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?

Spinach Dip. 

Mediterranean Salad. 

Chicken Pesto Calzone. 

Magazine Supreme Pizza. 

I’ve ordered Magazine Pizza about 3 times and have loved it every single time. Their Spinach Dip is awesome! The garlic bread sticks that accompany it are thicker, but still soft and chewy on the inside. I nearly liked it more than the pizza itself. To be honest, I usually hate calzones due to excessive breading, but Magazine Pizza has found the perfect bread-to-filling ratio. I can now say that I love calzones. As for the pizza, it’s perfect! The pizza was picked up and traveled to the Westbank and despite the wait, it was still crispy and delicious. Excellent job especially for Game Day service!

Loves: Late hours every day of the week. Online orders. Great calzones, dip, and pizzas!

What NOT to Love: Limited parking on busy days or weekends.

Rating: 5/5 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

Fancy Rose Lemonade. 

Gulf Shrimp. Uni. Clam Vinaigrette. Fennel. Saffron Mayonnaise.

Chilled Roasted Beets. Sheep’s Milk Ricotta. Red Vein Sorrel and Spiced Pecans.

Crab & Camembert Gratin. Lemon and Fines Herbes.

Cauliflower Soup. Fried oysters. Black Truffle.

Cheeseburger. Sharp Cheddar. Caramelized Onions. B&B pickles. Comeback Sauce. Hand Cut Fries.

Balise’s menu is very different from La Petite Grocery in that it has more small plates on the menu. First, we ordered the Gulf Shrimp, which attracted us since there was uni, clam vinaigrette, saffron mayonnaise, and fennel. Somehow, every component and flavor profile meshed together so well. It was refreshing and interesting at the same time.

For our veg, we ordered the Chilled Beet Salad with spiced pecans and ricotta. A touch of ricotta for richness and the spiced pecans added a ton of flavor. I wish I could make this stuff at home.

I ordered the Crab & Camembert Gratin, because I can’t turn anything crabmeat down! Camembert is a type of cheese, similar to brie. It was yummy! I took the bread and topped it off with some of the crab au gratin.

Next, was the Cauliflower Soup topped with a crispy, fried oyster showered in black truffles. DE. LISH. I sometimes wonder why they give you such small portions, but due to the law of diminishing returns, small delicious bites are meant to leave you yearning for more. I can still remember those few bites of soup…

Despite our fine dining tasting menu that we created,  I am always craving a burger. So we ordered the burger as our main entree. haha..It definitely hit the spot. What makes this burger is the juiciness and the sauce. They call it the Comeback Sauce. It tastes like a remoulade and a buttery aioli at the same time.

What a great meal! If you’re looking for a laid back bar with fine dining, then Balise is for you. It’s worth trying at least once, but keep it mind, it is fine dining so it may be a little on the pricier end. Our whole meal with alcoholic beverages was around $111, but we left completely satiated.

Rating: 4.5/5

“Buttery Biscuit Roll”. At least that’s what I called it. This dinner roll is flaky and buttery like a croissant but in a biscuit.

Brick Wall Farms Baby Lettuces. Shaved Radish. Fennel. White Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Oysters Goodenough. Flash-fried Oysters. Benton’s Bacon. Creamed Leeks. Sauce Bearnaise.

Crispy Veal Sweetbreads. Sauteed Spinach. Roasted Oyster Mushrooms. Caper-Brown Butter.

House-made Creole Cream Cheese Cavatelli. Louisiana Crabmeat. Cherry Tomatoes. Grana Padano.

House-made Potato Gnocchi. Braised Oxtail. Raisins. Pine Nuts.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta. Ponchatoula Strawberry Compote. Pecan Brittle. Local Honey.

Baby Beignets. 

The first thing that came out was their bread. The bread is like a biscuit but a dinner roll at the same time. It was so buttery, flaky like a croissant. Loved it! I could eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For our salad we ordered the Brick Wall Farms Baby Lettuce salad which had a light and citrusy White Balsamic Vinaigrette. Next, there were the Crispy Sweetbreads, which were bathing in a browned butter sauce. They were moist with a light crisp on the outside and how can you not like anything bathing in browned butter?

Culinary fact: I went out with some friends recently and asked them if they’d ever tried Sweetbreads. Immediately, they shouted, “No, but I LOVE bread!”. I had to quickly explain that sweetbreads aren’t what you think. Sweetbreads are a type of Offal, a group of edible organs and entrails that aren’t considered muscle/bone and are considered a delicacy in the culinary world.

The Oysters Goodenough (named after the Chef) were like charbroiled oysters, but topped in a Bearnaise Sauce and Benton’s Bacon. They were exceptionally rich and flavorful. My fiance couldn’t stop talking about them. If only we had room for more…

We also ordered the Cream Cheese Cavatelli topped with crabmeat. If you know how I like order, you’d know that if I see crabmeat on the menu, it will end up on my dinner table. The Cavatelli was fresh and perfectly cooked. I loved that although this was a pasta dish, the citrusy and wine notes lightened it up and didn’t make you feel to heavy. Since we had good amount of seafood themed dishes, we ordered the Potato Gnocchi and Oxtail to finish off the dinner. The sauce was deep and savory.

Since we were so full, the waiter suggested that we opt for a lighter dessert: the Panna Cotta. It was topped in local strawberry compote and local honey. So light, refreshing and delicious. It paired so well with the mini beignets that we ordered on the side. I know, so much for a light dessert, but it’s so worth it!

The feel is very romantic and the restaurant is small, but there is room for large groups. Just be sure to set a reservation. I love the menu at Carrollton Market since they offer local items on their menu. There’s a Southern sophisticated flare to each dish. Every dish that we ordered not only melded together so well, but it also complimented the other dishes on the menu. I can’t wait to see what they have to offer again soon.

Rating: 4.5/5 spoons

Jacques-Imo’s Cafe: Slow Roasted Duck Poboy

This was the first thing that caught my eye as we approached the park in front of the St. Louis Cathedral. There’s usually more food tents setup near Woldenburg Park for the rest of the festival, but it was a Sunday and the rain was just unrelenting. I love Jacques-Imo’s Duck Poboys. It’s messy. It’s sloppy. But oh so good! They also have another restaurant called Crabby Jack’s, which falls under he Jacques-Imo’s family, that offers the same poboy in a more casual setting and in an industrial part of town.

GW Fins: Ponchatoula Strawberry Shortcake.

GW Fins is one of my top 10 seafood restaurants in New Orleans. However, on this Sunday afternoon at the FQF, they only had dessert options. Their desserts are always very classic and exactly what you’re looking for. They’re never “deconstructing” anything or trying to revamp any old classic recipes, which I love and miss. Too many places are “trying something different/new”.

Haydel’s Bakery: White Chocolate Kingcake Bread Pudding.

Oh my, what can I say about this except phenomenal! It doesn’t look like much, but it’s so moist and flavorful. My cousin and I shared this small little bowl no larger than the size of my palm. We should have each gotten our own. Good job Haydel! I’ll definitely be back and order a whole tray of this!

Tujague’s Restaurant: Chicken & Andouille Jambalaya

I’ve never actually been to Tujague’s, but I’ve heard great things. Unfortunately, this jambalaya was just OK. There was just too much “flavor” but not enough depth. I could taste all the wonderful herbs thrown into the mix, but possibly not the right proportion. I’d give this jambalaya 2.5/5 spoons because it was almost there. It just needs some improvement…

Mrs. Wheat’s Louisiana Foods: Crawfish Pie & Meat Pie

This was probably one of my favorite items at the Food Fest. Anything empanada-like or meat pie like just attracts me and this one in particular has the perfect flaky crust. It’s not too greasy and the filling is so well-seasoned. Other meat pies that you usually find in small convenience stores or gas stations tend to be dry with subpar filling, but this was amazing. Another plus is that I decided to order some to-go and it reheats very well. Where can you actually find it’s brick and mortar? It’s located in the St. Roch area of New Orleans, but the website isn’t working and there aren’t any photos on Yelp and I couldn’t find info on Urbanspoon. I’m speculating the place is very new, but I’ll come back for more and keep you posted!

Bar seating. 

Bread Foccacia White Spongebread. White Sourdough. Butters: White Truffle Oil, Wasabi, and Saffron.

Sweetbreads. Demi-glace. Roasted poblano yogurt sphere. Pearl Onion. Truffle Oil.

Endive Salad. Fennel. Carrots. Shallots. Walnuts. Asparagus. Gorgonzola. Balsamic Pearls. Black Garlic. Ginger Vinaigrette.

34 oz Porterhouse. 

Truffle Fries. 

Foie Gras. 

Chocolate Semifreddo. 

The restaurant has a very clean, modern look. There’s a mixed crowd of businessmen, couples, and large groups, which was refreshing because some restaurants tend to attract a certain demographic, but there was a good mix of everyone.

The food:

1. The Sweetbreads were large, tender, and juicy. I do wish there was a light crisp on the outside, but overall the sauce was sweet yet savory.

2. The Endive Salad had many components and the endives were perfect for scooping like a dip. Not very lady-like, but it works!

3. The 34 oz Porterhouse steak is perfect for sharing. I love that you get some tenderloin on one side of the bone and strip steak on the other side. Not to mention the perfectly cooked med-rare steak. One disappointment had to be when I requested more truffle butter that came with our bread plate to eat with my steak, the waiter decided to suggest foie gras instead without mentioning the $25 upcharge. And after eating the foie gras, I still wished I had the truffle butter instead. OK, it’s not the healthiest dipping for steak, but it was so good!

4. The truffle fries were delicious! Perfectly thinly cut fries with just enough truffle oil. I hate how some places claim to have “truffle fries” but they have not a bit of truffle oil.

5. Chocolate Semifreddo was delicious, but I found it a little too dainty for my taste. I prefer a simple dessert that I can take a bite and and just feel like I had a piece of heaven.

Great job on creativity, but I will say that as delicious and juicy the steak was I didn’t find it “special” or worth $82 considering it was mostly a big chunk of bone. The appetizer dishes balanced the meal very well and I loved the small touches of molecular gastronomic “pearls” in many of the appetizer dishes. Overall, it was an enjoyable birthday meal with good service, but the price is definitely a little steep.

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Burger. 

Seasoned Fries. 

I’m a burger girl. There’s not a single day that I don’t crave a burger. Thank goodness for Five Guys, but I just wish they were a little closer to home for me.

Five Guy’s burgers are mid-size burgers with homemade patties. The beef patty is on the thinner size and they don’t typically offer a temp here (medium, well-done, etc.) but that’s quite okay!  I order the double patty, because a single patty just never seems to fill me.When I think “burger”, I think of a hearty-sized bite and the mess that comes afterwards. Ketchup dripping. Pickles falling and that delicious conglomeration of different condiments, toppings, and that juicy beef in every bite… (This is probably the worst thing to post during Lent!) I’ve had cleaner, more organized burgers, but they never seem to satiate that craving, especially after a long day at work. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a cute, dainty burger (like Smashburger). Those are great, but if you’re craving a hearty and wholesome burger, Five Guys has it! The service is awesome and they serve quickly.

Rating: 4.5/5

Delicious GW Fins biscuits. They’re tiny and about 2″ wide and so delicious..

Shrimp Remoulade. Chilled Louisiana shrimp. Roasted Red Peppers. Fried Green tomato.

Blue Crab Potstickers. Country Ham. Creamy Pea Shoot Butter.

Barbeque Shrimp. Deglazed with Abita Amber. Crispy spoonbread.

Lobster Dumplings. Fennel. Tomato concasse. Lobster butter.

Fish and Etouffee. Special of the day.

Although everything was super delicious, as usual, the most notable thing here has to be the bite-sized, sweet, buttery biscuits. As for the menu, Chef Tenney Flynn consistently puts out classic French-Cajun seafood dishes. Each of his dishes consist of fresh seafood and the menu changes every day depending on availability and what’s in season. I’m a creature of habit and I use to ALWAYS order his Diver Sea Scallops and Mushroom risotto. It’s delicious! The scallops are extra large and juicy and the risotto is permeating with flavor. More recently, I’ve been loving the change-up and have been loving the Lobster Dumplings and Blue Crab Potstickers, which are appetizers that are almost always on the menu. The Shrimp Remoulade was so fresh! The Fish of the Day with etouffee was a bit bland, but the etouffee was flavorful and balanced the fish well. I would have preferred a dash more flavor/salt, but I believe this dish would be perfect for Northern or Western palates who aren’t used to the *bang* or saltiness that we are adapted to down South.

G.W. Fins is among my top ten favorite restaurants in the city. I would recommend G.W. Fins to anyone visiting New Orleans. It’s perfect for the seafood lover, but there are a couple poultry or beef dishes for non-seafood eaters (Sorry vegetarians/vegans, this isn’t the best city to visit. It’s not very accommodating for your diets, but they are some out there!) . The food and atmosphere is a perfect mesh of fine dining meets New Orleans casual, which is why I love this place. It’s upscale dining without being too fancy schmancy!

Rating: 5/5 spoons

Now, years later, we hope to have a bite of that same bread again…

Amuse Bouche. Fried Shrimphead.

Sourdough & Focaccia. 

Soup of the day: Lump Crab meat Gazpacho 

Gumbo of the Day: Duck Gumbo. 

Beef Short Rib with Potato Rösti. Salsa Verde. Horseradish Cream.

Rabbit Fricassee. Garganelli. Bacon. Pumpkin. Madeira.

Gnocchi. Pancetta. Parmesan broth.

Seared Drum with risotto. 

If you’re wondering if we got that buttery bread this time, we sure did! Not in the same amount as we did before since the focaccia bread was pretty delicious too. As for the meal, every dish was so great, that I have to share my thoughts on each dish.Let’s start from the first dish. I’m not the biggest fan of cold soups, but we ordered the lump crab meat gazpacho and it was amazing! It was light, refreshing, and herbacious. I had low expectations, but that was wiped out completely and I almost ate all of “The Chef”‘s portion.

The Gumbo is a must! Herbsaint creates gumbo with a darker, deeper roux, which adds so much flavor. Just get it.

The Beef Short ribs were so moist and the salsa verde was herby and refreshing. For such a rich and savory dish, you never would have thought that it would be so refreshing. Loved it!

The Rabbit Fricassee came in a small cast iron bowl and didn’t look like much, but that bite! That first bite was moist rabbit with a delicate pasta, wrapped in a coating of Madeira sauce. mMm! I can really still taste it.

The Gnocchi was just as good. Gnocchi is a dish that if not seasoned and sauced properly, it can be very bland and boring. Not this Gnocchi! The pancetta added a perfect saltiness and the parmesan broth added a nice, rich finish.

The fish of the day was a drum that was seared to perfection. It was moist and was completed by the most flavorful risotto! This risotto had an Asian flare, but with a French refinement. Even though we were stuffed at this point, I still couldn’t stop eating this risotto.

Judging by my list, pictures, and tummy that night, we probably over ordered. If we didn’t order the last dish, I would have definitely had room for dessert. Either way, the whole meal was worth every penny and remaining belly space. From one dish to another, not a single one had any ounce of disappointment. Now, when I think of Herbsaint, I’ll remember that soft bite of bread I ate right before probably one of my most memorable food experiences…

Rating: 5/5 spoons!