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Tag Archives: oysters

Parkway Bakery and Tavern (Bayou St. John, New Orleans, LA)

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Parkway Bakery and Tavern currently holds the title for “Best Poboys in NOLA”, among other titles such as “Top 100 popular restaurants in NewOrleans”…I’ve read a little bit of the history and reviews and wanted to see what all the hype was about. There are so many poboys in the city so it’s hard to pick and choose where the “BEST” poboy is…

 

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Home-Cooked Hot Roast Beef with Gravy Poor Boy. Sweet potato fries in the background.

 

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Fried Oyster Poor Boy. Only available Mondays and Wednesdays.

 

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Outside decor. 

 

My thoughts?

Mouth-watering.

Crunchy.

Scrumptious.

There’s a lot of hype on Travel Channel, Food Network, etc. and it is well-deserved! What I love is that it’s an establishment with a great history…many struggles and they still persevered and are so successful. It’s the classic story of many New Orleanians (http://www.parkwaypoorboys.com/history.html). Oh, and also the food! The poboy bread is lightly crispy on the outside and adds the perfect crunch when you bite into it. I loved both the roast beef and the oyster poboys. The sweet potato fries were cooked to perfection! Probably the best in the city.

There’s so many poboys to choose from around here, but I’d have to agree that Parkway has the best poboy when it comes to character and authenticity. With it’s growing popularity there’s plenty of seating outside and you definitely get that southern hospitality when it comes to service.

I can’t wait to devour my next poboy!

spoonspoonspoonspoon spoon point 5

 

Rating: 4.5/5 spoons

 
Parkway Bakery & Tavern on Urbanspoon

Cafe Adelaide

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Cafe Adelaide is one of the newer Brennan’s family additions to the city…and the Brennans know what they’re doin’! I’ve had great experiences at Commander’s Palace, Sobou, among others, and I did not expect any less at Cafe Adelaide…

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Rum Swizzle. 

 

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Vesper. Inspired by 007 Casino Royale. A solid, strong, and sexy martini!

 

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French Bread & Butter. One of my favorite parts of any meal!

 

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Crispy Gulf Oysters. Bacon & Parmesan crust. Citrus & Fennel salad. Bacon Vinaigrette. Smoked Creme Fraiche.

The bacon vinaigrette was a wonderful touch on top of these crispy oysters! It was subtle, but came through smoothly.

 

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Melon Mojito Salad. Mint & rum cured melon. Spiced Pecans. Bacon Molasses vinaigrette.

 

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Cracklin Crusted Duck Confit. Applewood smoked bacon. Onion glazed brussel sprouts. Creamy white bean puree. Charred Jalapeno pepper jelly.

 

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Cast Iron Baked Blue Crab Gnocchi.  Louisiana Crab & Semolina gnocchi. Roasted garlic, Exotic mushrooms. Corn-leek veloute. Lemon-Parmesan crust.

 

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Bananas Foster Sundae. Cinnamon-dark rum ice cream. Bananas. Crispy Plantains. Ordered without Chantilly cream.

WOW..What an amazing meal! The chef and I really enjoy ordering a bunch of menu items and sharing them so when it comes down to the very last bite, we like to save our favorites. The chef enjoyed the duck as his last bite and I finished with the crab and gnocchi dish…That most definitely didn’t mean it was our favorite, because dessert came out and we were just blown away! This Sundae has to be the best we’ve ever eaten. Fried bananas foster…how can you say “no” to that?!
Café Adelaide on Urbanspoon

Besh Steak (Central Business District, New Orleans, LA)

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The Besh empire is well-known for local New Orleans restaurants like Restaurant August, Luke, Borgne, and many others. Not only are these restaurants reputable, but the food is delicious! Besh Steak is unique in that it’s nestled away in Harrah’s Casino…It’s a small, open restaurant with dark mahogany colored decor and leather chairs. Great for large groups, business meetings, and even romantic dates….

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Pate and Chips. 

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3 Little Frenchies. Beef, Duck Confit, and Foie Gras Butter Slider.

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Stuffed Jumbo Lump Crab “Shells”. Baked with Garlic and Lemon Fondue.

Now, when we ordered this dish, we were expecting actual crab shells, but enjoyed the play on words AND the overflowing amounts of crabmeat stuffed within the pasta “shells”.

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Baked Oysters.

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Bibb Salad. Butermilk Blue Cheese Dressing. Spiced Pecans. Added Benton’s Bacon.

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Slow Cooked “Blade” Steak. Added Crabmeat..I could never get enough of this stuff. I could honestly top anything off with crabmeat…even dessert lol.

I was very surprised with this restaurant! The dishes were simple, delicious, and exactly what I had hoped for in a Besh steakhouse. Each of John Besh’s restaurants have character…this restaurants embodies a true New Orleans steakhouse. Great steak, delicious appetizers, fun environment…I was actually surprised by a few reviews on the meals not being “worth it”, but honestly I think some may have spent more than they had hoped at Harrah’s.

My favorite dishes had to be the Crab Stuffed “Shells and the Blade Steak. The shells were literally stuffed with crabmeat…no extra fillers, just pure crabmeat. It was a great dish that left you wanting more. The steak was perfectly cooked to med-rare and well seasoned!

I’m normally not a fan of “steakhouses”, but this one definitely surprised me! If you happen to pass by during your trip to Harrah’s or you’re just looking for a great place for steak, I highly recommend Besh Steak.
Besh Steak on Urbanspoon

Luke (Riverwalk, San Antonio, TX)

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I recently relocated to San Antonio…a short term career move, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying food!  I was really missing home and “the Chef” surprised me this past weekend…There are quite a few great restaurants here ranging from great pizza joints (like Dough and Fralo’s), delicious BBQ, and Mexican food, but nothing here resembling NOLA cuisine. Luke was the next best thing…home away from home. New Orleans cuisine isn’t just comprised of gool ol’ Cajun seafood, gumbo, jambalaya, and poboys. There’s quite a bit of French influence as well…one of my favorite cuisines! Although Luke on the Riverwalk had a little of it’s own San Antonio twist, the food and feel brought me back into the CBD (City Business District) of New Orleans…

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Grilled Watermelon. Dried Cherry Compote. 14-month Tejano Ham. Arugula, Fried Goat Cheese. 

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Cup of Gumbo.

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Crispy Slow Cooked Pork. Green Beans. Toasted Almonds. Poached Egg. Spicy Butter Dressing. 

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Baked Texas Coast Oysters on the Half Shell, Shrimp, and Crab Gratin. 

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Hanger Steak. Steak-Frites. Garlic and Herb Butter.  I know, it looks like a teaser, but I actually split this dish with the boyfriend so there’s more than appears on this plate!

*NOTE: not pictured are the raw oysters (which were inhaled immediately)… large, fresh, and delicious!

The food was delicious! Although we ordered a feast of food, everything was refreshing and very flavorful. The only downside is the cost  $$$-$$$$. It’s an experience, regardless! Luke is one of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans so I had very high expectations for this location. San Antonio is a beautiful city…very scenic hills, beautiful riverwalk and luckily for me, John Besh brought this delicious gem to the city! 

Lüke on Urbanspoon

Borgne (CBD, New Orleans)

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Chef John Besh does it again! I’ve heard about Borgne by word of mouth, but what really inspired me to go try it out for myself was when I tried the Oyster Amandine at New Orleans Oyster Festival at Woldenburg Park 2012 (click for pictures). I swear, festival food is always the best..Have you ever heard of the law of Diminishing returns? Basically, when applied to food, it means serving food in small bites that leave your palate longing for more…so when I tried multiple miniscule oyster dishes at the festival, you can only imagine how I felt when I only got to enjoy a BITE of Oysters Amandine…After that experience, I’ve had high expectations for Borgne…

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Panoramic restaurant view.

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Early for lunch…

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Charbroiled Oysters. 

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Duck Poppers. Jalapeno. Bacon.

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Slow Smoked Pork Empanadas. White BBQ Sauce.

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Sopa Ajo (Garlic Soup). Garlic Soup. Idiazabal Cheese. Cured Egg Yolk. 

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Honeysuckle Hotty. Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka. Hot Chamomile Tea. (Missing: Sugar Candy pop)

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Marinated Crab Fingers. Bread Salad. Torn Herbs.

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Ragout of Louisiana Rabbit (Lunch Special). Orecchiette Pasta. Garlic. Tomatoes. Rapini. Reminds me a lot of the Spicy Lamb Meatball dish at Domenica’s except with rabbit! 

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Fried P&J Oysters Amandine. Grilled Mushrooms. Wilted Spinach. Oh..the delicious Oysters Amandine…Delicious and LOADED with cornmeal crusted oysters!

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Seared Jumbo Shrimp. Brandade Ravioli. Shrimp Chorizo Consomme. Brussel Sprouts. Pumpkin. Chick Peas. 

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Pecan Praline Beignets. 

My favorite dishes had to be anything with oysters: Charbroiled oysters and Oysters Amandine. I also LOVED the Pork Empanadas...Honestly, I hadn’t known much about Spanish or Mexican food until I relocated to Texas and since then, I just LOVE it. It’s just so rich, but can be so refreshing at the same time. 

What didn’t I like? We had a grapefruit sorbet (not pictured) that was definitely homemade, but the fruit itself was not ripe and left a not-so-enjoyable bitter aftertaste. Another item I could’ve done without was the Honeysuckle Hotty. My girlfriend said the same about her cocktail so if anything, I would suggest grabbing a local beer like NOLA Brewing. I really like the blonde ale..it’s lighter and goes great with the food at Borgne.

Overall, good meal! I feel like Borgne’s menu is a boiling pot of Domenica and Luke…The rusticness of Luke together the Italian refinement of Domenica. If you’re in the CBD and looking for a fine lunch, Borgne is a great place to try! 

Borgne (Hyatt Regency) on Urbanspoon

Coquette (Magazine St., New Orleans)

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After hearing rave reviews, I just had to try it. Tucked onto a corner, Coquette adds a little character to the street. Outside it almost looks like a French Quarter home. Inside…very romantic feel…brickwalls, candlelit tables. There was a bar that took up almost half the restaurant, but who’s complaining?? haha..

Now let’s get to the food….

Bread and Butter!


Fried Oysters.


Pork Belly Fritters.


Duck Breast. Roasted Fennel. English Peas. Citrus. 


Black Drum. Crawfish tails. Green Asparagus. Ricotta gnocchi. 


Old Fashioned Donut. Huckleberries. Oatmeal Crunch. Sour Cream Ice Cream. 


On the house treat. Some sort of jelly swirl…very light treat to a delicious meal! Don’t be fooled like I did, the cup is filled with sand and serves as a holder for the lollipops! There’s nothing edible in there…=P

Everything was delicious. Simplistic yet flavorful. Light, so you’re not overwhelmed with flavors. I don’t think I’ve seen dishes like this anywhere else in New Orleans so  their dishes are definitely original. Only disadvantage was the small portions, but I have quite the appetite so that most likely explains that! 

Coquette Bistro & Wine Bar on Urbanspoon

Root (Warehouse District, New Orleans)

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Root…a hip new restaurant just came to town! It’s in the Warehouse District so it’s definitely got a city vibe…the old brick walls, wooden floors, casual cool atmosphere. So cool, I even noticed the waiters and waitresses all had Converses on! haha…Of course, I would notice something like that. I liked it…it’s very chill. Great for a relaxing night on the town…no fancy clothes, no fancy occasions, just bring your grumblin’ tummies…

Amuse Bouche. Asian-inspired dish w/ Salmon Sashimi. Fresh Herbs.

 

Smoked Cornmeal Encrusted Louisiana Oysters. Andouille Spoon Bread. Manchego Foam.

 

“KFC” Korean Fried Chicken Wings. Pepper Jelly glaze. Kimchi.

 

Black Lacquered Duck Tortellini. Indian Orange Mascarpone. Toasted Pine Nuts. Vanilla Tapioca. Black Duck Tea.

 

Nice presentation! The scallops come in this vintage looking cigar box…it helps to hold the smoke in the box so the scallops absorb every bit of smokey flavor. Let’s just say..it does the job! The scallops were delicious!

 

Cohiba Smoked Scallops. Chorizo Dust. Carmelized Cauliflower. Fennel Choucroute.

 

Hanger Steak. Crispy Sweetbreads. Sweet Kumquat Bordelaise. Pommes Frites.

 

Sweet Corn Caramel Flan. Salted Corn and Caramel Ice Cream. Vanilla Milk Foam. “Cracker Jacks”

 

Strawberry Delight. Toasted Almond Cake. Smoked Black Tea Honey Crunch. Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream. Strawberry Gel. Fizzy Rock.

 

Root’s menu is extremely creative and the presentation is just superb. I love the way Chef Phillip Lopez throws together such diverse elements and combines them to build flavors that work together so well like the duck tortellini (pictured above). Vanilla tapioca and Black duck tea?? Who woulda thought? And it tastes so good! I will say that because of the design and flair in each plate, it doesn’t stuff you so order accordingly.  The other downside was the desserts…Lots of elements and full of different and interesting flavors, but I felt it was a bit “deconstructed”.

Overall, innovative dishes. Great atmosphere. So if you’re feeling like refreshing your palate with molecular gastronomy-type dishes, check out Root!

 

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Rating: 2.5/5 spoons

 

Root on Urbanspoon

Lüke (New Orleans, LA)

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Luke is one of John Besh‘s restaurants and if you know about JB…you know all of his restaurants are sure to please! It’s a nice restaurant located inside the Hilton St. Charles Hotel in the CBD. It’s filled with businessmen discussing work over some fine food…It’s a different setting from your usual New Orleans feel, but I like it!

Baked P&J Oysters. Herbsaint, persillade crust.

 

Found a pearl in my oyster!

 

Fried Oyster, Bacon, Romaine & Avocado Salad. Could not get enough of the oysters. They’re coated in a seasoned cornmeal batter that is so delicately crispy…and then you bite into the fat, juicy oyster. The applewood bacon was nice and thick…great flavors all together!

 

Omelette of Local Crabmeat. My favorite brunch menu item! Filled with asparagus, crabmeat, and creme fraiche.

 

Gaufrettes. Light and crispy, perfect for the omelette!

 

Moules et Frites. I can’t get enough of these mussels…the buttery, herbacious (if  that’s a word!) bowl of mussels. It’s bigger than you think, so it’s definitely shareable. Save your bread for the oh so delicious sauce on the bottom!

 

Pommes Frites.

 

Even though the setting is more business, the dishes here make me feel at home… Besh really knows how to keep it simple, but still have the ability to make the food burst with flavor in your mouth! The flavors are so deep and rich…I don’t know how else to say it! Dinners are delicious as well, but I’ll save my thoughts for another day =)

Lüke on Urbanspoon

You can check out Chef John Besh’s cookbook below: