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Restaurant R’evolution (French Quarter, New Orleans)

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I’ve been holding back on y’all…There’s a new restaurant in town and it has to be one of THE best restaurants in the city. Award-winning chefs Rick Tramonto and John Folse got together and created a revolution…

Bread and butter! 


Torchon of Foie Gras. 

“What the heck is torchon???” is the first thing I said when “the chef” wanted to order this…For those of you who are wondering the same thing, it describes the method of cooking the foie gras…”au torchon” which translates to “in a towel”. The duck liver loses a lot of fat in the process, but is cooked to perfection! 

If you love foie gras, this dish was perfect…peach infused foie gras with an assortment of dried fruits and nuts.


Toasty sliced bread for foie gras. 


Crab and Corn Cappaccino (above and below)

This delicious “cappaccino” came out on a fancy VERSACE tableset…So sad I didn’t get a picture of the whole set, but what a great reason to go back =) 

The crab came out separately on a spoon for your own mixing pleasure…Just like sugar in your cappaccino!


Crisp Sweetbreads. Herbsaint Meuniere. Forest Mushrooms.

BEST SWEETBREADS I’ve ever had…Note the microcarrot. Very nice touch! 


Foie Gras w/ Peach Brulee (seasonal)


Triptych of Quail: Southern-fried, Boudin-stuffed, Absinthe glazed.


Sheep Ricotta Gnocchi w/ Lobster. Vanilla. Tarragon. Lobster Roe.


White Chocolate Bread Pudding Creme Brulee. Lemon-scented Apricots. Bourbon Caramel Sauce. 


What an experience! I have yet to try a Michelin star rated restaurant, but if I were to guess, this comes uber close. The many levels of flavors…One dish that stood out to me was the Crab and Corn Cappaccino. Not quite a cappaccino, but a soup rendition. I was amazed at how intricate the flavors were..with each bite, I could taste each ingredient stand on its own as it passed my taste buds…You have to try it to know what I mean! 

My FAVORITE DISH had to be the sweetbreads. I’ve never gotten sweetbreads so honkin’ large before! They were juicy and delicious..UNFORGETTABLE! Another notable dish was the Triptych of Quail…3 quails, 3 different ways. My favorite quail was…can you guess? The Boudin-stuffed one! 

Don’t be shy to sit at the bar..great table service, even if you’re sitting at the bar. You’ll be served by their excellent bartenders who are super friendly and accommodating!

Great service, elegant decor, and phenomenal food…You won’t regret it!


Restaurant Revolution on Urbanspoon

Dante’s Kitchen (Carrollton, New Orleans)

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It’s easy to forget about such a great establishment when so many newer and hip places are opening up in the city. “The Chef” and I decided to visit Dante’s Kitchen, a restaurant we last went to years ago, but LOVED the food. Why haven’t I returned sooner? I don’t know, but here we are…

Wine collection.


Spoonbread. I know it’s only bread, but for some reason, this is the most memorable dish. When I think Dante’s Kitchen, the first thing that comes to mind is spoon bread… Moist and buttery. Warm and syrupy.


Duck Fat Roasted Smashed New Potatoes.

Mashed potatoes infused with Duck Fat??? How can you say “No” to that?!


Seared Scallops. Smoked Peach Puree. Basil Oil.


Slow Cooked Duck Neck Stuffed Buckwheat Crepe. Vineyard Currants. Farro. Chicken Cracklin’.

I’ve never had farro until now, but the way they prepared it was delicious! It was well-seasoned and went really well with the duck neck filled crepe…


Bubble and “Squeak Breads”. Pan-fried Sweetbreads. Housemade Sauerkraut. Dark Beer and Corned Beef Broth.


Escargot. Bordelaise Sauce. Roasted Marrow Bone.


It’s been years since I’ve last been to Dante’s Kitchen and I’m almost sad I hadn’t returned sooner. This was such a good meal…Not a single dish failed to please. Every dish was thoroughly prepared and well thought out. Sauces and broths were simple yet jampacked with flavor.

Dante’s Kitchen has a pretty romantic setting, but would still be great for a night out with friends! Honestly, any restaurant is great for any setting. You can’t go wrong with delicious food and good company =)

Dante's Kitchen on Urbanspoon


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Yuki Izakaya (Marigny, New Orleans)

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So..I’ve never been to Japan and I’ve never had “authentic” Japanese cuisine, but if I had to guess, Yuki Izakaya is the closest you’ll get around here. Everything from the decor and jazzy Japanese band shouts “I’m in Japan!”. Izakaya means “tavern” in Japanese…so Yuki is more of a bar setting than a restaurant. They don’t offer any sushi or rolls, instead they have a great menu filled with small dishes (Japanese tapas pretty much)…great for late night drinking and Japanese bar food. 


Walking in, you already feel this extra cool vibe…Live jazz music playing. There’s no cover, but they do charge 0.50 per dish once the DJ starts playing. Chump change for awesome vibes and great food!

Cool Japanese movie posters.


House Plum Wine. 


Spicy Tuna Tataki.


Takoyaki. Octopus Dumplings.

“The Chef” was raving about octopus dumplings he had in NYC and was dying to try Yuki’s…They were different from the ones he tried, but he LOVED them too! Loved the plating!


Snowcrab Pintxo. Basque influenced tapas.


Fried Squid Legs.


Japanese Ramen. Braised Pork Belly and Egg.


Yuki was a great experience! Great selection of beers and have a large selection of shoju. The food was consistent across the board…consistently DELICIOUS! Best bar experience I’ve EVER had…Live music, great food…Can’t get enough of it in this city!

Yuki Izakaya on Urbanspoon

Milk Bar (Uptown, New Orleans)

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I’ve been craving sandwiches lately and who knew we had so many great spots right here in New Orleans! Milk Bar is in the uptown area. Recently renovated to be smoking-free. If you go to use the bathroom, you’ll actually notice that Milk Bar is connected to a bar (which explains why they needed to renovate to be smoke-free). Nevertheless, inside is quite clean with brightly painted walls, and cutesy cow-themed decor.

Outside View.


Condiments Bar and Special Menus.


Seating. 


Strawberry Milkshake.I can’t remember the last time I’ve had a milkshake…and this definitely made me feel like a kid for the day! lol


Clooney’s Choice. Marinated Chicken. Avocado. Tomato. Roasted Red Pepper. Red Onion. Mozzarella. Cilantro. Lemon Mayo.


*Special* Shrimply the Best w/ Zapps Chips (New Orleans Voo Doo Flava). Sauteed Shrimp. Pesto. Roma Tomato. Red Onion. Mozzarella. Lemon Mayo.


**Just a suggestion, these sandwiches are HUGE. Unless you have a HUGE appetite, split the sandwich! We were able to finish both sandwiches, but we were stuffed…)


My favorite part of this meal had to be the Ciabatta bread. Light and crispy on the outside, puffy and light on the inside. I’m no bread connoisseur, but as someone who loves bread, this was delicious…As for the sandwiches overall, I loved both! If you had to choose between the two, choose the Shrimp if you want something warm and savory OR choose the Clooney if you want something fresh and delicious. Oddly, “the Chef’s” fav was the Shrimp and mine was the Clooney (not because of the name ^_~), but I had ordered shrimp and he ordered the Clooney!

I can’t wait to try Milk Bar’s other items! If you’re looking around for a great sandwich spot, this is IT. Compared to Stein’s Market and Deli?? You can’t! They both offer different types of sandwiches, but Milk Bar definitely has made my Top 5 Sandwich joints as well.

Milk Bar on Urbanspoon

Stein’s Market & Deli (Magazine St., New Orleans)

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NYC deli in NOLA? It exists…with a touch of local flare, of course! Walking in, you can already feel the New York City vibe…NY paraphernalia, assortment of Italian items, and we can’t forget the deli…

Market area. 


NY Wall!


Deli Aisle.


Potato Salad.


Roast Beef Special. Cold Roast Beef. Swiss. Cole Slaw. Rye Bread w/ Russian Dressing.

The Coleslaw was SO goood…..glad it came on both sandwiches!


Pastrami on Rye Bread. The pastrami was thin and crispy on the outside and deliciously savory on the inside. Loved it! I haven’t tried the corned beef yet, but I’ll save that for next time.


Local Zapps Sweet Potato Chips and Zero Calorie Root Beer.  Didn’t care too much for these two. The chips were a little stale, but I believe that’s just how sweet potato chips usually are. They don’t hold much of a crisp. As for the root beer, you could tell it had zero calories…and by that, I mean not good. Although these side items were a little so-so, the overall meal was great!

Truly authentic NY deli…Eating here reminded me of my trip to NYC and eating at Carnegie Deli minus the 40 minute wait. The space is a bit tight, but there’s enough tables for people to dine in.

Will I return again? I already have. After this visit, I even returned yesterday to try the Turkey Panini and it was delicious. Not your ordinary Turkey panini…great depth of flavors in such an ordinary menu item. It’s obvious that every element here is made in house…sauces, pickles, and especially the deli meat.

If you’re looking for a place with delicious sandwiches, this is the place…Stein’s Market & Deli, you have my vote for Top 5 Sandwich Spots in the city!


Stein's Market & Deli on Urbanspoon

NOLA (French Quarter, New Orleans)

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Of all of Emeril Lagasse’s New Orleans restaurants, NOLA is the most casual and laid back but still very nice. Great for a night out with the family or just a casual date night with your significant other. The restaurant is very warehouse district. There are approximately 3 stories…just my guess since I’ve only been on the first and second floor, but the see-through elevators are constantly taking guests up and down between floors. 

View from my seat..


Table with a view! 


Casual dining at its best!


Enough pictures of the restaurant..let’s get to the food! When “the chef” and I looked at the menu, many of the appetizers stood out to us much more than the actual entrees so we created our very own tasting menu…


Complimentary Ciabatta bread and Cornbread. 


Miss Hay’s Stuffed Chicken Wings. Homemade Hoisin Dipping Sauce. 

LOVED this dish…I’m typically not a fan of “fusion” types of food, but here, American + Asian = DIVINE! The authentic Vietnamese egg roll stuffing inside a juicy deep fried chicken wing was interesting and leaves you wanting more…


Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza. Parmesan Cheese. Truffle Oil. Baby Arugula.

Although it appears large, it’s light and savory…


Aged Allen Benton’s Country Ham Salad. Moonshine Spiked Watermelon. Arugula. Feta Cheese. Citrus-Herb Vinaigrette. 


Gumbo of the Day: Cochon and Andouille Gumbo.


New Orleans Style Crab Cake. Spicy Corn Relish. Crystal-Butter Sauce. 

Good but not my favorite. The corn relish balanced the heavily seasoned crab cake and gave it a refreshing kick with the Crystal-Butter sauce. 


Crispy Smoked Duck and Mushroom Boudin Balls. Tomato-Bacon Jam. Creole Mustard. 


NOLA Banana Pudding Layer Cake. Graham Cracker Crust. Vanilla Wafers. Fudge Sauce. 

One thing I’ve learned is when you’re craving a good ol’ homemade banana pudding, you won’t get it at these upper echelon restaurants…but what you will get is an overly decadent yet still so delicious version. Not too far from the original homemade kind…fresh slices of banana, light pudding cream, graham cracker crust…loved it! 


Great experience at NOLA in Nola! Great service. Cool and casual vibe. Great place for a laid back night but very good food. Props to Mr. Emeril Lagasse!


NOLA Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Dick and Jenny’s (Uptown, New Orleans)

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Dick and Jenny’s is located along New Orleans’ own Tchoupitoulas street, known for it’s old time New Orleans homes and traditional warehouse architecture. You could almost miss this restaurant, because it blends right in with the homes around it.

Inside…homey decor. Reminds me of Grandma’s house…will it compare to grandma’s food??


Breads!


Corn Fried Oysters, Southern Coleslaw, and Remoulade.


Garlicky Escargot. Sauteed Escargot. Neuske Bacon and Mushrooms. Garlic Butter Reduction. Not your classic French-style escargot, but the touch of bacon and mushrooms was a nice surprise.


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Duck Confit and Louisiana Alligator Sauce. Slow cooked duck confit leg quarter. Alligator Sausage w/ Spaghettie Squash, Southern Greens, and Tangy Orange-Chili Glaze.


Abita Braised Beef Short Ribs. Decadent Mac & Cheese, Brown Butter Sauteed Brussel Sprouts. Spiced Bourbon Demi-Glace.


Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sundae w/ Vanilla Creole Creamery Ice Cream.


As you can see, the food was delicious! Very hardy and homey. I loved the Corn fried oysters and remoulade…perfectly crispy and with the addition of coleslaw and remoulade was soooo good! My personal favorite dish had to be the dessert…Yes, it looks overwhelming, but the chocolate chip cookie wasn’t just your ordinary chocolate chip. Two decadent cookies filled with your local ice cream…yum!

If you’re looking for some good ‘ol Southern cooking, Dick and Jenny’s is a great place to try out. They offer large portions so either be prepared for it OR order less. That’s something the chef and I need to learn…Our eyes tend to be larger than our stomachs!

Dick & Jenny's on Urbanspoon

Truburger (Carrollton, New Orleans)

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So many burger joints are popping up in the Orleans area, it’s hard to pick a favorite! Truburger offers a simple menu: beef burger or veggie burger. Choose your own toppings: grilled onions, mushrooms, bacon, etc. Other items include corndogs, hot dogs, and milkshakes. 

At the bar!


Double Cheeseburger and Fresh Cut Fries. 

I really enjoyed the burgers here…cooked perfectly. Juicy. Flavorful. Dressed with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles.  They don’t ask for a temp on the burger, but as you burger eaters out there know…medium is the way to go! But if for some reason you like it otherwise, I’m sure they’ll cook to your liking. The handcut fries were awesome…One order has enough to share between 2 people! They were crispy and had the perfect amount of salt for me. Loved it! 

Truburger on Urbanspoon