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

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

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

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

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

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.

Rating: 4/5 spoons

• All of the John Besh Restaurants are open and I’ve done reviews on most of them if you’d like to click on them and check them out: Restaurant August, Pizza Domenica, Borgne, Luke, Domenica, Willa Jean, Shaya.
• Cafe Adelaide
• Compère Lapin
• Restaurant R’evolution
• Sobou
• Click here for more on Thrillist.com for more restaurant options in New Orleans on Christmas day!

Last year “the Chef” and I ate at Borgne and went a little overboard and over-ordered. Great meal but we were stuffed! This year we chose Restaurant R’evolution in hopes that we’d order lighter in preparation for Christmas dinner. We didn’t need a reservation, but I highly recommend calling first during the holidays! I went to Restaurant R’evolution about 3 years ago and we had a phenomenal meal. I was curious to find out what Christmas day had in store for us…

Mimosa and Charred Satsuma Old Fashioned. Blanton’s Bitters. Sugar. Bitters Orange.

Black Truffle Beef Tartare. Black truffe aioli. Pickled Vegetables. Grilled Bread.

Roasted Baby Beets. Goat Cheese. Molasses-candied Pecans.

Artichoke-Merliton Au Gratin. 

Shrimp Fricasée and Grits. Charred Tomato Velouté. Tasso. Fennel.

“Visiting Fish” a la Plancha. Jumbo Lump Crabmeat. Lyonnaise Potatoes. Absynthe Meunière Sauce.

Saving my stomach for Christmas Dinner. Ordered a hot coffee for dessert!

We were smart this year and decided to order a little on the lighter side. I started with a nice mimosa. “The Chef” ordered the Old Fashioned. Both were great. The charred satsuma was a nice touch in the Old Fashioned and gave it a lot of flavor with a nice kick! Our first dishes were the Roasted Beet Salad which seemed small, but was very wholesome. The Beef Tartare was delicious! That aioli was loaded with real black truffle flavor. None of that truffle oil stuff! The only letdown of this meal was the artichoke and merliton au gratin. It was a little on the mushy and salty side and wasn’t our favorite BUT…

“The Chef” loved his shrimp and grits. Smoky flavor. Meaty Shrimp. mMm! My entree was the “Visiting Fish” a la Plancha. The fish was flaky and moist and was resting on a bed of delicate and thinly sliced Lyonnaise potatoes.  What really surprised me were how flavorful they were. When you think potatoes, you think starchy and possibly dry but these were amazing.

If you happen to decide on dinner at R’evolution, the Christmas menu looked absolutely delicious. It’s not your typical Christmas dinner and not-your-mama’s kitchen, but it’s delicious and great for groups. Attire: Dressy. Price: $$$$.

Tip: If you ever see sweetbreads (not a type of bread!) on the menu, order them! Last time I went they were HUMONGOUS and it was so memorable. I loved it!

Rating: 4.5/5

Thai Tea. 

Level 3 Pad Thai with Chicken and Shrimp. 

Green Curry. Coconut Milk. Bell Peppers. Thai Basil. Eggplant. Onions.

Param Vegetables. Stir fried vegetables topped with Peanut Sauce.

We ordered a Pad Thai with spice level 3. We tend to eat a little spicier and that was the perfect amount. We also ordered the green curry with spice level 3 also and it was even spicier since green curries tend to already be spicy. I’ve noticed that Thai restaurants in this area lack a selection of fresh, stir fry vegetables like Ong Choy or Bok Choy. Sometimes, I just want a big plate of veggies to go with my curry and pad thai, but there must be a lack of asian produce so I rarely see anything like that. Instead, we ordered the Param vegetables, which were just a mix of broccoli, carrots, baby corn, and mushrooms topped with a peanut sauce. That was surprisingly pretty good.

Overall, I’ve definitely had more wholesome and authentic Thai food in other states, but this seems to be the best in the city that I’ve tried so far. If you’re craving Thai food, Bangkok Thai will not disappoint. I got my Thai fix and was definitely satisfied!

Rating: 3/5

Fancy Rose Lemonade. 

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

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

Crab & Camembert Gratin. Lemon and Fines Herbes.

Cauliflower Soup. Fried oysters. Black Truffle.

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.

Rating: 4.5/5

Our Pizza Maker crafting our pizzas!

A bunch of cheeses, toppings, and meats. 

Before the Blaze. 

Our friendly pizza maker. 

The finished product: thin, crispy, flash-fired pizzas!

Our pizza makers were especially friendly and helpful. I ordered the Meat Lover’s Pizza and added fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, and basil. My fiance ordered the White Top pizza and added chicken, garlic, jalapenos, and spinach. The pizzas were flash-fired quickly and out came two thin, crispy gourmet pizzas. You can top it off with your sauce of choice. We added olive oil to the Meat Lover and Pesto to the White Top pizza. The crust was thin and crispy but still had a nice bite to it. The pizzas are pretty large considering they are a “personal pizza”, but I can probably eat a whole one with no problem if I was hungry enough.  I only ate half of the pizza tonight as a snack.

Next time I’m craving a quick late night bite, I know where I’m going. I love that Blaze opens later than most fast food joints: Monday- Thursday til 11PM and midnight on the weekends. Also, they serve draft beer! Since my fiance often gets home late from work, we’re always looking for late night joints for dinner. Blaze will have to be one of the top on our list now (especially since it’s only a few minutes away from our home!).

Rating: 5/5 spoons

Fresh broths.

Fresh Seafood and Meats. 

Veggie plate. 

Hot Pot. 

We had a party of 6 and after a whole day of museum going and site-seeing we were starving! For an all-you-can-eat restaurant, the selections are very fresh and the broths are flavorful. On the other hand, every time we ordered more vegetables or meats, the same portion size would come out each time (even if we put down an order of 100). That would have to be my only complaint, however, I do understand from their standpoint since they are all-you-can-eat BUT they should supply enough for a large table who is sharing, since it can be frustrating to have to order multiple times during the meal. Regardless, this has to be the best hot pot restaurant I have every been to. The quality, freshness, and service was on point. I wish I could’ve brought this Hot Spot home to Louisiana with me!

Rating: 4/5 spoons

Great late night food option. You’ll even see families out here!

Hot pot veggies. 

Seafood selection. 

The server brought out a huge plate of veggies and a plate filled with an array of seafood: shrimp, fish, mussels, oysters, fish balls, etc. The veggies were fresh and I loved that they provided a lot, but I can’t say the same for the seafood. The amount of seafood was okay, but the quality was subpar. The fish seemed freezer burned. The shrimp and mussels seemed somewhat chemical-like, as if they put something on it to preserve it. The only thing that I could eat on that seafood plate was the oysters, fish balls, and imitation crabmeat.

I’ve been to Tan Tan in the past and I know their stir-fry and appetizer dishes aren’t bad. I would never order anything that is “fresh” here again, but then again, they didn’t advertise “fresh” on the menu. Just Seafood Hotpot. I will be back to Tan Tan, but for safer options like the fried rice or egg pancake. I’m just disappointed that considering they are known for their hot pot, they failed. Tan Tan continues to be a decent late night option, but be cautious of the quality and freshness of seafood and meats.

Rating: 2/5 spoons

Bottomless Mimosa. Usually, they place it in a different cup as an identifier for “bottomless” and unlimited refills, but this day was so busy they ran out of the bottomless mimosa cups. This is the cup for a single mimosa.

Boudin Dip. Duck cracklin. Seasonal jam. Dijon Mustard.

House-made Drop Biscuits. Devil Ham spread (highly recommended by our waitress)

Charlie’s Gumbo. Chicken. Oyster. Andouille Sausage.

Quail-N-Waffle. 

Oyster Salad. Arugula. Frisee. Celery. Chopped Egg. Spiced Pecans. Blackberries. Candied Mustard Seed Vinaigrette.

I understand that Easter brunch is a very busy time, but we had made reservations around 1:30 PM. Our waitress was sweet and made some decent recommendations. I ordered the bottomless mimosa, because who can eat brunch without bottomless mimosas?! Plus, the single mimosa price was $3, but unlimited was $10. It’s worth it! Unfortunately, it was such a busy day that they ran out of the unlimited mimosa cups and there was a ton of confusion when I did not get refills. To start off my meal, I wasn’t too happy with that…

45 painful and “hangry” minutes later, we received our first wave of appetizers: Boudin Dip with Duck Cracklins, Drop biscuits with devil ham spread, and the Gumbo. The boudin dip was interesting. I don’t think I’ve seen that dish anywhere in the city and it had to be my favorite of these 3 dishes. The Drop biscuits were dense and dry, but the Devil Ham spread was pretty good. If only it had a fluffier and more delicious medium to be spread onto. The Gumbo (see pictures) was obviously sitting for quite a while under a heat lamp. There was a layer of soup skin that had formed on top from sitting for so long. I can’t tell if it was the kitchen’s fault or the wait staff’s fault for the delay in food expediting. As for the gumbo itself, I wouldn’t try it again…

30 minutes after our first wave of appetizers, we received the Quail-N-Waffle and Oyster Salad. The Quail was cold and the waffles were soggy from the sauce. Eating any type of poultry dish that comes out cold is always disappointing. The Oyster Salad had to be the highlight of the meal, since you can’t really go wrong with fried oysters and the salad was refreshing, but easily forgotten.

It’s not often that I do poor reviews, but I feel this was worth sharing because the menu at Tivoli & Lee was very attractive but the execution was lacking. At the same time, I don’t know whether or not to blame the wait staff or the kitchen. Although our waitress was nice, she didn’t address the long wait and didn’t update us on our food progress. It was a long and disappointing brunch…Hopefully, Tivoli & Lee can improve on this, because I see potential for a good restaurant, but service issues need to be addressed.

Rating: 1/5 spoons

The Atomic Burger. Fresh ground beef. Special A.B. sauce. American Cheese. Dressed.

When I have a stressful day at work, I get into my car and drive home thinking “burgerrrr…”. A coworker recommended Atomic Burger as her favorite fast food burger joint so I drove straight to it. The patty was really fresh…even fresher tasting than some local, restaurant burgers. This is a neater-eating burger and doesn’t cause much of a mess. Atomic Burger’s menu is a lot more simplified and sometimes you just don’t want to complicate a burger. Every now and then, I just want my beef patty on burger buns with a side of fries and in that case Atomic Burger has my vote!

Rating: 3.5/5 spoons

Mooyah Burger. Double meat. Swiss. Dressed. Fried Onions. Mushrooms.

Mooyah isn’t too far from Atomic Burger and is located right next to World of Beer, where they have probably THE widest selection of beer. Unfortunately, the burger joint itself doesn’t sell beer so I couldn’t enjoy a cold one while I ate my burger, but that’s okay. That’s what the bar next door is for! Anyways, back to my burger, there’s the option for a double patty burger and on this particular day, I definitely needed a double. I have to mention that the service at Mooyah is a little lacking. The cashier at the counter wasn’t helpful or friendly  at all. It wasn’t busy and there was only one person behind me. Regardless, the menu is easy to figure out. Mooyah also offers a variety of toppings. I ordered my classic swiss, fried onions, mushrooms burger. Everything was great, but I will say that the bottom bun is thicker and more pillowy than most burgers. The Mooyah Burger is a lot messier, but probably a result of adding a double patty and a multitude of toppings. I like the variety and options that Mooyah offers.

Rating: 3/5 spoons

So it comes down to, who has the better burger???

In this battle of the burger, Atomic Burger wins! Both burgers are great, but when it comes down to flavor and eatability, Atomic Burger’s patties are clearly fresher tasting and ergonomically pleasing.