Monday, June 1, 2015
Time
I know it has been a ridiculously long time since this blog was updated, but we are in the process of relaunching it. Look for new reviews in the near future along with the latest news and happenings in the Baton Rouge food scene. Thanks for your support!
Monday, August 27, 2012
Nino's Italian
Nino’s Italian
The gorgonzola pasta was very delicious, consisting of sautéed
mushrooms and peppers swimming in a brandy-gorgonzola cream sauce atop fresh
fettuccine. Eating fresh pasta is kinda
like seeing HD television for the first time.
Once you have experienced it, what you knew before vastly pales in
comparison.
Of course we had to try dessert, and typically we would have
opted for a traditional Italian favorite, especially given the fact that I had
been told the tiramisu was outrageously good.
However, I am fanatic about chocolate chip cookies. They are one of the greatest things ever
produced by man. When I saw them on the
menu and read the description, I was sold.
These are oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, baked to order, and served
with fresh cream and cold milk. It would
be an insult to even try to put into words how good these cookies are. You just have to check them out yourself.
Nino’s is not to be missed.
It is among the best restaurants our city has to offer. Period.
7512 Bluebonnet Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA
225.757.9300
Baton Rouge, LA
225.757.9300
I often visit other blogs and read online reviews of area
restaurants to get an idea of new places to check out. A reviewer of Nino’s on Urbanspoon.com did a
great job of describing Nino’s, so I had to quote him. Eric says, “If you love Olive Garden, you
will probably hate Nino’s”.
Hate is seldom used within the context of a compliment, but
here it clearly is. Chef Elton Hyndman
uses fresh ingredients, and makes everything from scratch. From the hot, fresh sourdough bread you receive
at the beginning of your meal to the fresh pasta and sauces, everything is
house made, and you can taste the difference.
And it’s something he is proud of, as well he should be. A visit to the restaurant’s website doesn’t
just give you a scanned copy of the restaurant menu. Each item on the menu is photographed and
described in detail, down to the steps taken in preparation.
The restaurant is small, and serves as a good setting for an
intimate romantic night out without the kids.
That’s exactly what my wife and I did to celebrate her birthday. We made a reservation (which is a good idea
given its limited seating capacity), and were seated promptly when we arrived.
We first sampled the gnocchi appetizer. Fresh potato pasta dumplings topped with a
basil cream sauce. When prepared
properly, these are extremely light and delicate and just melt in your
mouth. Nino’s nailed it, as these were
easily the best I’ve ever eaten.
 |
| Gnocchi |
Caesar salads followed, and were fresh and tasty as
well. An excellent example of the care
Chef Elton puts into his food is shown in the crouton for the salad. A thin slice of homemade sourdough bread is
topped with pepper, olive oil, and parmesan and toasted in the oven. This type of attention to detail is what
separates good restaurants from great restaurants.
For entrees, we had the lasagna and gorgonzola pasta. The lasagna is filled with marinated and
grilled zucchini and summer squash, along with seasoned ground beef. The beef is browned and seasoned using a
spinach-basil-lemon juice puree that really helps to alleviate some of the
heaviness often associated with lasagna.
The pasta and marinara are of course house made and as fresh as you can
find anywhere.
 |
| Lasagna |
 |
| Gorgonzola pasta |
 |
| Cookies |
Friday, July 6, 2012
Portico
11777 Coursey Blvd. (near Sherwood Forest)
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
225.778.7746
Portico is one of BR’s newest eateries, housed in the
former Calendar’s restaurant near the very busy intersection of Coursey Blvd
and Sherwood Forest. While the look and
feel of the restaurant as well as their website is nicely polished and quite
appealing, the service and food are sorely lacking.
The layout is very open with an outdoor patio area
complete with misters adjacent to the bar.
The décor is modern and very appealing.
I visited on a Saturday evening and my party was seated promptly. Our waiter seemed a bit stressed but got
drinks going pretty quickly while we looked over the menu.
The menu is fairly straightforward, consisting of mostly
bar type food. Nothing really stood out
as unique or special. They offer a
variety of common appetizers such as spinach and artichoke dip, chips and
queso, cheese fries and wings. Pizza is
on the menu as well, a variety of sandwiches and burgers, steaks, salads, very
common items you would expect to find at an average eatery. We opted to skip the appetizers and just
order our entrees.
I ordered the flatboy, a meaty, pressed sandwich that
sounded right up my alley, complete with a variety of meats that included pork,
ham, turkey and roast beef, covered in Swiss cheese and served with barbeque
sauce and gravy on the side. I ordered
the twice baked potatoes as a side item.
The sandwich was good, but the potatoes were cold and had little flavor. Overall all of our food was cold, which
implies that it sat too long waiting to be served to us.
Other food sampled by members of my party included the turkey & avocado club, spaghetti & meatballs, and grilled chicken sandwich. The sandwiches and spaghetti were reported as good, but the fries were cold and soggy, and the presentation very sloppy.
Turkey & Avocado Club with Grits
Spaghetti & Meatballs
Flatboy sandwich with Twice-Baked Potatoes
Brownie (with whipped cream in place of melted ice cream)
The service was very lacking as well, as I asked for a
beer prior to receiving my entrée and did not see it until I was nearly done
eating. Halfway during the meal, the
table behind us was bussed and cleaned in a procedure that sounded like a bull
passing through a china cabinet.
Service continued to go downhill when we were done and it
came time for the check. My wife asked
the waiter if they do anything for birthdays, since it was mine, and he replied
that he did not know but would check with management. He then mentioned something about dessert,
not specifically indicating that it was complimentary, but nevertheless, I
decided to try the brownie with ice cream.
He returned a short time later to inform me that all of
the ice cream had melted, but if I still wanted the dessert he would get
it. So, he proceeded to bring it to me,
sans ice cream. It was decent, but
nothing special.
When the bill came, we were somewhat surprised to see a
charge for the dessert, first given the fact that most restaurants will comp
that for a birthday, and second because one key component of it was
missing. I was not in a mood to argue,
but my wife did speak with the manager who informed her that the freezer was
low on Freon and the ice cream had melted.
He did offer his apologies and said to ask for him on a return visit to “make
it up to us”. Later when giving this
more thought (and ironically watching an episode of Restaurant Impossible) it occurred
to me that if the refrigeration was not working properly then perhaps food
safety was jeopardized.
All in all, issues like this invariably point to bad
management. A responsible, competent
manager is accountable for all staff, and communicates basic information to
them to enable them to do their jobs properly.
Additionally, the manager should visit all tables to follow up and
ensure that the customer is happy. In
this modern day of social media it is too risky to chance upsetting a customer
and have that bad experience spread virally across the internet for thousands
to see.
It’s a real shame that Portico doesn’t match its sleek,
modern look with excellent service and an innovative menu. Perhaps a few more negative experiences will
kick start a much needed change.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Podnuh's Rib House and Grill
9655 Perkins Rd. Suite A (at Bluebonnet)
Baton Rouge, LA
225.215.1730
Since 1977, Podnuh’s has operated several barbecue
restaurants throughout Louisiana, serving cafeteria style barbecue favorites in
a serving line setting. This new
establishment is modeled more around a typical full service restaurant with a
wait staff to take your order. In
addition to the Podnuh’s favorites like brisket, chicken and rib platters, the
menu features soups, salads, steaks, seafood and desserts.
On my visit I sampled the chicken platter, which includes
½ a chicken smoked, along with two sides and Texas toast. The chicken was tasty with good smoke flavor,
but some bites came across a bit dry for my taste. The sweet potato fries were excellent, crispy
outside with a soft center, not soggy and very flavorful. Also, the potato salad was very good, with a
good tang from the mustard and slight sweetness from a small amount of relish. It’s a bit creamier than other potato salads
I’ve had, but personally I prefer that.
The sauce is served on the side, and personally isn’t my
favorite. It’s more of a Carolina type
sauce, with a vinegar base and a thin consistency. I prefer the thicker, sweeter barbecue
sauces. Still, it did have good flavor
and complimented the chicken nicely.
My friend had the brisket platter and was quite
pleased. His main report was that it
tastes just like the Podnuh’s he is used to eating. The beans are interesting in that they are
served with small bits of brisket in the sauce.
Something that I’m sure very few people complain about, as they are
quite tasty.
The restaurant is very clean and laid out nicely, with a
nice full bar and plenty of TVs. The
service is great, and wait staff seemed knowledgeable about the menu, able to
answer several questions. The prices
seemed a bit more than I remembered from the old Podnuh’s but understandable,
given the fact that it is a full service restaurant.
All in all, I would recommend giving them a shot. True barbecue purists may not find it quite
up to par, but for the average diner it is a good destination for tasty eats.
Brisket platter with baked beans
Chicken platter with sweet potato fries and potato salad
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tommy's Fish House
37306 Old Perkins Rd. (near Airline Hwy.)
Prairieville, LA 70769
225-325-3911
For over three decades, the Delaune family has been in the
seafood business, providing the South Louisiana area with fresh seafood direct
from their own private dock at Bayou Bienvenu.
After Hurricane Katrina displaced the family from their home in St.
Bernard Parish, they came to Prairieville to seek out a new start.
They started humbly, selling fresh seafood from a truck
parked near the intersection of Airline Highway and Old Perkins Road. Before long business had increased and
ironically just one week after Hurricane Gustav hit the area, Tommy’s Fish
House was opened.
Tommy’s houses a seafood market and a restaurant offering a
variety of great local seafood, as well as other tasty items. All the staples are here; poboys, soups, stews, étoufées, as well as a variety of
boiled and fried seafood favorites. Boiled
seafood is done well, with seasoning that delivers great flavor without being
overly hot. I had the crawfish, and it
was done well, easily peeled and adequately seasoned. Another highlight from the menu that I
sampled was the Pepper Jack Crab Dip.
Jumbo lump crab is mixed with a pepper jack cream sauce to create a
flavorful appetizer. For the non-seafood
folks, Tommy’s serves up a good burger as well as a few tasty chicken dishes. They also frequently offer house specials
where chef Michael Summers showcases his culinary skills.
 |
| Pepper Jack Crab Dip |
In my opinion, the real thing that sets Tommy’s apart from
the plethora of seafood restaurants in our area is the service. Manager Chalin Delaune is committed to
customer service, and is heavily involved in ensuring that the customer has a
great experience. He’s well plugged into
the social media aspect of modern business and fully realizes its importance in
maintaining customers. No negative
opinion or experience gets past him without a sincere effort to make it right
for all involved.
By the end of the year, the business will split into the restaurant
fully taking over the current building and the seafood market moving into the building
next door. The seafood market will be
expanded into a full service fresh market offering an even larger assortment of
fresh seafood as well as house made sausage and other specialty meats. For the hunters out there, Tommy’s will also have
facilities available for cleaning and prep of wild game. But the biggest addition will be the
installation of a crawfish holding system.
Tanks are being installed along with a complex aquatic system that will
facilitate the holding and cleaning of up to ten thousand pounds of live
crawfish. This will ensure that
customers have access to the freshest, cleanest, and best tasting crawfish in
the region.
So whether you’re looking for a great meal or fresh
ingredients to prepare yourself at home, give Tommy’s a try. They are located in northern Ascension
parish, in the Oak Grove area, across Old Perkins Rd from the Prairieville
Wal-Mart, and are open for lunch 6 days a week (Tues-Sun) and dinner 5 nights
per week (Tues-Sat).
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Gulf Coast Seafood & Tourism Bash Dine Around
Say what you will about BP and the oil spill that affected the Gulf in April 2010, but it should definitely be noted in your assessment the effort put forth after the fact. As part of their very extensive and highly ambitious campaign to promote gulf seafood, BP put together the Gulf Coast Seafood and Tourism Bash, strategically held to coincide with the Allstate Sugar Bowl and BCS National Championship games, happening this week in New Orleans. The event featured gulf coast seafood at official football galas and pregame parties, as well as vacation giveaways to prime gulf coast destinations.
As a part of the overall bash, I was privileged to be a part of the Dine Around event held Friday night. A mixture of state and local officials, bloggers and media people boarded two coach buses for a culinary tour of the city. A typical New Orleans party atmosphere was present immediately upon boarding the bus with music blaring and dancing in the aisle. An NOPD police escort promptly delivered us to our first destination, Borgne restaurant.
Named for Lake Borgne, this is the latest addition to Chef John Besh’s growing arsenal of great eateries. Its focus is to celebrate the great coastal seafood of Louisiana, and that’s the only seafood you’ll find here, because thankfully, it’s all they use. Also, the restaurant features a menu with an Isleno influence, something that as a former president of the Canary Islanders Heritage Society of Louisiana means a lot to me. Borgne is located next to the Superdome in the Hyatt hotel, and welcomes you with a spacious and welcoming atmosphere. My favorite aspect of the décor are the many references to the lake and its surrounding communities, and the columns made of wire mesh filled with polished oyster shells. Of course the real highlight is the food, and as we have come to expect Besh does not disappoint. Alongside his executive chef Brian Landry, Besh offers some very tasty items. I sampled a variety of things, from the rich, decadent oyster stew, meat pies with white bbq sauce, duck poppers with jalapeno and bacon, and fried oysters amandine everything was excellent. I look forward to making a trip back there very soon.
So then back to the party bus and off to our next stop, Café NOMA. Located in City Park at the New Orleans Museum of Art, Café NOMA’s food has an artistic flare that matches its environment. We were treated to beautiful appetizers of yellowfin tuna tataki, deviled shrimp with truffled eggs, crabmeat caprese, and Citron oyster shooters. Lt. Governor Dardenne gave some remarks regarding the Louisiana seafood industry, we had more drinks, and it was off to the final destination of the tour.
We traveled back to the French Quarter and were deposited around the corner from Muriel’s Jackson Square, where a jazz band greeted us. Upstairs at Muriel’s more drinks and food were flowing. Fried oysters with remoulade, seafood beignets, mini crab cakes, and chilled jumbo gulf shrimp were just some of the tasty items being passed around.
While it was impressive to meet some big name Louisiana people like Chef Besh and Lt. Governor Dardenne, the real star of the evening was the food. Food that featured the best seafood anywhere, Louisiana seafood. I’m sure being raised eating it makes me a bit biased, but I’ve eaten lobster in New England, crabs in Maryland, and clam chowder at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, and nothing compares to fresh seafood from the gulf. And if there’s anyone out there who doesn’t think New Orleans isn’t resilient and isn’t back better than ever, you obviously weren’t there this weekend.
Chef John Besh's latest restaurant, Borgne
Friday, January 6, 2012
Quick Bite
Just a quick note about a new place in Prairieville. Stopped by the Santa Fe Cattle Company NYE and had some drinks and apps. Cheap drinks and good service! Will check it out further and do a full review in the near future.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
We are excited about 2012 and have resolved to make this year a great one, getting back to focusing on the local food scene and keeping this blog updated. On that note, we are looking for folks who love food and have a knack for writing to keep us on track with new posts. Email us at cuisinerouge225@gmail.com if you’d like to be considered as a contributor!
Look for reviews and info coming soon on some great new restaurants in the area as well as some long standing favorites. Also, we will soon be introducing recipes and food tips to enhance your culinary experience!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Fat Cow
4350 Suite B1
Cuisine Rouge Rating:
Doug Hosford is a man who knows his meat. Although he lives in Natchez, he and his wife have opened a gourmet burger joint just outside the south gates of LSU called Fat Cow. The burger is always a favorite, a staple of the American diet, and Fat Cow definitely does it justice.
“It’s all about the meat”, says Doug as I talk with him after sampling his tasty fare. “Salt and pepper, that’s it. If you add anything else to the meat you’ve got meat loaf.” My sentiments exactly. Too many places serve up a burger whose flavor relies on toppings, sauces, and spreads and don’t focus on the meat, which should be the star.
Of the various burger offerings at Fat Cow, the Hundred Dollar Burger is the one that first grabbed my attention. While it doesn’t actually have a $100 price tag, the toppings of foie gras, Balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese and truffle oil give the name credibility. Of course I had to try this, and it was excellent. The bun is slightly sweet, and the toppings enhance the flavor of the freshly ground beef, instad of masking it. The burger was cooked as I requested it, med-rare, and was very juicy and flavorful.
I must take a moment here to stand atop my soap box to discuss my feelings on burger cooking. If a place doesn't cook to order, and insists on cooking the life (and flavor) out of the meat, then don’t even tell me about it. The cow is already dead, there is no need to kill it again. "Well, what about e-coli?," you might ask. What about it? Keep in mind, I’m not wandering into a third world butcher shop with live chickens running around asking for this preparation. If you are at a reputable, clean, well-maintained restaurant with culinary professionals handling your food then there’s nothing to be concerned about. This of course doesn't ensure your safety 100 percent, but neither does getting in your car and entering the Baton Rouge traffic.
Okay, I’m done.
Back to the burgers.
My wife tried the Smokestack Burger, and it was great, although she said it was a bit on the salty side. Overall, it was wonderful, though. Smoked cheddar cheese, Benton’s apple smoked bacon, fried onion straws, and drizzled with a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. Drizzled is an important word in that description. The burger is not coated in BBQ sauce where that’s the only flavor you taste. All of the flavors and textures come together to make this a great burger. The bacon is ridiculously smoky and really brings out the flavor of the beef. The bun also brings a bit of sweet heat as they use the same sweet bun but this time it's flecked with small pieces of jalapeno peppers. Not too spicy, but just right.
We also tried the parmesan and duck fat fries, and I can honestly say that I was not impressed. I found the fries to be overcooked, and really didn’t get anything from the exotic ingredients that I wouldn’t get from any basket of fries. My wife wondered if perhaps the dark color was due to the fact that they use real potatoes which they cut fresh daily -and that she knows potatoes can brown a bit like apples if left out for too long. She found that they were good in ketchup, but alone, they were slightly bitter with a faint burnt flavor.
They also offer a variety of salads, and serve a Sunday brunch. If you are a true burger aficionado as I am, I suggest checking it out.
Highland Village Shopping Center (at the south gates of LSU)
Baton Rouge, LA
225.761.9272
http://www.fatcowburgers.com/
Baton Rouge, LA
225.761.9272
http://www.fatcowburgers.com/
Cuisine Rouge Rating:
 |
| 4.5 plates |
Doug Hosford is a man who knows his meat. Although he lives in Natchez, he and his wife have opened a gourmet burger joint just outside the south gates of LSU called Fat Cow. The burger is always a favorite, a staple of the American diet, and Fat Cow definitely does it justice.
“It’s all about the meat”, says Doug as I talk with him after sampling his tasty fare. “Salt and pepper, that’s it. If you add anything else to the meat you’ve got meat loaf.” My sentiments exactly. Too many places serve up a burger whose flavor relies on toppings, sauces, and spreads and don’t focus on the meat, which should be the star.
Of the various burger offerings at Fat Cow, the Hundred Dollar Burger is the one that first grabbed my attention. While it doesn’t actually have a $100 price tag, the toppings of foie gras, Balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese and truffle oil give the name credibility. Of course I had to try this, and it was excellent. The bun is slightly sweet, and the toppings enhance the flavor of the freshly ground beef, instad of masking it. The burger was cooked as I requested it, med-rare, and was very juicy and flavorful.
I must take a moment here to stand atop my soap box to discuss my feelings on burger cooking. If a place doesn't cook to order, and insists on cooking the life (and flavor) out of the meat, then don’t even tell me about it. The cow is already dead, there is no need to kill it again. "Well, what about e-coli?," you might ask. What about it? Keep in mind, I’m not wandering into a third world butcher shop with live chickens running around asking for this preparation. If you are at a reputable, clean, well-maintained restaurant with culinary professionals handling your food then there’s nothing to be concerned about. This of course doesn't ensure your safety 100 percent, but neither does getting in your car and entering the Baton Rouge traffic.
Okay, I’m done.
Back to the burgers.
My wife tried the Smokestack Burger, and it was great, although she said it was a bit on the salty side. Overall, it was wonderful, though. Smoked cheddar cheese, Benton’s apple smoked bacon, fried onion straws, and drizzled with a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce. Drizzled is an important word in that description. The burger is not coated in BBQ sauce where that’s the only flavor you taste. All of the flavors and textures come together to make this a great burger. The bacon is ridiculously smoky and really brings out the flavor of the beef. The bun also brings a bit of sweet heat as they use the same sweet bun but this time it's flecked with small pieces of jalapeno peppers. Not too spicy, but just right.
We also tried the parmesan and duck fat fries, and I can honestly say that I was not impressed. I found the fries to be overcooked, and really didn’t get anything from the exotic ingredients that I wouldn’t get from any basket of fries. My wife wondered if perhaps the dark color was due to the fact that they use real potatoes which they cut fresh daily -and that she knows potatoes can brown a bit like apples if left out for too long. She found that they were good in ketchup, but alone, they were slightly bitter with a faint burnt flavor.
They also offer a variety of salads, and serve a Sunday brunch. If you are a true burger aficionado as I am, I suggest checking it out.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Le Creole
18135 E. Petroleum Dr. (off Highland Rd.)
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
225.752.7135
www.lecreolebr.com
Cuisine Rouge Rating:
Le Creole's tagline includes two important words that set up very high expectations for a dining experience there. The two words are in fact the name of a city - a city whose name invokes an instant menagerie of thoughts filled with colors, sights, smells, sounds and most of all flavors. Those two words: New Orleans. And so that's where the bar was set, right there at "New Orleans" considering their website proudly announces "Where the Gulf of Mexico meets New Orleans."
Upon entering, we were greeted by the hostess and an incredible bouquet of aromas, which was indeed promising. The most overwhelming fragrance was that of fresh seafood, so, as far as we could smell at least, they were delivering on their promise of bringing the delights of the Gulf to your plate. The ambiance in the tastefully decorated dining room was wonderful. The lighting is dim and romantic, yet the overall feel is not too stuffy and a large family wouldn’t feel out of place. In fact, a family with children dined next to us. I was particularly delighted to see a piano player skillfully playing jazz and standards on a tremendous grand piano in one corner of the restaurant. Live music is always a wonderful addition to a dining experience, as long as it's not too loud or distracting. This was perfect. And again - it hearkened back to that "New Orleans" feeling I was expecting.
The waitstaff was polished and attentive, as well as and very enthusiastic about the food, which is always a great sign. Our server answered our questions accurately and was knowledgeable regarding the wine list and nightly specials.
We chose two appetizers - one that appears on the regular menu, the crawfish and warm goat cheese crepe, and a special, the crab cake.
The crawfish and warm goat cheese crepe is served with fresh herbs in a nantua sauce, which I'd never heard of. It was absolutely amazing. The flavors were very good - a hint of bell pepper, a bit of spice all rolled into in a creamy sauce that tickled the palate. The crawfish were fresh, plump and tender. The crepe was lovely and perfectly crisped. It was an amazing dish packed with flavor.
The crab cake was made completely of jumbo lump crab, no fillers to speak of, and broiled, not fried. It rested in two distinct sauces, a remoulade and another creme sauce - the name escapes me. The crab had a good fresh, sweet flavor and the sauces were delicious. However, my fourth or fifth bite in left me with a bit of shell in my mouth, which caused me to stop eating it completely. I know that it happens, and I didn't make a fuss. But once I come across anything like that in a dish - a bone, a shell, etc, I can't continue eating it because I'm immediately paranoid after each bite taken. They were very small pieces of the shell but just enough to make the dish unpleasant.
We also ordered a soup and salad - the crispy iceberg wedge and the turtle soup - just to try them out. While we waited for our second course, we were presented with a surprise from the kitchen - the chef had send out a specialty to our table - Roasted pork belly on a bed of stone ground cheese grits in a chipotle pepper sauce with a fried egg perched atop.
Wow!
Neither of us have had the pleasure of trying pork belly. We know that it's offered in several restaurants in New Orleans (there's that city again), but we've never heard of it being served here in Baton Rouge.
In a word: sumptuous.
The dish was very rich and flavorful - full of bold flavors, like the sweet heat in the chipotle pepper sauce and the sharp cheesy goodness of the grits. The egg, pork belly, grits and sauce all paired together was a real treat. Quite an interesting and delicious combo.
Our entrees arrived next. We'd almost forgotten that we'd ordered soup and salad, but were so nearly stuffed from the chef's gift to our table that we shrugged our shoulders and said "Next time. Next time we'll try them."
I chose the crispy fried chicken and sweet potato waffle. The dish is accompanied by a creole coleslaw and Jack Daniel's and Steen's Cane Syrup sauce for drizzling. So, so wonderful. It was comforting. It was complex, flavor-wise. It was just plain good. The chicken was perfectly cooked and the waffles were fluffy, yet crisp with that hint of sweet potato coming through. Although I'm not a big coleslaw fan, I did take a few bites and it was quite good.
Our other entrée was the fish special, and of the two fish offered, he chose the red snapper. You can then choose one of two methods of preparation, which basically can be described as southern and northern. The northern version features the fish roasted on a cedar plank and served with grilled asparagus, herbed potatoes, and a tomato buerre blanc. He chose the southern preparation, entitled the “Pointe Coupee”; where the fish is crusted in Bergeron pecans and fried, topped with jumbo lump crab, set atop a bed of sautéed spinach and surrounded by a sweet corn sauce. The fish was cooked perfectly and there was no greasiness to it. The crab was fresh and tasty, and the sauce had a good rich flavor. All in all it’s a very good dish, but nothing extraordinary.
Although we were near popping, we knew we had to try at least one of their signature desserts, and what screams New Orleans louder than Bananas Foster? A simple, yet incredibly delicious offering consisting of two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream and a small cast iron skillet filled with fresh chopped banana and that gooey caramel, bourbon and cinnamon combo. The chef lit our skillet and we oohed and aahed a bit before blowing it out and serving up the steaming sauce onto our ice cream. It was delicious - and the bits of burnt crunchy sugar were an added treat.
So, to sum it all up - it was a great finer dining experience with all the charm, flavor and sophistication of New Orleans plus the casual friendliness of the staff. I felt at home and pampered while in the midst of a beautiful and elegant setting eating luxurious cuisine. It's a great new addition to the Baton Rouge restaurant game and definitely a place that would serve as a great destination for a special occasion or a family evening out.
Le Creole is located on Highland Road past Blue Bayou on the right and directly across from Ruffino's.
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
225.752.7135
www.lecreolebr.com
Cuisine Rouge Rating:
|
| 4.5 plates |
Le Creole's tagline includes two important words that set up very high expectations for a dining experience there. The two words are in fact the name of a city - a city whose name invokes an instant menagerie of thoughts filled with colors, sights, smells, sounds and most of all flavors. Those two words: New Orleans. And so that's where the bar was set, right there at "New Orleans" considering their website proudly announces "Where the Gulf of Mexico meets New Orleans."
Upon entering, we were greeted by the hostess and an incredible bouquet of aromas, which was indeed promising. The most overwhelming fragrance was that of fresh seafood, so, as far as we could smell at least, they were delivering on their promise of bringing the delights of the Gulf to your plate. The ambiance in the tastefully decorated dining room was wonderful. The lighting is dim and romantic, yet the overall feel is not too stuffy and a large family wouldn’t feel out of place. In fact, a family with children dined next to us. I was particularly delighted to see a piano player skillfully playing jazz and standards on a tremendous grand piano in one corner of the restaurant. Live music is always a wonderful addition to a dining experience, as long as it's not too loud or distracting. This was perfect. And again - it hearkened back to that "New Orleans" feeling I was expecting.
The waitstaff was polished and attentive, as well as and very enthusiastic about the food, which is always a great sign. Our server answered our questions accurately and was knowledgeable regarding the wine list and nightly specials.
We chose two appetizers - one that appears on the regular menu, the crawfish and warm goat cheese crepe, and a special, the crab cake.
The crawfish and warm goat cheese crepe is served with fresh herbs in a nantua sauce, which I'd never heard of. It was absolutely amazing. The flavors were very good - a hint of bell pepper, a bit of spice all rolled into in a creamy sauce that tickled the palate. The crawfish were fresh, plump and tender. The crepe was lovely and perfectly crisped. It was an amazing dish packed with flavor.
The crab cake was made completely of jumbo lump crab, no fillers to speak of, and broiled, not fried. It rested in two distinct sauces, a remoulade and another creme sauce - the name escapes me. The crab had a good fresh, sweet flavor and the sauces were delicious. However, my fourth or fifth bite in left me with a bit of shell in my mouth, which caused me to stop eating it completely. I know that it happens, and I didn't make a fuss. But once I come across anything like that in a dish - a bone, a shell, etc, I can't continue eating it because I'm immediately paranoid after each bite taken. They were very small pieces of the shell but just enough to make the dish unpleasant.
We also ordered a soup and salad - the crispy iceberg wedge and the turtle soup - just to try them out. While we waited for our second course, we were presented with a surprise from the kitchen - the chef had send out a specialty to our table - Roasted pork belly on a bed of stone ground cheese grits in a chipotle pepper sauce with a fried egg perched atop.
Wow!
Neither of us have had the pleasure of trying pork belly. We know that it's offered in several restaurants in New Orleans (there's that city again), but we've never heard of it being served here in Baton Rouge.
In a word: sumptuous.
The dish was very rich and flavorful - full of bold flavors, like the sweet heat in the chipotle pepper sauce and the sharp cheesy goodness of the grits. The egg, pork belly, grits and sauce all paired together was a real treat. Quite an interesting and delicious combo.
Our entrees arrived next. We'd almost forgotten that we'd ordered soup and salad, but were so nearly stuffed from the chef's gift to our table that we shrugged our shoulders and said "Next time. Next time we'll try them."
I chose the crispy fried chicken and sweet potato waffle. The dish is accompanied by a creole coleslaw and Jack Daniel's and Steen's Cane Syrup sauce for drizzling. So, so wonderful. It was comforting. It was complex, flavor-wise. It was just plain good. The chicken was perfectly cooked and the waffles were fluffy, yet crisp with that hint of sweet potato coming through. Although I'm not a big coleslaw fan, I did take a few bites and it was quite good.
Our other entrée was the fish special, and of the two fish offered, he chose the red snapper. You can then choose one of two methods of preparation, which basically can be described as southern and northern. The northern version features the fish roasted on a cedar plank and served with grilled asparagus, herbed potatoes, and a tomato buerre blanc. He chose the southern preparation, entitled the “Pointe Coupee”; where the fish is crusted in Bergeron pecans and fried, topped with jumbo lump crab, set atop a bed of sautéed spinach and surrounded by a sweet corn sauce. The fish was cooked perfectly and there was no greasiness to it. The crab was fresh and tasty, and the sauce had a good rich flavor. All in all it’s a very good dish, but nothing extraordinary.
Although we were near popping, we knew we had to try at least one of their signature desserts, and what screams New Orleans louder than Bananas Foster? A simple, yet incredibly delicious offering consisting of two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream and a small cast iron skillet filled with fresh chopped banana and that gooey caramel, bourbon and cinnamon combo. The chef lit our skillet and we oohed and aahed a bit before blowing it out and serving up the steaming sauce onto our ice cream. It was delicious - and the bits of burnt crunchy sugar were an added treat.
So, to sum it all up - it was a great finer dining experience with all the charm, flavor and sophistication of New Orleans plus the casual friendliness of the staff. I felt at home and pampered while in the midst of a beautiful and elegant setting eating luxurious cuisine. It's a great new addition to the Baton Rouge restaurant game and definitely a place that would serve as a great destination for a special occasion or a family evening out.
Le Creole is located on Highland Road past Blue Bayou on the right and directly across from Ruffino's.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Man Shall Not Live By Bread Alone
Little Village
14241 Airline Hwy.
Baton Rouge, LA
225-751-4115
http://www.littlevillagebr.com/
Cuisine Rouge Rating:
I’m sure most of us are familiar with the origin of this review title, but in case you’re not, it’s a biblical reference. Not that I’m here to get preachy. Absolutely not. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that I think I’m going to get quite a few “Amens” on what I’m about to say.
14241 Airline Hwy.
Baton Rouge, LA
225-751-4115
http://www.littlevillagebr.com/
Cuisine Rouge Rating:
I’m sure most of us are familiar with the origin of this review title, but in case you’re not, it’s a biblical reference. Not that I’m here to get preachy. Absolutely not. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that I think I’m going to get quite a few “Amens” on what I’m about to say.
Chad and I decided to visit The Little Village (Airline Hwy) location, for what we sincerely hoped would be a quiet and relatively elegant dining experience highlighted by phenomenal Italian fare. And the bread. Let’s not forget about that bread. I’d had the pleasure of experiencing this creation a few weeks back at a work function, so I knew that the bread would be a big hit that night.
We arrived on a Saturday evening, and it seemed to have a Saturday-night type of crowd, which is nothing unusual for Baton Rouge. What was unusual, to our delight, was that we didn’t have to wait. We were seated right away at a cozy table not too far from the front doors. Not necessarily the best table in the house, but it was fine for us. We placed our drink orders with a person we thought was our waitress, only before walking away she said “Your waitress will be with you shortly to take your order.”
So we examined the menu and prepared to place our order. I was thrilled to see that in the appetizer section, they offered aracine – something I have been desperate to try for a very, very long time. In fact, I’ve even pulled up the recipe a few times, but have a slight fear of frying, so I’ve always hesitated to give it a go.
According to Wikipedia, “Arancini or arancine are fried (or, less commonly, baked) rice balls coated with breadcrumbs, said to have originated in Sicily in the 10th century. Arancini are usually filled with ragu (meat sauce), tomato sauce, mozzarella, and/or peas.” I was imagining an Italian twist on a fried boudin ball, and could not wait to try it for the first time, so I chose it as my entrée.
We made our selections, quite pleased with what we’d be feasting on, and waited for the waitress to come.
And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
The drink order waitress came by after 20 minutes had passed and apologized profusely, explaining she had no idea where the “real waitress” might be. She then presented a delicious bribe – a free full loaf of their signature bread! I was pretty excited. We were going to order the half loaf, but this was a treat. And on the house, at that. It was a literal “buttering up.”
For those who haven’t experienced this bread, allow me to clue you in. It’s more than bread. It’s an experience. Italian manna. This is the kind of bread you want to be alone in a room with. It’s a very large braided rope studded with sesame seeds that’s baked to golden perfection. After baking, it’s placed in a pool of olive oil, dusted with cracked black pepper and then topped with more olive oil and a heaping portion of freshly grated Romano cheese. It’s served with a side of their signature olive tapenade. For the most part, I steer clear of olives – but I ate this tapenade. It was, in a word, amazing.
But, the bread honeymoon was short-lived. After we’d had our fill of their incredible manna and were ready to order, we found ourselves waiting and waiting yet again.
We had two unpaid for drinks and no cash to throw down on the table and just walk out. And so I began to feel almost as if I were part of a hostage crisis. I took to Facebook and Twitter to voice my complaints. And then began getting responses and comments. A friend had just waited over an hour for take-out soup and salad. She was livid. Another friend had a similar experience weeks back and vowed to never go again. Then a really big clue was delivered – Little Village had just offered a coupon on one of those websites specializing in half-off deals.
Ah!
Now it all made sense.
Was it an excuse for terrible, practically non-existent service?
No.
From what I understand, businesses use those coupon sites to increase their sales, not ruin their reputation. Apparently, this backfired on Little Village that evening. Sure enough, we saw several employees with the vouchers in their hands, looking a bit confused.
Over an hour after we had been seated, our meal arrived. I was hoping against hope that the quality of the food would redeem the bad experience. I was keeping my fingers crossed that incredible Italian flavors and artful cuisine would wipe away the sins of the wait staff (or whoever might have been to blame). But, it was not the case.
The long-anticipated aracine arrived – a large single fried rice ball – about the size of a baseball. I had expected a few, but I wasn’t sure how they are traditionally served, so I chalked that up to ignorance on my own part. It was . . . ok. Strangely I didn’t see much rice. I noticed meat. And peas. Lots of peas, which I do enjoy, but my husband does not. If we would have gotten this as our appetizer he would have been in for a rude awakening. It was in a pool of their Village red sauce. The only flavor that really dominated this dish was salt, and plenty of it. In fact, the red sauce was so salty that it seemed more like salty red gravy with very little hint of tomato.
At some point, we heard yelling towards the back of the restaurant and assumed that another disappointed diner was tired of waiting for something that clearly wasn’t worth the wait. All around us, patrons had scowls on their faces.
Chad ordered the chicken parmigiana –also served in the red sauce with a bed of spaghetti. I told him my take on it and he readily agreed. Like salty red gravy. The chicken was mediocre, at best.
And that’s what we don’t expect when we dine out: mediocrity. We don’t have the stomachs for it. And considering the bill, we shouldn’t have had to pay for mediocrity. But we did. Lesson learned.
We skipped on desert and chose to go to Latte et Miele, a place that’s fast becoming famous for being extraordinary in every way. (And was it EVER!)
And so, I hearken back to my title. Little Village, your bread is phenomenal and the best I’ve ever had. But you’re a restaurant, not a bakery. And if you want to drum up business by offering coupon deals to the public, be prepared for the first weekend after you offer it. If not, you’ll end up angering the people who didn’t come in to get a “steal of deal” but wanted a nice evening with their significant other. Not that I’m coming down on the use of those coupon sites – I use them myself and very often.
That being said, we won’t be back any time soon. But, here’s a little secret: they sell the bread unbaked with all the trimmings for a very decent price -to go! Just call ahead. Way ahead.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
La Mestiza
14724 Airline Hwy. Ste. 10
Not to be confused with the typical Mexican restaurant, La Mestiza and its big brother, Mestizo, are Louisiana Mexican restaurants, a point of clarity that chef/owner Jim Uridales wants people to know about. With his creative menu he has managed to incorporate our delicious seafood bounty into traditional Mexican fare, creating a fusion of cuisines that is delicious and unique.
Not to be confused with the typical Mexican restaurant, La Mestiza and its big brother, Mestizo, are Louisiana Mexican restaurants, a point of clarity that chef/owner Jim Uridales wants people to know about. With his creative menu he has managed to incorporate our delicious seafood bounty into traditional Mexican fare, creating a fusion of cuisines that is delicious and unique.
We visited La Mestiza on a Thursday evening and found it to be moderately busy, but not overcrowded. In keeping with tradition, I felt compelled to order a margarita immediately, for professional evaluation purposes of course. For a house margarita it was pretty good, better than most that I have had. Just the fact that it wasn’t that disgusting neon green color that is so often seen was a good sign.
Mestiza Margarita
The obligatory chips and salsa were presented, and I found the salsa to be okay. Personally I like it a bit spicier; I found this one to be a little too much on the mild side. The addition of carrots was unusual, but I think it adds nice little hint of sweetness, which some extra heat would have paired with nicely.
Mestiza's salsa
The plethora of seafood dishes on the menu was instantly appealing to me. Crawfish and spinach con queso, shrimp and crab nachos, crawfish burrito, and shrimp and Portobello quesadillas to name a few. Although I would have loved to sample all of these, time and money dictated otherwise. I opted for the best combination of seafood items available, the Mendoza. This combination platter consisted of a crawfish chimichanga, shrimp and crab chili relleno, and a guacamole salad. I requested rice in the place of the salad since I’m not a big fan of guacamole, but sadly my request got lost before I received my dish.
Mestiza Combo
The highlight of the combo was easily the chili relleno. The stuffing of crab and shrimp was delicious, and was great with the pepper which was softened nicely from the frying. The chimichanga was good, not too bready as some I have had, but didn’t stand out remarkably.
My wife, who loves tamales, was quite disappointed that the masa on her tamales was a bit on the dry side.
My wife, who loves tamales, was quite disappointed that the masa on her tamales was a bit on the dry side.
The dessert offerings were fairly typical, and tempting, but this time around were skipped. All in all, Mestiza is a nice place to go to fill the need for Mexican food, but not be subjected to the same ordinary dishes.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Pimanyoli's Sidewalk Cafe
14214 Airline Highway
Baton Rouge, LA 70817
225.751.7590
http://www.pimanyolis.com/
Cuisine Rouge Rating:
As the temperatures rise outside, so does the appetite for good BBQ. While Baton Rouge isn’t known for being a big BBQ town like Memphis or Kansas City, there are a few places that serve up some good stuff. Recently I have found a new spot that is doing an excellent job on the pit.
Pimanyoli’s is definitely a unique name, and is the result of combining the nicknames of the two owners. “Piman” is Creole for pepper, and he’s the pit master, producing some excellent BBQ. “Yoli” is short for Yolanda, who has been working as a professional caterer for over 30 years. Both come from families that have been in the food industry for a long time.
Keeping with our melting pot of Louisiana culture, Pimanyoli’s combines the best of the country’s various BBQ techniques to create some great food. The brisket is cooked up San Antonio style, the pulled pork on bun topped with coleslaw is straight out of Memphis, and the sauce is Carolina style, vinegary and tasty, featuring 21 different ingredients.
My first visit was for a quick lunch. It was obvious upon entering the place that lunchtime is big here, as I lucked out to get an open table immediately. I saw quite a few things on the menu that I wanted to check out, but chose the brisket sandwich. Deemed the “Brisket Meltdown”, it features smoked brisket topped with grilled onions and Monterey Jack cheese. A couple of technical things about the sandwich stood out to me, one being that there is no sauce on it. Given the fact that sauce is available on the table, this is a good idea, providing the diner with the option of adding it. Also, the sandwich is toasted, which is nice so that when you do pile on the sauce you won’t end up with a soggy mess. Of course the real deal here is the meat, and it was tender with a great smoky flavor, the kind you don’t get from quickly churning out meat like some more commercial type establishments.
On my next visit, I did a more thorough BBQ analysis, trying the pulled pork, St. Louis style ribs, and chicken. The pork was great, tender and smoky with a good texture. Often I find that pulled pork can be kinda ‘stringy’ and dry, but this was done right. The chicken was also well done, and although not my favorite type of ribs, the St. Louis style served here are very good, extremely tender and juicy. Several of the sides were tasted, the potato salad was a little too “pickle-y” for my tastes, and the sweet potato was nothing out of the ordinary. The ones that stood out were the macaroni and cheese and the baked beans. Pimanyoli’s resists the urge to take the easy path and serve up the quick boxed mac and cheese variety, and rather makes theirs daily from scratch using an old school recipe handed down from the owner’s mother. It’s one of the best examples I’ve tasted in the area. The beans were very good, not too thick and not too soupy, with a nice amount of sweetness and the bonus addition of little pieces of brisket added in.
St. Louis Ribs
Three Meat Platter
Also sampled were the tamales. These are delta style tamales hailing from the Newellton area of North Louisiana, just south of Vicksburg. They are from an over eighty year old recipe and are quite tasty. Desserts are fairly straightforward, fudge brownie with ice cream, and bread pudding with rum sauce, but the standout is the “Cobbler of the Day”. This homemade offering features a rotating variety of fruit (blackberry, blueberry, apple or peach) and like everything else I sampled is truly authentic.
Of course there are many other options on the menu, including other sandwiches, burgers, fried seafood and what is definitely on my list for my next visit – Buffalo style frog legs. If you’re looking for some real delicious down home southern staples, this is a place you should visit.
Baton Rouge, LA 70817
225.751.7590
http://www.pimanyolis.com/
Cuisine Rouge Rating:
 |
| 4 plates |
As the temperatures rise outside, so does the appetite for good BBQ. While Baton Rouge isn’t known for being a big BBQ town like Memphis or Kansas City, there are a few places that serve up some good stuff. Recently I have found a new spot that is doing an excellent job on the pit.
Pimanyoli’s is definitely a unique name, and is the result of combining the nicknames of the two owners. “Piman” is Creole for pepper, and he’s the pit master, producing some excellent BBQ. “Yoli” is short for Yolanda, who has been working as a professional caterer for over 30 years. Both come from families that have been in the food industry for a long time.
Keeping with our melting pot of Louisiana culture, Pimanyoli’s combines the best of the country’s various BBQ techniques to create some great food. The brisket is cooked up San Antonio style, the pulled pork on bun topped with coleslaw is straight out of Memphis, and the sauce is Carolina style, vinegary and tasty, featuring 21 different ingredients.
My first visit was for a quick lunch. It was obvious upon entering the place that lunchtime is big here, as I lucked out to get an open table immediately. I saw quite a few things on the menu that I wanted to check out, but chose the brisket sandwich. Deemed the “Brisket Meltdown”, it features smoked brisket topped with grilled onions and Monterey Jack cheese. A couple of technical things about the sandwich stood out to me, one being that there is no sauce on it. Given the fact that sauce is available on the table, this is a good idea, providing the diner with the option of adding it. Also, the sandwich is toasted, which is nice so that when you do pile on the sauce you won’t end up with a soggy mess. Of course the real deal here is the meat, and it was tender with a great smoky flavor, the kind you don’t get from quickly churning out meat like some more commercial type establishments.
On my next visit, I did a more thorough BBQ analysis, trying the pulled pork, St. Louis style ribs, and chicken. The pork was great, tender and smoky with a good texture. Often I find that pulled pork can be kinda ‘stringy’ and dry, but this was done right. The chicken was also well done, and although not my favorite type of ribs, the St. Louis style served here are very good, extremely tender and juicy. Several of the sides were tasted, the potato salad was a little too “pickle-y” for my tastes, and the sweet potato was nothing out of the ordinary. The ones that stood out were the macaroni and cheese and the baked beans. Pimanyoli’s resists the urge to take the easy path and serve up the quick boxed mac and cheese variety, and rather makes theirs daily from scratch using an old school recipe handed down from the owner’s mother. It’s one of the best examples I’ve tasted in the area. The beans were very good, not too thick and not too soupy, with a nice amount of sweetness and the bonus addition of little pieces of brisket added in.
St. Louis Ribs
Three Meat Platter
Also sampled were the tamales. These are delta style tamales hailing from the Newellton area of North Louisiana, just south of Vicksburg. They are from an over eighty year old recipe and are quite tasty. Desserts are fairly straightforward, fudge brownie with ice cream, and bread pudding with rum sauce, but the standout is the “Cobbler of the Day”. This homemade offering features a rotating variety of fruit (blackberry, blueberry, apple or peach) and like everything else I sampled is truly authentic.
Of course there are many other options on the menu, including other sandwiches, burgers, fried seafood and what is definitely on my list for my next visit – Buffalo style frog legs. If you’re looking for some real delicious down home southern staples, this is a place you should visit.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Cuisine Rouge Road Trip
While I focus on writing about local food and restaurants, there are just too many great festivals this time of year to pass up taking the occasional road trip. Since another of my interests is history; specifically the history of my ancestors, I decided to make my way down to St. Bernard for the annual Islenos Fiesta.
The Islenos are a group of Canary Islands descendents whose ancestors immigrated to various locations around South Louisiana as part of a military recruitment by the Spanish government in the late 18th century.
A group of descendants in St. Bernard formed a organization to help preserve the culture and heritage of their ancestors and hold an annual Fiesta to raise money for that cause. The Fiesta features your typical array of crafts, souvenirs, and activities, but the real treat are the traditional musicians and dancers who fly in from the Canary Islands. They dress in the period costumes of when they first arrived in Louisiana and perform songs and dances which help recreate the culture of that time.
And of course there is food! Sure, there are the standard items you find at any festival; hamburgers, hot dogs, funnel cakes, etc., but the real treats are the Spanish dishes.
Bacon Wrapped Plantains
Croquettes
The croquettes are also quite tasty, filled with a spicy ham mixture.
Paella
One of the stars of the show is the paella. For those unfamiliar, paella is a rice based dish typically containing a variety of meats and/or seafood, and seasoned with saffron. Our beloved jambalaya is like the bastard son of paella, originating in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Spaniards who had come to the New World were attempting to make paella, but couldn't find saffron, due to the high cost of importing it. Tomatoes became the substitute and Creole jambalaya was born. To be honest, this wasn't one of the best versions I've had, but considering the large quantities that it is prepared in, it was pretty tasty.
Spanish Wines
New this year to the Fiesta was the welcome addition of a tapas and wine bar, sponsored by the St. Bernard Parish Tourist Commission. They had a nice selection of three Spanish wines. Sangre de Toro and Campo Viejo Crianza, are tasty red wines, well reviewed and economically priced. The Gran Feudo Rosado is a rose wine, a lighter version of the other two wines, with similar flavors but a crisper and fruitier taste.
]
Tapas
Grilled Oysters
I have to admit though, that my favorite thing to chow down on at the Fiesta every year are the grilled oysters. I'm a huge fan of oysters and these are plump, salty, and freshly shucked then topped with a delicious mixture of melted butter, mashed garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese. They are grilled just long enough to absorb all those flavors and not dry out.
Flan
Of course you gotta have dessert, and they have the traditional flan, a custard based dessert topped with creme caramel sauce. Bueno!
So keep your calendar open toward the end of March next year to attend the Fiesta. It's a great mix of history, culture, and a chance to sample some tradition non-Cajun foods of Louisiana.
The Islenos are a group of Canary Islands descendents whose ancestors immigrated to various locations around South Louisiana as part of a military recruitment by the Spanish government in the late 18th century.
A group of descendants in St. Bernard formed a organization to help preserve the culture and heritage of their ancestors and hold an annual Fiesta to raise money for that cause. The Fiesta features your typical array of crafts, souvenirs, and activities, but the real treat are the traditional musicians and dancers who fly in from the Canary Islands. They dress in the period costumes of when they first arrived in Louisiana and perform songs and dances which help recreate the culture of that time.
And of course there is food! Sure, there are the standard items you find at any festival; hamburgers, hot dogs, funnel cakes, etc., but the real treats are the Spanish dishes.
Bacon Wrapped Plantains
Some of the appetizer type foods sold are shown above. The plantains are excellent. A small strip of bacon is wrapped around a chunk of plantain with a toothpick and deep fried. The slight sweetness of the plantain and the saltiness of the bacon taste excellent together.
Croquettes
The croquettes are also quite tasty, filled with a spicy ham mixture.
Paella
One of the stars of the show is the paella. For those unfamiliar, paella is a rice based dish typically containing a variety of meats and/or seafood, and seasoned with saffron. Our beloved jambalaya is like the bastard son of paella, originating in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Spaniards who had come to the New World were attempting to make paella, but couldn't find saffron, due to the high cost of importing it. Tomatoes became the substitute and Creole jambalaya was born. To be honest, this wasn't one of the best versions I've had, but considering the large quantities that it is prepared in, it was pretty tasty.
Spanish Wines
New this year to the Fiesta was the welcome addition of a tapas and wine bar, sponsored by the St. Bernard Parish Tourist Commission. They had a nice selection of three Spanish wines. Sangre de Toro and Campo Viejo Crianza, are tasty red wines, well reviewed and economically priced. The Gran Feudo Rosado is a rose wine, a lighter version of the other two wines, with similar flavors but a crisper and fruitier taste.
]
Tapas
The tapas selection consisted of two Spanish cheeses, Manchego and Mahón, some chorizo, and a very typical Spanish dish called tortilla de patatas. This dish is made from eggs, fried potatoes, and onions, serving as a base to which any number of things can be added. The variety of ingredients put into one of these typically depends on what region of Spain you are located in.
Grilled Oysters
I have to admit though, that my favorite thing to chow down on at the Fiesta every year are the grilled oysters. I'm a huge fan of oysters and these are plump, salty, and freshly shucked then topped with a delicious mixture of melted butter, mashed garlic, parsley, and parmesan cheese. They are grilled just long enough to absorb all those flavors and not dry out.
Flan
Of course you gotta have dessert, and they have the traditional flan, a custard based dessert topped with creme caramel sauce. Bueno!
So keep your calendar open toward the end of March next year to attend the Fiesta. It's a great mix of history, culture, and a chance to sample some tradition non-Cajun foods of Louisiana.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Lucy's Retired Surfers Bar and Restaurant
151 Third St.
Baton Rouge, LA
225.361.0372
http://www.lucysretiredsurfers.com
New to the downtown area is Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar and Restaurant. An offshoot of the New Orleans location, they occupy the renovated space formerly held by D’Agostino’s Italian restaurant. The décor and theme are almost overwhelmingly surfer related, with everything from pictures to posters and a full sized surfboard above the bar. The surfing DVD playing in a constant loop over the TVs is somewhat annoying, especially on return visits when you have already seen it.
The menu is very much in line with the theme, featuring lots of seafood and “California” type items. They do feature a full bar, and several specialty drinks that are tropical in nature and pack quite a punch. One that stood out to me is the “Da Killer Blue Whale”, a mixture of lemonade, vodka, curacao, and Everclear. Another unique drink item offered is the Bloody Mary shot. A spice-rimmed shot glass is filled with vodka that they have infused with peppers and spices, and the drink is served with a cherry tomato. They’ve deemed it the world’s fastest Bloody Mary.
Over the course of several visits, I sampled a couple of the appetizer items with mixed results. The Jamaican Jerk Chicken was great. Four grilled pieces of chicken breast seasoned with jerk spices are served with an accompanying sweet and sour sauce deemed “Pali sauce”. The chicken was cooked perfectly, with great grill flavor but not dried out. The sauce matched well with the spiciness of the chicken, and the portion was adequate for an appetizer. On another visit, I tried the pulled pork sliders, which were decent in flavor and taste, but lacked an accompanying side item. According to the menu, they were served with sweet potato fries, but I’m unable to report on those based on the fact that I never saw them.
Ordering that item uncovered an unfortunately very negative aspect of the restaurant, the service. The bartender seemed to be completely unaware of the menu, and when asked about the dish, couldn’t seem to decipher what was going on. Granted, I was seated at the bar, but I would suspect that the bartender should at least be familiar with appetizers on the menu, the items often ordered by patrons at the bar.
The entrée I tried was pretty good, a nice piece of fish crusted with ground tortillas. In a move obvious to be a play to the Baton Rouge locals, they take tortilla chips, both standard color and purple, and crust each side of the fish with these, then its fried, and served with mashed potatoes.
Lucy’s is open daily from 11AM to 10PM, and feature several specials. Happy hour is Mon-Thurs, 4PM – 7PM featuring $5 well drinks, $18 buckets, and 2 for 1 margaritas, along with free chips and salsa. Tuesdays are “Taco Tuesdays” with $1 beef tacos, $2 steak or chicken tacos, and $3 shrimp tacos.
Despite some service issues that may be corrected in time, Lucy’s is a very welcome addition to the downtown scene, and a great alternative to the standard fare. Hopefully once some of the bugs are ironed out, they can focus on more specials so that they can take better advantage of the downtown lunch business.
Baton Rouge, LA
225.361.0372
http://www.lucysretiredsurfers.com
New to the downtown area is Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar and Restaurant. An offshoot of the New Orleans location, they occupy the renovated space formerly held by D’Agostino’s Italian restaurant. The décor and theme are almost overwhelmingly surfer related, with everything from pictures to posters and a full sized surfboard above the bar. The surfing DVD playing in a constant loop over the TVs is somewhat annoying, especially on return visits when you have already seen it.
The menu is very much in line with the theme, featuring lots of seafood and “California” type items. They do feature a full bar, and several specialty drinks that are tropical in nature and pack quite a punch. One that stood out to me is the “Da Killer Blue Whale”, a mixture of lemonade, vodka, curacao, and Everclear. Another unique drink item offered is the Bloody Mary shot. A spice-rimmed shot glass is filled with vodka that they have infused with peppers and spices, and the drink is served with a cherry tomato. They’ve deemed it the world’s fastest Bloody Mary.
Over the course of several visits, I sampled a couple of the appetizer items with mixed results. The Jamaican Jerk Chicken was great. Four grilled pieces of chicken breast seasoned with jerk spices are served with an accompanying sweet and sour sauce deemed “Pali sauce”. The chicken was cooked perfectly, with great grill flavor but not dried out. The sauce matched well with the spiciness of the chicken, and the portion was adequate for an appetizer. On another visit, I tried the pulled pork sliders, which were decent in flavor and taste, but lacked an accompanying side item. According to the menu, they were served with sweet potato fries, but I’m unable to report on those based on the fact that I never saw them.
Ordering that item uncovered an unfortunately very negative aspect of the restaurant, the service. The bartender seemed to be completely unaware of the menu, and when asked about the dish, couldn’t seem to decipher what was going on. Granted, I was seated at the bar, but I would suspect that the bartender should at least be familiar with appetizers on the menu, the items often ordered by patrons at the bar.
The entrée I tried was pretty good, a nice piece of fish crusted with ground tortillas. In a move obvious to be a play to the Baton Rouge locals, they take tortilla chips, both standard color and purple, and crust each side of the fish with these, then its fried, and served with mashed potatoes.
Lucy’s is open daily from 11AM to 10PM, and feature several specials. Happy hour is Mon-Thurs, 4PM – 7PM featuring $5 well drinks, $18 buckets, and 2 for 1 margaritas, along with free chips and salsa. Tuesdays are “Taco Tuesdays” with $1 beef tacos, $2 steak or chicken tacos, and $3 shrimp tacos.
Despite some service issues that may be corrected in time, Lucy’s is a very welcome addition to the downtown scene, and a great alternative to the standard fare. Hopefully once some of the bugs are ironed out, they can focus on more specials so that they can take better advantage of the downtown lunch business.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Valentine's Day
One of the busiest nights in the restaurant industry is on Valentine’s Day. Only Mother’s Day brings more traffic through a restaurant, and despite the relatively large number of restaurants in our area, the handful of upper end places here quickly get booked up for this night.
My advice is to get your reservations made now, before the mad rush of last minute people start calling. The last thing you want to do is be stuck with takeout or fast food on Valentine’s Day. There are also a few things to consider when making reservations. One is to ask about the menu. Many places will only feature a limited menu, so you might be out of luck if you selected a place based on a favorite dish. Another question to ask is restaurant setup. In an effort to maximize patronage, many area restaurants will bring in additional seating, to fit in as many as possible. This can make for a very loud and raucous atmosphere, far from the romantic setting most are looking for.
My last piece of advice is to try something new. I know that most people are very familiar and comfortable heading over to the big, well lit corporate chain restaurants, but try something local for a change. You’ll often find better food, a better atmosphere, and ultimately a better overall experience.
My advice is to get your reservations made now, before the mad rush of last minute people start calling. The last thing you want to do is be stuck with takeout or fast food on Valentine’s Day. There are also a few things to consider when making reservations. One is to ask about the menu. Many places will only feature a limited menu, so you might be out of luck if you selected a place based on a favorite dish. Another question to ask is restaurant setup. In an effort to maximize patronage, many area restaurants will bring in additional seating, to fit in as many as possible. This can make for a very loud and raucous atmosphere, far from the romantic setting most are looking for.
My last piece of advice is to try something new. I know that most people are very familiar and comfortable heading over to the big, well lit corporate chain restaurants, but try something local for a change. You’ll often find better food, a better atmosphere, and ultimately a better overall experience.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Service Appreciation Day
In conjunction with Johnny D's New York Pizza Restaurant, Cuisine Rouge is please to present Service Appreciation Day. This event is to show our appreciation to the fine men and women who serve our community.
All veterans, active military personnel, law enforcement, EMS, fire, and first responders are welcome to enjoy the delicious pizza buffet at Johnny D's this Monday, December 7, 2009 from 11AM - 2PM - FOR FREE!
That's right, all the free pizza that you guys can eat.
It's our way of saying thank you for the important job that you do.
All veterans, active military personnel, law enforcement, EMS, fire, and first responders are welcome to enjoy the delicious pizza buffet at Johnny D's this Monday, December 7, 2009 from 11AM - 2PM - FOR FREE!
That's right, all the free pizza that you guys can eat.
It's our way of saying thank you for the important job that you do.
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