1. Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat by Chrissy Tiegen. Not only am I fan of this spunky lady, but I admire her for her passion for food. If you happen to follow her on SnapChat, you’ll see what I mean. One of my favorites in the book have to be her Creamy Potato Salad with Bacon!

2. Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller. Thomas Keller is my Chef hubby’s idol. He’s world-renowned and deserves every bit of notoriety. I’ve been to 3 of his restaurants: 1. The French Laundry 2. Ad Hoc 3. Per Se. I remember every bite from each restaurant. Each restaurant has shared their own cookbook, however, we can’t always prepare a Michelin-rated dinner for the family, so this book shares more family-friendly meals very much like Ad Hoc’s menu.

3. Besh Big Easy: 101 Home Cooked New Orleans Recipes. Besides “The Chef” hubby himself, Chef John Besh is my next chef crush! Not only has he created a restaurants empire in New Orleans, but he’s philanthropic and has a great heart. For refined New Orleans’ homestyle recipes, this is your resource:

3. I’ve attached the links to check them out for yourself. What are your favorite books at the moment?
5. Stay tuned for some new, up-and-coming restaurant reviews in New Orleans!
8. Upcoming posts:
9. Bar Frances
10. Nomiya
11. Restaurant Des Familles

1. Lüke

I already love Lüke’s for their mainstay must-order items (IMO): Moules et Frites and Fried Oyster Salad. To top it off their oysters are delicious! Happy hour consists of Gulf Oysters only, but they also offer select imported oysters such as Kusshi, Naked Roy’s, Bluepointe, and many others if you’re looking for variety. If you prefer a nicer, sit down environment, Lüke’s is your place. For a sporty, casual oyster bar, read on…

Lüke’s HH hours: 3:00-6:00 PM, Daily

Lüke’s HH menu: 75 cent oysters, no minimum or alcoholic beverage requirements

2. Samuel’s Blind Pelican

Samuel’s Blind Pelican is a small sports bar joint that is very well-known for being the “home of the 25 cent oysters”. I’m positive their HH oysters are there to stay. Parking is fairly easy except over the weekends or big game days. Oysters are quite large and tend to be gritty from time to time. I don’t mind it and will definitely come back! Their charbroiled oysters are awesome and I actually prefer it over Drago’s. They’re lighter in flavor, but still buttery and mouth-watering. They leave you wanting more.

Samuel’s Blind Pelican HH Hours: 4-8 PM, 7 days a week!

Samuel’s Blind Pelican HH menu: $3/dozen raw (or 25 cents each) $8.50/dozen charbroiled oysters WITH an alcohol (beer/wine/cocktail) purchase.

TIP: Just keep in mind that this is a sports bar so you won’t get the same dining experience as you would at Lüke’s Restaurant. Also, they’re known for their HH so it’s definitely a wait on some nights, but well worth it for .25 a pop + a drink!

3. Sac-A-Lait

Click here for a full review of Sac-A-Lait Happy Hour!

The problem with a lot of happy hours are the hours themselves! It’s so hard for those with 9-5 jobs, who usually have to rush to get off of work just to attempt to make it for the last hour of HH. Luckily, Sac-A-Lait offers a later HH from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. The oysters are always fresh, but Gulf Oysters are the only ones offered on the HH menu. Other items to order: Truffle Honey fries and Pig’s Ear.

Sac-A-Lait HH Hours: 5:30-7:30 PM, 7 days a week

Sac-A-Lait HH menu: 1/2 off selection of wines and beer. Requirement: Be sure to sit at the cocktail bar to qualify for HH specials.

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

Front: LA Cajun Caviar. Market Potato Salad. Crème Fraiche. Parsley. Oil

Boudin Tamale. Roasted Tomatillo. Red Chile Sauce. Roasted Louisiana Oysters. Marrow. Hogs Head. Salsa Verde.

Steamed Mussels. Coconut Milk. Lime. Cilantro.

Point Judith Calamari. White Bean Purée. Lemon. Cerignola Olive.

Yellowfin Tuna Wraps.  Jalapeño. Crunchy Noodles. Citrus.

Candied Pork Ribs. Five Spice.

Upside-Down Cornbread. Pineapple. House Bacon Marmalade.

Although we set a reservation, there was a bit of a wait. Meril’s is HOT and NEW so that was to be expected. Once you’re seated, you’re good to go! Noise level is a bit high and echo-ey so if you’re looking for a quiet romantic dinner, this may not be the restaurant for you. As for the menu, every bite leaves you wanting more (in a good way!). I’m not going to lie, there were a few dishes I really wish I had all to myself.

My friends and I really enjoyed the Steamed Mussels, Caviar, Tuna wraps, and the Spiced Short Ribs. Of all the dishes we ordered these were the table favorites! When there’s that many favorites among so many people, you know it’s good! Sharing the dishes with a table of 7 was such a tease…

What to LOVE: Small plates! My personal fave was the Caviar, but the other dishes were almost just as good. Amazing job in the Meril’s kitchen!

What NOT to love: We had to wait 20-30 minutes even though we set a reservation. Noise level. It’s not rowdy but it was pretty difficult to hold steady conversations without hearing “Excuse me? What did you say?!”.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 spoons

Food: 5/5 spoons

Service: 4/5

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

Stuffed Shells. House-made ‘Nduja Ricotta. Pancetta. Herbed Béchamel. Toasted Pine Nuts. 

Happy hour item: Bruschetta. Sundried Tomato Pesto. Goat Cheese. Fresh Basil. 

The Godfather. House-made Meatballs. Sicilian Red Gravy. Mozzarella. Sweet Peppers. Gracious Bakery Sesame. 

T.A.S.T.E. Sandwich. Fried Turkey. Avocado. ‘House of Greens’ Sprouts. Tomato. Fried Egg. Chipotle Aioli. Gracious Bakery Ciabatta.

Sneak Peek!

First, we ordered the Stuffed Shells, which appeared to be so delicate but turned out to be a wonderful surprise. The shells were al-dente but roasted which gave it a nice chewy texture and the stuffing had such an airy filling with a smooth finish. This dish surprised me the most! The Bruschetta came out next and what makes this great bruschetta is that every component was perfection from the airy lightly-crisped bread to the deep and flavorful Tomato Pesto atop it. 

Our sandwiches The Godfather and the T.A.S.T.E. came next and boy was I surprised! The Godfather was a solid meatball sandwich and is great but a little too heavy for me. The T.A.S.T.E. (turkey, avocado, sprouts, tomato, egg) was basically a California Club…on steroids! It has to be my all-time favorite Turkey sandwich EVER. When you turn something so simple into something so amazing, that’s when you know you’re great! Kudos Part & Parcel! You’ve changed the way I look at sandwiches! 

LOVES: Top notch ingredients and well thought out foods. One of the longest happy hours in NOLA 3-7 PM!!

What not to love: Nothing!

Rating: 5/5 spoons

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

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

September 16-18, 2016

With the oncoming swarm of festivals and food trucks I decided to share a recent festival: The Gretna Food Truck Fest. It’s definitely smaller than the annual Gretna Heritage Festival, which includes live bands, great food, and games for the kids. The food truck fest more of a casual fest to try handful of food trucks in the city. Here’s what I was able to fit in my belly…

La Cocinita Food truck Tacos: Chicken, Pork, and Beef. Chef dressed. I’m a Taco lover and these were good but didn’t quite hit the spot. I felt it lacked sauce and flavor. I would prefer a little more kick and sauciness in my tacos so we’ll have to go with 3/5 spoons!

Rating: 3/5 spoons

Frencheeze. 1. Macaroni Cheese Balls. 2. Angus Beef Sliders. Hoisin Sauce. Bacon. Pickled Red Onions. Creamy Sriracha on Milk Bread.

I use to go to Frencheeze SO much especially when they were docked at Saenger Theatre. I’m a cheese lover so obviously everything was delicious. The macaroni cheese balls were superb, but the sliders were so-so. I would say to stick to the cheese Frencheeze. The sliders were good, but maybe I wasn’t a fan of the hoisin fusion thing going on.

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Crepes à la Cart : Unfortunately, this was not pictured. I honestly had a poor experience since I waited 45 minutes +++ for a crepe that I devoured in 2 seconds, not to mention how poorly my crepe was executed. Luckily, I had great company. My experience the next day at the Fried Chicken Festival was much better and I waited no more than two minutes. The crew at Gretna Fest definitely needed a LOT of help and work, but maybe they were understaffed for some excusable reason. I cannot rate Crepes à la Cart but I will share a post in my next entry about Fried Chicken Festival!

Chef Johnson’s. Mac-An-Cheeses. The Chili Mac. Red Beans & Ricely Yours.

Chef Johnson’s Food Truck and Menu has a ton of character! The food is visually delicious. My favorite food at the Gretna Fest was the Chili Mac…It was SO good! My not-so-fav had to be the Red Beans and Rice only because we are in THE city for red beans and rice and I found this particular one to be a bit bland and lacking in “kick”. Regardless, the Chili Mac was my favorite at the Gretna Food Truck Fest!

Rating: 4/5 spoons

The Gretna Food Fest was a good start to the Festival season. I can’t wait for what’s in store at the Gretna Heritage Festival October 7-9. It’ll be a great time for the kids, family, and friends! Artists such as LeAnn Rimes and Melissa Etheridge will be performing!

Be sure to buy your tickets online: http://www.gretnafest.com/ . They are $15 per day online vs. $30 at the door. Your choice!

Craw Rangoons. 

Pork Belly Buns. Pickled Daikon. Kim Chi. Mayo. Cilantro.

Chicken Dumplings. Black Vinegar. Fried Onions. Scallions.

General’s Chicken. Deep Fried Chicken. Bourbon Soy. Peanuts. Cilantro.

The food was surprisingly delicious. I’m not one to normally crave Chinese, but Chef Tobias, although not of Chinese descent, really knows how to throw down a well-done family style meal. My favorites were definitely the appetizers. Pork Belly Bao > Rangoons = Dumplings. The General’s Chicken was good, but order a small. The large was a bit much for our party of 3.

What I love: It’s not quite fusion, but a few small surprises here and there such as the Craw Rangoons!

What not to love: The location. Extra sketchy. Park nearby and walk with groups.

Rating: 4.5/5 spoons