new orleans – Page 2

Gretna Food Truck Festival 2016

Posted on September 30, 2016 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

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!

Red’s Chinese (Bywater, New Orleans, LA)

Posted on September 18, 2016 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

In a recent foodie function, I heard about a hole in the wall Chinese joint in the Bywater that I “just had to try!”. I didn’t think much of it since it appeared to be in an isolated area with no noticeable signs. When you find your way to the entrance, no one would ever guess that there was such a nice restaurant inside! It appears to be an old bar or convenience store from the outside, but what a surprise on the inside!

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

New Orleans Coffee & Beignets

Posted on September 15, 2016 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

When I first saw this place, I was skeptical. I mean, who can beat the classic Cafe Du Monde beignets that we grew up with? My hubby and I made a bet on whether or not it was as good or even better than the original Cafe Du Monde. I definitely lost, because these beignets were rollin’!

New Orleans Hamburger Company is now linked with this location as well so dinner and beignets can both be eaten here. I didn’t have the chance to try the savory foods yet, but I will definitely come back. The beignets here are equally, if not better, than the original Cafe Du Monde but I prefer Cafe Du Monde’s hot chocolate. Pros: Drive-Thru! Cons: Hot chocolate is OK. I’m not a fan of the Beignet bites. Too crunchy?

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Panda King Fine Dining Dim Sum (Gretna, LA)

Posted on August 20, 2016 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

As the weekend approaches, I’m excited and embarrassed to share my latest discovery. Panda King Dim Sum has been around for years. I tried it years ago and my dim sum snootiness kept me from coming back. I would only enjoy dim sum when I’m traveling to Houston, San Jose, or other major diverse cities because there’s such a lack for authentic dim sum in NOLA. I decided to give it another shot and here’s what I’ve found…

Fried Squid. (Like Calamari)

Rice Noodle with Shrimp.

Pork Spare Ribs. Mushroom Sticky Rice. Shrimp and Pork Xiu Mai. Har Gow.

Xiu Mai. Tofu Skin. Chicken Feet. Beef Tripe.

I am so surprised! The preparation and flavors for some items were slightly different but still very delicious. The Chicken Feet had more of a Szechuan flavor or seasoning, but I enjoyed it! The main room is the Fine Dining Room at Panda King, however, they expand into the buffet room on the weekends. Next time, I’m craving dim sum I won’t let my food snobbery get in the way because I really enjoyed everything and the service was pretty good! It’s no Din Tai Fung (Michelin star-rated dim sum), but it definitely satiates the craving! (By the way, DTF (Seattle) review coming very soon!)

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Happy Hour at Sac-a-Lait (Warehouse District, New Orleans, LA)

Posted on July 24, 2016 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

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

If I had to choose ONE must-try NOLA dish…

Posted on July 1, 2016 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

Recently, www.AMEXessentials.com asked me to contribute to a selection of delicious foods from around the world and I had to pick ONE dish. If you’ve experienced food in NOLA, you have to realize how difficult that is! NOLA is a just a melting pot of so many great foods. I went with a little mix of classic NOLA and French cuisine…Check out this link for my answer and several must-try worldwide dishes :

https://www.amexessentials.com/must-try-dishes-for-travellers/

Houston’s Restaurant (Central City, New Orleans, LA)

Posted on June 27, 2016 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

Houston’s Restaurant, although part of a small national chain, is probably one of my favorite steak restaurants in the city! I know, everyone loves to eat local and hear all about the places that the locals like to go. Believe it or not, this is one of them!

House-smoked Salmon. Toast. Chef’s Dressing.

Hawaiian Rib-eye Steak. Pineapple Sesame Ginger Marinade. Rib-eye. Loaded Idaho Baked Potato.

Kale Salad.

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake. Pan fried Blue Crab. Pommery mustard. French Fries (substituted for Kale Salad)

“The Chef” and I usually order the Smoked Salmon, Hawaiian Rib-eye, Lump Crab Cakes, and Kale Salad. I usually substitute the fries that come along with the crab cakes with the Kale Salad. Healthier? Maybe. Delicious? Yes! I’ve heard that certain locations don’t offer the Kale Salad as a side, but be sure to ask. What I love about this particular location is the LIVE jazz music they play every night. Houston’s is a touch of NOLA with a great company and excellent food! How could you not love it?

Dining tip: There’s usually a 40 minute wait especially closer to the weekend so be sure to call for a reservation at least two hours in advance! If not, try going on a weekday for easy, delicious, and comfortable dining!

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Rating: 5/5 spoons!

Refuel Cafe (Carrollton, New Orleans, LA)

Posted on June 17, 2016 by chefsgirlnola@gmail.com

On a lazy Sunday morning, my cousin and I were looking for a good brunch spot. We noticed that Refuel Cafe was all the rage in the foodie brunchosphere and had to give it a shot! This cute spot is located at the end of Carrollton Street and is not too far from Carrollton Market, Dante’s Kitchen, Boucherie, and the like.

Huevos Rancheros. Corn tortillas. Black beans. Melted Cheddar. Two over medium eggs. Red peppers.Onions. Avocado, Pico de Gallo. Crema.

Breakfast Burrito. Scrambled eggs. Potatoes. Cheddar. Choice meat: chorizo (other options: applewood bacon, black forest ham, andouille sausage). Spicy Ranchero Sauce. Tomato Tortilla. Choice side: fruit

The restaurant was ridiculously clean with a modern minimalist decor. You wouldn’t even know it was a restaurant if it weren’t for the diners sitting down with their colorful and delicious looking plates. The restaurant is quite small and it setup to where you order first, then find a table. There’s very few places to stand and wait so definitely come early or come on a good weather day in case you have to wait outdoors. Luckily for us, we were able to find the last available table! We sat down and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of a Sunday morning at Refuel. It’s pretty loud and echoey, but we preferred the air conditioned room over the humidity so it was fine!

My cousin enjoyed her Breakfast Burrito, which was loaded with chorizo. I have a feeling they have a thing for high protein here. I ordered the Huevos Rancheros, which was definitely not-your-usual Huevos Rancheros. Usually there are a ton of potatoes, but Refuel replaced the usual “patatas” with a ton of beans. Funny thing is that I’m not in love with beans and I can’t really blame Refuel since I overlooked it on the menu. It was still good, but I really wished there were some potatoes, If you’re looking for a lighter and healthier take on the Huevos Rancheros, this is definitely it!

I’ve seen some other items on the menu that I would like to give a shot so I would definitely like to try it again!

Rating: 3.5/5

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Tag Archives: new orleans

Gretna Food Truck Festival 2016

Red’s Chinese (Bywater, New Orleans, LA)

New Orleans Coffee & Beignets

Panda King Fine Dining Dim Sum (Gretna, LA)

Happy Hour at Sac-a-Lait (Warehouse District, New Orleans, LA)

If I had to choose ONE must-try NOLA dish…

Houston’s Restaurant (Central City, New Orleans, LA)

Refuel Cafe (Carrollton, New Orleans, LA)

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