MiLa – a beautiful union

20 Friday Dec 2013

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We had been wanting to try MiLA for a while now, a union created by a Mississippi and Louisiana Chef. It had been recommended to me over a year ago and then when we saw it on the list of New Orleans’ Top 10 Restaurants, we had to try it. If you are staying at the Pere Marquette Renaissance Hotel, it is conveniently located inside. We made an early dinner reservation because we were heading to a show at the Saenger Theatre. It was quiet inside and dimly lit, the décor was modern upscale, maybe a bit opulent. Our host seated us promptly and we had a lovely booth overlooking Baronne Street. The menu is neither large nor overwhelming, but has a fair amount of appetizing options.  They immediately brought out bread, but this was not ordinary bread.  There were sweet potato rolls served with a lima bean puree and biscuits served with soft sea salt butter. Yum!

Top from Left: Pan Roasted Sweet Breads over grits; Roasted Beet Salad; Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Top from Left: Pan Roasted Sweet Breads over grits; Roasted Beet Salad; Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

We were conflicted over what to order, but our waiter was knowledgeable about the menu and very helpful. We began with the Pan Roasted Sweet Breads served over creamy black truffle grits, Creamy Butternut Squash Soup served with generous lumps of blue crab and crème fraiche, and a Roasted Beet Salad served with a goat cheese mousse (I know, I have a thing for beets lately). The Sweet Breads could have easily been a meal themselves, but were worth every bite. For our entrees, we ordered the Roasted Beef Tenderloin wrapped in Bacon and served with creamy salsify, and Crispy Baby French Chicken with a crawfish in a lobster sauce served with fingerling potatoes. Pan-fried and served with two tiny wings and two tiny chicken breasts, each was beautifully battered and served over the lobster sauce. It was a cold winter’s night so both entrees hit the spot! For those of you who never tried or even heard of salsify, it is a root vegetable with an oyster like flavor, definitely an interesting vegetable.

From Top: Roasted Beef Tenderloin; Crispy Baby French Chicken

From Top: Roasted Beef Tenderloin; Crispy Baby French Chicken

Of course, we still ordered dessert! How could I resist a Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart? It was so rich, crispy and chocolaty served with a chocolate sorbet! We also ordered the Deconstructed Root Beer Float, which was really unique. It was made with a vanilla bean bavarois, a ginger snap tuiles and an Abita Root Beer Sorbet. It is presented as an ice cream bar, but the moment you cut into it and take a bite, it tastes like an actual Root Beer Float!

Top: Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart Bottom: Deconstructed Root Beer Float

Top: Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart
Bottom: Deconstructed Root Beer Float

Louisiana Weekend

18 Monday Nov 2013

Posted by in Acadiana, Food, New Orleans, Restaurants

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My family came in for a visit this month, and I wanted them to have a wide variety of things to do, even though they have been here several times. To start the weekend off right, my fiancé cooked them a meal of southern delight. We began with some boudin, which they had never tried before. Boudin, for those of you who don’t know, is a Cajun sausage. In this instance, it was stuffed with rice, crab and shrimp. Delicious! Next, we moved on to the main dish of Crawfish Étouffée over rice with red snapper and green beans.  There is sometimes a distinction in Louisiana between Cajun and Creole dishes. My fiancé makes what is a called a blonde roux for his Étouffée as opposed to a brown roux (or no roux at all).  For dessert, I whipped up a batch of homemade sugar cookies and my fiancé made homemade triple chocolate gelato. Needless to say, we were Étoufféed! 🙂

Clockwise from top left: sugar cookies; chile chorizo cornbread; red snapper and etouffee; boudin

Clockwise from top left: sugar cookies; chile chorizo cornbread; red snapper and etouffee; boudin

The following day we headed out to Mason’s Grill for brunch. They were just voted best Bloody Mary (and you can build your own!) in the country by Food Network. It is a family owned and operated restaurant known for their southern dishes. Their portions are huge and heavy, but amazing! They serve dishes like the Breakfast Burger (bring your appetite), Cajun Breakfast, or Seafood Au gratin Benedict. After devouring our food, we headed out to Cajun Country a.k.a Henderson, Louisiana. In the Atchafalaya Basin, where we took an airboat tour among the cypress trees, learned some history and saw alligators! The Atchafalaya Swamp is the largest in the country (did not know that) and our tour guide at Atchafalaya Basin Landing & Marina did an awesome job of showing us around. After our tour, we wandered around Breaux Bridge and had some late afternoon snacks of BBQ Shrimp, gumbo, Fried Green Tomatoes, Crawfish cornbread and fried shrimp dressed with honey aioli, all at Café Des Amis. Unfortunately, we did not make their Zydeco Brunch, but that is on my list of things to do!

Swamp Tour

Swamp Tour

The next morning we headed out to New Orleans for another food adventure (just kidding! Or am I?). We grabbed some local coffee from Community Coffee and headed on down to the Big Easy. After checking in, we wandered around the French Quarter looking for some delicious oysters. Per usual, the line at Acme Oyster was out the door! So we headed across the street to Felix’s, which were equally delicious! (I mean it is the same Gulf Coast, right?).  We had them raw and chargrilled, we had some crab fingers, blackened shrimp and some fried pickles. If you have never had Chargrilled Oyster or some tasty crab fingers, you are missing out! Deciding we needed to caffeinate before going out to dinner that evening (yes, we were going to dinner) we stopped at Antoine’s Annex for an espresso. They did have some delicious looking pastries, maybe next time!

Not to be repetitive but we went to R’evolution that night for dinner. We just loved it so much the first we had to try it again, especially with family! Plus, we had to try some more items on the menu. Items such as the Soft Shell Crab Bisque, Beer Battered Crab Beignets, and Rotisserie Duck served with a pea foie gras, Red Snapper and Pork Belly a La Plancha, and the Braised Boneless Short Ribs in a red wine sauce. Yum!

Clockwise from top left: Heirloom tomato salad; soft shell crab bisque; roasted duck; red snapper; braised beef shortribs

Clockwise from top left: Heirloom tomato salad; soft shell crab bisque; roasted duck; red snapper; braised beef shortribs

For their last day in NOLA, we went to Chef John Besh’s Luke for breakfast. It is a Franco-German brasserie, but he incorporates Creole as well. I kept it simple and had the local yogurt, with house made granola and berries for breakfast. The others had the breakfast sandwiches on a homemade biscuit: fried chicken and spicy mayhaw glaze and the grilled Chisesi Ham with Emmenthaler cheese and tomatoes. As a thank you, the waiter brought us over a fresh basket of beignets served with hot chocolate sauce. And this is why I love the Big Easy!

Clockwise from top left: Fried Chicken biscuit; ham biscuit; yogurt and granola; beignets

Clockwise from top left: Fried Chicken biscuit; ham biscuit; yogurt and granola; beignets

 

 

Restaurant R’evolution

30 Wednesday Oct 2013

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If you want to experience a truly elegant and sophisticated restaurant in New Orleans, this is your place. Chef Folse and Tramonto have created a wonderful fusion of modern creole and classical New Orleans fare. The chic and classy ambience was enhanced by the impeccable service. We were pleasantly greeted at the door and escorted to our table with ease. We did call ahead for a reservation and would advise doing so even during the week. We quickly became wide eyed as we glanced over the numerous, enticing menu options. My fiancé loves Bone Marrow so that was an obvious decision for him. I wanted to start with something light so I ordered the baby beet salad. But then our eyes fell on the “Pasta” dishes and thanks to the helpful suggestion of our headwaiter, we were able to order the gnocchi as a half portion, leaving room for more deliciousness!

Clockwise from left: Bone Marrow, Gnocchi, Red velvet Souffle, and Soft Shell Crab

Clockwise from left: Roasted Bone Marrow, Ricotta Gnocchi, Red Velvet Souffle, and Soft Shell Crab

The gelatinous Bone Marrow was brick oven roasted, served with pickled radish and accompanied by delightful crostini. My Roasted Baby Beet salad was served with goat cheese and molasses candied pecans, light and flavorful. Now, the pasta, what an experience! Eating the fluffy sheep ricotta gnocchi was like nibbling tiny, little clouds. The sauce exuded flavors of vanilla and tarragon and made me feel as though I nearly died and went to heaven. It was blissfully accompanied by lobster and lobster roe. Highly recommended!

We ordered Triptych of Quail and Soft Shell Crab entrees. The three quaint little quails were prepared like mini thanksgiving meals. First, the southern fried quail served with mashed potatoes, the second stuffed with boudin and lastly, glazed with absinthe and served with wild rice. For some reason I thought I could eat all of it! Looks can be deceiving! But they were delectable!

Clockwise from top: Quail, Crunch Peanut butter ice cream and Roasted Beet Salad

Clockwise from top: Triptych of Quail, Crunchy Peanut butter ice cream and Roasted Beet Salad

We selected the house made crunchy peanut butter ice cream as dessert and the red velvet soufflé. I love red velvet and I love soufflé, so to combine the two was exquisite, topped off with a creole cream cheese anglaise. It was melt in your mouth delicious.

There are people who expect dignified service wherever they dine, I did not know what to expect at Restaurant R’evolution, having been to many New Orleans restaurants, but this was exceptional. Plan your next special meal at R’evolution you won’t be disappointed.

Juban’s

20 Friday Sep 2013

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This summer, my fiancé and I were in a celebratory mood and decided to go back to Juban’s. I say, “go back” because we had went years ago and were not that impressed. However, recently they promoted a new Executive Chef, Joey Daigle. I have to say, I really like what he has done with the menu, it had become more modern and fresh. Also, they now use local ingredients, which I can appreciate.

Crispy Seared Pork Belly

Crispy Seared Pork Belly

We started off with the Crispy Seared Pork Belly and the Seafood Napoleon Salad. Two very different appetizers, but also very flavorful. The pork belly was served with a red bean relish and charred green onion chimichurri. I don’t know why, but I never thought to pair Pork Belly with red beans. The pairing was rich, savory and mouthwatering. We then had the Seafood Napoleon which was layers of Louisiana lump crab meat with gulf shrimp, and fried green tomatoes. It was heavenly, but also filling. We could have easily just eaten those two appetizers, had dessert and been done with it.

Red Snapper

Red Snapper

However, per usual, we carried on. He ordered the Hallelujah Crab and I ordered the red snapper special of the evening. The crab is a classic at Juban’s, flash fried stuffed with Louisiana crawfish tails, shrimp and crabmeat, topped with a creolaise sauce. The presentation itself is lovely and the dish delightfully filling. My red snapper was served with lump crab meat, local tomatoes, roasted garlic and corn puree. It was light and flavorsome. Needless to say, it was a pleasant return to Juban’s and we were glad we dined there that evening.

Hallelujah Crab

Hallelujah Crab

The Rum House

30 Friday Aug 2013

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If you crave tacos and delicious homemade margaritas, this is your place. The Rum House is a Caribbean Taqueria situated on Magazine Street in New Orleans. Their menu is extensive and colorful. You can order eclectic appetizers such as conch fritters, Tuna ceviche tacos, or the pulled pork nachos. They also have entrees such as the spicy lamb shank in a tomato curry sauce or the seafood pepper pot, their version of a Caribbean bouillabaisse. The choices are really endless.

Chips and Salsa

Chips and Salsa

But like I said, if it’s tacos you yearn for, go for the tacos. I also liked that they let you order taco combos, because it is difficult to just choose one! We started simply with their fire-roasted salsa and house fried chips. I also ordered their delicious strawberry margarita. I love when an establishment utilizes fresh strawberries to make a beverage, it makes all the difference.

Carolina Taco

Carolina Taco

For our lunch, we ordered The Chili Glazed Shrimp taco, The Brisket Taco, The Carolina Taco and the Flaked Fish Taco (Mahi Mahi). For sides, we added the Jerked Rasta Veggies, Homemade Sweet Potato Chips and the Mac n’ Cheese (I know, random).

 

Trifecta with Mac n' Cheese

Trifecta with Mac n’ Cheese

 

I thoroughly enjoyed the Carolina Taco. The pulled pork, spicy bbq sauce and roasted corn relish were tantalizing! The flavors played a delicious dance in my mouth. The Mahi Mahi Taco was a completely different dance. It contained  asparagus (yes, asparagus), tomato chutney and dill tartar sauce. The flavors were pleasing but a hard follow-up to my Carolina Taco. The Chili Glazed Shrimp Taco was served with fried shrimp, roasted poblano and red pepper relish, with a rum chili glaze. To quote Ron Burgundy, it was a party in my mouth!

Cochon Butcher

21 Sunday Jul 2013

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One thing is for sure, besides crawfish, Louisianans sure love their Cochon! And Cochon Butcher is a pork lover’s paradise. To clarify, Cochon is the restaurant and Butcher is the sandwich shop created by Chef Donald Link. It isn’t just that they serve pork, it’s how they serve it. And if there is a new way to serve it up, Donald Link will find a way. We visited Cochon and Butcher on two separate occasions. The first time was on a rainy Friday afternoon for lunch. The setting is rustic inside of a renovated warehouse. Their cocktail menu looked intriguing, but I passed seeing how it was lunch.

fried livers

fried livers

There were many flavors of Cajun country on the menu. We started off with fried livers with pepper jelly on toast. It was simple but yet flavorful and delicious. For our entrees I had the pork tenderloin salad and my fiancé had the ham hock with spaetzle and roasted Brussels sprouts in a mustard cream sauce. Both were delicious and the ham was so tender it fell right off the bone! Everything was great and we couldn’t wait to return to try Butcher.

ham hock

ham hock

The key to eating at Butcher is to arrive early. At 11 a.m. the place is already busy and at 12 p.m. there is a line out the door. Walking in, it appears to be just like any other deli with their meats on display and homemade pickles. The bonus is that it is also a wine bar. You can order a charcuterie plate or pancetta mac n’ cheese. The choice is yours! We ordered from their sandwich list. The cochon muffaletta made with their house meats and olive salad, and the cubano with roasted pork, ham and Swiss, pressed and grilled. The cubano is served with a jalapeno chimichurri, so beware if you can’t do spicy! My muffaletta was fantastic! The house made meats and breads were scrumptious. I also thought the olive salad was just right, not too salty or oily. I would love to go back and try more on their menu.

Cochon Muffaletta

Cochon Muffaletta

Until we meet again Cochon Butcher!

07 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by in Acadiana, Food, Restaurants, Travel

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A few weekends ago, my fiancé and I traveled to Lafayette for the weekend. I had not yet been to “Cajun country” as they call it, and I had really wanted to try the food there.  The drive there was eerily beautiful, especially as you cross the Atchafalaya swamp. We stayed in a small town called Breaux Bridge for the weekend, known as the crawfish capital of Louisiana. Upon arriving, we were starving and desperate to eat.  We stopped at a place called Le Café. It’s not really a café, per se. It reminds me of the clam shacks we have up north. We ordered a shrimp po’boy and the catfish platter. I was very pleased with my po’boy…the shrimp were huge! I hate when you order shrimp in Louisiana and they give you these little peewee shrimp. My fiancé also enjoyed his catfish, which was seasoned and fried to perfection. The other bonus is that they give you a ton of food and it’s cheap!

shrimp po'boy

shrimp po’boy

We left there satisfied and headed to our B&B, the Isabelle Inn. Such a charming place in such a quaint little town! The people there were very kind and accommodating. After we checked in, we decided to walk through the many antique shops and cafes located “downtown”. For dinner, we ventured into Lafayette to a place called Jolie’s Bistro. It’s a farm to table restaurant, featuring a seasonal menu, which consists of mostly Cajun dishes. Honestly, I could have just tried all of their starters, small plates and “salted bits”.  To start off we had Jolie’s Oysters, topped with crawfish, corn, and Andouille sausage and mascarpone cheese, and followed by a salmon and grapefruit salad and spicy crab bisque. We probably could have stopped there (well, maybe one more small plate) but we had already ordered our main dishes. I had the duck saltimbocca served with sweet potato and Andouille hash. My fiancé had the braised short ribs served with shiitake mushrooms and risotto. Everything was delicious and I especially enjoyed my gimlet! (Scroll down below to see how pretty it was!)

Duck Saltimbocca

Duck Saltimbocca

The next morning we awakened to a lovely brunch at the inn. We did not realize our hosts were such gourmet chefs! She created a special treat of roasted plums served with mascarpone, fresh homemade biscuits, cherry tomatoes and pine nuts and crawfish étoufée served over scrambled eggs. It was the first time I had seen étoufée over scrambled eggs since moving to Louisiana. If you are hesitant at all, it’s actually a tasty treat! I’ve been thinking of making it at home for brunch ever since I tried it.

roasted plums

roasted plums

To sum up, we had a delightful stay in Breaux Bridge and I have wanted to go back since then to try more of what Acadiana has to offer.

26 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by in Food, Restaurants, Travel

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This is going to be a long one folks, so stay with me (WARNING: YOU WILL PROBABLY BECOME UNBEARABLY FULL JUST FROM READING THIS). I have been spending a lot of time in New Orleans, lately. Not that I have any problem with that, I love New Orleans. But as usual, my trips there are all about the food. The night we arrived we headed to Pho Orchid in Metairie. New Orleans has many fantastic Vietnamese restaurants in the area, so I suggest you try one while you are there (if you have not). Of course we had some delicious pho while we were there but we also tried steam bún, labeled on the menu as Orchid Tacos. These were delicious and the most adorable little buns. The texture of the dough was amazing! Not too dense or soft and chewy, but just right.

Steam Bun a.k.a. Orchid Taco

Steam Bun a.k.a. Orchid Taco

The following day we drove out to Lacombe, Louisiana, anxious to try John Besh’s La Provence restaurant. It is a charming and welcoming restaurant set on acres of land, where they serve what they grow. Everything on the menu sounded mouthwatering. I began with the crispy cornmeal fried oyster and artichoke salad served with saffron vinaigrette and my mother had the crispy Brussels sprouts salad served with pork belly, fig mustard and toasted almonds. For both our salads, the seasoning and ingredients combined perfectly. The taste superb! For our entrees we ordered the slow roasted duck breast served with red cabbage, rapini and duck spring rolls in a plum sauce. I think duck spring rolls may be my new favorite thing (or at least one of them). My mother had the whole roasted mangalista pork with ratatouille. At this point we were filled to the brim, but when does that ever stop us from ordering dessert? I of course ordered the peanut butter chocolate candy bar served with caramel ice cream and my mother had the Meyer lemon Ile Flottante. La Provence was a divine eating experience.

Crispy Cornmeal Fried Oyster and Artichoke Salad

Crispy Cornmeal Fried Oyster and Artichoke Salad

Because we hadn’t blissfully tortured ourselves the night before, the next day we went to Commander’s Palace for brunch. I had never been and really wanted to try it. Have you ever been around the world in Disney? Well, if they had a place for New Orleans in Disney World, Commander’s Palace would fit right in. Ever since I moved to Louisiana, I had heard that if you want to try turtle soup, Commander’s Palace is the place to try it, so I did. To be honest, it’s not my favorite soup in the world, but it is flavorful. I also liked that they topped it off tableside with Sherry. For our entrees we ordered the truffled Louisiana blue crab and crawfish frittata and the blue crab stuffed flounder. Both were equally delicious, butter roasted flounder stuffed with Brie cheese and local crabmeat and the frittata spiced with white truffle oil were tasty. To go out in style, we ended our meal with the creole bread pudding soufflé and LOCAL Fresh Strawberry Shortcake.

Frittata

Truffled Louisiana Blue Crab and Crawfish Frittata

And to answer your question, yes, we ate all of that in one weekend.