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Tag Archives: New Orleans food

Pho Bang (Westbank Expressway, Harvey, LA)

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In New Orleans there’s a growing trend towards Vietnamese food. A ton of new “Vietnamese” and pho restaurants are opening in town, but there’s very few that can beat Pho Bang. When I was growing up Pho Bang was the place to go right after church on Sunday. It’s like Vietnamese brunch! Many years later, I am still going to Pho Bang and there are a few locations throughout the city. Two are located on the Westbank, one in the East on Chef Menteur Hwy, and one is located in Kenner on Veterans Memorial Blvd.

IMG_8054ePork Spring Roll. 

 

 

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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

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Rating: 4/5 spoons
Pho Bang Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Willa Jean (Warehouse District, New Orleans, LA)

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I’ve been eyeing this restaurant since it started building in the up and coming area near the Downtown Rouse’s and Blaze Pizza (click here for review). When I found out it was a Besh Restaurant Group (BRG) project, I definitely had to try it! Every restaurant within the BRG has been a success and has been on par from service to food. What I love, is that every restaurant is different from the last.

 

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Ambiance and Decor.

 

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

 

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Crostini Party. Boudin. Salmon. Beet. Avocado.

 

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Lisa’s Cornbread. Pourier’s cane syrup.

 

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

 

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Louisiana Shrimp Bisque. Brandy Cream. 

 

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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.

 

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Rating: 5/5 spoons
Willa Jean Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

 

 

 

 

Joe’s Cafe (Causeway, Metairie, LA)

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After a late night my friends and I were STARVING. We stopped by Joe’s Cafe in Metairie for some food. I’m always pretty skeptical about late night food and how much love and care is put into it (especially at 3:30AM on a weekend). I was SO surprised. The presentation was good and the food was delicious! I really loved the Fried Pork Chop and I couldn’t get over the butteriness and crispiness of that biscuit. Next time you’re searching for late night bites, try Joe’s Cafe. The cashier and girl working the kitchen that night were super friendly!

 

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Fried Pork Chop. Biscuit. 2 fried eggs. Hash brown.

 

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Country Breakfast: Eggs. Sausage. Biscuit. Hashbrowns.

 

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Rating: 5/5 spoons

 
Joes Cafe # 1 Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
 




Beignets and More (Chalmette, LA)

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I recently started working in the Chalmette area and didn’t realize I’d find so many food choices over here! Beignets and More is a family-owned Vietnamese restaurant that serves authentic Vietnamese cuisine. They even offer a small menu of American dishes too. The restaurant is located in a strip on West Judge Perez Dr. During lunch time and dinner time, the restaurant is always pretty full but service is always very quick!

 

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Crab Rangoon. 

 

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Pho Dac Biet. Pho with Round Steak, Well-done Brisket, and Round Meatball.

 

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Bun Thit Nuong. Chargrilled Pork and Vermicelli Rice Noodle.

 

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Com Bo Luc Lac. Pan Seared Cubed Beef and Rice.

 

Every dish I’ve ordered here is so delicious. Not a single one has disappointed me. The Crab Rangoons are perfect! They hold well for to-go orders or even as leftovers. The pho is authentic and maybe one of my favorite places for pho in the general New Orleans area. Other great dishes would be the Lemongrass Pork Spring Rolls, Com Bo Luc Lac (Pan Seared Cubed Beef and rice), and the Bun Thit Nuong (Chargrilled Pork and Vermicelli Noodles). They serve pretty authentic beignets, but I really like the mini beignets. They’re about half the size of a regular beignet and great to eat with the Vietnamese coffee.

I would seriously go out of my way to eat here. If you happen to be in the area, you have to try Beignets and More!

 

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Rating: 5/5 spoons
Beignets & More Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

A Taste of Thailand (Terrytown, New Orleans, LA)

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It’s hard to find really good Thai in this city and I’ve surprisingly found two great Thai places on the Westbank. This location is a little out of the way if you don’t live on the Westbank, but I really think it’s worth checking out if you’re craving Thai.

 

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Salad. 

 

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Spicy Chicken Pad Thai. 

 

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Green Curry. 

 

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3 Flavors Whole Fried Fish (Tilapia). 

 

We ordered the Spicy Chicken Pad Thai, Green Curry, and 3 Flavor Fried Fish. The pad thai was very flavorful but was a tad bit too tangy or sour. I’ve been twice this past week and tried 3 different curries. My favorite was the Green Curry. There’s just something so wholesome and flavorful about the green curry and A Taste of Thailand does it so well! The 3 Flavor Fried Fish is SO good and it reminds me of mom’s fried Tilapia. It’s super crispy and the 3 flavors sauce goes so well with it.

It appears to be family-owned and there’s a super sweet Thai lady who always comes to talk to you when you dine in. The restaurant location isn’t the best and is kinda off the beaten path. I wouldn’t have known about it if it weren’t for a friend’s recommendation and I am so thankful, because it’s definitely one of my top two favorite Thai restaurants in the New Orleans area.

What I’d like to try next? The Satay Scallops.

 

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Rating: 4.5/5 spoons
A Taste of Thailand Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

La Boulangerie (Uptown, New Orleans, LA)

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Ham & Cheese Croissant.

 

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Almond Croissant. 

 

I first heard of La Boulangerie years ago from my high school French teacher. She was originally from France and raved about this place! I decided to go back for brunch today. We ordered The Ham & Cheese croissant and the Almond Croissant. It was pretty busy for a Sunday morning. After I ordered I asked the cashier if  the drink on the counter was for me and a tall, dirty-blonde barista or whatever she is aggressively butted in and said “Ma’am! Just listen for your name because there are at LEAST 4 drinks before yours!”. I asked ONCE. I don’t know what her deal is, but it makes me regret leaving that tip. Just the way she said it was SO rude. Besides that, the croissants were pretty good and so was my Americano. I wish the croissants were warmer, crispier, and flakier. The ones I got were cold and somewhat soggy on the inside. I’ve definitely had better croissants, but there’s something homey about these croissants too. I will definitely come back again, but customer service needs some improvement.
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Rating: 3/5 spoons
La Boulangerie Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

District Donuts (Lower Garden District, New Orleans, LA)

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I decided to pick up donuts for work and who better than to go to District Donuts? It’s a local restaurant and donut shop that serves fresh and homemade donuts as well as breakfast and lunch sandwiches. What’s interesting on the menu are the Croquenuts. They are Donuts grilled to sandwich perfection. Trust me…if you’re looking for healthy, go elsewhere.

I ordered a Miso Praline Bacon Biscuit to go for an on-the-go bite and a few donuts for my girls at work. This has to be the most amazing breakfast sandwich EVER. The biscuit was extremely buttery and reminded me of a homemade-style Popeyes biscuit. I don’t know how you like your eggs, but it was overeasy and always makes the best breakfast sauce! As a whole, the miso praline bacon tied it all together. It’s a tad bit messy for on-the-go, but I’d do it all over again!

If you’re looking for a place for an epic, awesome breakfast, District Donuts is where to go. If you’re looking bland and healthy, you’re in the wrong place!

 

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Donuts: Wedding Cake, Glazed, Coconut Creme

 

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Miso Praline Bacon Biscuit. 

 

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Rating: 5/5 spoons

Click to add a blog post for District Donuts Sliders Brew on Zomato

Compère Lapin (Warehouse District, New Orleans, LA)

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Chef Nina Compton is Caribbean native that was one of the top Top Chef contestants on the Bravo TV Channel. Although she didn’t get the top spot, her success lead to her recent endeavor: Compère Lapin. With her Caribbean roots and background in French cuisine, she’s created a menu that’s unlike any other in New Orleans. My fiancé and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary at Compère and it was impressive!

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Refreshing cocktail. 

 

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Chive Biscuits. Honey Butter. Bacon Butter.

 

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Conch Croquettes. Pickled Pineapple Tartar Sauce.

 

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Marinated Shrimp. Roasted Jalapeno Jus.

 

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Beef Tartare . Matsutake mushrooms. Cured egg yolk.

 

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Roasted Beet Salad. Ricotta. Pistachio.

 

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Left: Pici Pasta. Lobster. Summer squash.

Right: Curried Goat. Plantain Gnocchi. Cashews.

 

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Roasted Banana Zeppole. Rum Caramel.

 

First, the bread was a chive biscuit that was flaky, buttery, and flavorful. To top that it came with two butters: a honey butter and a bacon butter. My favorite was the bacon butter. It’s amazing how they were able to infuse such a pure bacon flavor. I felt like I was eating a really good breakfast sandwich. Now, that’s just the bread!

For our appetizers, we ordered:

  1. Conch croquettes: these were delicately crispy on the outside and saucy on the inside.
  2. Marinated shrimp with Jalapeño Jus: I’m not the biggest fan of shrimp, but this was so well done. The shrimp was very fresh and nicely cooked and the sauce had a nice kick to it. What I love in Chef Nina Compton’s dishes is that she’s not afraid to spice things up! She chose the perfect city for her restaurant.
  3. Beef Tartare with Matsutake mushrooms and cured egg yolk: Smoky. Savory. Goodness. The tartare was one of my favorite dishes of the night.
  4. Roasted Beet Salad with Ricotta: This salad was no salad. It was so good it was like dessert to me. The Beets were sweet and perfectly roasted. Next, was the ricotta which was blended into a sweet icing-like texture.

For our entrees:

  1. Pici Pasta with Lobster and summer squash: The pasta was homemade and delicious. I loved that there were clear chunks of lobster throughout the dish.
  2. Curried Goat with Plantain Gnocchi and cashews: This was definitely the finale and I almost wanted to stop here and just savor that last bite of gnocchi. When you think about certain elements complimenting a dish, this has to be the perfect example. The savoriness of the goat curry coated the little gnocchis. Once you bite into the gnocchi, there’s this instant of a billion flavors all at once! First you get the savory curry, then you get a hint of white wine, then unexpectedly there’s the plantain sweetness. I’m so amazed.

Dessert:

  1. Roasted Banana Zeppole: This was a great treat in the end, but I definitely could’ve stopped with the gnocchis.

Everything was phenomenal! I love the Caribbean twist on the classically French cuisine. Chef Nina isn’t afraid of adding a lot of spice and I love that. We’re going to have to go back to celebrate our 10 yr 1 mo ! If you’re considering a dinner option this weekend, Compère is a MUST!
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Rating: 5/5 spoons

Click to add a blog post for Compere Lapin on Zomato