Fat Cow

4350 Suite B1

Highland Village Shopping Center (at the south gates of LSU)
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.

Pimanyoli's Sidewalk Cafe

14214 Airline Highway
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.

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.

Bistro Byronz

5412 Government St.
225.218.1433
http://www.bistrobyronz.com

Cuisine Rouge Rating:

3.5 plates

by: Chad

In the restaurant world, terms used to describe an establishment are often thrown around, such as café, rotisserie, grill, or bistro. Rarely does the name truly fit the atmosphere as well as it does at Bistro Byronz. The simple, straightforward menu and quaint French style décor fit nicely together in a very casual yet refined setting.

The menu is a good one, with a great variety of choices including sandwiches, salads and lunch plates featuring everything from seared Asian style tuna to the French classic, cassoulet.

For our visit, we started out with the Bleu Cheese Chips. They make their own potato chips in house and for this dish, they pile them high and cover them with a creamy bleu cheese sauce laden with chunks of bleu cheese and topped with sliced green onions. If you like bleu cheese, this is a must have. The chips aren’t too thin, and have that kettle fried flavor. The crispy crunch of the chips combined with the tangy creaminess of the cheese make for a great combination of both texture and flavor.

My wife chose the Bistro Salad for her lunch, a tasty combination of Mandarin oranges, dried cherries and pecans on spinach with raspberry poppy seed dressing. She chose to add the chicken breast as well. When the salad arrived, she was quite pleased with her plate. First of all, the portion was very generous and could have easily served two. They absolutely did not skimp on any of the toppings. There were plenty of cubes of roasted chicken breast, toasted chopped pecans, dried cherries and mandarin orange slices. The raspberry poppy seed dressing, which she had served on the side so she could use it conservatively, was delicious. Sweet with a hint of sour which she concluded was red wine vinegar. Her one complaint was that the chicken lacked a lot of flavor and was relatively bland. Perhaps a hint of more seasoning on the chicken would have made a difference. However, she reported that the salad was pretty phenomenal on its own and was easily one of the best that Baton Rouge has to offer.

I ordered the Sesame Seared Tuna, prepared rare. Perhaps the menu item furthest from what one would consider bistro food, it had a distinct Asian quality to it. The tuna itself was very fresh, a generous 8 oz portion, crusted with sesame seeds and seared. The sesame seeds had a slightly burnt flavor, but something that is to be somewhat expected with a seared preparation. The tuna was topped with a sweet and sour glaze and drizzled with a wasabi based cream sauce, served atop a bed of thinly sliced cucumber ribbons. I found the tuna very tasty, cooked perfectly, and well seasoned. Personally I would have liked to see more of the wasabi cream sauce, but understood the need to use it sparingly to accommodate the average diner.

Typically I skip dessert these days, but the mere sight of Heavenly Hash cake on the menu quickly broke down my willpower. The base of the cake is chocolate sheet cake, topped with marshmallows and chocolate icing. It was served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and topped with a caramel sauce. The cake was a bit on the dry side, but was very tasty.

Overall, this a great place for a nice lunch in the mid-city area. Bistro isn’t just part of the name; it’s very descriptive of what’s inside.


Bistro Salad


Sesame Seared Tuna

Another Broken Egg

Update: Another Broken Egg was shut down in early 2011 due to legal issues.  However, we've heard it's coming back sometime this year.  So we'll keep you posted.


7655 Old Hammond Hwy
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
225-663-6468
Open Daily for Breakfast, Brunch and Lunch
7:00 am - 2:00 pm
http://www.anotherbrokenegg.com/index.php

Cuisine Rouge Rating: 

4 plates

by: Ginger

On a lazy Saturday morning, Chad and I decided that we'd do brunch at Another Broken Egg, a cafe specializing in a multitude of breakfast items as well as standard brunch and lunch fare. Upon arrival, we immediately noticed that the place was bustling with activity and the parking lot was practically full. We luckily found a spot in an add-on gravel lot in the back of the restaurant. The restaurant itself gives off the air of a quaint country French inn. It's roomy inside and yet gives the visitor that "cozy" feeling. The interior is very unique for a Baton Rouge restaurant and I loved it. Our wait was a short ten minutes and then we were seated upstairs in a cozy loft-like area that looked down on the restaurant. I immediately imagined our tray of food being dropped as it was carried upstairs, but my fears were alleviated as I watched full tray after full tray being sturdily carted upstairs with little difficulty.

Our waitress came to the table promptly to take our drink orders and we ordered two cups of coffee which arrived quickly in very cute earthenware mugs with the restaurant logo on them (which I recently learned you can purchase on their website). The waitress also set a full pitcher of water with lemon on the table which she left there. I looked around and noticed that every table had it's own pitcher of water and thought that it was a really nice touch. Another cheery addition was the small vase of fresh flowers as our table centerpiece.

The menu is definitely a big one and there are an overwhelming myriad of breakfast and brunch choices including an extensive list of omelette creations that feature everything from seafood to chicken to garden fresh veggies. Although an omelette seemed like a great brunch choice, I was intrigued by the pancakes (being an enthusiastic pancake lover and always in search of the best pancakes in Baton Rouge) and decided I would order their stack of three. The single pancake is listed as "plate size" and then underneath "stack of three pancakes" is listed. I assumed they would be the standard six or so inches in diameter. I also chose to add an order of scrambled eggs and bacon because I didn't want to eat at Another Broken Egg without trying their namesake. I saw that the restaurant offered a specialty item of blackberry grits which also sounded quite interesting, so I ordered those as well. Chad ordered the Crabcakes Cavallo which the menu described as freshly made crabcakes, benedict style with two poached eggs and smothered in a hollandaise sauce that is infused with andouille sausage and a hint of scallion served with country potatoes on the side.

I don't think ten minutes had even passed before we saw a waiter ascending the staircase with our food. I was stunned at how quickly we received our food. And then came my second "stun" of the morning. A platter of three pancakes, each one larger than my head, were placed before me. My eyes nearly popped out of my skull at the sight of them. My initial thought was "What is this? Man Vs. Food? (or should I say 'Woman Vs. Food?')" I was absolutely shocked at the size of these pancakes. I was also presented with my scrambled eggs and bacon, a nice-sized portion, and my blackberry grits which consisted of a bowl of plain grits with a small ramekin of blackberries in their natural juices on the side. Chad's plate was made up of two little towers of english muffin halves, topped with crabcake, poached egg and hollandaise. The dish was garnished with diced red bellpeppers and scallions. The cakes were served in a dish that resembled a ceramic skillet that was atop a larger dish. The skillet was surrounded by their country potatoes which were cube-style hashbrowns. It was a very beautiful presentation.

I ate my salty items first. The eggs were superbly cooked, quite fluffy and flavorful. The two slices of bacon were both crisp and juicy - not overcooked and shriveled. I assumed I was supposed to stir the blackberries into the grits and did so. The blackberry grits had a very interesting flavor, although I did add a little sugar to my dish to enhance the sweetness of the berries. Finally I tackled the pancakes. I must say that I think I may have found the city's best pancakes by far. Somehow, and I don't know how they did it, the pancakes managed to have a slight "donut" flavor to them. I know it sounds wacky, but I asked Chad to taste a piece and he thought the same. They were fluffy with a great texture and absolutely delicious served with warm maple syrup. My initial complaint was that the syrup was a bit on the thin side, but then I saw how well it soaked into the pancake (which meant a less likelihood of drips onto my shirt) and I liked that aspect of it. I could barely finish one of the pancakes. They were scrumptious and I was definitely taking home a to-go box to enjoy them for Sunday morning breakfast.

Chad absolutely loved the crabcakes cavallo and announced that he is adding it to his list of the best dishes in Baton Rouge. He said it had a distinctive cajun flavor to it with a good bit of spice provided by the andouille. He also noted that there was a generous amount of crab in the crabcake (since crabcakes can often be overshadowed by a lot of "filler").

Overall, we were immensely pleased with our entire experience at Another Broken Egg. The portions were generous, the service was excellent and prompt and the atmosphere was quaint, cozy and charming. And before you think that Another Broken Egg equals "another broken diet" I did note that there were several healthy choices on the menu including Dr. Maley's Coffee, which I've been told is a very generous platter of fresh fruit served with coffee and an english muffin.

I strongly suggest that you surrender your palate to Another Broken Egg. You won't be disappointed.


Pancakes


Crab Cakes Cavallo

Stroube's Chophouse - Best New Restaurant in Baton Rouge

107 Third St. (downtown)
Corner of Third and North Blvd.
225-448-2830
http://www.stroubeschophouse.com

Cuisine Rouge Rating: 

By: Chad

Now, as I’m sure you astute readers have noticed, another restaurant in town was deemed by my fellow contributor as best in the city, but with time comes change, and I’m confident in saying that for me, Stroube’s currently holds the title as the best BR has to offer.

Chef Justin Ferguson is good.  Not just good as you might describe a good movie or good book, but good as in the way you talk about an athlete or actor.  He is clearly meant to do what he’s doing, and it shows vividly in his food.  He’s an avid believer in scratch cooking, baking his own bread, making his own pancetta from pork belly, and even churning his own butter.  It is this kind of dedication to cuisine as an art form that truly sets Stroube’s apart in the Baton Rouge dining scene.

I had previously visited the restaurant several times for lunch, and sampled a few items from the impressive lunch menu.  The wild mushroom pizza was excellent, a delicious mix of sautéed mushrooms, pancetta, and mozzarella topped with a drizzling of truffle oil.  The Wagyu burger was ridiculously good, undeserving of being lumped into a food category that shares it name with fast food chains.  Served with Yukon gold potatoes, it redefines what a burger and fries should be.

For my ‘official’ visit, my wife decided that this was her choice for a birthday dinner.  Seeing as it was a celebration, we didn’t skimp.  We started out with drinks; she opted for the Pineapple Martini, while I tried the Vanilla Manhattan.  Both are made from infusions that they create, something rather popular in bars these days.  Both were very good, and given the fact that they were made with premium liquors, $5 wasn’t too steep a price.  We tried the baked brie as an appetizer, and it was delicious.  The brie is topped with a sweet butter and honey based sauce, golden raisins, and roasted pecans; and comes served with slices of house made bread.

We then split the blue cheese wedge salad.  A wedge of iceberg lettuce is topped with a creamy blue cheese dressing and bits of pancetta, with a few cherry tomatoes garnishing the plate.  This was also excellent, and that should register with some gravity, given the fact that I’m basically the polar opposite of a vegetarian and rarely eat salads.  The only slight complaint with it was the lack of pancetta bits.  They added such a great element to the salad that it was almost torturous to see only a few.

For entrees, she got the herb marinated chicken breast, served with risotto and sautéed greens.  This was a good dish, but nothing out of the ordinary.  The chicken was cooked perfectly, and the risotto was tasty, although lacking a bit of exotic flair, expected due to the other items on the menu.  I ordered the nine ounce filet, and it was easily one of the best steaks I have ever eaten.  Now that should be framed within some context.  One could make such a claim, and if the extent of their steak consumption has been Ryan’s steakhouses, then it would be laughable.  However, as evident in my size, I have had many fine steaks at many fine restaurants, and this one was truly remarkable.

All of Stroube’s meat comes from Allen Brothers, a company which prides themselves on the quality of their meat.  The steaks are wet-aged, hand selected and hand cut from only the finest of USDA prime meats.  The filet is priced at $29 without any accompanying sides, but for the quality and flavor experienced, is worth every penny.  It had a buttery taste without a sense of greasiness, and really needed no topping, although I was unable to resist the gorgonzola demi glace, one of several sauces offered.  Besides being unneeded, it was also below expectations, containing a trace amount of the cheese and a watery consistency.  Don’t be lured by the sauces, you won’t need them.

We also got the fresh corn and sage parmesan grits, which were awesome.  Being fans of a very similar item at another restaurant, it was impossible not to draw comparisons, but these truly stood out as superior, if for nothing else than the fact that they are freshly stone ground.  They had an excellent texture and flavor often sorely lacking in the afterthoughts of steakhouse side dishes.

Perhaps the biggest overall disappointment of the meal was the dessert.  While both were done very well, they lacked the same thread of innovativeness present in the rest of the meal.  The cheesecake was simple and basic, and the flourless chocolate cake is a common offering found nearly everywhere these days.  On a previous visit, I had sampled another dessert which seemed more in line with my expectations, however tonight it was not offered.

Service and décor were as to be expected in such a high level restaurant, both impressive and without any negative aspects.  Stroube’s is a welcome addition to the downtown scene, offering something that has truly been absent from the atmosphere trying to be established there.  A world class restaurant with great food providing a great experience.

TJ Ribs

2324 South Acadian Thruway
225.383.7427

6330 Siegen Lane
225.291.8100

http://www.tjribs.com

Cuisine Rouge Rating:

4 plates

by:  Chad
Since the late 1980’s it has been nearly impossible to be in Baton Rouge and think of ribs without thinking of those two letters – TJ.  Thomas “T.J.” Moran, isn’t a Baton Rouge native, but adopted the city as his own, and quickly became one of its most hardcore LSU fans.  When he first decided to venture into a restaurant specializing in ribs, spare ribs were the typical offering.  However, TJ decided upon babyback ribs which were considered something of a novelty at that time.  Today of course, this is their most well known and best selling dish.

Walking into the original location on Acadian Thruway is like stepping into an LSU museum.  Tons of LSU memorabilia are displayed, the highlight of which is Billy Cannon’s 1959 Heisman trophy, a must see for any true LSU fan.  I visited the new location on Siegen Lane with my family, which based on the constant flow of non-stop business at the original site, seemed to be a long time coming.

We arrived right at prime time on a Saturday night, but were seated immediately, thanks to the spaciousness of this venue.  I was surprised to learn from our server that they offer a selection of thirty beers on tap.  Call me crazy, but you can’t have barbecue without beer.  It’s like Christmas without Santa.

Speaking of barbecue, you will get some hardcore purists that will tell you this is not true barbecue.  Sure, it isn’t completely cooked over a wood fired pit for hours and hours, but you have to consider how much volume these guys do.  Their cooking method is multi-dimensional using dry rubs, marinades, roasting, and then finishing by grilling.

They offer your typical fare of appetizers, spinach dip, chicken wings, stuffed mushrooms, nachos, etc.  We opted for their take on chimichangas, where they fill flour tortillas with chopped barbecued beef and deep fry them.  Served with their own barbecue sauce, these are tasty and a nice intro to the items to follow.

The menu offers a fairly diverse selection from which to choose.  If you aren’t into pork or barbecue, there are burgers, pastas, salads, and several seafood choices including king crab legs, my choice if I ever develop an allergy to red meat or pork.

I ordered the babyback ribs with a baked potato, my wife ordered the pulled pork sandwich and the little guy got his standard, mac and cheese.  The ribs were good as always, cooked perfectly and very tender, with meat coming easily off the bone.  They lack a strong smoky flavor which some enjoy, but I found them to be tasty.  As simple as the baked potato is, I have found some places will either not bake it long enough, or they only give you enough toppings for a few bites.  This wasn’t the case here, as the potato was spot on, cooked thoroughly and loaded up with all the standard toppings.  My wife enjoyed the sandwich, but said it could have used more sauce, given the dryness of the meat.  Since you are provided with sauce on the table, this is a non-issue.  It’s much easier to add sauce than to remove it, so the sandwich as served seemed logical to me.

The mac and cheese my son had was obviously straight out of the box, served with some smiley faced fries.  Not necessarily a bad thing, since he seemed to like it just fine.  The only way I would consider this offensive would have been if they offered the same food as a side on the standard menu.

There was no room for dessert, although the selections were tempting.   All are fairly straightforward items, nothing exotic or unusual, but solid choices, including crème brulee, bread pudding, a brownie ice cream sandwich, cheesecake, and more.

Service was good, as I would expect, given the fact that the staff likely all got trained at the original location, where things are non-stop busy at all times.  In conclusion, this is a good place to get ribs, and a great place to take an out of town friend who loves LSU sports.  I wouldn’t go as far as to call it the best barbecue in town, and I dare say you can find ribs just as good at a few other spots.  But if you’re craving ribs and don’t want to take chances, rely upon this Baton Rouge institution.

Zea’s – American Fusion at Its Best

By: Mark

http://www.zearestaurants.com

Cuisine Rouge Rating:

4 plates

Cuisine Rouge made a promise to not focus or promote chains, but this local chain (started in Harahan, LA) deserves to be mentioned. Zea’s combines Asian and Mediterranean flavors into classic American foods. The outcome is a tasty fusion of big flavors. Zea’s rotisserie meats are some of the best around. Each day, a new slow roasted meat is featured (veal, lamb, pork, and beef are some) and their famous chicken is offered all the time.

I arrived at Zea’s on a Sunday night. I was celebrating my birthday with friends and concluded that Sunday would be the best night to entertain a table of ten. I walked in and noticed plenty of tables available. I asked the hostess for a table for ten and she looked at me as if she didn’t understand. “A table for ten, please.” I said again. She told me they would set me up a table, but I couldn’t sit there until 75% of my party had arrived. I glanced around the restaurant (which was approximately 75% empty) and said, “Fine.” I must admit, when a hostess cannot use good judgment it absolutely annoys me. I understand if a restaurant is full or near capacity, but I should be able to sit in a nearly empty restaurant. When 5 of my guest arrived (only 70%), we were able to sit.

The waitress was warm and friendly. She readily took our drink orders and brought us our drinks promptly (non-alcoholic). Shortly the remainder of my party arrived. Several of us ordered alcoholic beverages. Zea’s offers a variety of mojitos so I ordered the ginger mojito. It was delicious. The spicy ginger mixed well with the cool mint and the burn of the rum was pleasant. Several others ordered different mojitos and another guest ordered a cucumber martini; which she loved. In all, six of us ordered a mixed drink and another a beer and still the drinks took a long time to come out. This is excusable when a restaurant is full, but not when it is nearly empty. I wonder how long the drinks sat at the bar before being served.

We went light on the appetizers; with one couple ordering the Mediterranean hummus. This hummus is some of the best around. A large serving of creamy hummus is crowned with feta cheese, strips of julienned basil, sun dried tomatoes, olives, roasted garlic, and olive oil, Served with warm pita bread, this is a delicious way to start the meal. Other excellent appetizers are the Asian almond shrimp and the duck empanadas. Also, Zea’s signature spinach salad with pepper jelly vinaigrette is a must.

For entrees, Zea’s offers a wide range of roasted meats, seafood dishes, sandwiches, and local favorites. For my meal, I split the Thai ribs with my girlfriend, who ordered the twice cooked duck. The Thai ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and were very juicy. The ribs were glazed in a sweet and spicy Thai sauce and adorned with toasted sesame seeds and cilantro. The twice cooked duck, (which three people ordered) was perfect as always. Two large leg quarters were slow roasted till juicy and then flash fried to make the skin crisp. The spicy honey soy sauce was a perfect sauce to bring out the duck’s natural flavors. Another diner ordered the rotisserie ribeye steak, which he enjoyed. Two diners sampled the rotisserie chicken; one opting for lemon and rosemary flavor and the other opting for a sweet chili glaze. Both were very pleased with their meals. Two diners also ordered the rotisserie meat of the day, which was the beef with  mushroom sauce. Both were very pleased with the flavor of the meat, but wished more mushrooms could have been present in the sauce. The side dishes of Zea’s were also delicious. Creamy roasted corn grits, spicy braised cabbage, tangy Thai snap beans, and sugary mashed sweet potatoes were some of the sides enjoyed by all.

A complaint, and this shows the wait staff of a college town, was about ten minutes after we ordered the waitress came back saying there was a twenty minute wait on the chicken. She wanted to know if the rest of the table wanted their entrees. Why would I go out to dinner with friends if I wanted a twenty minute head start in my meal? I politetly told her we would wait. The meals were all brought out together and all were pleased.

For dessert, one diner ordered a homemade chocolate brownie and another ordered the bread pudding. The brownie was hot and gooey with chocolate and served with ice cream. The bread pudding was unique in that it was served like a wedge of cake. It was huge and the women (and Wesley) were very happy.

Zea’s is the kind of restaurant I enjoy eating at. Its mix of familiar foods with an exciting twist that certainly makes for an interesting meal. Its heavy Asian and Mediterranean influences can also serve as a stepping stone for new diners to try other ethnic dishes. Zea’s has become one of my “go-to” restaurants due to its diverse menu and big flavors. Zea’s is sure to please any person in search of a good meal.

Doe's Eat Place

By: Wesley

3723 Government Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
(225) 387-5331

http://www.doeseatplace.com/

This review must be prefaced with this warning: CuisineRouge makes a point of avoiding “chain” restaurants for good reason - most chains are devoid of soul, creativity, and real talent in the kitchen. There, I said it. I’m not trying to hate on them, but a locally owned, original restaurant symbolizes someone's ambitions and life savings, not the clever franchising decisions of a real-estate investment consortium. We do what we can do to shine the light on these places, as they often are overlooked.

Doe’s is an interesting compromise for us. It started out fairly close to home, over in Greenville, Mississippi, and over the years, Doe’s has grown to have two family-owned locations, and twelve franchise locations. Since the family-owned locations are not within a 30-minute drive of Baton Rouge, we visited the franchised location on Government Street.

So enough bull, where’s the beef? My two amigos and I were craving some steak, and Doe’s Eat Place sounded like a fun place to pig out. This is what I learned: Doe’s is probably the most honest and least pretentious steak restaurant that I’ve ever dined at. There is no tacky theme, vegan waif offerings, or chicken served at this establishment (although I hear the menus do vary location to location).

I am hesitant to call this restaurant “manly,” as I don’t want to give any woman hesitation to eating at Doe’s - perhaps “simple,” “elemental,” or “pure” are better adjectives to use. The menu is the very essence of “less is more” as there are only three main items: steak, tamales, and shrimp. Now hold on - there is a bit more to it, as there are 4 types of steak to choose from: sirloin, ribeye, filet mignon, and t-bone/porterhouse.

We each ordered a glass of tea, and in addition one of my fellow diners ordered a glass of Russian Standard vodka, which I hear is hard to find in most restaurants. Kudos to Doe’s for having fancy liquor! Per him, this vodka is the cleanest, best tasting vodka on the market, made by the people that invented the stuff. A must try for those who are hung up on the trendy goose named French offering, ordered blindly by those looking to be cool. Drinking French vodka is kinda like eating Chinese food in downtown Tijuana, but I digress.

The tamales....these aren’t what you get at the Mexican joint down the street. These are “Delta style,” which essentially means they aren’t bland and wrapped in a corn husk. “Delta style” comes in a paper wrapper, and instead of canned chili, you get the scraps from the beef the steaks are cut from ground up coarsely and prepared into a delicious and tangy stew. You simply unwrap the tamale, spoon on some chili, and then enjoy. The beef, corn, and chili come together in a most satisfying way. The three of us split a half-dozen as an appetizer, but if the possibility of steak wasn’t looming, I’d gladly settle for a dozen as my meal, and not feel slighted in the least.

Now about the beef. One thing that is positively refreshing is the amount of respect that Doe’s pays to the Bos Primigenius (That’s what scientists calls cows). Doe’s refuses to ruin the beef by burning it (also known as “well done,” the greatest culinary oxymoron). Since we all were shooting for a light meal, we each ordered the smallest steak on the menu, the pound and a half porterhouse. That might blow your mind, and that’s okay. The steaks are offered in roughly one pound increments, with the intention that you order a big one to share with your partner, with some of the cuts even offering two different temperatures per order.

Ordering the steak was easy: pick your cut, your poundage, and your doneness. After that, another tantalizing choice: fries or boiled potatoes. One amigo picked fries, two picked the boiled potatoes. The waiter warned us the potatoes were bland, prepared only by placing them into unsalted boiling water with butter, and the fries were the better pick.

Every steak dinner is preceded with a marinated salad, consisting of iceberg lettuce and cherry tomatoes soaked in a lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil infusion. The salad tasted good, a little sour/spicy, but the wilted lettuce was a bit of a turn off and I wish it had been colder. The wooden bowls were a rustic touch, and there is an interesting story about the salad, invented by Aunt Florence, that you can find on Doe’s website. True carnivores may not care about the salad, but it is a Doe’s institution.

On to the steaks - yes, the whole point of going to a steak restaurant is the big slab of sizzling beef, untainted by ketchup, A1, Heinz 57, pineapple glaze, or peppercorn mushroom congealed disappointment. Sauces like these are the refuge of weaker cuts of beef, and Doe’s doesn’t offer them because they don’t need them. The ketchup on the tables is only for the fries! Our porterhouses arrived at the table, cooked perfectly. Along with the sizzling spread came a basket of curious brown biscuits. These “drop biscuits” consist of dough, deep fried, and served with butter and honey. Think country-style beignets and you are close enough.

The next part is little hazy. Once we started eating the steaks, the witty banter gave way to the tinkling sounds of cutlery, and other less delicate sounds. Watching two other men eat steak isn’t pretty, so it’s best to focus on what’s on your plate. I had ordered the boiled potatoes to accompany my steak, against the recommendation of the waiter, and they were just that - boiled potatoes, bland and unremarkable. Thankfully, there were enough French fries to go around, and they were cut and seasoned perfectly.

Our waiter, who was something of a likeable smart-ass, encouraged us to pick up the bone and get the good parts if we couldn’t manage with fork and knife alone. We happily obliged. I don’t know how else to tell you - the steak was perfect, tender, well seasoned (with salt and pepper alone, as far as I can tell). We were offered dessert, but passed due to a complete lack of room to hold it.

So what else is there to say about Doe’s Eat Place? Well, it’s a great place to get a perfect steak, it’s got a fun and casual atmosphere, and it’s the absolute worst place to bring your Hindu and vegetarian friends. My bill, which included two tamales (1/3 of the half dozen), iced tea, and the one and a half pound porterhouse was $44. Not bad at all! I’m really looking forward to eating here again. Go Eat at Doe’s!

Freaky Foods of Baton Rouge - The Source

By: Mark

http://www.dojerky.com

Technically this Freaky Food entry is located in Denham Springs, La; but I need to include it. In the Beef Jerky Outlet, across from the Bass Pro Shop, a bottle of liquefied Satan awaits. Over 200 hot sauces are for sale, but none can touch The Source. Made of 100% pure capsaicin extract, this “sauce” is actually a base from which hot sauces and large batches of food are made. The Source clocks in at a fiery 7.1 million Scovilles! Considering a bell pepper is 0 Scovilles, a jalapeno is 2,500 Scovilles, a habanero is 400,000 Scovilles, and a naga jolokia is 850,000 Scovilles, The Source is hotter than all of these peppers combined X 5! After signing a waiver, the tip of a toothpick was touched to the sauce and then to my tongue. Pure agony ensued for the next thirty minutes and as a result, I spent $12.00 on milk. The scary part was the milk didn’t help! I had to wait for the sauce to run its course. The only thing I could compare it to would be a furnace running at full capacity in my mouth. I will never try it again, but to all you heat freaks out there, I say “Good Luck!”

Mason’s Grill – A Solid Sunday Brunch

By: Mark

http://www.masonsgrill.com
http://www.masonsgrill.com/menu_jefferson/breakfast_weekend.html

Mason’s Grill on Jefferson Highway has always been known as the place to grab a burger, but it may soon be known as the place to grab a good brunch. Two diners and I ventured over to Mason’s to grab a bite to eat. We made sure to get there early to beat the church crowd. We arrived at approximately 10:45 AM and were seated promptly, even though the restaurant was nearly full.

We started our meals with River Road brand coffee, which was some of the best tasting coffee I have had. It was smooth and bold with a little bite. My two companions also ordered champagne ($3.95 for all you can drink). Our waitress was attentive and very friendly. Our coffee and champagne glasses rarely went half empty.

For my meal, I ordered the special, the alligator sauce piquante benedict. Two biscuit halves were topped with Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and smothered in a spicy alligator piquante sauce. Flavor wise, the meal was very good. The sauce was rich and had a nice level of heat. My only problem was the small portion of alligator meat. I think I might have received a slight sliver, but I felt if I was paying extra for alligator, I should see a decently sized piece of it. I also ordered a sweet potato pancake. The pancake was almost the size of the dinner plate. The pancake was fluffy and had a wonderful nutmeg and cinnamon flavor. These are a must when dining at Mason’s. The meal also came with hash browns, that were fried crispy and speckled with sautéed onions and peppers. They are a delicious side to any breakfast choice.

The other two guests both ordered the crab cake and eggs. The crab cakes were large, but thin. They were decent in taste, but had a slightly fishy flavor (a possible by product of cheap crab meat). They were topped with a poached egg and had a creamy hollandaise sauce drizzled on top. My companions enjoyed them immensely.

Mason’s offers a full breakfast menu with traditional and Cajun influenced dishes. They also serve their full menu for those looking to start their day with a famous burger. The meal wasn’t cheap ($70 for three diners), but Mason’s offers a wide variety of great food. This may become a Sunday tradition for me.

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Deal of the Week

by: Chad

Where can you go in town to get a dozen oysters on the half shell and a cold Abita beer on draft for less than $6?  If the year was 1959 and not 2009, this would be pretty easy to answer.  But this is not historical fiction, and I don’t have a time machine.  You can find this deal at Mason’s Grill on Thursday nights.  A glass of your choice of the Abita beer selections on draft is only $1.75, and oysters on the half shell are only $.35.  If oysters aren’t your thing, they offer other great specials all during the week, such as all you can eat fried catfish on Wednesdays ($10 for lunch, $13 for dinner), all you can eat BBQ (brisket and ribs) and $2 domestic beer on Tuesdays ($17 for lunch, $19 for dinner), and your choice of any of these great all-you-can-eat specials on Friday night.  Monday nights kids eat free, and kids get a free ice cream sundae with their meal.  They also happen to be Food Network’s choice for best burger in Louisiana, their delicious Cajun Shrimp Burger; a burger to put all others to shame.

Walk-On's

Cuisine Rouge Rating:

2 plates

By: Chad

Where we live, seafood is king.  In many areas of the country, simply having our fried seafood delicacies on your menu will make you a great restaurant.  However, in our area these delicacies are far too easily found, and a restaurant has to be on top of the game to be successful.

Walk-On’s has some things going for it.  The LSU location is a prime spot, right in the shadow of the mighty Tiger stadium.  That alone makes it a hot spot for LSU fans, which this town has no shortage of.  The availability of young, attractive college coeds as wait staff doesn’t hurt either, making it a haven for guys who like that magical combination of food, sports, and attractive girls.

Unfortunately though, the food takes a backseat to these things.  A sampling of several different fried offerings ranged from lackluster to passable.  Nothing shined or stood out in comparison to some of the other big name seafood houses in town.  The best dish I tasted was the signature item, the Angels on Horseback.  Jumbo sized butterflied shrimp are stuffed with an oyster, then wrapped in apple-smoked bacon and fried.  Served with the accompanying remoulade sauce these were fairly tasty.  However, other dishes such as the stuffed shrimp lacked the spiciness and flavor in the stuffing that makes the dish.  The other items sampled included the red beans and rice, chicken fingers, catfish Acadiana, and chicken club croissant.  All were reported as ‘okay’ by the members of my party who tried them, but their feedback was filled with about as much excitement as a bingo game at a rest home.  This same level of enthusiasm was echoed in the service.  Our waitress seemed to have a demeanor that screamed ‘how much longer till my shift is over’.

Here at Cuisine Rouge, we make a conscious effort to promote the positive aspects of local restaurants.  We aren’t out to bad mouth or tear anyone apart, but at the same time, we want to inform our readers of where good food and great deals can be found.  Sadly, Walk-On’s just doesn’t have either of these things to offer.  Several places around town have better seafood dishes at better prices.  Of course, your opinion may differ from ours, and we always welcome your comments and feedback.

Downtown

For quite some time now, Baton Rouge has struggled with getting some life injected into the downtown area.  While a few places have thrived, the majority have come and gone, some so quickly that they were barely even noticed.  This holds true for both bars and restaurants, and those establishments that fall somewhere in between.  Here are my thoughts on some downtown spots.

First up are the places where you can get in and out quickly if you want to grab a quick bite.  The Subway on the corner of Third and North is perfect for this, because whether or not you’re ready, the sandwich Nazi inside will push you through the line so fast, you won’t have time to waste time.  If you are looking to sit down for a bit in a casual place, Downtown Seafood has cheap prices and decent food.  Nothing to brag about, but it will do in a pinch.  Jobe’s Café is a nice little place with a daily buffet.  They have consistently good food, and at a good price.  The crowd can get pretty thick in the midst of the lunch rush, and you may be bumping elbows with some pretty grisly characters working on the many construction projects in the area.

The new Shaw Center has brought with it some great dining spots.  If you’re in the mood for sushi, Tsunami is a great place.  It also offers the best view of the downtown area overlooking the river.  That view doesn’t come cheap though, so you’ll find yourself paying a bit more than you would at a typical Japanese eatery.  Capital City Grill on the other side of the center is another great restaurant.  Located just across the street from the new downtown Hilton, they have good food and friendly service.  I personally recommend the Tenderloin Salad for lunch.  Crisp Romaine lettuce tossed in a tangy Caesar dressing with diced Roma tomatoes, topped with a nice piece of tenderloin steak sporting some crumbled blue cheese.

The people who brought you Walk-On’s restaurant (near LSU, and now Coursey near Sherwood), have a few establishments in the downtown area.  There’s an Irish themed bar, Happy’s, a pizza joint called Schlitz and Giggles, and Roux House.  Schlitz and Giggles is about as serious about their food as the name would suggest.  I have found the pizza here to be rather disappointing.  They serve the thin crust style, which I am a big fan of, but it just isn’t up to par.  The crust is lacking crispiness and any inclusion of meat toppings leaves you with a pool of grease atop each slice.  Roux House is unfortunately not much better.  On a recent visit, I got their version of a small seafood combo plate, containing shrimp that were sized to be dried and bagged, not fried.  The crawfish weren’t very fresh, and the fries soggy, a disappointment to our seafood traditions.  Service at each place is also very poor.  I sat unattended at a table in the pizza place before leaving and the staff at Roux House made it seem like an effort to serve me.  These places should stick to providing drinks and music.

Where else in the city can you eat foie gras and drink something called a Dirty Lobbyist?   Look for a review very soon.

Dingo's

UPDATE: After a move from Coursey to the Shenandoah Country Club, Dingo's closed after just a few months in it's new location. I miss the curry so much, I can't stand it.  Thinking of calling Patrick and begging for the recipe.


Cuisine Rouge Rating:

4.5 plates

Wow.  You know, there are a relatively large number of restaurants here in the Baton Rouge area, but despite that, there isn't much variety.  You can choose from a long list of places from the typical categories, but rarely is there a place that stands out.

One of the city's newest eateries, Dingo's is such a place.  Located in what was at one time Semolina's restaurant on Coursey Boulevard near Sherwood Forest, Dingo's maintains the same basic look, but a totally different atmosphere.

Owner Patrick Muller hails from Perth, Australia and his friendly and captivating persona contributes largely to welcoming environment you'll find inside.  When you combine this with the great food, you are sure to become a fan.

The menu is relatively short, but covers a wide range of different types of items.  Appetizers include standard fare such as potato wedges and spinach dip, but also features some interesting things such as the shrimp bong, jumbo shrimp perched high upon skewers served in a glass bowl containing a tasty dipping sauce.

There are a nice variety of salads and sandwiches on the menu offering a variety of different flavors.  My wife had a side salad that was served with a delicious honey mustard dressing.  For lunch I had the chicken club, a basic sandwich regularly seen on a lunch menu, but the crispy applewood bacon, tasty honey mustard sauce and wheat bun elevated it to another level.  It didn't hurt either that the chicken breast was cooked perfectly, very juicy and sporting a great grilled flavor.

Other sandwiches on the menu take on an exciting flair, and offer a nice departure from their boring counterparts.  Turkey and brie Panini with fig spread, the turkey burger with chipotle cranberry sour cream, and the veggie burger with freshly made mango salsa are all as tasty as they sound.

Continuing the trend of tasty and exciting are the soups.  The tomato basil and homemade chili made with chicken are quite good, and the pumpkin soup is an unusual and delicious offering.  It is thick and creamy with a hint of spice giving it a really nice flavor.

The two entrees that I sampled were excellent.  The pan seared sea scallops were perfectly cooked, and served atop butternut squash risotto.  The squash were not overcooked, with a nice bite, offering a great textural contrast to the creamy risotto.  The chipotle chicken curry has applewood bacon, artichokes, green peppers, and tender pieces of chicken swimming in a decadent coconut red curry sauce.  I'm fairly certain you won't find a dish this exotic and flavorful anywhere else in town.

If you have managed to save any room for dessert, you are in for a treat.  There are a variety of selections, including a rotating 'sweet of the day', but I recommend the chocolate croissant bread pudding.  The creamy, buttery richness of the croissant makes it an excellent candidate for incorporation into a bread pudding.  Together with the chocolate chips and the rum cream sauce, this will put all other bread puddings you have tasted to shame.

In conclusion, this is a great restaurant, and a more than welcome wakeup call to the standard fare of Baton Rouge cuisine.  Do yourself a favor and head 'down under' to Coursey Boulevard for a great meal.

Burgertime

I do love a good burger. Unfortunately, I have been spoiled by my time spent working in New Orleans, and thus cannot ever be totally satisfied with any burger in Baton Rouge again.  If you love the hamburger like I do, then read the following very carefully.

When you are in New Orleans, you MUST go to Port of Call.  Even if you don't find yourself going to New Orleans any time in the foreseeable future, it would be worth the trip just for this experience.  Fight the initial urge to doubt me when you arrive and are forced to wait in a long line, even if it is a Tuesday afternoon.  Also, do not rush to judgement when you enter and find the place to be a dive.  You may reach a breaking point when encountering the less than friendly staff, and when you don't see fries on the menu, but relax and wait it out.  Because when you get that huge, delicious, freshly cut burger delivered unto you, it will all be worth it.

I'm not sure exactly what they do, but they do it right.  From the dimly lit kitchen emerge guys who look like roadies wearing dark sunglasses, but they are magical when it comes to meat.  You will stare at the burger and huge baked potato and wonder how one could possibly consume it all, but not long thereafter you will again be filled with wonder, imagining how you were able to eat every bite.

Sure, there are other things on the menu, but there is no conceivable way that I could go there and not get a burger.  Maybe one day, but I doubt it.

As for Baton Rouge, I have heard a variety of opinions.  Some say Brewbachers is the place to go, others say Pasttime, Times Grill, Cheeburger Cheeburger, etc.  Here is what I say - if you can't order a burger any way other than cooked to death, then scratch them off the list immediately.  Meat that has been cooked to the dull grayish color of death will taste just that way.  I'm not telling you to eat it freshly removed from the cow, but a happy medium is nice.

You may call me crazy, but to me, Hooters has a great burger.  I am well aware that they are much better known for their two main dishes, wings and eye candy.  But, they will cook to order your burger however you like it, and I have always been pleased with the flavor and quality of product.  Quality of the burger that is....of course.  Let's hear your thoughts.

UPDATE:  Okay, so perhaps I was a bit premature in posting this entry, because I had not visited Mason's Grill.  Food network deemed their shrimp burger best burger in Louisiana, so I had to try it.  Fresh ground beef stuffed with jalapenos cooked to order however you like it done.  Covered in a ridiculous amount of melted jack cheese, perfectly cooked shrimp and topped with more fresh sliced jalapenos.  This is all placed upon a slightly sweet toasted bun.  Very good, easily the best burger that BR has to offer.