April 23, 2007

  • Mona’s Cafe

    New Orleans, LA


    Menu… they deliver too!


    Inside Mona’s..


    Open Grill..

    I gotta say the Gyros here are pretty damn good. I guess the fact that everything is grilled fresh right front you doesn’t hurt. And speaking of grills.. the grill is out in the open so you can see what’s going on, and there are plenty of seats inside as well as outside (incase you don’t want to smell like cooked meat).


    Fried Kibby


    Gyro


    Wrapped Gyro

    We had the Fried Kibby or “Kibbeh” as it’s originally known. It’s basically minced lamb or ground meat mixed with some pine nuts and then fried. It’s pretty flavorful and it’s served with a fresh sour cream based spread. The Gyros are made with meat grilled to order. It’s filled with romaine, olive oil, tomatoes and wrapped in a soft pita bread. The Kababs are very good and the Lebanese sweet tea is very refreshing!
     


    Baklava

    And for dessert… is a popular Middle Eastern dessert called Baklava. It’s composed of chopped nuts, honey, and layered with phyllo dough. The one served at Mona’s is very rich and I don’t believe they make it in-house, but it’s not bad at all.

    Overall Rating:   1/2 (out of 7 )

    Future Entries:
    CC’s – Metairie, LA

April 19, 2007

  • Hina Sushi



    Marrero, LA



    Inside of Hina



    Seaweed Salad



    Dragon Roll



    Spider, Rainbow, and Dragon rolls


    Hina is a brand new, small Japanese restaurant on the Westbank of New Orleans. It’s closer to my neighborhood so I thought I should try it in case of future sushi cravings. How was the sushi? It was average.. Not bad, not great.. Would I go here again? Possibly.. If I’m too lazy to drive to Kanno. Service was good, but remember they are starved for business so they work extra hard to please.


    Tempura Green Tea Ice Cream


    This dessert was very enjoyable! “Cake-like” fried tempura surrounded the delicate Green Tea Ice Cream. They also had whipped cream and a cherry on the side. Overall it was cool.. I would come back here just for the dessert.


    Overall Rating:  1/2 (out of 7 )

    Three and a half if it were dessert only.


    Future Entries:
    CCs Coffee- Metairie, LA



April 16, 2007

  • Crawfish Boil

    Harvey, LA


    Poolside at Mike’s place..


    Rinsing the Crawfish!


    Sausage, Corn, and Crawfish..

    It’s that time of year.. that’s right, Crawfish season! Although I was sick for the majority of this weekend, and I did miss out on the French Quarter Fest, I was still able to venture out to a friends and family crawdaddy boil! Nothing was safe.. everything from cauliflowers to potaters were boiled! The spices were right and the seasonings were very nice.


    More Crawfish…


    65 degrees and Sunnyskies!


    Sun setting to a beautiful day..

    Well overall it was a very uneventful weekend for food, but somehow this crawfish boil and the good company made it all okay.. Maybe next time it’ll be warm enough to take a swim. I can’t believe it’s the middle of April and it’s 60 degrees in New Orleans! Normal temps are 85-90 degrees.. unbelievable!

    Overall Rating:       (out of 7 )

    you know how we do it! lol

April 12, 2007

  • Puccino’s

       

    New Orleans, LA


    Inside Puccino’s

    If you look through the middle window.. that’s Magazine St. and across the street is Rue de la Course. Puccino’s has a brighter, more “Starbucks” like feel. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily.. just a little different. The drink selection is also different. Puccino’s best seller is the “Frozen Puccino”, malted coffee and ice cream. It’s very well balanced with the bitterness from the coffee and the sweetness in the ice cream. It’s like a “Coffee Float”! Other notable drink options are the Iced Puccino and the Granita. All are worth trying!


    Frozen Puccino

    Ah, my cup runneth over! =)

    I usually come here to read a book and to unwind with a cup of java or tea. The setting is perfect.. not too loud and not too quiet. Enough things going on the keep you entertained. It doesn’t transport you to Italy or anything.. but it does take you to a place in New Orleans that we locals love to go! Bring your laptop too, free wifi! =)


    The rest of Puccino’s..

    The 2 other locations do serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. This one doesn’t, but they do have some pastries available.

    Overall Rating:   (out of 7 )


    http://www.lovepuccinos.com

    Future Entries:
    TBA

April 10, 2007

  • Tan Dinh

    Gretna, LA

    Tan Dinh is a Vietnamese joint on the West Bank of New Orleans. It use to be in a smaller, ghetto, hole-in-the-wall kinda building but about 2 years ago it moved into a larger, cleaner location. The food hasn’t changed much.. it’s still (personally) my favorite Viet food in the city.


    Banh Cuon Thap Cam

    Banh Cuon Thap Cam is composed of steamed flour rolls stuffed with minced pork, shrimp, bbq pork & charbroiled pork served with bean sprouts, mints, cucumber, fried onion and nuc mam. It’s a relatively light dish.. it never fills me up but it hits the spot everytime! There are many other popular Vietnamese dishes offered at Tan Dinh.. check it out for yourself. It’s all good!


    Taro Tapioca Shake

    And don’t forget to pick up one of their Tapioca drinks on your way out. It’s like dessert in a cup.. an Asian milkshake, per se.. haha

    Overall Rating:    (out of 7 )

    Future Entries:
    Puccino’s – New Orleans, LA

April 5, 2007

  • Cochon

    New Orleans, LA



    A glance at the
    menu..

    Cochon means “pork” in French, but in New Orleans it’s a
    creole/cajun restaurant in the warehouse district. You go here for nice fatty,
    soulful meals! Not alot of places still bring in whole pigs and do in-house
    butchering, but this place does. It’s seriously good eating!



    Glass ‘O
    Wine



    Beef Brisket w/ Horseradish
    Potato Salad



    Broccoli and Rice
    Casserole



    Smoked Ham Hocks with Grits & Brown
    Gravy

    The food is fantastic! It’s not a place for the
    “health-conscious”, but for you foodies who don’t care.. this is the way to go
    down! And doesn’t a glass of wine help prolong your life? It should balance out
    right? =) Well the Beef Brisket sitting in it’s jus is very tender and
    flavorful.. the Horserad Potato salad compliments is really well! Ham Hock,
    grits and brown gravy.. need I say more? Every bite is delicious! Sometimes when
    you eat dishes as rich as this, you fear getting bored of it.. and yeah it can
    happen, but the portion size is usually just right for me. We also ordered a
    side of Broccoli and Rice casserole, which gave us that “Vegetable” element that
    each dish was missing. haha

    Dessert!



    The Lane Cake with Vanilla Ice
    Cream

    This dessert can best be described as a German Chocolate Cake
    without the “Chocolate”! The cake is rich and moist. The ice cream helps to
    balance out the richness. It was a great way to finish that meal! If you’re ever
    in Cajun country.. try this place out. You’ll be
    happy!

    Overall Rating:     (out of 7 )


    http://www.cochonrestaurant.com


    Future
    Entries:
    Puccinos – New Orleans, LA
    GW Fin – New
    Orleans, LA
    Tan Dinh – Gretna, LA

April 4, 2007

  • Rock-N-Sake

    New Orleans, LA

    This use to be one of my favorite sushi places in the city. So I decided to stop by and give it another try. (even though I’ve found the sushi of my life at Kanno) But you go back to your roots sometimes and see where all the craze began. And to warn you, running back to that idealistic “first love” is a mistake.. it’s never the same as you remember it to be!

    The wait was terribly long and finding a parking space makes the wait even longer! We asked for “first available” which basically means at the sushi bar. The waiter wasn’t very attentive. I guess it was just bad night? But how can everything go wrong on this night?? Even the sushi was struggling…


    Sushi roll platter

    Rock-n-Crunch roll, Hawaii 5-0, Uni Sushi, Eel Roll, and some Spicy tuna kinda thing.. I can’t recall it. The Rock n Crunch was good.. all of the others left alot to be desired. Well we finished the meal with red bean and green tea ice creams. Both were really good, but they didn’t make it so I didn’t take a picture. Maybe I should give them another shot? I don’t know if it’s worth the wait.. we shall see..
     
    Overall Rating: 1/2 +  (out of 7 )

    http://www.rocknsake.com/

     
    Future Entries:
    Cochon – New Orleans, LA
    Puccinos – New Orleans, LA
    GW Fin – New Orleans, LA

April 2, 2007

  • Kanno

    Metairie, LA

     

    Kanno Sushi is located in Fat City. It’s a shady part of Metairie with bars, strip clubs and adult stores.. Kanno is affectionately called “Stripper Sushi”!  Ok besides all of the questionable businesses that surround this lovely sushi establishment, they do have the best sushi ever! I honestly didn’t want to write this entry.. you know, fearing the masses will read my article and flock there!

    Who am I kidding.. this blog is barely 2 weeks old! haha Now that I was successful in convincing myself to go through with this, I have no choice but to continue. And because of fact that a few of my readers have noted that they are anxious to see my “Kanno” entry.. I guess I’ll give the people what they want, right?

    Well it’s small, cozy, and the food is fantastic. It’s owned by a Chef that goes by the name “Elvis” and the service is headed by his wife, Lin. Both are very charming and you’ll recieve attentive service along with skillfully crafted sushi! It’s a lethal combination I’ll tell you.


    Seaweed Salad


    Deluxe BBQ Eel Roll


    South Beach Roll


    Baked Salmon Roll


    Lobster Special


    the last lobster roll… =

    We ordered one too many plates with the ”Fantasy Sauce” (it’s a sweet and slightly spicy mayo sauce) and we forgot to order Salmon Sashimi! It eats like butter! =)

    The seaweed salad is refreshing but it’s pretty much the same one you get at most sushi restaurants. The Deluxe BBQ Eel is loaded with sushi caviar on top and sits on the infamous Fantasy sauce. The South Beach roll is a light and very refreshing roll filled with avocado, tuna, crabmeat, and crunchy tempura wrapped in colorful soybean paper. This has become one of my favorites! The Baked Salmon is a warm cream cheese-filled roll that takes it’s time and melts very slowly when it hits your tongue! mmMm.. And lastly the Lobster Special is a roll with a little kick and touch of class. These rolls are topped with nice chunks of lobster meat and covered in a spicy sauce. delicious…

     
     
    Dessert??


    Lin’s Chocolates

    The chocolates that Lin makes are the perfect way to finished the meal. Their delicate composition and it’s “melt in your mouth” design will have you thinking that you’re eating chocolate gelato. It coats your tongue and leaves a smooth stream of richness behind. This makes my meal and Leslie claims that it can help cure “tummy aches”.. believe what you want. haha

    Overall Rating:     1/2 (out of 7 )

    Future Entries:
    Cochon – New Orleans, LA
    Puccino’s – New Orleans, LA
    Rock-N-Sake- New Orleans, LA

March 28, 2007

  • Rue de la Course

    New Orleans, La


     
    Cup of joe

    Magazine Street is one of my favorite places to go in the city. It’s lined with boutiques, restaurants, art galleries and most importantly.. coffee shops! Rue de la Course is on Magazine between 8th and 9th. Rue isn’t as bright and cheery as Starbucks or the neighboring Puccinos (that’s another entry btw..). Inside it’s dim and very mello.. it’s more of a “I go here to chill and get a cup of joe” feel. Although alot of students to go here to study, I dont recommend it.


    Inside of Rue de la Course

    They serve pretty good coffee, hot chocolate, and even brew 3 different types of tea daily. The green tea is really good! They also serve various pastries. (muffins, banana breads… etc..) I had a hot chocolate on that night and it was perfect.. loaded with whipped cream!


    Hot Chocolate..

    Bottomline.. if you’re looking for a cool place to relax and unwind, this is the place. They play old school jazz.. miles davis kinda thing.. so if you like that, you’ll like this place.


    Overall Rating:      1/2 (out of 7 )



    Future entries:
    Kanno’s – Metairie, LA

     

March 26, 2007

  • Faux Iron Chef 2007

    New Orleans, LA


    At Loyola University, there’s an annual “Iron Chef” competition. Both of my brothers have competed (4 out of the past 5 years?).. And seperately, they’ve won 3 out of those 4! I don’t what happened that one year.. something to do with plating..

    For this year’s competition my younger brother Dat wanted to defend his title, so he consulted with me. Being the Chef that I am and also a competitive jerk, very much like my other brothers, I couldn’t turn him down. The secret ingredient was “Avocados!” Avocados?!? As you might expect, people made guacamole.. Why the triteness?? I don’t have the answer. In a competition like this, you’re free to be innovative.. you’re free to explore new bounds… you’re free to take risks.. But I didn’t see alot of any.


    My bro and friends in action..

    So with a little help from me, We had a concept now.. What can you do with an Avocado?

    —–The Menu:—–

    Appetizer

    Avocado and Lump Crabmeat Parfait
    w/ Clementine Supremes and Creamy Red Sauce

    ____________________


    Entrée

    - Duo of Avocados -

    “Green Eggs and Ham”
    Deviled Avocado and Crisp Prosciutto
    w/ Spicy Shiracha

    &

    Cajun Sautéed Shrimp and Avocado Relish
    w/ Avocado Dipping Sauce

    ____________________


    Dessert

    Avocado “Ice Cream” Cone
    w/ Condensed Milk and Caramel Sauce



    Duo of Avocados.. Green eggs and Ham, Green dip, Av. Relish, and Cajun Shrimp

    The concept was simple.. A tapas entree. They were limited to 3 courses, so I thought.. How can I get a bunch of different flavors onto one plate and not have them clash? Tapas style! Small portions of each thing.. The “Green Eggs and Ham” is basically egg white halves with a mayo, seasonings & avocado filling and a crisp piece of proscuitto on top. Like a deviled egg..



    Upside down Mini Avocado Ice Cream Cone and Quenelle of Vanilla Ice Cream


    Ah yes! Gotta love the fun of designing little cute innovative plates. (yeah i said cute.. haha) Portion size, portion size, portion size! That’s what they pound into your head when you do a competition, when you’re in culinary school, and when you’re in your professional kitchen. Everyone on the surface (as a customer) says they want a huge portion… just because you want to feel like you got your money’s worth. But I don’t agree when it comes to this. If you make a smaller plate, with tiny components everywhere, it’s much more difficult to execute! Therefore in the “time” aspect of things, you’re getting your money’s worth from the chef! So respect Keller and Trotter!

    As far as the dessert plate is concerned, the cones are crushed along with some nekots and spread onto the bottom of the plate. This done not only for taste and crunch, but it also slows down the ice cream’s melting process. (no direct contact with the plate.) Sauce is on the side for presentation and for the fact that not everyone likes their stuff drenched with sauce.. it’s a win-win.

     

    Well here’s to 2 years in row! Congrats brother!

     

    Next Entry:
    Not sure yet.. stay tuned!