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New Orleans’ Hottest Restaurant “Bars”…

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Whether you’re looking for a place to dine or grab a quick drink, these are the best “bars” to check out this Fall…

 

 

  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?

 

Seaworthy Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato Nomiya Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato Bar Frances Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato



My favorite cookbooks at the moment..

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Whoa! It’s been a minute since I last posted anything. Life sure can get crazy…in a good way! During my hiatus, I’ve re-discovered some old cookbooks as well as some new ones. We can’t always dine out and when we eat at home, why not partake in the culinary experience in your own kitchen? Here are some of my faves:

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

 

Part & Parcel (SoMa, New Orleans, Louisiana)

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Another great addition to the up and coming South Market district (SoMa) area where Blaze, Company Burger, and a few other local favorites reside, popped up the latest and greatest Part & Parcel. Part & Parcel is a Root Restaurant Project that sells house-made charcuterie, sandwiches, and foods, but on another level. This restaurant isn’t as upscale as Root and Square Root, but the sandwiches and foods are surprising at an upscale level minus the formal attire with a casual-but-sleek bar feel.

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

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

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

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

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Sneak Peek!

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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!

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Rating: 5/5 spoons

Part and Parcel Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato



Banana Blossom Thai Cafe (Gretna, New Orleans, LA)

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I re-discovered this restaurant recently with a group of friends and the hubby and I couldn’t help but return. When the old Cafe Zen relocated to the corner center of this strip, we accidentally went inside this restaurant but never gave it a chance. Now, they’ve “blossomed” into something great. They’ve never updated their signage so it could easily be missed. The sign says “THAI” in red letters and that’s it…

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Roasted Brussel Sprouts. 

 

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Roti. 

 

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Fried Rice with Fried Chicken. 

 

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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.

 

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Rating: 4/5 spoons
Banana Blossom Thai Café Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato



Panda King Fine Dining Dim Sum (Gretna, LA)

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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…

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Fried Squid. (Like Calamari)

 

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Rice Noodle with Shrimp. 

 

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

 

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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!)

 

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



The Halal Guys (New Orleans, LA)

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I first heard of Halal Guys in New York and the over an hour wait for their amazing chicken and rice as well as their gyro sandwiches. I didn’t have the pleasure to try the original New York location, but I’ve gotten to try the Houston location and now in NOLA. I’ve gone multiple times since it’s so convenient and on my way home from work.

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The Halal Guys. 

 

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Indoor Seating. 

 

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Beef and Chicken Combo Bowl. 

 

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What’s inside the Combo Bowl…

 

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Beef gyro. 

 

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Hummus. 

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Fries…because I can’t say “no” to fries…

 

I definitely enjoyed the short wait time and delicious food here at the NOLA location. The gyro was delicious and the Combo bowl was good, BUT the chicken is consistently dry here. I would go easy on their HOT sauce. It’s deceivingly HOT but very flavorful!

The Halal Guys purists will say that “Nothing beats The Halal Guys in New York City!”, but until I try it, I’m still enjoying the Halal guys here in New Orleans. The location is quite small, but there’s a good amount of seats considering the location downtown. Service is hit or miss, but I’m usually in and out so no biggie.

 

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Rating: 4/5 spoons
The Halal Guys Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato



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

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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/

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

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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!

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

 

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

 

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Kale Salad. 

 

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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!
Houston's Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato