Monthly Archives: July 2012

A New Italian Bistro – Zolia

21 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by in Food, Restaurants

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This little bistro is a hit with the downtown crowd during lunch. But my boyfriend and I went one evening after work to check it out. It’s inside of City Plaza II so if you are unfamiliar with the area you might have difficulty finding it. But that shouldn’t deter you!

I truly enjoyed the food at Zolia’s and was pleasantly surprised. We tried various tapas, Tuna Tartare, Abita Shrimp, Salmon Basilica and the Warm Truffled Crimini Crostini, to name a few. They were all delicious. My boyfriend normally doesn’t like sashimi but he loved this tapa. It was fresh and packed with flavor. The texture and consistency were just right.

Tuna Tartare

I really loved the Abita Shrimp served over a chive grit cake. I like to call it the “Cajun Tapa”. It’s really delicious and something different to try. I also enjoyed the Salmon with the tomato caper relish. It was cooked to the right temperature and not dry at all, like some salmon can be. And the Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese on the mushroom crostini really complemented it well. The flavors were spot on.

Abita Shrimp

If you haven’t gone yet, then please go. I can’t wait to go back and try more of their delicious tapas and antipasto boards.

A few more pictures of their tapas:

Salmon Basilica

Warm Truffled Crimini Crostini

A Yankee Eating Crawfish – Guest blogger from New York

19 Thursday Jul 2012

Posted by in Food, Yankees

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Sometimes, when I’m throwing a pity party for myself, I’ll express to Andrea how inconvenient it is that she now lives so far away. On the other hand, I’m glad she made that drastic move because that means I get to visit! I recently visited Andrea in May, before the heat really set in but most importantly before I missed out on yet another crawfish season. You see, as Andrea’s fellow East Coast friend, I could live on seafood alone. I love it all, slippery oysters, sandy mussels, and most of all “lobsta”, as Rhode Island natives say. So of course I was going to love diving into a bucket of crawfish, after all they are just mini lobsters, right? I salivated for weeks before my visit, incessantly reminding Andrea that I would be there within days and that she absolutely had to include a crawfish dinner in our itinerary. Kindly, Andrea and her hunky man, made my dream come true. However, when the tray of crawfish arrived at our table and was placed in front of me, my excitement quickly turned to panic.

The site of their ruby red bodies, darkened by loads of Cajun seasoning, piled on top of each other like so, made my stomach drop. You see, I live in New York. The truth about New York is that it is filthy! Making it the most desirable habitat for cock-roaches which render me totally limp and paralyzed in fear. A similar feeling set in when presented with my pile of “mudbugs”. Only then did I understand that vernacular. Andrea and Mathew looked scared for me but I couldn’t let them smell my fear so I started in. After all, I had been talking quite the talk.

Real Flattering

Lets just say, I can cross eating Crawfish off my bucket list. It sure is a lot of work to get to that little piece of meat and all your left with is what I can only describe as a fire in my mouth! I might not be attacking another tray of crawfish anytime soon but I can’t wait to try another Southern delicacy.

Exploring the Natchez Trace

18 Wednesday Jul 2012

Posted by in Food, Natchez, Restaurants, Travel, Uncategorized

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So I know it’s still hot and only July but all this heat has me thinking of the fall. Autumn is my absolute favorite season and if you love it like I do, you will appreciate this post. I didn’t think the fall existed in the deep south, but last November proved me wrong. My boyfriend and I traveled to Natchez, Mississippi to see Angels on the Bluff (really great experience) and the following day we began the Natchez Trace.

Natchez Trace

It’s a pristine road that takes you from Natchez to Nashville. We only had time to go to Jackson and that took the entire day.

First Stop on the Trace

There are a great many stops and detours along the way, and if you love history like I do, you will want to see them all. It was a beautiful day, the air was crisp and the foliage was lovely. Some of the stops along the way included Mount Locust. One of the oldest structures in Mississippi.

And the Windsor Ruins which I think is a must see! It’s like you are visiting an ancient Greek Ruin. At one time, it was the largest Greek Revival antebellum mansion in the state.

There is also a ghost town known as Rocky Springs (after the spring dried up, it was just rocky). Many of the structures have disappeared but the old church is still there and functioning.

Along the way you can also see areas of the Sunken Trace.


And if you aren’t interested in history at all, you can still take the drive. It’s beautiful in the Spring and Fall and great for motorcycle riding.

Lastly, because I can’t go anywhere without talking about food, we happened to stop at this restaurant for lunch voted best fried chicken by Food and Wine magazine. Two Sisters Kitchen located in Jackson, MS is really delicious!