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Trenasse (CBD, New Orleans, LA)

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It was a Monday night and my husband and I decided to celebrate our first month of being married. Cheesy! I know. But why the heck not? My husband and I tried brunch at Trenasse with some friends not too long ago and had a good experience. After brunch my friend continued to rave about the Escargot and Crawfish Pie and neither were available for brunch. We had to try dinner!

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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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.

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




Gautreau’s (Uptown, New Orleans, LA)

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Happy Valentine’s Day my fellow foodies! This weekend marks 4 years since the launch of www.chefsgirl.com ! It’s been a long and delicious journey of great foods and there’s so much more to come.

This year for Valentine’s Day, “The Chef” surprised me to dinner at Gautreau’s, one of the top ten Zagat rated restaurants in New Orleans. Considering we’re locals, we couldn’t believe that we’ve never been to Gautreau’s!

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Bread. 

 

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Chilled Lobster. Grapefruit Yuzu Aioli. Avocado. Passion Fruit. Pickled Ginger.

 

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Foie Gras Torchon. Cherry-Port Reduction. Hazelnut Granola. Honeycrisp apple. Toasted Brioche.

 

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Crispy Sweetbreads. Spicy Parmesan Cream. Gnocchi. Crawfish. Carolina Green peas.

 

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Special: Crispy Fried Quail and Mixed Green Salad.  

 

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Pork Osso Buco. Citrus Gremolata. Tagliatelle. Roasted Fennel. Castelvetrano olives. Grape tomatoes.

 

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Banana Split. Brulee’d Banana. Vanilla Ice Cream. Banana Bread. Butterscotch. Chocolate Sauce. Toasted Walnuts.

 

Sue Zemanick is the owner/chef of Gautreau’s and you might recognize her from shows like Top Chef Masters and Knife Fight. With her growing popularity, I was really interested in what the restaurant had to offer…

The restaurant is quite small and the waiting area is very limited, but I found it to be quite intimate. As for the food, there was a great amount of detail and thought to each dish. We ordered the chilled lobster appetizer which was amazing! There were so many levels of flavors and it was so refreshing. I owe it to the light touch of passionfruit, grapefruit aioli, avocado, and heck…every element was SO good. The Foie Gras was paired well with a cherry reduction, a nice touch. The sweetbread dish was good, but were quite small. I would have preferred them bit chunkier, but the flavors were there. There’s nothing like a mouthful of ouffel (ironically, pronounced awful)!

Chef’s Notes: “The Chef” gave me a quick course on Sweetbread preparation and some chefs like to prepare the sweetbreads into smaller pieces and others prefer to keep large chunks. It’s all personal preference!

One of my favorite dishes was the Special Quail Salad of the day. The fried quail ate like a perfect crispy fried chicken and was balanced so well with a bed of salad. Lastly, was the Pork Osso Buco. It’s rare to find a Pork Osso Buco so we couldn’t help but order it. It’s not as moist as Veal Osso Buco, but still very delicious! I love the thin and delicate tagliatelle that came with the dish. It was reminiscent of a super thin rice noodle marinated in a deep and flavorful Osso Buco sauce.

To finish off the meal, we had the mainstay Banana Split. This was probably THE best Banana Split I’ve ever had. The bruléed banana and the banana bread was outstanding!

I would highly recommend trying Gautreau’s. Don’t believe me? Just check out those pictures…

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Rating: 4.5/5 spoons
Gautreau's 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

Cafe Du Monde (Veterans, Metairie, LA)

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I’ve always been a bit biased towards ONLY going to the French Quarter Cafe Du Monde location since I’ve had such bad experiences with the mall locations in the past. I haven’t tried the Veterans location until now. It’s a lot cleaner and the inside actually looks very similar to being outdoors in the French Quarter.

It was nice not having to worry about downtown parking and it wasn’t packed with tons of tourists! The beignets were good, but maybe not as crispy as I’d like on the outside. I like the crispy outside and the soft breading on the inside and the French Quarter location never fails with that, but overall, I liked it here. Next time I’m in the area and I’m craving beignets and coffee, I know where I’ll stop! Here’s another plus, they have a drive thru!

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Cafe Du Monde, Metairie. 

 

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Beignets outside. It was a nice day!

 

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Rating: 4/5 spoons
Click to add a blog post for Cafe Du Monde 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

Lotus Xpress (Harvey, LA)

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This restaurant recently switched ownership from My Thai and is now either Lotus Xpress or Lotus Cafe (Yelp and their signs differ). I went to My Thai a few months ago in search of really great Thai food. I actually didn’t go inside, because it looked so dead inside! My mistake, because even though Lotus Cafe has switched ownership, the cashier told me that all of the recipes are still the same. My friends mentioned that the restaurant looks different in that it’s more of a fast food/take out AND restaurant setup. The previous restaurant was strictly restaurant only.

 

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Thai tea and Roti. Chili sauce.

 

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Yellow Chicken Curry. 

 

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Green Chicken Curry. 

 

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Chicken Pad Thai. 

 

Now onto the good stuff…I ordered the Thai tea, Roti, Green Chicken Curry, Yellow Chicken Curry, and Spicy (Level 2) Pad Thai. The Thai tea was delicious. The Roti was THE BOMB…so buttery, flaky and delicious. The sauce that comes with it was good, but I wish it was thicker so it’s easier to dip into. The food comes in to go boxes, which make it easy to eat and bring the rest “to-go”! The curries came with a side salad (or wonton chips) and rice. The curries are delicious and have to be the best I’ve found in the area so far! The Pad Thai was the perfect amount of spice, but I found it a little sour (maybe too much tamarind?). Everything definitely exceeded my expectations and this restaurant will have to be one of my top Thai restaurant right now!

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Rating: 4/5 spoons

 

Shaya (Garden District, New Orleans, LA)

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Chef Alon Shaya was awarded a James Beard Award for Best Chef of the South 2015 and deservingly so! I’ve always been a fan of his first restaurant, Pizza Domenica, but now Restaurant Shaya is another top restaurant to add to my list. Restaurant Shaya presents a modern and refined take on Mediterranean food.

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Ambiance. 

 

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Pita. 

 

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Naveh. 

 

IMG_4071e3 for $15: Tzatziki: field peas, sea beans. Watermelon and Bulgarian Feta: Harissa and Walnut vinaigrette. Ikra: paddlefish caviar spread with shallots

 

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Soft Cooked Egg Hummus. Red onion. Pickled cornichons. Harissa.

 

 

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Short Rib Tagine. Fennel. Star anise. Couscous.

 

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Saffron Chicken Salad. Swiss chard. Sunflower seeds. Barberries.

 

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Kibbeh nayah. Two Run Farms beef tartare. Bulgur. Walnuts. Yemenite flatbread.

 

We went on a Monday night and it was surprisingly busy. It was spur of the moment so we didn’t have a reservation. The hostess advised us that the wait would be at least 20 minutes so we left our phone number since we planned on walking down Magazine St. while we wait. Literally, 5-10 minutes later we got our call!

Our server was awesome. She was extremely bubbly and very helpful. First, they brought out pita bread along with an olive oil and herb dip. That pita bread was fresh out of the oven. It was a fluffy cloud of wholesome wheat flavor. From the cocktail menu I ordered the Naveh, which was delicious and lightly fruity. What’s different about their food  menu is that they offer many small plates such as tabouleh, pickles, tzaziki, etc. We ordered Tabouleh, Watermelon & Feta, and Ikra. The Ikra is a caviar with a light yogurt cream, which was creamy and delicious. The hummus with soft cooked egg and harissa was divine. I loved how everything was so dippable. It didn’t hurt that the pita bread is so delicious! We also ordered the Short Rib Tagine, Saffron Chicken Salad, and Kibbeh Nayah.  Each dish was refined, yet had a certain hominess to it. I honestly can’t pick out a favorite, but I’m glad we ordered each one! 

I’ve been craving Shaya again for some time now, but “The Chef” insists we try other new restaurants. Until next time Shaya, I’ll continue dreaming of those fluffy pillowy pitas…

 

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Rating: 5/5 spoons

 

Click to add a blog post for Shaya on Zomato

Balise (Lafayette Square/Historic District, New Orleans, LA)

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Justin Devillier does it again! His original restaurant, La Petite Grocery, is a more refined restaurant with delicate, rich French flair. The new Balise is more of a communal hangout/bar type of restaurant with the same refined flavors but with more of a bold and masculine flair. There’s more of a bachelor’s hangout kind of feel, but can be laid back and romantic at the same time. The service was great. The waiters are very knowledgeable and make great recommendations!

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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Crab & Camembert Gratin. Lemon and Fines Herbes.

 

 

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Cauliflower Soup. Fried oysters. Black Truffle.

 

 

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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.

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Rating: 4.5/5
Balise on Urbanspoon