Banh Mi Dac Biet. Combination banh mi. Bubble Tea: Jasmine Iced Tea with Tapioca, Taro and Tapioca

From left to right: Jasmine Green Tea with Tapioca x 2, Mocha and Tapioca, Black Milk Tea with Tapioca.

My favorite is the Combination sandwich loaded with delicious Vietnamese cold cuts, pate, aioli and veggies. My go-to drink is the Jasmine Tea with Tapioca…it’s healthy and refreshing! There are more desserty flavors that aren’t as healthy but make a great treat such as the Taro or Cafe Sua Da. Another plus? There’s a loyalty card! With every 10 drinks, you get a free one. Easily done with summer approaching! There are only a few tables since it’s mostly take-out orders, but it’s quite spacious. The restaurant is located right outside of the Hong Kong Market so you if you happen to be in the area, Mr. Bubbles is a great treat!

Rating: 5/5 spoons

Escargot “Trebeache”. Sauteed escargot. Button Mushroom. Charred Tomato. Browned French Wine. Wine. Lemon. Garlic and Butter.

Louisiana Crawfish Pie. Crawfish. Creamy Pepperjack Cheese Filling. House made pie dough.

Pan Roast Cauliflower Steak. St. Andre’s Brie. Rough-cut Pistachio Pesto.

TThe Wedge. Crisp bacon. Crumbled blue cheese. Green Goddess Dressing.

Special of the night: Veal and Lobster Ravioli Duet

I loved it! My favorite dishes were the Escargot and the Crawfish Pie. The escargot is served differently than your traditional Escargots à la Bourguignonne, a garlic herb butter sauce, but it was really refreshing to try it served a different way. The crawfish pie was perfectly crisped on the outside and filled with a perfectly seasoned crawfish and pepperjack filling. We also ordered the cauliflower steak, Wedge Salad, and the Veal and Lobster Ravioli duet. The cauliflower steak was pretty good! The Wedge salad was refreshing. Honestly, we only ordered the extra salad to appear “healthy”. The Veal special had to be the most disappointing. The veal was over-salted that we couldn’t even finish the last piece. On a brighter note, the lobster ravioli were delicious and balanced the over seasoned veal a bit. Overall, everything was great! Service was super friendly and I loved the ambiance.

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Pork Spring Roll. 

Pho Chin Nam. Combination Rice Noodles in Beef Broth. Eye of Round Beef. Beef navel.

The beef broth is authentic and flavorful and the meat is fairly lean. You can customize your bowl with different cuts of meat, but my favorite is the Pho Chin Nam. It’s simple and it’s just what I always order. The BBQ pork spring roll is a great appetizer as well! There are combination rice and noodle dishes that are offered if you’re not craving a hot bowl of soup especially in this New Orleans weather. My favorite non-pho dish is the Com Bi Thit Heo Nuong (aka Marinated grilled BBQ Pork on top of rice dressed with Tomato, Vietnamese pickles, and Lettuce). If you’re looking for a legit and authentic bowl of pho and Vietnamese food, this is where it’s at!

What’s not good: Bun Bo Hue, smaller portions

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Ambiance and Decor.

Willa’s Juice. Botanist Gin. St. Germain. Pema. Blueberries. Nola Blonde Ale. 

Crostini Party. Boudin. Salmon. Beet. Avocado.

Lisa’s Cornbread. Pourier’s cane syrup.

Hot buttered Crab Roll. Garlic. Pickled Red Onion. Toasted soft bun with chips.

Louisiana Shrimp Bisque. Brandy Cream. 

Cookies & Cream. Edible Cookie Dough. Vanilla Milk.

Even though Willa Jean is a bakery/restaurant, it has more of a restaurant feel but you can definitely stop in for some pastries. I would recommend the blueberry muffin. It’s different and refreshing. I love the added ginger which adds an extra layer of subtle flavor.

As for the dining experience, service was friendly and everything flowed so smoothly. I started with the Willa’s Juice Cocktail, which was a fruity gin type drink. The Crostini Party was a fun appetizer to share between two people but no more because it’s difficult to split the different crostinis (I’ve tried it.). The four crostinis that came out were: the Salmon, Boudin, Beet, and Avocado (most fav to least fav, but they were all really good). Next, we ordered the cornbread, which I can never say “No” to, but if I had to cut anything out it would be the cornbread because we over-ordered. The Shrimp Bisque was solid, but wasn’t the most memorable dish of the night. My favorite dish was the Crab Roll. Who doesn’t like “hot butter” and “fresh crab”? Everything was so perfect about this roll and we don’t have anything like it in the area, but if we did, this roll would be hard to beat.

Lastly, we had the Cookies & Cream. This was definitely NOT your typical cookies-n-cream. What’s unique is the  Vanilla Milk that they serve with the Cookies, which I felt was a dessert on its own.

Must haves: Crab Roll, Cookies and Cream dessert

If you’re looking for a great laid back place to eat, Willa Jean is a must-try. With the variety of breakfast pastries in combination of lunch and dinner menus, it’s a great place for all around good food.

Rating: 5/5 spoons