Native Palate

TPC Louisiana Grille | Not Just for Golfers

2011-11-20T14:21:00.005-06:00

TPC Louisiana Grille | Not Just for Golfers

You likely already know that TPC Louisiana in Avondale opened in 2004 and is home of the Zurich Classic. What you probably don’t know is that the TPC Grille in the club house is not just for golfers!

The Grille is open to everyone for lunch 7 days a week. The lovely dining room overlooks the beautiful “lawn” between the 9^th and 18^th holes. And beyond that lawn is a never-ending landscape of lush wetlands and native cypress trees.

The lunch menu has something for everyone. From “The Practice Tee” appetizers include onion rings ($6.99), shrimp queso dip ($7.99), and oyster ravigote ($7.00). The Grille’s signature salads can be found in “From the Rough” and include pepper jelly chicken salad: blackened chicken breast on mixed greens, with toasted pecans, currants, blue cheese, and onions ($10.99); seared tuna salad served over a bed of mixed greens, with tomatoes, red onions, carrots and toasted peanuts ($13.99); shrimp remoulade: boiled Gulf shrimp tossed in a tangy remoulade sauce over a bed of shredded greens and fried green tomatoes finished with crispy andouille ($13.99); and a Caesar salad to which you can add grilled chicken ($9.99), grilled shrimp ($11.99) or fried oysters ($12.99).

The menu offers 9 sandwiches including the clubhouse sandwich: grilled chicken topped with sliced turkey, bacon and melted swiss on a brioche roll ($9.99); BBQ brisket topped with crisp coleslaw on an onion Kaiser roll ($9.99); BBQ shrimp wrap: flash-fried Gulf shrimp tossed in a New Orleans barbeque sauce wrapped in a warm tomato tortilla ($9.99); and the Rockefeller: flash-fried Gulf Coast oysters topped with Rockefeller sauce and parmesan served on a sesame bun ($12.99).

Finally, the Grille features 5 different burgers made with 100% pure Angus beef. The Champions Burger is griddled and topped with melted cheddar cheese ($9.99); the Voodoo Burger is topped with the chef’s Voodoo fried onions and melted blue cheese on a brioche bun ($10.99); and, 2 flame-broiled sliders topped with American cheese, pickles and caramelized onions ($6.99). The burgers are served with your choice of french fries, onion rings, potato salad, sweet potato fries, seasonal fruit salad or house-made chips.

A popular option is the twilight “Drink and Dine for $5.99” menu that features several items for $5.99 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. Of course there’s a full bar – it is a golf club house, after all. The bar is open until the last golfer leaves.

In addition to daily lunch offerings, the TPC Grille is an event destination that can accommodate groups as small as 10 and as big as 225 for luncheon meetings, showers, weddings, class reunions, holiday parties, and just about any other catered event you might need. The catering menus are extensive and offer everything from hors d’oeuvre party packages starting at $19.95 per person to sit down dinners starting at $23.95 per person. Prefer a buffet line? No problem. Choose from one of many breakfast, lunch, and buffet menus ranging in price from $9.99 to $29.95 per person. Oh, and they offer wedding packages, too! The wedding ceremony takes place on the beautiful lawn overlooking the cypress-lined golf course. I’d like to showcase more of the catering offerings, but have limited space here. Suffice it to say, Jeff and Chef Wells can accommodate every palate and budget for any size event!

TPC Grille also offers special holiday menus. For example, they have a Thanksgiving Day buffet for $35 per person including tax and tip. Also keep the TPC Grille in mind for their Mother’s Day, Easter, and Father’s Day brunch buffets. Jeff and Chef Wells hope to add more special events to their calendar and recently hosted their first beer dinner at the TPC, 6 courses with 6 beers for $55 including tax and tip.

TPC’s food and beverage director is Jeff Chiasson, an Archbishop Shaw graduate, whose resume includes extensive experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, most recently at New Orleans’ Red Fish Grill and the Royal Sonesta Hotel. The chef is Dustin Wells who began his cooking career at Pinetta’s in Baton Rouge. From there Chef Wells cooked with Chef John Folse at White Oak Plantation, also in Baton Rouge. Eventually, Chef Wells made his way to New Orleans where he spent 7 years cooking at Dickie Brennan’s Palace Café and Bourbon House. Chef Wells assumed executive chef duties at TPC Louisiana 2 years ago. Both Jeff and Chef Wells emphasized to me that they serve only local seafood, sausage and andouille, and strive to buy local as much as possible.

TPC Louisiana is a beautiful golf course in a uniquely Louisiana setting. The club house is lovely. Do yourself a favor and get out to the TPC Grille for lunch, far away from the hustle and bustle – you’ll please your palate and soothe your soul.

TPC Louisiana is located at 11001 Lapalco Boulevard in Avondale. General inquiries can be made at 504.436.8721, while restaurant information can be obtained at 504.436.8728. The TPC Grille is open 7 days a week, Monday – Sunday 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday open for breakfast 7 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. For more information check out their web site at www.tpc.com/louisiana. You can also “Like” TPC Louisiana on Facebook to keep up with events and specials.

Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon.

September is Hunger Action Month

2011-09-12T19:40:00.001-05:00

SEPTEMBER IS HUNGER ACTION MONTH

September is Hunger Action Month- a national movement to raise awareness and take action to help the 50 million Americans who experience hunger.

Throughout the month, Feeding America’s nationwide network of more than 200 food banks, including my local Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, is working to engage citizens to take action and help spread the word about how pervasive hunger is in every community.

Many, myself included, take meals for granted. I have a refrigerator and pantry fully stocked but to some that is a luxury. Some parents have to look their child in the face and say there is no dinner tonight. Some parents are choosing between buying gas to get to work and buying food for the family. It is harsh, but it is happening in cities all over the country.

Hunger is closer than you think. Nationwide, 50 million Americans suffer from food insecurity. In Louisiana 1 in 8 people is struggling with hunger. 1 in 5 children in Louisiana is at risk for hunger. In any given week, nearly 42,000 people receive food through Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana.

You can donate food and/or cash to 2nd Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana directly. Or, you can attend one of the upcoming Wednesday concerts at Harvest the Music starting this week on September 14, 2011 in Lafayette Square - proceeds from sales of food & drink will be donated to 2nd Harvest.

Throughout the month of September follow the hashtag #fighthunger to hear how members of our community are taking action and to hear about other ways you can help Second Harvest Food Bank. For more information on the Power to Fight Hunger campaign visit www.no-hunger.org.

For more information:

Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana

Feeding America

Hunger Action Month

O’Brien’s Grille | Upscale Steakhouse

2011-08-16T08:44:00.006-05:00

This is my article that ran in the August issue of The West Bank Beacon.

While in high school, Ken Theriot worked as a bus boy at the original West Bank Ruth’s Chris Steak House on Stephens Street in Gretna. Immediately after graduation, Ken was a waiter at one of the most prestigious restaurants in the metro area – LeRuth’s. Two years later he embarked on a career as a bartender with stints at T. Pittari’s, The Fairmont Hotel, Visko’s, and Salvadore’s Disco.

In 1988, Ken opened the very popular Parkside Café in Towne Square Shopping Center at 601 Terry Parkway. The business thrived and he sold it in 1996. During his Parkside days, Ken also opened Drive Side Daquiris in the parking lot of Parkside.

In 2001, Ken bought a piece of land on Belle Chasse Highway and built what is now the flagship Drive Side Daquiris. His goal was to build a restaurant, and in March 2005, the financing for the restaurant was approved. But as we all know, Katrina had other plans for this area in 2005. Three years later, Ken and his wife, Patti O’Brien, opened O’Brien’s Grille on St. Patrick’s Day 2008.

Ken’s goal was to fill the void in fine dining on the West Bank. To achieve that goal, he hired local chef Matthew Donelon who sharpened his skills cooking at two prominent CBD restaurants: Cuvee and Rene Bistrot.

The lunch menu is extensive. Appetizers include oyster & artichoke cheesecake ($11), BBQ shrimp ($12), jumbo lump crab au gratin ($14), grilled scallops ($14), and crawfish cakes ($9). There are 8 entrée salads including the steak & spinach salad ($13), Cajun cobb salad ($13), green goddess chicken salad tossed in LeRuth’s green goddess dressing ($13), and a roasted beet and crab salad ($12). The sandwich menu offers an Irish dip – sliced corn beef and shaved prime rib $(15), BBQ duck breast ($15), prime rib ($14), Cuban ($13), and a grilled chicken wrap ($13). All lunch sandwiches are served with your choice of french fries or fruit salad.

The lunch entrees include a good selection of steaks: 6 ounce petite filet ($23), 12 ounce cut ($36), 12 ounce prime rib ($23), 20 ounce ($34), bone in 22 ounce ribeye ($38), New York strip ($36), double cut bone-in pork chop ($27), and for the fish lovers – grilled blackened tuna ($21). Make sure to ask about lunch specials. Recently the lunch special was a big, thick veal chop that according to a good source, was the best veal chop anywhere ever.

Wedge salad

The dinner menu includes most of the appetizers offered at lunch. One salad offered only at dinner is the blue cheese wedge salad ($6). In addition to steaks, the dinner menu also includes braised beef short ribs served with parmesan and truffle mac & cheese ($29), seared crisp snapper with lump crab meat and a Creole beurre blanc ($27), crispy shrimp and corn grits ($23), and grilled salmon ($26).

Filet topped with lump crabmeat

O’Brien’s interior is a pleasant contrast to its stark exterior. The dark wood bar, hand-built by Ken, is the first thing you see upon entry. It is well-stocked and seats 6 people. The narrow dining room has a sleek, art deco design. Booths line one wall. O’Brien’s wine list is short, but rich. Ken sometimes has a few special labels not on the list, so make sure to inquire.

By all accounts, Ken has succeeded in achieving his goal of bringing fine dining to the West Bank. He uses only USDA prime beef and fresh local seafood. The portions are huge and the food is excellent. The staff is professional and service is good.

Owner Ken Theriot with Chef Matthew Donelon

O’Brien’s is located at 2020 Belle Chasse Highway in Gretna (between Belle Meade Blvd. and Wall Blvd.). The phone number is 391-7229. Lunch is served Monday – Friday and dinner Monday – Saturday. Closed Sunday. All credit cards accepted. The dress code is business casual. Reservations are recommended to ensure a seat in this small, busy dining room. Check out O’Brien’s on their web site and “Like” them on their Facebook page to keep up with daily specials.

Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon.*

*To keep up with all things positive in West Jefferson, Algiers, and Plaquemines Parish, subscribe to receive this free monthly publication in the mail. The West Bank Beacon.

WYES’ WINE & COFFEE PAIRING DINNERS KICK-OFF A NEW SEASON!

2011-08-08T19:36:00.002-05:00

WYES’ WINE & COFFEE PAIRING DINNERS KICK-OFF A NEW SEASON!

WYES will begin taking reservations for WYES’ highly anticipated wine and coffee pairing dinners, WYES SEASON OF GOOD TASTES, on Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. Those interested in making reservations should call (504) 840-4886. Callers will be prompted to leave their name, phone number(s), the restaurant(s) of interest, and number of guests in party. All guests must be 21-and-older to attend.

Please note, your reservation is NOT complete until you receive a confirmation call from a WYES representative. Reservation requests will be responded to in the order they are received. Reservations are limited and these dinners are easily sold out. Your name can be placed on a waiting list. Pre-payment by American Express, Visa, MasterCard or Discover is required. Dinners are community seating.

For all dinner menus and event policies, visit wyes.org. To request an event brochure, call (504) 840-4886. WYES salutes the 2011 WYES SEASON OF GOOD TASTES participants Community Coffee, Louisiana Seafood & Marketing Board, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Thompson Meats, and Martin Wine Cellar for their support!

All dinners begin at 7:00 p.m. and cost $85 per person inclusive of tax of gratuity, unless noted.

Latil’s Landing
Friday, September 16

Antoine’s Restaurant
Wednesday, September 21

N’tini’s
Thursday, September 22

La Provence
Thursday, September 29

The Lakehouse
Thursday, October 6
$60 per person

Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard
Tuesday, October 11

Vega Tapas Cafe & Catering
and St. James Cheese Company
Thursday, October 20
$115 per person

Heritage Grill
Tuesday, October 25

Chateau du Lac
Monday, October 31

Nuvolari’s Ristorante
Wednesday, November 9

Gautreau’s
Tuesday, November 15

Redemption
Monday, November 21

5 Fifty 5
Friday, December 2

“The Teddy Bear House”
Home of Artist Ricky Lenart
Lisa Tanet & Chef Christian Wagner of ETC! Catering
Saturday, December 10

Donewar's Superette & Diner

2011-07-23T19:38:00.008-05:00

Donewar's

Here's my article on Donewar's Superette & Diner that ran in the July issue of The West Bank Beacon:

Frank Fradella opened Fradella’s Grocery store on the southwest corner of Hancock and Burmaster Streets in 1927. During World War II, he opened a slaughterhouse in the building next to the grocery.
In 1948, Frank’s daughter Josephine “Josie” married Charles Donewar, and the Donewars worked in the business with Frank. Charles and Frank slaughtered live cattle on premises, and sold freshly butchered steaks, roasts, and ground meat in the grocery store.

When Burmaster Street was expanded to four lanes in 1959, the Donewars had to relocate the store. They hired local McDonoughville contractor, James “Chick” Bush of J.B. Bush, Inc. to build a new store across the street, on the northeast corner of the intersection. Donewar’s Superette & Diner has been there ever since.

Charles and Josie’s son, Jody, worked in the new store as a young boy. Charles taught Jody how to cut meat and how to make the homemade sausage from a recipe passed down by Frank. Additionally, Jody stocked the store shelves, racked the deposit soft drink bottles, and cleaned up.

In 1977, Jody took over the family business full time. In 1980, Jody’s fiancée, Sandy Miller, began working with Jody in the store, and they married in 1981. Donewar’s operated primarily as a grocery store and meat market that served take-out sandwiches and plate lunches until 1992. At that time, Jody and Sandy took the bulk of the groceries out and converted the space to a diner.

Donewar’s serves breakfast from 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. The “Breakfast Special” is 3 eggs any style with your choice of ham, bacon or sausage, grits and toast ($4.50). Other breakfast items include egg sandwiches – eggs & bacon, eggs & ham, eggs & sausage - on toast, bun or french ranging in price from $2.50 to $4.25. Biscuits are $.75 each or 3 for $1.75.

Hot plate lunches are served Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m. Daily lunch specials cost $7.75 and include red beans & rice, fried pork chop or smoked sausage, salad and bread on Mondays; ½ fried chicken or ½ baked chicken, lima beans or french fries, dessert and bread on Tuesdays; spaghetti & meatballs or homemade Italian sausage, vegetable and bread on Wednesdays; white beans or jambalaya, pork chop or smoked sausage or country fried steak, dessert and bread on Thursdays; and on Fridays it’s fried seafood day and you can choose from fried fish or shrimp, french fries or baked macaroni, dessert and bread for between $9.00 - $12.00.

Donewar’s also offers a selection of sandwiches on slice, bun or french ranging in price from $3.30 to $7.00. Fried fish and shrimp sandwiches are available only on Fridays. Jody told me the crowd pleasers are their roast beef, homemade hot sausage, and their “awesome” muffalettas (half $7.50, whole $15). Some of the offerings remind me of the sandwiches available at corner groceries I went to as a kid, like luncheon meat and livercheese. Who doesn’t get a childhood flashback from that? Other sandwiches on the menu include meatball, hamburger, country fried steak, ham, turkey breast, smoked sausage, and a club sandwich. Sandwiches are served all day long.

The Donewars pride themselves on making as much from scratch as possible, including the sausage, gravies, meatballs, and cooking roasts for roast beef sandwiches. Sandy does almost all of the cooking. On Tuesdays, Sandy’s dad Elmo Miller fries the chicken and on Friday’s, her mom Gwen Miller fries the seafood. Ms. Josie still lives above the store. Jody still makes the link sausage from his grandfather’s recipes. Donewar’s homemade sausage is available for sale along with their hogshead cheese.

In addition to owning the diner, Jody has been a licensed salt water fishing guide since 1998. He told me that as a boy, he fished and hunted with his dad every chance he got, and became a very good angler. In 1998 he decided to become a professional. The web address for Captain Jody’s charter service is captainjodydonewar.com.

Years ago the West Bank headquarters of LP&L (now Entergy), South Central Bell (now BellSouth/AT&T), and Coca-Cola were within a stone’s throw of Donewar’s, providing a built-in lunch clientele. Even though the staffing at those offices is either non-existent or not what it was back in the day, workers from AT&T, Entergy, the City of Gretna, the Jefferson Parish Courthouse, the Gretna Police Department, and other local businesses still flock to Donewar’s for a good, home-cooked meal.

Walking into Donewar’s is like walking back in time – when times were simpler and less hectic. Here, you will be greeted by friendly owners and staff who serve quality food at low prices. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Donewar’s Superette & Diner is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. The address is 938 Hancock Street (at the corner of Burmaster), Gretna. The phone number is 366-3353. Take-out orders are accepted. Donewar’s accepts cash only. Make sure to “Like” Donewar’s on their Facebook page.

Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon.

Iris

2011-07-16T13:15:00.004-05:00

It’s my sister Kathy’s birthday weekend. We started off the celebration with dinner at Iris last night. It was our first time there.

Sazerac

I started off with the veal sweetbreads – 3 small sweetbread “medallions” perfectly fried served with baby shitake mushrooms and risotto in a sage-infused broth. Delicious! Kathy ordered the smoked duck confit served on a bed of baby greens with sugar snap peas and baby beets topped with a sherry vinaigrette. The duck was tender and the smoke flavor didn’t overwhelm the flavor of the duck itself. Very good appetizer – actually, it’s large enough to be served as an entrée.

For my entrée, I ordered the veal chop served with roasted squash and zucchini. The huge chop was really tender. Kathy got the black bass served with fairy tale eggplant, edamane, cherry tomatoes, and a delicate silver queen corn broth.

Veal chop

Black bass

Finally, for dessert I ordered the poached pear with salted caramel ice cream and Kathy got the ginger crème brulee.

Ginger creme brulee

Poached pear w/salted caramel ice cream

The meal was delicious! The service, however, was spotty and a bit impersonal. We had to wait a LONG time to get our check – one of my pet peeves. And while the dining room is lovely, it is way too noisy. Kathy & I could barely hear each other at our table.

Iris is located in The Bienville House Hotel in the French Quarter at 321 N. Peters St. Phone number is 504.299.3944. Dinner hours are Monday, Wednesday – Saturday, 6 p.m. ; bar opens at 5 p.m. Lunch hours are Thursday & Friday, 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The Rib Room | Chef Rene Bajeux's New Lunch Prix Fixe Menu

2011-07-07T20:12:00.004-05:00

Here's the press release announcing Chef Rene's exciting new prix fixe menu - 3 courses for $25 - at the historic Rib Room:

NEW ORLEANS, LA — Got the summertime blues? Well, we’ve got the cure! Let Chef Rene Bajeux tempt you with his sizzling daily prix fixe lunch and dinner specials that are big on flavor, but small on the wallet. Enjoy a three-course lunch for just $25 (plus tax and gratuity) or indulge in a three-course dinner for $35 (plus tax and gratuity). Reservations are not required, but are recommended by calling 504.529.7045. The Zagat-rated Rib Room is located in the historic Omni Royal Orleans Hotel at 621 Saint Louis Street in the heart of the French Quarter.

Chef specials change daily, but recent examples included:

Petite lump crabmeat salad with a creamy remoulade; Chicken "Grand Mere" with onions, mushrooms, bacon and au jus; and white chocolate bread pudding

Organic tomato gazpacho with gulf shrimp; Sautéed black drum with roasted potato and asparagus salad in a lime emulsion; and creamy cheesecake with a caramel sauce drizzle

Chilled cucumber soup with crabmeat and sun-dried tomatoes; Sautéed redfish with lobster sauce; and fresh strawberries with Champagne sabayon

Smoked salmon galette; Tuna medallions with pasta, summer veggies and saffron oil; and Petite bananas foster cream pie

Located on the most fashionable corner of the French Quarter in New Orleans, St. Louis at Royal Street, the Rib Room has been the haunt of literary greats and the politically infamous for 50 years. Specializing in 100% prime beef and classic New Orleans cuisine, the Rib Room boasts an exceptional wine list, premium cocktails, outstanding service and rich, opulent décor. For more information on the Rib Room, visit ribroomneworleans.com.

Salvo's Seafood

2011-06-16T21:43:00.010-05:00

Here's my article on Salvo's Seafood that ran in the June 2011 of the West Bank Beacon.

Salvo's Seafood

Sal St. Philip was born and raised in Plaquemines Parish. For much of his life, he worked as a welder, fitter, and commercial fisherman. In the 1980’s, Sal and his wife Carolyn opened a bait and tackle shop on Barriere Road in Belle Chasse. They started serving sandwiches in the bait shop. Eventually, food became the biggest seller at the bait shop, and in 1991, Salvo’s Seafood moved to its current location at 7742 Highway 23 in Belle Chasse.

Salvo’s menu offers a variety of boiled and fried seafood as well as daily lunch specials. The daily lunches range in price from $6.95 - $8.99 and include shrimp stew or hamburger steak on Tuesdays; stuffed bell peppers or white beans & rabbit on Wednesdays; BBQ brisket or chicken on Thursdays; and, shrimp creole, shrimp alfredo, or jambalaya with fried catfish on Fridays.

Salvo’s fry cook turns out really good fried seafood – crispy outside yet juicy on the inside. The po-boys are stuffed with your choice of shrimp ($8.25), oysters ($10), catfish ($7.25), or softshell crab ($9.95). For another $1.25, you can get a seafood plate with any of the fried seafood plus a house salad, bread, and your choice of fries or potato salad. I recently enjoyed a delicious ½ shrimp and ½ oyster plate ($11.50) that was overflowing – could have been enough for two – but I ate it all! In addition to seafood sandwiches, Salvo’s also offers roast beef, BBQ chicken, pulled pork, and hot sausage, to name a few.

The side orders at Salvo’s offer something to please everyone. There are typical sides including fries, onion rings, potato salad, cole slaw, and baked beans. Salvo’s also serves up stuffed artichokes, crabmeat-stuffed jalapenos, stuffed crabs, and fried pickles.

On the lighter side, the menu includes a selection of salads including a Caesar salad ($5.95) to which you can add grilled chicken ($6.99), tuna ($7.99), shrimp $8.50), or scallops ($8.99). Salvo’s has a child’s menu with prices ranging between $2.75 - $6.50.

Salvo’s “After 5 p.m.” menu offers full dinner service with specialties and sides including sautéed potatoes, corn on the cob, French bread and a house salad – grilled catfish ($10.99); grilled tuna steak with grilled onions ($10.99); BBQ rib plate with choice of 2 sides (1/2 rack $9.99; whole rack $15.99), and jumbo butterflied shrimp ($14.99). Sal told me he’s recently introduced a selection of steaks to the dinner menu, prices include a baked potato and Caesar salad: 12-ounce ribeye ($15.99), 8-ounce flat iron ($10.99), and an 8-ounce filet ($17.99). Add 5 jumbo butterflied shrimp for a surf-n-turf combo for only $2 more.

Salvo’s is also a seafood market where you can buy an assortment of freshly-caught Louisiana seafood including shrimp, oysters and crawfish. Salvo’s boil pots are seemingly always active. As of the date of this writing, boiled crawfish were $3.15 per pound; buy 5 pounds or more for $2.99 per pound; and, 20 pounds or more, the price drops down to $2.59 per pound. I recently bought 40 pounds to feed a group of Alaskan friends in town for Jazz Fest. The crawfish were a bit hit!

Look for all-you-can-eat seafood boil and fry specials every night at Salvo’s. For example, on Friday nights Salvo’s features its $29, all-you-can-eat, boiled Seafood Extravaganza: snow crabs, dungeoness crabs, rock claws, stone claws, mussels, shrimp, blue crabs, crawfish, and 6 sides!

Need to put on a big boil for friends or clients? Salvo’s does on-site catering. They also ship seafood all over the U.S.

Salvo’s food is consistently good at a great price. Make sure to inquire about their Senior Citizen and Military discounts. The atmosphere is down-home comfortable and the staff always friendly.

Sal & Carolyn have worked hard to build and maintain their family business. Their daughter recently finished graduate school and is back working with them. I have been a big fan of Salvo’s for years. Next time you are in the mood for some good seafood, head on over to Salvo’s.

Salvo’s Seafood restaurant is located at 7742 Highway 23 at the corner of “I” Street, Belle Chasse, less than a half mile from the Belle Chasse tunnel. The hours are Tuesday - Thursday, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Friday & Saturday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday. The phone number is 504-393-7303. The web page is www.salvosseafood.com. Follow Salvo’s on Twitter at @salvosseafood.

Reprinted with permission of the West Bank Beacon.

Eat Fest at Jazz Fest 2011

2011-06-16T20:55:00.005-05:00

Here's my article on eating my way through the 2011 Jazz Fest that ran in the June issue of the West Bank Beacon.

Eat Fest at Jazz Fest 2011

I went to the 2011 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on Thursday, May 5^th. It was a cool, breezy, sunny day. In other words – a perfect day to be outside! With me were my sister Kathy and two friends, Kelly and Casey, from Anchorage, AK, in New Orleans for the very first time. We met up with more friends from AK at the Fair Grounds – who had their Jazz Fest cubes highlighted and apps loaded with their music schedule for the day. My mission for the day, however, was to eat and to report about it to you. I know - it’s a tough life I lead.

With marching orders from me, my group of 4 sought out these good eats at the Fest:

Cochon de Lait Po’Boy - Love at First Bite, New Orleans

Love at First Bite’s cochon de lait po'boy was mounds of juicy pork topped with just the right amount of perfectly-seasoned slaw and creole mustard. The combination of flavors and textures were perfect. The French bread was light but just sturdy enough to handle the juices without falling apart. It was hands down the best thing we ate at Jazz Fest.

Softshell Crab Po-boy - Galley Seafood Restaurant, Metairie

The Galley’s softshell crab po-boy is one of my all-time favorites out at the Fest. This year the crabs were flavorful and crispy, but a little small for the bread. Still, I enjoyed maintaining the tradition of having one of these delicacies at the Fest.

Crawfish Enchiladas - Prejean’s, Lafayette

Prejean’s in Lafayette is a Cajun institution. Their order of 2 crawfish enchiladas was filled with cheese and crawfish, more crawfish than cheese. The sauce was spicy but not overwhelming so that the flavor of the crawfish was maintained. C’est si bon!

Cuban Sandwich - Canseco’s Markets, New Orleans

I have to admit, a Cuban sandwich at Jazz Fest isn’t something I would have sought out. Lucky for me, it appealed to my AK friends. This sandwich was a combo of roasted pork and ham on French bread, pressed Panini-style. Surprisingly good. Thanks, Kelly & Casey!

Crawfish Strudel - Coffee Cottage, River Ridge

The strudel – a 5-inch phyllo dough pastry – is stuffed with crawfish in a spicy cheese sauce. Very flavorful albeit a little tough to cut the outer shell with those tiny forks dispensed at the Fest.

Beignets, Café du Monde, New Orleans

My AK friends ate their first-ever beignets at Jazz Fest. Pure deliciousness.

Trout Baquet and Crawfish Bisque – Baquet’s Li’l Dizzy Café, New Orleans

The trout baquet was a big piece of trout topped with crab meat in butter. ‘Nuff said. But while the bowl of crawfish bisque was filled with stuffed crawfish heads, the bisque itself was not very tasty – it was under-cooked tomato sauce that lacked any hint of a bisque flavor.

Crowder Peas & Collard Greens, Praline Connection, New Orleans

Kelly made sure to try some real soul food out at the Fest. The plate of crowder peas and greens was piled high and she thoroughly enjoyed the dish.

Tagine of Lamb, Jamila’s Café, New Orleans

Casey picked this dish towards the end of the day. Located on Maple Street, Jamila’s Café serves Tunisian food. The tagine of lamb is lamb stew served over basmati rice. I was too full (really) to try it but it smelled wonderful!

There you have it, friends: a chronicle of my Eat Fest at Jazz Fest. We had a wonderful time taking in the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Fest.

Reprinted with permission of the West Bank Beacon.

WYES Presents Two Nights of Beer, Food & Fun!

2011-05-21T16:32:00.003-05:00

WYES PRESENTS TWO NIGHTS OF BEER, FOOD AND FUN!

Join local and national beer companies for two nights of beer sampling and beer talk.

Join WYES along with local and national beer distributors for a weekend of beer tasting. On Friday, June 3, 2011 from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. enjoy a relaxed evening of beer tasting with a limited number of guests during the WYES PRIVATE BEER SAMPLING. Julie Council’s Jubilee German Band will be welcoming guests to this year’s event at the Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, 1751 Gentilly Blvd. in the Black Gold Room, 2nd Floor in the Derby Building (adjacent to the Grandstands). This event is in honor of the craft of American and European brewers and will feature over 50 rare craft brewed beers, specially made cask and home brewed beers, as well as special one-off beers from local breweries. Guests will be able to talk one-on-one with brewers, home brewers, and other beer industry members, as well as talk amongst fellow beer connoisseurs. Tasting tickets are $50 which also includes lip-smacking food by Crescent Pie and Sausage, and samples from St. James Cheese Company and Cabot Cheese. Tickets to Friday’s event can be purchased by calling (504) 486-5511 x 200, or by visiting Stein’s Market & Deli at 2207 Magazine Street.

Then the following night, don't miss sampling over 250 beers at the 28th annual WYES INTERNATIONAL BEER TASTING Saturday, June 4 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Lakefront Arena. Sip regional craft beers from Bayou Teche LA-31, Covington Brewhouse, Heiner Brau, Lazy Magnolia, NOLA Brewing Company and Tin Roof. Try home brews from Brasseurs a la Maison, Crescent City Homebrewers, LA Lagers Homebrewing Club, Mystic Krewe of Brew and Redstick Brewmasters. Sample ales and lagers from Crescent City Brew House, Deutsches Haus, Gordon Biersch, The Bulldog and Zea Rotisserie & Grill. For a list of all brews from Crescent Crown, Glazer's Distributors, Southern Eagle Sales and Services, visit wyes.org.

While enjoying a quarter-mile of beer sampling at the WYES INT’L BEER TASTING, guests can learn more about their favorite refreshment because new this year - attendees can participate in two beer seminars! The first, offers a guide to good matches for pairing beer with food. For the second one, join home brewers Hank Bienert and Richard Cuccia as they conduct “Beer Tasting 101,” where attendees can stock up on the basics of judging beer. Don’t miss tasty nibbles by Bailey’s World Famous Andouille, Cabot Cheese, Cook Me Somethin’ Mister, Jambalaya, Cousins Products “Home of Creole Tomato Salad Dressing,” Saundus Sauce BBQ, and Zapp’s Potato Chips. Enjoy performances by Rocky’s Hot Fox Trot Orchestra, the New Orleans Ragtime & Dixieland Band and the Kilts of Many Colours Bagpipe Band. Tickets are $35 in advance, $30 for groups of 6 or more and seniors 55 and older in advance, and $45 at the door. Purchase tickets online at wyes.org through Ticketmaster; any Ticketmaster location; at the WYES offices at 111 Veterans Blvd., Ste. 250; or by calling (504) 486-5511 x 200.

During both tastings, make sure to purchase our new “cool” beer t-shirt and don’t miss your chance to purchase a raffle ticket for our massive beer giveaway. The beer shirt is designed by Lauren Thom of Fleurty Girl and retails for $22. Take a peek at the shirt and purchase it online at wyes.org. At each event, one of every beer offered that evening will be placed in a “basket” and raffled off. This is a one-of-a-kind raffle with a chance to win an enormous amount of beer! Tickets can be purchased at each tasting for $5 for one chance, or $20 for five.

Many thanks to: Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Fleurty Girl, Nola.com, Cox Media, Zapp's Potato Chips, NOLA Brewing, The Brew and WRNO.

WYES encourages everyone to drink responsibly! You must be 21 to attend.

LeBlanc's Restaurant | Neighborhood Cafe

2011-05-21T13:57:00.004-05:00

Here's my article on LeBlanc's Restaurant that ran in the May issue of the West Bank Beacon.

LeBlanc’s Restaurant – Neighborhood Cafe

In 1973, Karen and Tommy LeBlanc opened LeBlanc’s Grocery at the corner of Lafayette and 3^rd Streets in Old Gretna. It was a quintessential neighborhood grocery store where you could buy everything you needed for the day. A limited menu of lunches was available, too. And Karen and Tommy were always there to greet you with a smile.

In 1992, they closed the grocery and opened a full service restaurant - LeBlanc’s Restaurant - a block away at the corner of Lafayette and 2^nd Streets. Sadly, Karen passed away in 1994 just as the restaurant started taking off. Tommy continued to work hard to fulfill the dreams he and Karen imagined for themselves and their children, Lynn and Tommy, Jr.

Throughout the years, Karen and Tommy generously gave back to the community. They were early benefactors of the Boys & Girls Club of Gretna. They were also active in the Gretna Business Association where Tommy served as president.

During its 19 years of operation, LeBlanc’s has become a touchstone in the community. The clientele has always been a melting pot. Judges, lawyers, and politicos meet there early for coffee. The Entergy and BellSouth crews stop in for breakfast. Workers from Zatarain’s, Stone Oil, Richard Tools, the Gretna courthouse, and Gretna City Hall come in for an early lunch. Old Gretna natives like my dad and his cousins convene there now and again to catch up over a home-cooked lunch. It really is a neighborhood meeting place where you are bound to run into someone you know.

In 1998, Tommy added a bar to the restaurant that was operated by his son, Tommy, Jr. At that time, Tommy, Jr. started learning the ropes of running the restaurant, too. It was Tommy’s dream for Tommy, Jr. to one day take over the day-to-day operations of the entire enterprise.

Tommy LeBlanc never met a stranger. His big, booming voice and gentle smile always made customers feel at home. You always felt Tommy was glad to see you. He was generous and kind. Unfortunately, Tommy died earlier this year after a long illness. Gretna lost a terrific citizen, and many of us lost a great friend.

Tommy’s planning 13 years ago paid off. Tommy, Jr. was a good student of his dad’s and has run the day-to-day operations for some time, well before his dad’s passing. The place is still as welcoming as ever and the menu mostly the same. To spice things up, Tommy, Jr. has added some new lunch items to the menu. He told me that he and his dad have been working on these recipes for some time but just didn’t get around to putting them on the menu until now.

Breakfast at LeBlanc’s starts at 6:30 a.m. and runs through 10:30 a.m. Monday – Friday. There are breakfast combos including 2 eggs, grits or hash browns, bacon, ham or sausage, and biscuit or toast ($4.39); 3 pancakes, bacon, ham or sausage ($4.39); and, a 3 egg omelet, bacon, ham or sausage, cheese, biscuit or toast ($4.99). There’s also a selection of breakfast sandwiches ranging in price from $1.69 - $5.49. On Saturdays, breakfast is served all day from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The Monday through Friday daily lunches are only $6.49, and the portions are huge. Mondays offer red beans & rice with either a breaded pork chop or smoked sausage, and a salad; beef tips & egg noodles or creamed potatoes, vegetables, and a salad; or beef liver & onions, creamed potatoes, and vegetable. On Tuesdays, choose from a hamburger steak, creamed potatoes, and vegetables; baked chicken, baked macaroni, vegetable, and salad; or pasta labella with a salad. Wednesdays its spaghetti & meatballs or Italian sausage, and beet salad; white beans & rice with a breaded pork chop or smothered rabbit; stuffed chicken breast with rice & gravy, vegetables, and a salad; baked lasagna and a beet salad; or veal parmesan with a beet salad. Thursdays is my favorite day at LeBlanc’s. The fried chicken with smothered cabbage and yams is excellent! Also offered are BBQ pork ribs, baked beans, and potato salad; or beef stew and potato salad. And Fridays offer lots of seafood: stuffed pepper with baked macaroni, potato salad, and vegetables; shrimp stew over rice (delicious!) and potato salad; fried catfish filet, baked macaroni, and potato salad; smothered okra with shrimp over rice with potato salad; and, seafood gumbo and potato salad.

Throughout the week, look for the new lunch items which include: seafood enchiladas – shrimp, crab and crawfish topped with butter garlic cream sauce ($7.49); pan-seared shrimp remoulade po’boy ($7.49); softshell crab po’boy ($7.99); and 2 crab cakes over angel hair pasta with crawfish cream sauce ($7.99).

In addition to the daily lunches, LeBlanc’s has an extensive selection of po’boys and sandwiches ($2.99 - $7.25). There are also several salads including a caesar salad ($5.25), chef salad ($5.99), grilled chicken salad ($5.99), tuna salad ($5.99), and shrimp salad ($6.59).

Good news for nearby businesses - LeBlanc’s is delivering again. Call in your delivery order early to beat the lunch rush. Lunch is served Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

When they opened LeBlanc’s in 1992, Karen and Tommy LeBlanc envisioned a family-style, neighborhood restaurant where friends could gather over a reasonably-priced, home-cooked meal. Without a doubt, that vision was realized through their hard work, appreciation of their customers, and commitment to their community. Their children, Lynn LeBlanc Hamilton and Tommy, Jr., are determined to honor the tradition. Stop by for a visit soon.

LeBlanc’s Restaurant is located at 136 Lafayette Street, Gretna, LA. The phone number is 361-9216. The hours are: Monday – Friday: breakfast 6:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., lunch 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday: 7 a.m. – 2 p.m., breakfast all day and a selection of daily lunch specials.

Reprinted with permission of the West Bank Beacon.

One Smart Cookie Company

2011-05-08T13:44:00.006-05:00

Here's my article on One Smart Cookie Company that ran in the April 2011 edition of The West Bank Beacon:

Meiko and Jimmie Ditta are both lifelong Westbankers. Meiko graduated from Immaculata High School and UNO. Jimmie graduated from L.W. Higgins High School and obtained a Bachelor’s and Masters degree from Loyola University. Meiko worked for the Copeland’s organization for 8 years and Jimmie worked in law enforcement, most recently for the Department of Homeland Security.

One of Meiko’s lifelong hobbies was baking cookies and pastries for family and friends. Her sugar cookies were particular favorites. Eventually Meiko began selling her baked goods to supplement the family’s income.

In May 2009, one of Meiko’s lifelong dreams was fulfilled when she and Jimmie opened the first One Smart Cookie Company at 1331 Barataria Boulevard in Marrero. The goal was to provide the community with a neighborhood bakery reminiscent of bygone family bakeries like DeSalvo’s and McKenzie’s. The business thrived and in November 2009, a second bakery was opened at 110 Belle Meade Boulevard in Gretna.

All along, Meiko and Jimmie envisioned a bakery and full service restaurant. In March 2011, that concept materialized with the opening of The Bistro at One Smart Cookie Company in the Physicians Center at West Jefferson Medical Center.

The menu at all 3 bakeries is extensive. You can choose from sugar cookies, turtles with fudge and pecans, mega fours, chocolate chip cookies, lemon cookies, wedding cake balls, and red velvet cake balls, just to name a few. Then there are the specialty pastries including: Bavarian cream-filled eclairs, Bavarian cream-filled cream puffs and cream cheese brownies. One Smart Cookie also offers cookie bouquets, king cakes, and cakes for all occasions. Special requests for specialty cakes for birthdays and showers are welcome.

The newly-opened Bistro menu offers 6 and 12-inch po’boys ($3.99-$9.49), club

sandwiches, and muffalettas ($8.99 for ½, $14.99 for whole). The spinach salad ($7.99) is a nice combo of baby spinach, fresh strawberries, bacon, and feta cheese topped with a vinaigrette dressing mix of sliced redonions, cashews, and sunflower seeds. The Bistro offers a limited breakfast of ham, cheese, and bacon croissants.

But it’s the chicken salad that the Dittas are most proud of. According to Jimmie, the 80-year-old family recipe originated with his grandmother and passed on to him by his mother, Jane Ditta. The family used to make 75 pounds of the chicken salad once a year at Christmas and give it out to family and friends. Now, that family recipe is available to the public as Granny’s Famous Chicken Salad on your choice of bread ($4.49-$9.99).

The Bistro at One Smart Cookie Company has a catering menu that includes finger sandwiches, mini-muffalettas, meat trays, bbq sausages and meatballs, artichoke balls, and vegetable trays.

One Smart Cookie Company’s hours are as follows: at 1331 Barataria Boulevard, Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., phone number is 301-9329; 110 Belle Meade Boulevard, Monday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., phone number is 304-6326. The Bistro hours are Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., phone number is 309-9067.

Meiko and Jimmie are realizing a dream for themselves and their children Mia, age 8, and Colin, age 4. Accomplishing their goals would have been impossible without the help and support of family members including Jimmie’s mom Jane Ditta and brother Tony Ditta, along with Meiko’s sisters Kailey, Demi, and Lauren. And with the addition on the Bistro, they are thrilled to be part of the West Jefferson Medical Center family.

One Smart Cookie Company is a family-run bakery and restaurant. Meiko and Jimmie invite you to join them at any of their 3 locations for quality baked goods and food accompanied by personal service with a smile.

Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon.

Sun Ray Grill Gretna | International Fare

2011-04-16T11:48:00.004-05:00

Here's my article on Sun Ray Grill Gretna that appeared in the March 2011 issue of The West Bank Beacon.

As a young man, Dana Deutsch traveled extensively and sampled cuisines around the world. In 1996, he decided to duplicate many of the recipes he tasted and opened the first Sun Ray Grill at 2600 Belle Chasse Highway next to Meadowcrest Hospital in Gretna. The original location was small with a limited menu that included coffee, sandwiches, and daily specials. As business grew Dana expanded the menu. Dana opened his second location on Pink Street in Metairie in 1998, and his third in the Cotton Mill on Annunciation Street in the Warehouse District in 2000.

In 2000, Dana hired Tom Hinyup, a graduate of the Delgado Community College Culinary Arts program, to work at the Gretna location. In 2005, Tom became managing partner of Sun Ray Grill Gretna. The restaurant expanded in 2005, too.

The menu at Sun Ray has something to please everyone. As Dana describes it: “Our menus tell a story of past travels and adventures across our wonderful world. It is a story told using the senses, by an earnest food- loving beach bum.”

The appetizer list is extensive. Over the years, I have sampled many of them. The portabella fries are strips of fresh portabella mushrooms served with a creamy Caesar dressing ($6.75). The spinach & artichoke dip ($7.25) and the taqueria guacamole ($7.25) are delicious. Other appetizers categorized as “Social Dishes,” to be shared, include Siam ribs ($9.75), crispy spring rolls ($7.25), and one of my favorites - the goat cheese fritters that are pan-fried and topped with tasso and sweet onion marmalade & spicy toasted pecans. So good!

In addition to “typical” chicken, shrimp, or steak quesadillas ($9.75 - $11) – at Sun Ray you will find a crispy tortilla filled with sautéed portabella mushrooms, roasted garlic, tomato, onion and fresh basil with melted jack cheese ($10.50). And for the nacho lovers – try their “Penthouse Nachos” with your choice of either roasted duck ($10.50) or chicken ($9.50).

Sun Ray’s salads are very popular and for good reason. I am a big fan of the Sonoma salad (small $4.75, large $7.50) with baby spinach, shaved red onion, crushed pecan, smoky bacon, & Danish bleu cheese with a balsamic vinaigerette. The most popular salad is the pecan-crusted chicken salad ($11.50) – romaine lettuce, cabbage mix, tomato, onion and cheddar cheese with Creole honey mustard dressing topped with a sliced pecan-crusted chicken breast. One of the newest additions to the salad menu is the crab cakes (1 for $15; 2 for $22.50), jumbo lump crab cakes drizzled with green onion aioli, served over a spring mix salad tossed with fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. I have to try this one next time!

Sun Ray’s burgers are ½ pound of choice beef. You can choose from one of 6 different styles of burgers including the Mississippi Bleu ($10.50), the Big Easy with grilled onions, homemade pickled jalapenos, melted Swiss cheese and Russian dressing ($10.50), and the Smokey Mountain ($10.50) topped with bourbon BBQ sauce, melted jack and cheddar cheese, bacon and fried onions. All burgers are served on freshly-baked buns provided by the renowned Vietnamese bakery - Duong Phong Bakery in New Orleans East.

There is a choice of 4 sandwiches. The Cubano ($9.50) is hand-carved roasted pig, ham, melted Swiss, mustard, and a crunchy dill pickles on pressed bread. The Santa Fe Burrito with a choice of either chicken ($9) or steak fajita ($9.50). The Bangkok Roll ($8.75) is sliced grilled chicken, cucumbers, cilantro, purple cabbage, coconut rice and spicy peanut sauce wrapped in a tomato tortilla. Finally, the Maui Waui ($14) is grilled hoisin-glazed Ahi, charred pineapple, chopped pickled jalapenos, and cilantro on a toasted bun. All burgers and sandwiches are served with a choice of fries, fruit, or slaw. Add $1 for sweet potato fries.

The breadth of the entrée menu is impressive. All steaks are hand-cut on premises. I recently enjoyed the grilled filet mignon rubbed with sea salt, olive oil and freshly-ground black pepper served with a choice of mashed potatoes or fries, and either Tuscan spinach or asparagus ($24). The steak was tender and juicy! The spicy Siam ribs are popular (half slab $14.50; whole slab $21) – slow smoked baby back ribs brushed with Sun Ray’s in-house Thai BBQ glaze, served with sweet potato fries and sesame slaw.

The chicken Athena is a big hit as well: grilled chicken breasts topped with crumbled goat cheese and a sauté of artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and basil ($15). One of the staff’s favorites – and now one of my new favorites – is the Avery Island roast duck ($21) which is a roasted half of a duckling coated with house-made pepper jelly glaze served with a spinach & spicy tasso dressing. C’est si bon!

Don’t worry seafood lovers – there’s plenty available for you on the menu. The fish taco platter with a choice of either crispy fish ($14.75) or lobster ($20.50) is served with full sides of guacamole, rice and creamy black beans. The Ahi tuna with two sesames ($18.50) is served with sesame ponzu sauce, steamed coconut rice, cucumber salad, and pickled ginger. Other selections include: shrimp and grits ($19.25), grilled fish of the day (market price), gulf fish with BBQ shrimp (add $5.50 to the market price), and shrimp, crab and olive pasta ($16.50).

Sun Ray makes all of its desserts so make sure to ask for the day’s dessert menu. One seasonal dessert this year is the king cake crème brulee.

The restaurant has a full bar and a wine selection by the bottle and glass. On Wednesday nights diners get 20% off the bottled wine prices. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. where top shelf margaritas are only $5.

Sun Ray Grill Gretna takes reservations. They also have a private party room that seats up to 25. The restaurant is kid-friendly, offers a children’s menu, and provides crayons for doodling. This came in handy with my 3-year-old great-nephew in tow last week.

Sun Ray Grill Gretna prides itself on fresh ingredients and its broad appeal. The staff is made up of a team of longtime employees committed to consistency and a pleasant dining experience.

Sun Ray Grill Gretna’s address is 2600 Belle Chasse Highway (next to Ochsner West Bank). The phone number is 391-0053. They are open 7 days a week and the hours are 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Thursday; 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Fridays; 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Saturdays; and 11:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Sundays. The web page is http://www.sunraygrill.com/ and you can “friend” Sun Ray Gretna on Facebook to follow the daily specials and deals.

At the Gretna location, Dana Deutsch began a group of neighborhood restaurants each with a subtly different menu and theme. Today all 3 locations are thriving. Sun Ray Grill Gretna’s menu is ambitious and innovative. In my experience, Sun Ray Grill Gretna achieves the lofty goals of its menu without being flashy. And, most importantly, our palates are dazzled without draining our wallets. Kudos to Tom Hinyup and his team!

Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon.

Good Eats at French Quarter Festival

2011-04-08T12:07:00.010-05:00

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I love working in the French Quarter!

French Quarter Fest is in full swing. Some of New Orleans' finest restaurants are serving up their specialities. Yesterday and today a few of us from work spent our lunch hour grazing among them. Here's the list of what my group ate.

At Jackson Square:

Tujague's - Brisket with their signature horseradish sauce, $5. The brisket is tender and flavorful with the perfect amount of horseradish. It's one of my favorites at the Fest.

*Dickie Brennan's Bourbon House - BBQ shrimp po'boy, $6. The shrimp are sauteed in small batches with just the right amount of butter and spices then stuffed into a 5-inch "heel" of French bread. Highly recommended!

Mrs. Wheat's - Meat pie, $4. Turnover filled with steaming hot mixture of meat and spices. I love these meat pies at festivals.

Jacques Imo's - Slow-roasted Duck po'boy, $6. Tender duck topped with slaw. The meat not well-seasoned and a bit bland.

Crepes a la Cart - Strawberry & Nutella crepes, $5. Watch your crepe being made. Delicate crepes filled with just the right amount of Nutella and fresh Louisiana strawberries.

Woldenberg Park:

Love At First Bite - Cochon de lait po'boy, $7. Mounds of juicy pork topped with a little slaw and creole mustard. Same vendor as Jazz Fest. C'est si bon!

*GW Fins - Fish taco, $3. Chunks of perfectly grilled fresh fish on a small white corn tortilla with a little bit of fresh cilantro and slaw topped with Chef Flynn's house-made hot sauce. A must have!

Boucherie - Krispy Kreme bread pudding, $4. Yes, you read that right. Bread pudding made with doughnuts topped with a butter rum sauce. Lawd, gawd. Talk about rich ... and good!

Quintin's Ice Cream - Cafe au lait, $4. Creamy, not too sweet. Nice way to cool off.

So, there it is. My 2011 French Quarter Festival Graze Report. Bon appetit, y'all!!

(To read more about food at the Fest all weekend, check out Colleen Rush's reviews here.)

* = Don't miss.

It's Carnival Time & Everybody's ... Hungry!

2011-03-01T19:44:00.019-06:00

Carnival is in full swing. Friends riding in parades are posting their float numbers and positions on Facebook. Family & friends are plotting and planning on who will secure the coveted spots on either the neutral ground or the sidewalk side. And everybody is talking about what they're going to cook/eat to sustain them from Friday at 5 p.m. through Tuesday evening!

Everybody has their personal favorites and traditions for the big Carnival weekend. Here are a few recipes for some traditional Carnival fare that is sure to please (and sustain) a house full of Mardi Gras revelers. Julia Reed likes John Besh's red beans & rice. Traditional grillades & grits is one of my all-time favorites. Add a good b ananas foster bread pudding and the feast is complete.

Of course, a proper Mardi Gras food spread must include a selection of cocktails. Bloody Mary's are a universal favorite. For those who like some sugar with their wallop, here is the recipe for the famous Brandy Milk Punch from Commander's Palace:

BRANDY MILK PUNCH

Brandy Milk Punch is a smooth drink that helps soothe that morning-after feeling.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups milk

½ cup heavy cream

12 ounces Bourbon whiskey

1 egg white (optional)

½ cup sugar

½ cup ice cold water

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

nutmeg, to taste

Directions

Combine the milk, cream, bourbon, egg white, sugar, water, and vanilla in a large pitcher. Stir well, or, if you have a lid, shake. Serve in rocks glasses and sprinkle each cocktail with some nutmeg.

Explaining Carnival to those not from here presents its challenges. More often than not, Carnival gets lost in translation. For more on the fascinating history of Carnival, the Louisiana State Museum and the Historic New Orleans Collection are terrific resources.

K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen | Home-style Lunch

2011-02-26T13:15:00.009-06:00

There are many perks to working in the middle of the French Quarter. One of my favorites is lunch at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen. The menu changes weekly, but always available are the chicken and andouille gumbo, the shrimp po-boy, and the oyster po-boy. The sandwiches and plate lunches come with one side dish and range in price from $9 to $13.50. The oyster po-boy with a side of sweet potato fries is delicious! K-Paul's oyster mayonaisse makes this one special.

Other favorites include the gumbo, the shrimp enchilada, and Chef Paul’s butter beans “That make you Crazy!” So good!

The French bread for the po-boys and the rolls served with all plate lunches are baked in-house. The sides include sweet potato fries, cole slaw, thinly fried onion rings, potato salad, house salad, cheese grits, fruit salad, or veggie of the day.

I really look forward to a home-cooked lunch at K-Paul’s at least once a week. The staff is friendly & welcoming and the casual dining room makes you feel right at home.

K-Paul's serves a "deli-style" lunch Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. Check out the deli lunch menu online.

Gabrielle Restaurant | Oh, How We've Missed Ya!

2011-02-15T18:03:00.011-06:00

Were you a fan of Gabrielle Restaurant on Esplanade Avenue at Mystery Street? Are you tired of being denied your Slow Roasted Duck with Peppers, Mushrooms and Orange-Sherry Sauce at Gabrielle? How about the BBQ Shrimp Pie?? Mixed Sausage Grill? You are in luck! You can be part of 2 upcoming dining events at The Uptowner featuring the Sonniers' one-of-a-kind specialties.

First, on Thursday, Feburary 24th at 7 p.m., Vintage Orleans presents "Gabrielle in Purgatory." The five course menu features several of Chef Sonnier's signature dishes, including Oysters Gabbie, Mixed Sausage Kabob, Petit BBQ Shrimp Pie, Slow Roasted Duck, and Pontchatoula Strawberry Shortcake. Each course will be paired with wines to match. The cost is $85 per person inclusive of food, wines, tax, and tip. Reservations required, limited seating, contact vintageorleans@gmail.com.

Next, Mystery Street Productions, LLC is hosting their first tweetup cocktail reception on Friday, March 18th at the Uptowner featuring some of Gabrielle fans' favorites from Chef Greg! More details to come. Follow Mystery Street on twitter @MysteryStProd. Website is mysterystreetproductions.com.

The Uptowner is located at 438 Henry Clay Avenue. To stay updated on events at The Uptowner, "Like" their Facebook page at Gabrielle @ The Uptowner.

The Red Maple | Gretna Icon

2011-02-12T17:40:00.007-06:00

5 generations of the Trauth family starting with Emma Trauth Whiteside have operated restaurants in Gretna for 100 years! Here's my article on the family's iconic Red Maple Restaurant that ran in The West Bank Beacon last year:

Emily “Emma” Kerner Trauth Whiteside opened her first restaurant in the early 1900’s. Whiteside Sandwich Shop was located on Kepler Street between Franklin Avenue and Stumpf Boulevard – across from Da Wabbit.

Years later, Emma moved the operation to a new building at Fifth Street and Stumpf Boulevard. It was there that Whiteside’s became a Gretna institution. Until the 1950’s, the restaurant, bar, reception hall and local gathering place was open 24/7. Whiteside’s flourished. The whole Trauth family worked at Whiteside’s including Emma’s 2 sons, Herbert and Elbert Trauth. Elbert and his wife Stella had 3 children: Marvin, Marian and Dorothy “Dottie” who would all be involved in the family business for decades to come.

Emma Whiteside died in 1962 at the age of 81. For a short time after her death, it was business as usual at Whiteside’s. Her granddaughters Marian and Dottie worked the kitchen and Jack Sullivan, Marian’s husband, tended bar. In early 1963, the family made the decision to rent Whiteside’s to another businessman who opened it as El Swingo’s.

In early 1963, Marian and Jack Sullivan opened a new lunch spot – “new” Whiteside’s on 2^nd Street near the Gretna courthouse. In April 1963 Marvin Trauth converted Emma’s house at 1036 Lafayette Street into a bar. A red maple tree in the side yard inspired the name of the bar – The Red Maple.

In 1965, Marvin converted his parents’ single shotgun house next door into the first dining room with 12–15 tables. The Red Maple was a full service restaurant specializing in steaks and has been in business ever since. Two more dining rooms were added in the 1970’s, and with that expansion, the menu grew and business took off.

Marvin Trauth died in 1980 at which time his sisters, Marian and Dottie, stepped up to the plate. Dottie ran things at the Maple during the day and Marian, who worked lunches at Whiteside’s by the courthouse, ran the Maple at night.

When Whiteside’s by the courthouse closed, Marian and Dottie ran the Maple together until Dottie’s death in 2000. Marian was left to run the whole show at the Maple. In 2002, Marvin’s son Brent Trauth bought all shares of The Red Maple and after an 8-month renovation, re-opened in 2003. Today Brent along with his brother Marvin operate the restaurant and bar.

The menus are extensive. In addition to a regular lunch menu offering local favorites like an 8 oz. hamburger steak ($11.95) and seafood platters ($17.95-$25.95), 2 special menus are offered. The Panini sandwich menu offers 8 sandwiches including a French dip au jus ($9.95), grilled or blackened shrimp topped with swiss cheese ($12.95), and a Reuben with homemade corned beef, sauerkraut and swiss cheese ($9.95).

The summer salad menu offers 8 lunch salads including the Red Maple salad ($11.95), an Asian chicken salad ($10.95), Thai steak & noodle salad ($14.95) and grilled salmon salad ($14.95).

The appetizer menu includes 2 original Emma Whiteside dishes: turtle soup ($6.00) and crabmeat remick – lump crabmeat with bacon and topped with Emma’s remick sauce ($11.95). Other appetizers include eggplant with crabmeat ($8.95), and fried calamari ($7.95).

The dinner menu offers a variety of seafood, steaks and local dishes. Crispy fried mirliton with shrimp, andouille, jumbo lump crab meat, fried oysters and bordelaise sauce ($22.95), porter house pork chop with jalapeno pepper glaze ($27.95), pan-seared baby white veal topped with jumbo lump crab meat ($32.95), grilled Ahi tuna ($19.95), an 8 oz. filet ($29.95), and a 12 oz. filet ($37.95). Only sterling silver steaks are served which are the upper 3% of U.S. prime.

Try to leave room for dessert, if you can. Emma Whiteside’s original bread pudding is served daily!

A kids’ menu offering pasta, chicken tenders, catfish bits, fried shrimp, and mini hamburgers is available. ($6.95 - $$9.95).

Wait, there’s more. Tuesday night is all-you-can-eat crab (snow crab and dungeoness) served with corn and potatoes from the boil pot for only $24.95. Wednesday night is $10.95 lobster night. Thursday night is steak night – an 8 oz. top sirloin with potato for only $15.95. And from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. it’s Happy Hour in the bar, Tuesday through Friday.

A catering menu is available upon request. The big dining room can accommodate up to 80 people for a sit-down dinner and up to 120 for reception-style.

The Red Maple’s summer hours are: Tuesday – Friday, 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m. with continuous food service; Saturday, 5 p.m.–10 p.m. The bar is open “till” Tuesday through Saturday. The address is 1036 Lafayette Street, Gretna, LA; the phone number is 367-0935. You can follow The Red Maple specials on Facebook.

Next time you go, make sure you take time to look at the display of pictures on the wall in the downstairs bar. It’s a pictorial history of 5 generations of the Trauth family starting with Emma Trauth Whiteside and documents almost 100 years of Gretna history. The food, service, ambience and history make for a special dining experience at The Red Maple.

Reprinted withe permission of The West Bank Beacon.

Hogs for the Cause | A NOLA FUN-Raiser

2011-02-11T09:28:00.003-06:00

So you think you can cook a pig? Do you love to eat and give to a good cause? "Music, beer, and pork ... what more could you ask for?"

Hogs for the Cause is shouting out to all amateur cooks, restaurant chefs, and BBQ Masters who want to compete for the title of the 2011 Hogs For The Cause Grand Champion. The party starts on Friday afternoon (March 25th) and keeps going all day on Saturday, March 26th. The deadline to enter a cooking team is February 15th.

According to their web site, Hogs For The Cause enjoyed a breakout year in 2010, as approximately 2500 people showed up on beautiful March day to compete for the title of Louisiana’s pork champion. The crowds responded enthusiastically to helping choose the best dish by depositing donations into the piggy banks of their favorite teams. All told close to $30,000 was raised, with a portion of it going into a fund to provide support to families facing the fight of their lives.

This year Hogs for the Cause is moving the FUN-raiser to City Park to accommodate more revelers.

Hogs for the Cause is a 501(c)(3) organization, meaning that your donations are tax deductible under the full amount as allowed by the IRS.

Beer Tasting at SoFAB | Bayou Teche Brewery

2011-02-09T20:04:00.004-06:00

Bayou Teche Brewing is located in Arnaudville, LA. According to their web site, after returning to America after a six year deployment in West Germany, their brewmaster dreamed of creating a beer that would pair with the Cajun cuisine he grew up eating. Living in Europe, he had learned to appreciate the regional foods and beers of many countries, and how they had evolved to complement each other. After returning to Arnaudville, he taught his brothers and collaborating they brewed commemorative batches of beer for their family’s holiday meals.

On Saturday, February 12th, you can sample the local brewery's 4 beers at Southern Food & Beverage Museum. For details, click here.

It's Carnival Time | Get Your Hi-Do Bakery King Cakes

2011-02-08T19:21:00.003-06:00

Hi-Do Bakery in Terrytown has one-of-a-kind king cakes including crab and crawfish-shaped cakes as well as the fleur-de-lis cake pictured. For the full article in the February issue of The West Bank Beacon, click here.

Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon.

Lido's Italian Restaurant

2011-02-05T11:13:00.004-06:00

Here's my review of Lido's Italian Restaurant from the October 2010 edition of The West Bank Beacon.

LIDO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

In 1970, Pete and Josie Callagaro opened Lido’s Italian Restaurant in Marrero. In 1987 Tom and Emily Lingoni bought it from them. For 21 years, the Lingonis operated Lido’s and built up a loyal clientele. In April 2008, the Lingonis sold Lido’s and their recipes to Jeff and Dennette Young. Jeff made a smart move by keeping the Lido’s staff, including 15-year waitress Gail Lingoni and longtime cooks Lydia Martinez and Mindy Guitterez.

Originally from Florida, Young went to Nicholls State University on a soccer scholarship where he met his wife and has been here ever since. Young has an extensive restaurant background in the New Orleans area, including serving as maitre d' at Palace Café and front house manager at Redfish Grille. After working for others his entire career, Young decided to take the leap into owning a place of his own. That dream came true for him when he bought the established, family-owned Lido’s in April 2008.

Lido’s menus offer a variety of traditional Italian fare at both lunch and dinner. I recently enjoyed lunch there with my sister. We shared the Combination Appetizer of fried eggplant and artichoke hearts ($6.75) served with a warm marinara sauce for dipping. The batter was light and the vegetables were fried to perfection. For my entrée, I had the Veal Parmesan ($8.50) served with a generous side of pasta (wheat pasta is available). The veal was tender and delicious. My sister enjoyed the Chicken Impanante ($7.95), a boneless chicken breast, breaded, fried and sprinkled with lemon and parsley. The delicate flavors of the lemon and parsley nicely compliment the dish.

The lunch menu includes an assortment of appetizers including Antipasto ($9.50), Stuffed Artichoke ($9.00), and fried vegetables served with warm marinara sauce ($6.00). There are 8 salads offered at lunch including the Lido Salad of salami, cheese, asparagus, artichoke hearts, olives and tomatoes ($8.00). Sandwiches include meatball, Italian sausage, chicken breast, veal cutlet, catfish, shrimp and oysters. ($7.50 - $8.00).

The dinner menu offers a variety of traditional dishes and includes several specialties not on the lunch menu. Shrimptini is a new appetizer for 2: shrimp in butter, worstershire and Crystal hot sauce served in a 50-ounce Martini glass with 4 toast points. Eggplant Lydia with spaghetti is fried eggplant medallions topped with rich, slightly spicy crawfish and cheese sauce ($15.75). Shrimp and Oyster Bordelaise is shrimp and oysters served in olive oil, butter and garlic sauce served over fettuccini noodles ($17.50). Chicken Modenese is boneless chicken breast, breaded, fried and topped with mozzarella cheese, prosciutto ham and tomato sauce ($15.75). Veal Scallopini Marsala with new potatoes is medallions of white veal, sautéed with mushrooms in butter and Marsala wine ($16.50). And Tom’s Special is shrimp, onions and bell peppers sautéed with butter, white wine and lemon juice served over wheat angel hair pasta ($16.50). So many terrific dishes to choose from!!

Young prides himself on using only the finest and freshest local vendors from whom he procures top cut veal, seafood and produce. That commitment to quality is evident in the final product at Lido’s.

Lido’s main dining room is quaint and comfortable. The tables, adorned with red & white checkered table cloths, seat up to 75 comfortably. The restaurant offers a full bar and wine list. There’s a back dining room that seats up to 20 people for private parties or meetings. Young also has a catering menu that can be provided upon request. Lido’s participates in restaurant.com gift certificates and through May Lido’s Clipper Cash in Clipper Magazine can be redeemed with meals. Lido’s is located at 1019 Avenue C, Marrero (next to West Jefferson Medical Center). Their hours are Tuesday - Friday 11:00 am to 2:00 pm and Tuesday - Saturday 5:00 to 8:30 pm. The phone number is 504-347-8203.

Jeff Young and his staff welcome everyone to Lido’s. It’s a wonderful place to bring your family, friends and colleagues. On your second visit everyone will know your name and how you like your drink. Lido’s is a welcome respite from our busy and impersonal schedules. Make sure to stop by soon to savor all it has to offer.

Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon.

"Gambit's" 2011 Winter Restaurant Guide

2011-02-01T13:46:00.003-06:00

Here's the digital version of Gambit New Orleans' recently published 2011 Winter Restaurant Guide, for your convenience.

Restaurant Trifecta at Fountain Park Centre

2011-02-01T09:15:00.007-06:00

Restaurant Trifecta at Fountain Park Centre

When local businessman Robert Guidry decided to build Fountain Park Centre at 1901 Manhattan Boulevard, he envisioned a retail and restaurant center like no other on the West Bank. He included 3 restaurants with 3 distinct styles to anchor the center: Parrot Pete’s, Alligator Pear, and Royal Palm. Mr. Guidry sought out a talented and energetic team to achieve excellence in dining and to provide customers with a beautiful, family-friendly, safe atmosphere.

Overseeing all 3 restaurants is General Manager, Tony Duong. Mr. Duong is a 2002 graduate of the prestigious College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University. He spent 6 years as an executive chef in South Florida restaurants and hotels before accepting Mr. Guidry’s offer in 2008 to manage all 3 restaurants in Fountain Park Centre.

The original Executive Chef was New Orleanian Robert Bruce formerly of Smith & Wollensky fame. Joining Chef Bruce as chef de cuisine was the young Jeremy Latimer who had most recently worked as sous chef at Riche by Todd English in New Orleans’ Harrah’s Hotel for a year and a half. Originally from Cleveland, Mr. Latimer is a graduate of the renowned Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. Before coming to New Orleans, Mr. Latimer cooked at resorts and restaurants in the Caribbean. Upon Chef Bruce’s departure, Mr. Latimer was promoted to Executive Chef whose duties include overseeing the kitchens of all 3 restaurants.

Parrot Pete’s, the most casual of the 3 restaurants, serves breakfast and lunch every day but breakfast is the mainstay here. The breakfast menu is available every day from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. The breakfast menu includes “Eggciting Omelets” like the Fa Get About It omelet with pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, bell peppers and marinara topped with mozzarella cheese ($11.95) or the Down Da Bayou omelet with andouille, potatoes, crawfish tails, tomatoes, onions and bell pepper topped with pepperjack cheese ($12.95). The pancake menu includes a long list of pancakes, waffles and French toast ranging in price from $5.50 to $8.50. For the more adventurous breakfast eaters try an item from the “Pete’s Best” section of the menu including Huevos Rancheros ($7.95), Pedro’s Burrito ($7.95), or the Cocka Doodle Moo – ribeye steak topped with chimichurri and served with 2 eggs and grits or hash browns ($11.95). A children’s menu is available. And, in addition to the wonderful breakfast items, lunch-goers can choose from 2 entrée salads and 5 sandwiches.

Parrot Pete’s has rightly become best known for its treats. The cake and pastry selections alone are outstanding! The Triple Berry Cake, Blackout Cake and Doberge are standouts. Don’t want a whole cake? No problem, individual servings of the cakes are available and can be enjoyed with a cup of Parrot Pete’s steaming hot coffee or an ice cold frozen drink including milkshakes. Not into cakes? Satisfy your sweet tooth with a scoop ($2.50) or two ($3.50) of ice cream with all the toppings. All of the sweets, treats and beverages are available until closing. The restaurant hours are 8 a.m. – 10 p.m., Monday – Thursday, until 10:30 on Friday & Saturday, and until 9:30 on Sunday. The kitchen is open daily until 4 p.m. The phone number is 504-362-9780. Their web site is: http://parrotpetes.com/index.html.

Alligator Pear is a café-style restaurant offering an assortment of sandwiches, burgers, wok dishes, seafood platters, and po-boys. Traditional New Orleans-style daily specials are offered for $10.95 Monday – Friday including Red Beans & Rice on Mondays, Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes on Tuesdays, Smothered Chicken on Wednesdays, White Beans & Rice with fried catfish on Thursdays, and Creole Shrimp Stew on Fridays ($11.95).

The wok dishes are delicious and you can choose the pad thai ($12.95), crispy chicken ($12.95), Mongolian beef ($11.95) or Bourbon chicken ($10.95). Or you can build your own and choose your favorite meat and vegetables. Meatlovers can choose from the babyback ribs ($13.95 half rack & $21.95 for whole) or the rotisserie half chicken with garlic mashed potatoes ($13.95). The seafood platter is piled high with an assortment of fresh, local seafood ($18.95).

Alligator Pear offers a selection of beers and wines by the glass.

Alligator Pear is Zagat-rated. The hours of operation are 11 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Monday – Thursday, until 9:30 p.m. Friday & Saturday, and until 9 p.m. on Sundays. The phone number is 504-281-4472. The web site is: http://alligatorpearcafe.com/index.html.

Royal Palm is in a class all by itself. I recently had dinner there for the first time with my sister and brother-in-law. And, oh, what an outstanding dinner it was! The dining room is big and the décor is simply beautiful. We started off with cocktails, a Belvedere martini for me and Sazeracs for the rest of the table. The cocktails were perfect. In addition to the regular menu, a 3-course Coolinary menu was offered for $34.00. We decided to choose from the “regular” menu that isn’t regular at all. Chef Latimer came to the table and answered questions about the menu items.

To start, 2 of us chose the crab cake ($12.75) and 1 ordered the crabmeat au gratin ($18.75). As entrees 2 of us ordered the petite filet ($34.95) medium rare, one with a side of Maytag blue cheese, and 1 with Bernaise sauce. The steaks are served with a choice of garlic potatoes or baked and a side of roasted asparagus. My brother-in-law ordered the pork chop – more on that decision later.

Once we placed our food order, General Manager Tony Duong made sure to come to the table to welcome us and to introduce us to the wine list. Tony is very proud of his wine list and with good reason. The wines offered at Royal Palm aren’t labels readily available in local wine stores and grocery stores. We chose a 2005 “Burly” Cabernet Sauvignon to complement our entrée choices. The Napa Valley wine had complex aromas of ripe plum, currant and black cherry – perfect for our meal.

The crab appetizers were fantastic! The crab cakes were full of lump crab meat. The crabmeat au gratin was divine! The dish was full of lump crabmeat with just the right amounts of butter and cheese. Unlike many au gratins, crabmeat, and not cheese, was the main ingredient in this dish. It was delicious.

The filets were cooked perfectly – a nice char on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. The baked potatoes were cooked just right, not overcooked and mushy like so many these days. The asparagus still had a little crunch. The oversized, double cut pork chop was food art! It was cooked with candied sweet potatoes, pecans, sweet onion jam and served with a piece of battered, crispy fried bacon. It was beautiful and the flavors exceptional. For dessert we had crème brulee that didn’t disappoint.

We got a tour of the busy and spotless kitchen. It’s an impressive operation.

Our meal and dining experience was one of the best we’ve had in quite a while in the metro area! I can’t wait to go back.

There’s not enough room in this article for me to tell the readers about all the Royal Palm menu has to offer. Please check out their web page at: http://www.royalpalmrestaurant.com/index.php.

In addition to the main dining rooms, Royal Palm has a couple of private dining rooms – one that seats up to 8 people and one that can accommodate between 30 and 40.

Royal Palm also has large reception rooms perfect for weddings and receptions. Each room has a built-in stage to accommodate bands as well as a built-in dance floor and bar. The rooms are gorgeous and can accommodate 275 people for a sit down-style reception and up to 500 for reception-style. There’s a wonderful outside bar and balcony for events – perfect for the cooler weather. The dining room and reception rooms all offer a terrific view of the fountains in the center – it’s a really beautiful setting.

That’s not all. The bar in Royal Palm boasts having the largest bar in the city. It’s a lovely setting with an award-winning bartender at your service. Royal Palm bartender Jason Lee recently competed in GQ’s Bombay Sapphire “Most inspired Bartender” competition. He competed against 25 bartenders from Louisiana including bartenders from the Carousel in the Monteleone Hotel, Clever Wine Bar, and Whiskey Blue in the W Hotel, to name a few. Jason won 1^st prize for his “Sapphire H20” cocktail. On August 29, 2010, Jason will compete in the contest finals at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas against bartenders from every state. Top 10 finishers get a mention in GQ Magazine and a video clip. The 1^st place winner gets to be on the cover of GQ! Good luck to Jason!

From April through September, the bar hosts karaoke on Fridays from 10 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. Beginning this Fall, the bar will host musical acts including jazz and blues quartets.

Royal Palm is open for dinner only Wednesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.; until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The phone number is 504-644-4101.

The third Friday of every month from April to November the centre provides FREE live music at “Festival Fridays.” Bring the family and enjoy a meal or dessert and cocktails at any of the 3 wonderful restaurants.

Look for coupons to the restaurants in Clipper Magazine, the 2010 Entertainment Book, and in Living Social/Groupon.

If after eating all the treats at Parrot Pete’s you need a gym to stay in shape, look no further than Exclusive Fitness in the centre that is open from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. And Salon La Rouge is a full-service hair salon right above Alligator Pear.

Fountain Park Centre is conveniently located at 1901 Manhattan Boulevard in Harvey. Parrot Pete’s, Alligator Pear, and Royal Palm offer diners a wide variety of meals and treats. Put the family in the car and head on over there!

Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon.

When We Gonna Eat?

2011-01-30T18:55:00.012-06:00

Food is always on the minds of New Orleanians. Food is our community.

I just marked my 1st anniversary of writing a food column and creating this food & travel blog. It is virtually impossible to eat at every restaurant in this town and then write about it. But ... lucky for you, there are numerous good food blogs written by an eclectic group of New Orleanians.

Here's a list, in alphabetical order, of my favorite New Orleans food blogs. If you read Native Palate and these regularly, you, my friends, will be in the know about all things foodie in town!

Appetites, Bite & Booze, Blackened Out, Bouille, Dickie Brennan's Kitchens, Eat Drink Nola, Fleur Delicious, Gourmet & Gourmand, He Said/She Said NOLA, Lorin Gaudin's Tasty Blog, Mere Mortal's Guide, NewOrleans.com, NOLA Eats, Suck the Heads, The Cajun Foodie, The Kingfish Menu, This Ain't Julia, Child, and Yat Cuisine.

Bon appetit, y'all!

p.s. If you know of other locally written food blogs, drop me a line.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-26T19:55:00.003-06:00

I had a great and busy holiday season. I spent Thanksgiving in San Francisco with good friends. Christmas and New Year's were a whirlwind of celebratory gatherings with family and friends. The Saints made it to the play-offs but ended the season sooner than we had all hoped. But what a fun season! Finally back in to the post-holiday shuffle at work. And here it is ... almost February ... with the Carnival season -- and King Cakes -- in full swing. Where does the time go?

I have lots to write about. So check back in a week or so - I will be back to sharing my dining experiences with you soon. Here's to more wonderful dining and travel experiences in 2011!

The Union of Two Classic New Orleans Desserts

2010-12-17T20:38:00.008-06:00

Two quintessential New Orleans desserts are bread pudding and bananas foster. Over the years, I have tweaked a recipe for bananas foster bread pudding given out at a local chef's charity event 10 years ago. I serve the warm pudding with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream both topped with the warm sauce. It is a real crowd-pleaser!

BANANAS FOSTER BREAD PUDDING

1 loaf stale French bread, broken

3 cups whipping cream

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

½ lb. Butter, melted

1 cup cream de banana

4 bananas, cut up

2 cups chopped pecans

1 tblsp. Cinnamon

2 tblsp. Vanilla

Combine all ingredients and let stand until all liquid is absorbed by the broken stale bread. Place in buttered 9 x 12 pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Cook in 350 degree pre-heated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

SAUCE

¼ lb. Butter

2 cups dark brown sugar

4 oz. Cream de banana

4 oz. Dark rum

Melt butter and add brown sugar to form a creamy paste. Let mixture caramelize over heat for 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in cream de banana and rum. Stir mixture for 2-4 minutes. Pour over bread pudding and vanilla ice cream.

Bon appetit!

Pho Hoa | Great Pho, For Real

2010-11-11T17:25:00.007-06:00

I am a big fan of the Vietnamese staple, pho. For those of you not familiar with Vietnamese food, pho is soup. Pho is served with chicken, pork or beef, either rice noodles or vermicelli, and accompanied by a side plate of assorted fresh herbs including basil leaves, cilantro leaves, sliced green chile pepper, bean sprouts, and a lime wedge. The broths are rich and bursting with flavor.

Lately, my pho of choice is at Pho Hoa located at 1308 Manhattan Boulevard in Harvey (directly across from Petsmart). The regular (versus large) bowl of pho is $5.50 and is a meal in itself. Today I had the Pho Ga (chicken soup) and it was delicious. Pho Hoa's chicken broth is rich, but not heavy, and includes what I believe to be a hint of thinly sliced fennel. The smells and flavors rising up from the steaming bowl are intoxicating. Kathy had the pho with rare beef and brisket which was also excellent.

You get to control how much of all seasonings go into your pho. I always add a dab of Sriracha (aka Rooster sauce) to my pho for a nice kick. Be careful – it’s hot and a little goes a long way.

We also split an order of Vietnamese spring rolls with shrimp & pork served with spicy peanut sauce. Vietnamese spring rolls include sliced pork and shrimp rolled in rice paper with fresh cilantro and vermicelli. While I enjoy fried Vietnamese egg rolls, I like the fresh, delicate tastes of the spring rolls. Pho Hoa's spring rolls are very good and I liked that the shrimp was still a little warm.

Pho Hoa is open 7 days a week from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Their phone number is (504) 302-2094.

Each time I've been to Pho Hoa, the place has been full of mostly Vietnamese diners. That to me is a sign of the quality of Pho Hoa's food and it's commitment to serving traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

We're #1!!

2010-11-08T17:49:00.002-06:00

Travel + Leisure's list of favorite cities is out. And New Orleans rated #1 in neighborhood joints & cafes, cocktail hour, people-watching, singles/bar scene, and New Year's Eve. Who Dat?!

Save Our Sandwich: New Orleans Po-Boy Preservation Festival

2010-11-03T09:21:00.005-05:00

Bring your appetites to Oak Street on Sunday, November 14, 2010 to take part in the New Orleans Po-Boy Preservation Festival. Over 30 local restaurants will serve up their best po-boys. In one spot you can sample Parkway Bakery's roast beef, Dickie Brennan's alligator sausage, Gattuso's fried shrimp, Boucherie's BBQ shrimp, Crescent Pie's hot sausage, GW Fins' fried Maine lobster, Jack Dempsey's veal cutlet, Ye Olde College Inn's fried bread pudding po-boy, and so many more!

Of course, there's music - this is a New Orleans festival after all. There will be 3 stages with acts including Papa Grows Funk, Rebirth Brass Band, Jon Cleary, and the Radiators.

The Saints have a bye on the 14th so there's no reason not to get out and celebrate our beloved po-boys while strolling along Oak Street. The festival hours are 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. See ya there!

"Serious Eats" gives props to Angelo Brocato's

2010-11-02T17:50:00.003-05:00

Serious Eats is a web site and blog dedicated to good food. In Road Trip: Brocato Gotcha Gelato, Austin author and food writer Katie Walsh features Mid-City treasure, Angelo Brocato's. Thank you, Ms. Walsh!

Just TripIt!

2010-10-26T23:20:00.006-05:00

Leaving for vacation and stressing out over protecting your travel documents and credit card information? Just TripIt! Get organized with Frommer's handy list of tips for storing flight information, passports, and credit cards BEFORE leaving home so they are just a click away when you are on the go. And fear not, there's an app for that, too! Check out TripIt's FREE iPhone app.

Café DiBlasi Italian Fare & Spirits | A West Bank Institution

2010-10-26T22:01:00.011-05:00

Here's my review of Café DiBlasi Italian Fare & Spirits that ran in the January 2010 issue of The West Bank Beacon.

CAFÉ DIBLASI ITALIAN FARE & SPIRITS A WEST BANK INSTITUTION

Café DiBlasi Italian Fare & Spirits, located at 1801 Stumpf Boulevard in Terrytown, is a Westbank institution. Chef/owner Mario DiBlasi is the 3^rd generation of his family to operate a restaurant on the Westbank.

Mario DiBlasi is the son of Anthony DiBlasi and Anna Maria Giovanna Paoli, who met in an area near Pisa, Italy, during World War II. Mario grew up with his parents and siblings in a double on Valette Street on Algiers Point. The family lived on one side of the double and his mother operated A&A Grill (Anna & Anthony) out of the other side serving sandwiches. Years prior, Mario’s paternal grandmother operated Five Points Café at the corner of Opelousas and Bouny Streets.

In 1962, Mario’s father opened Mother’s Restaurant in the Butterich Building (current location of Thanh Thanh Restaurant) on Huey P. Long Avenue near Front Street in Gretna. In 1976, Anthony DiBlasi sold Mother’s and, with Mario and his brother, opened Antony’s Restaurant at 5100 Westbank Expressway near Barataria Boulevard where they served classic Italian fare until 1985.

In 1985, Mario and his wife Mary opened Café DiBlasi at the corner of Stumpf Boulevard and Holmes Boulevard. Since 1996, Café DiBlasi has been in its present location at 1801 Stumpf Boulevard at the corner of Wright Avenue in Terrytown.

Chef Mario prides himself on serving the freshest premium ingredients available. He serves a luscious, thick Sicilian-style red gravy as well as a traditional cream sauce. The dinner menu is filled with classic Italian dishes including Bracioloni (my personal favorite), Veal Marsala, Veal DiBlasi (pan-fried veal topped with lump crabmeat & lemon cream sauce), Ossobuco, and Crabmeat Cannelloni, to name a few. Most dinner items, which include a salad and hot French bread, are in the $16.00 - $20.00 range.

At lunchtime, in addition to the regular menu items, Chef Mario features traditional New Orleans “daily” lunches ranging in price from $8.95 - $12.95. I recently had lunch there on a Wednesday and ordered the Stuffed Bell Pepper served with a salad, baked macaroni, and artichoke casserole. A big, delicious meal priced at only $9.95! Complementing the meal was hot French bread served with a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. Other daily specials include Sauteed Veal Liver served with a salad, rice & gravy and a vegetable medley ($9.95) on Tuesdays; Panne Veal served with a salad, baked macaroni, and artichoke casserole ($10.95) on Wednesdays; Crabmeat Fettuccine with a salad and fried eggplant ($10.95) on Thursdays; and Seafood Gumbo served with potato salad ($7.95) on Fridays.

Café DiBlasi attracts an eclectic crowd. The day I was there, the lunch diners included professionals, a family celebrating a toddler’s birthday, office workers, police officers and neighborhood retirees.

In addition to its spacious main dining room, Café DiBlasi has a private room that can accommodate up to 30 people. The restaurant has a full bar and offers drink specials ($2.50 martinis on Wednesdays and $2.50 house wine on Thursdays) at lunch and dinner.

Located at the corner of Stumpf Boulevard and Wright Avenue, Café DiBlasi is conveniently located and easily accessible from the Central Business District via either the Terry Parkway or Stumpf Boulevard exits. There is plenty of free parking in the shopping center parking lot.

The restaurant hours are Tuesday – Friday, lunch from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.; and Tuesday – Saturday, dinner from 5:00 p.m. – 9 p.m. For reservations or information, call 504-361-3106. You can check out their website at www.cafediblasi.com.

Whether for lunch, dinner or a private party, Chef Mario and Mary DiBlasi look forward to serving you soon at Café DiBlasi!

Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon.

The Spirit - Inspiring Cocktails

2010-10-26T18:42:00.002-05:00

Snooth.com just launched a fully searchable, comprehensive cocktail database - The Spirit. Check it out here.

Recipe | Café Reconcile's White Beans & Shrimp

2010-10-23T09:19:00.010-05:00

This Central City cafe offers at-risk kids an opportunity to learn the restaurant business. Café Reconcile is "a nonprofit restaurant that uses innovative strategies to provide life skills and job training to youth from at-risk communities in the New Orleans area. Since the restaurant opened in 2000, more than 500 young people (ages 16-22) have successfully completed the program and moved into permanent jobs in New Orleans’ food service industry." Many New Orleans chefs lecture and otherwise participate in teaching the students on a regular basis. Café Reconcile, located at 1631 Oretha Castle Boulevard, serves creole classics cafeteria style at lunch only. I've eaten there countless times and always enjoyed the food and the laid back ambience. One of my favorite meals there is their white beans & shrimp served on Thursdays.

A friend cooked Café Reconcile's white beans & shrimp last night. C'est si bon! The beans were creamy (thanks to heavy cream!) and popping with flavor. The shrimp add a wonderful texture and essence to this classic dish. Try this at home!

Ingredients:

2 pounds White Northern Beans

4 cups Chopped Onion

2 cups Chopped Celery

2 cups Chopped Bell Peppers

½ cup Chopped Parsley

3-4 cloves, Chopped Garlic

1 tablespoon Thyme

Black Pepper, to Taste

dash Cayenne Pepper

dash White Pepper

Salt, to Taste

Chicken Stock or water, enough to cover beans

1 ½ pounds Shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 cups Heavy Cream

Steamed White (or brown) Rice

Procedure:

Soak beans, in enough water to cover, in the refrigerator overnight.

Drain beans.

In a large pot, combine beans, veggies, seasoning and stock or water.

Simmer covered for 2-3 hours until beans are tender. Add shrimp and cream and simmer until shrimp are cooked (approximately 5 minutes). Serve over rice. Serves 10-12.

Clover Grill | No Frill Comfort

2010-10-21T19:01:00.008-05:00

I was in need of comfort food today so headed to the "World Famous" Clover Grill at the corner of Bourbon and Dumaine in the French Quarter. The Clover Grill has been a Quarter institution since 1939. And from the looks of the place, not much has changed since then.

No pretense here. About a dozen tattered red swivel stools line the counter. 6 tables line the windows along Bourbon Street. There's one griddle where Sheika cooks the 8 ounce burgers under "an American made hubcap." French fries are fried to order - no food staying lukewarm under lights. She aptly made omelets, got a malt going in the machine, and cooked burgers all at the same time.

Reading the menu provides entertainment. Here are some of the jokes on the menu: "If you're not served in 5 minutes, it may be another 5. Relax. This isn't New York City." "Dancing in the aisles only. Please keep off the tables." "No strange tricks at tables, please. Please keep hands on top of the table." "No talking to yourself." "

We don’t eat in your bed, so please don’t sl

eep at our table." And, "

You’ve paid the price, now look how much you’ve gained."

I ordered a burger dressed ($5.49) and an order of fries ($2.49). The burger was juicy and the fries hot & crispy. It hit the spot!

The Clover Grill is located at 900 Bourbon Street and is open 24/7. Omelets, waffles & burgers are available all day long. For a no frills, good burger and a cast of characters behind the counter and next to you - the Clover Grill is a good bet.

Looking for a picture of the dish you crave? There's an app for that!

2010-10-20T20:31:00.004-05:00

Foodspotting is a visual guide that lets you see the dishes you crave. With Foodspotting, a FREE iPhone app, you can literally see the food around you!

The Riverbend International Tapas Crawl

2010-10-20T17:13:00.006-05:00

The Riverbend International Tapas Crawl began in July and has become a regular event held the last Wednesday of the month. Participating restaurants serve a special tapas-style dish of the evening along with a short glass of wine for $5 (cash only). Participating restaurants include: Barcelona Tapas, Brigtsen's Restaurant, Dante's Kitchen, G.B.'s Patio Bar & Grill, Hana Japanese Restaurant, Jazmine Cafe, Saltwater Grill and Sara's Restaurant.

The next crawl is next Wednesday, October 27th from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Mario Batali's Eataly in NYC

2010-10-20T10:20:00.005-05:00

Mario Batali and his partners opened a huge full-service restaurant/market/grocery emporium in New York. Eataly is "an enormous and enormously crowded new Italian-food market and restaurant collection that opened recently off Madison Square Park: 50,000 square feet of restaurants and peninsular provisions, with a fishmonger and butcher (and vegetable butcher) and an espresso bar, a wine store, a cheese store, a cooking school, a kitchenware department and a great deal more." Read the full article in the New York Times here.

I love this concept of one-stop eating & food shopping! I could spend hours (and lots of money) in a place like this. A food lover's nirvana!

"Travel + Leisure" Loves NOLA!

2010-10-19T15:34:00.007-05:00

The November issue of Travel + Leisure has a terrific feature article on New Orleans. In Exploring the New New Orleans, Thomas Beller beautifully guides readers through our neighborhoods, customs, food, music, and culture. It's a must-read!

Bayona | Classy Repast

2010-10-15T18:22:00.018-05:00

One of the best perks of working in the French Quarter is the proximity to so many of New Orleans' best restaurants. I met my friend Marcia for lunch at Bayona recently. Chef Susan Spicer is one of the most talented chefs in New Orleans and I was excited to get back there. We opted for patio seating on a perfectly gorgeous October day.

We were a little early for our reservation. Co-owner Regina Keever was on hand to welcome us. Once seated, our server Jane and her team took our drink order and introduced us to the menu. Jane was professional, informative, and fun. She knew the menu well and her recommendations were spot on.

We both started with the golden beet salad: perfectly roasted baby golden and red beets on a bed of thinly-sliced fennel and arugula. The salad was divine!

For an entree, Marcia ordered the scallops. Served in a creole sauce with quinoa, the scallops were perfectly seared. I got the sweetbreads with sherry & mustard sauce. The sweetbreads were the best I've ever had! Wonderful combination of flavors and textures.

We were celebrating Marcia's 40th birthday so we just HAD to have dessert. Wise decision. We chose the flourless chocolate cake (pure deliciousness!) and the ginger-peach sorbet & ice cream (a fantastic fall dessert).

The lunch prices at Bayona are reasonable: salads and appetizers range from $6-$9 and entrees range from $14-$16. The dining room is lovely and romantic. Dining al fresco this time of year in Bayona's courtyard is a quintessentially New Orleans experience! Brett Anderson agrees and rated this courtyard as one of the 8 that beckon in fall in the Crescent City. Whether you choose to sit inside or outside, the food, service and ambience at Bayona ensure a terrific dining experience.

Bubbly Sensations!

2010-10-15T08:23:00.004-05:00

Martin Wine Cellar is hosting Bubbly Sensations, a champagne tasting of some of the best bubbly in the world on October 23, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. at its Uptown location - 3500 Magazine Street. For $40 per person you get to sample champagnes from: Veuve Cliquot, Roederer, Schramsberg, and many more.

Napoleon's Best of the Best in NOLA

2010-10-14T19:42:00.002-05:00

WWL-TV's food critic, Napoleon, has been on the food beat for one year. To commemorate the event, WWL put together a slide show of all 57 reviews of some of New Orleans' best restaurants. Bon Appetit!

Boutte's Bayou Restaurant | Accidental Gem on the Bayou

2010-10-14T00:03:00.001-05:00

Here is my review of Boutte's Bayou Restaurant from the April 2010 issue of The West Bank Beacon:

The Accidental Gem on The Bayou

In 1971, Russell and Margie Boutte bought a house in Lafitte on Bayou Barataria. The Boutte family lived in the front part of the house where Margie Boutte routinely cooked the family meals. Out of the back of the house, facing the bayou, the Bouttes operated a small grocery store. Local boaters, fishermen, and sportsmen pulled their boats up to the store to buy groceries and supplies. The aromas of Ms. Margie’s cooking wafted over into the grocery store making customers want to buy what she was cooking.

As a result of customers’ encouragement, a limited food menu was offered in the store. Mr. Russell decided to expand the food service by driving his station wagon out to the local shipyards to take lunch orders. He would return to the house with the orders, help Ms. Margie fill the orders, and then head back out to deliver the meals to the workers. The delivery menu included daily lunches, fried chicken, and roast beef po-boys. Eventually the food orders grew in popularity and Boutte’s grocery added a café serving mostly take-out orders.

In 1975, the Bouttes converted the grocery store/cafe and their house into a full-service restaurant. Boutte’s Bayou Restaurant has been operating a seafood restaurant in the same location since then. In 1980, the Bouttes added an upstairs dining room for banquets where they can accommodate up to 50 people.

Russell Boutte, Jr. and his wife Katie Areas took over the business in the 1990’s. They have since divorced but maintain the family business together. Ms. Margie still does the “pot cooking,” i.e., red beans, turtle soup, gumbos and all plate lunches.

Boutte’s menu offers a variety of local favorites including fried chicken ($4.75 for ¼; $6.25 for ½), hamburger steak ($6.50) and red beans & rice with either pork chops or fried catfish ($7.00). Sandwiches and po-boys include foot-long oyster po-boys for $9.75 and foot-long shrimp po-boys for $7.00.

No seafood restaurant on the bayou would be complete without serving heaping platters of freshly-caught fried seafood! On a recent Friday, I enjoyed the half shrimp, half oyster platter ($11.50). The seafood was perfectly fried. The flavor of the oysters and shrimp was intact and not overpowered by a heavy batter. My dad had a delicious seafood platter with shrimp, oysters, fish, and stuffed crab. ($16.00). The platters are served with fries or baked potato, salad, and toast. My nephew had a bowl of seafood gumbo ($5.50) that was full of shrimp and crabmeat and a fried catfish po-boy ($6.00) served on fresh French bread.

Boutte’s also offers broiled seafood items including catfish ($10.50), stuffed flounder ($16.00), and a char-broiled 14-ounce rib eye steak ($15.50), all served with baked potato, salad, and toast. There are two specialties that sound divine: Boutte’s Shrimp Supreme – broiled shrimp in butter sauce, salad, and garlic bread ($11.50), and Shrimp Lover’s Plate – shrimp remoulade, shrimp salad, cup of seafood gumbo, stuffed shrimp, ½ dozen fried shrimp and French bread ($16.00). Child’s platters are available and range in price from $3.75 to $5.50.

The menu offers a nice selection of appetizers: shrimp cocktail, shrimp remoulade, fried crab claws, fried crawfish tails, chicken strips, and crawfish meat pie. (All are $4.75). A full bar offers draft beer, bottled beer, wine, and cocktails.

Boutte’s is open Tuesday – Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Thursday – Sunday, 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Closed on Monday. The phone number is 504-689-3889. The address is 5134 Boutte Street, Lafitte. (Look for it on the right a short distance after crossing the Goose Bayou Bridge). You can also check them out on their Facebook page. Locals, families, and tourists alike are all welcome at Boutte’s where they will be warmly welcomed by Katie and her friendly, attentive staff.

In 1971, aspiring entrepreneurs Russell and Margie Boutte realized their dream of opening a little bayou grocery store and accidentally became restauranteurs. As Mark Twain said: “Accident is the name of the greatest of inventors.” Boutte’s Bayou Restaurant is a real gem on the bayou.

Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon.

Travel Questions? There are Apps for That!

2010-10-13T18:46:00.003-05:00

Frommer's put together a handy list of must-have iPhone apps for travelers. From AroundMe to Yelp! - here you go.

Come Fly Away ...

2010-10-13T14:01:00.006-05:00

and mind your manners!

In 10 Ways to Tell if You're an Annoying Airline Passenger, Tracy Stewart of Airfarewatchdog.com compiled a list of pointers to make life easier for our fellow travelers, the flight crew, and ultimately, ourselves. Let's face it, the glory days of air travel are gone. Today's airports are over-crowded, under-staffed, and downright stressful. It's no wonder the travel-weary public is guilty of violating one or two of these rules after long delays and hours in cramped quarters. This article reminds us that a little common sense and common courtesy go a long way in making the air travel experience better for everyone.

Dirty, spicy, sweet or salty?

2010-10-12T21:17:00.003-05:00

Gambit New Orleans is hosting a readers cocktail recipe contest to find the signature cocktail that defines 30 years of covering New Orleans news, politics, parties and dining. So send in your best Finlandia Vodka Gambit-ini recipe and enter to win dinner for two at M Bistro plus spa services at the Ritz Carlton Spa.

I am NOT drinking any f*&^%$g Merlot!

2010-10-11T16:02:00.004-05:00

That line was, of course, made famous by the character Miles in the 2004 hit movie Sideways. Turns out, Miles is not alone in misunderstanding Merlot, a part of the family that includes the many grapes referred to as Bordeaux varieties. Merlot has long been the Rodney Dangerfield of wines. Personally, I enjoy the full bodied black cherry, plum, and cocoa flavors prevalent in good Merlots that nicely complement chicken, rich stews and pastas.

For a history of Merlot, check out a good article from Snooth.com.

New Orleans Rum Cake From Pirates Alley Trading Company

2010-10-11T12:14:00.002-05:00

If you like rum cake, or a good story, check out this article on 411 NOLA.

"Food & Wine" in NOLA again giving props to Hoa Hong 9 Roses and Mahoney's!

2010-10-11T08:37:00.004-05:00

To research regional American dishes for his upcoming Manhattan restaurant, chef Andrew Carmellini road-tripped around the country in search of spectacular flavors—and found just a few good ones.

In Louisiana, Hoa Hong 9 Roses Restaurant and Mahoney's Po-Boy Shop were standouts. For Kate Krader's article in the November issue of Food & Wine, click here.

"Food & Wine" Gives Props to a Mano and Cochon

2010-10-06T07:51:00.005-05:00

Chef Adolfo Garcia

Food & Wine's restaurant editor, Kate Krader, and associate editor, Kristin Donnelly, reveal their favorite new restaurants in the South. Among them: Chef Adolfo Garcia's a Mano in New Orleans' Warehouse District and Chef Donald Link's Cochon in Lafayette (opening in 2011).

Congratulations to both!

Chef Donald Link

Who Dat Nation: Ask not what your Saints can do for you, Ask what YOU can do for your Saints!

2010-10-04T23:22:00.019-05:00

Our Saints need your help, Who Dat Nation! Want to know what you can do for your team? You can put the Gris-Gris on our opponents each week with your very own Who-Do Voodoo™ Doll brought to you by local entrepreneurs, Kim Fernandez and Gwen Leonhard.

You can chant "Who Dat" while you Stick Dat and put a hurting on our opponents. And let's face it, if the rest of the season is as tension-filled as the first 4 games, you'll need to be stabbing something during the

4th quarter, at least!

Who-Do Voodoo™ Dolls are available NOW at the Who-Do Voodoo™ web site and at retail outlets: Fleurty Girl, 3117 Magazine Street, New Orleans, and Bayou Gifts, 9605 Jefferson Highway, River Ridge. Check out Who-Do Voodoo's™ Facebook page and "Like" it to become a fan.

C'mon, Who Dats! Hurry up and Stick Dat! Go, Saints!

Photo reprinted with permission of Who-Do Voodoo™

Hoa Hong 9 Roses | South Vietnamese Cuisine in Gretna

2010-10-04T22:17:00.006-05:00

Here is my review of Hoa Hong 9 Roses in Gretna that ran in the March 2010 issue of The West Bank Beacon:

Hoa Hong 9 Roses | South Vietnamese Cuisine in Gretna

In 1984, single mother Tu Doan and her 3 children made the journey from South Vietnam to Terrytown, Louisiana, to start a new life. Mamma Tu had made her living in Saigon as a restaurant cook. Upon her arrival in this area, she brought her skills to Tu Do restaurant on Manhattan Boulevard. Tu Do was one of the first Vietnamese restaurants on the Westbank.

She worked at Tu Do until 1990 when she opened her own restaurant Hoa Hong 9 Roses on 8th Street in Harvey. The whole family, including the children, worked at the new restaurant.

In 1993, Mamma Tu’s oldest child, Ana, graduated from LSU with a degree in Business Administration. After graduation, Ana went to work at the highly acclaimed and very popular Five Happiness Restaurant in New Orleans.

In 1996, the Doan family made the move from the small building on 8th Street to the restaurant’s current location on Stephens Street in Gretna. By this time, Ana was married to Jeff Nguyen and they both joined Mamma Tu in running the new, expanded 9 Roses. Mamma Tu, Ana, Jeff and their families have built 9 Roses into a successful restaurant with a very loyal clientele.

The menu at 9 Roses is extensive and includes Vietnamese and Chinese dishes. The menu in its entirety can be viewed here. For those not familiar with Vietnamese cuisine, it is a lighter style than traditional Chinese food. A constant in the preparation of the food is fresh herbs: mint, cilantro, and basil. Some of the more interesting dishes are those aimed at ethnic Vietnamese; for example, Vietnamese diners routinely enjoy dishes prepared at the table with delicious broths, sauces and fresh herbs accompanying meats, seafoods and vegetables. Deep-fried whole fish served with various sauces is another crowd-pleaser.

For those not quite as adventurous, I recommend introducing yourself to Vietnamese cuisine with one of the two Vietnamese staples: the bun (vermicelli) or pho (soup). Light and savory bun -- topped with either chicken (pictured above), pork or beef -- is served over vermicelli, lettuce, fresh bean sprouts, cucumbers and mint, sprinkled with roasted onions and peanuts. The regular bowl is $6.95 . The dish is full of flavor and delicious.

The pho is the perfect comfort food. On a recent cold day, I enjoyed a bowl of the Pho Ga (chicken noodle soup). All pho is served with a side plate of fresh bean sprouts, basil leaves, cilantro leaves, sliced green chile pepper, and a lemon wedge. You get to control how much of all seasonings go into your pho. I always add a dab of Sriracha (aka Rooster sauce) to my bun and pho for a nice kick. Be careful – it’s hot and a little goes a long way. The regular bowl of pho is $6.95 and is a meal in itself.

The Vietnamese spring rolls are light, delicate, and flavorful. An order of 4 is $5.75. The Vietnamese egg rolls are fried yet still light and delicious and are also $5.75. Other favorites include: lemon grass chicken, $8.75; curry and coconut shrimp, $11.75, and the eggplant in garlic sauce, $7.95. For those looking for bargain lunches, 9 Roses can accommodate you. The lunch menu includes a long list of Chinese entrees served with a choice of soup, rice, and iced tea for $7.25.

I have been a regular at 9 Roses since the early days. The food is consistently fresh and flavorful. The prices can’t be beat for the quality and quantity of the cuisine. The dining room is large and nicely appointed. Big parties and children are always welcome. The restaurant is located at 1100 Stephens Street in Gretna. Lunch and dinner are served continuously from 10:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. every day except Wednesdays. The phone number is 366-7665. 9 Roses is Zagat-rated and was voted the Vietnamese Restaurant of the Year by New Orleans Magazine in December 2009.

Mamma Tu retired a couple of years ago but still serves as Ana & Jeff’s “consultant.” Thanks, Mamma Tu, for sharing your recipes with all of us all these years!

Reprinted with permission of "The West Bank Beacon."

When the moon hits you eye like a big pizza pie ...

2010-10-04T17:54:00.011-05:00

that's ... National Pizza Month!

Yep. October is National Pizza Month. The history of pizza is steeped in controversy. The Italians claim pizza as their creation; however, the idea for pizza is in fact older than Italy.

Pizza's origins go back to ancient times. It is believed the Babylonians, Israelites, Egyptians and other ancient Middle Eastern cultures ate flat, unleaven bread cooked in mud ovens. The bread was similar to pita, which is still common in Greece and the Middle East today. It is also believed cultures such as the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians ate the bread, seasoned with olive oil and native spices.

As for the creation of pizza in Italy, credit goes to the lower class of Naples. In the late 1800's an Italian baker named Raffaele Esposito created a dish for visiting royalty. According to the story, the Italian monarch King Umberto and his consort, Queen Margherita were touring the area. In order to impress them and to show his patriotic fervor Raffaele chose to top flat bread with food that would best represent the colors of Italy: red tomato, white mozzarella cheese and green basil. The king and queen were so impressed that word quickly reached the masses.

By the beginning of the 1900's pizza made it's way to the inner cities of the United States, thanks to Italian immigrants, most notably in New York and Chicago. Having been introduced to pizza while serving on the Italian front, American soldiers further prompted it to become very popular in the U.S. at the end of World War II.

I prefer thin crust pizza over the doughy deep dish style and some of my favorite pizza restaurants in New Orleans include: Reginelli's, Domenica, Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, Crescent Pie & Sausage Co., and newly opened, Huey P's Pizzeria in Gretna.

For a good article on pizza fun facts plus a recipe, check out this article by Mary Ann Esposito, creator and host of Ciao Italy on PBS.

To whomever invented pizza: "Thank You," that's amore!

Think Inside the Box

2010-10-02T17:56:00.003-05:00

For those who like their wine out of a box a la Maggie Griffin, here's an article for you: Lay Off the Bottle by Cheryl Lemoine in the August Issue of New Orleans Living.

Answers to the 10 most common wine questions

2010-10-01T12:21:00.005-05:00

Rounding out our wine lesson of the day, here are answers to 10 commonly asked questions about wine brought to you by Snooth.com.

Does the type/shape of your wine glass REALLY make a difference?

2010-10-01T11:03:00.010-05:00

Yes, according to author & restaurateur, Kurt Michael Friese. Check out his reasons why. And for more information on the importance of choosing the right glass, 2BASnob explains here.

Oregon's '08 Pinot Noirs have a vintage year

2010-09-28T18:42:00.015-05:00

I love red wines and am always looking for new Pinots. Jon Bonne of The San Francisco Chronicle has rave reviews for the '08 Pinots from Oregon. For his list of recommended wines, click here.

Can't Find That Wine? There's an App for that!

2010-09-28T12:07:00.008-05:00

You're out at a restaurant for a special occasion and have ordered a wonderful bottle of wine. It's so good you want to know if it's available at your local wine store. With Snooth Wine Pro, a new iPhone app, you can find out simply by taking a photo of the label. For the complete story from Jennifer Lawinski on SlashFood, click here.

Travel & Leisure's Top 25 Hotel Spas

2010-09-25T13:44:00.004-05:00

Here is Travel & Leisure's list of 25 best hotel spas in the United States and Canada. I want to go to them all!