Pepolino

Yesterday was my third day in New York. I had seen all the huge tourist attractions on previous visits and decided that a night on the town would be just great. So I went to Little Italy, or the Tribeca neighborhood, and walked around. I must say, North End in Boston is much better. That's real Italian. This is New York Italian. Not as nice. Anyway, the time soon came for me to choose a place to eat dinner. There were only a scant amount of eateries, most of them super casual, not pretty white-tablecloth places. But then I found something different. Pepolino Ristorante. Well, I thought, I have been fantasizing about a good Italian meal tonight, so why not stop here? Looking back now, I see that I made one of the best restaurant decisions ever. 

After I was seated, got my menu and drink, and ordered my food, I was served a delicious assortment of Italian breads. Guess what was provided as a spread? Butter? No. Try again. Tomato flan. Yes. Doesn't that sound heavenly? It was. It came with a single parsley leaf stuck on top, which gave it a striking presentation. Spread on foccacia, the flan was just marvelous. It had a wonderfully spicy garlicky flavor, which contrasted nicely with the soft, mellow bread, making the flan the star. A perfect way to begin a meal. 

For an appetizer, or antipasto, I got the spinach soufflé with tomato culis, light butter, and some grand panado cheese to top it off. It came soon after I ordered, the soufflé sitting in the two sauces. The cool (and beautiful) thing was that the butter and tomato didn't mix, so they stayed on either side of the plate, like two stripes. The soufflé was bright green, and a sprig of thyme was stuck into it. The soufflé's flavor was just amazing, with a fresh taste of spinach ringing through clear and strong. The culis was bright and a bit tart, and the butter was creamy and rich. My appetizer was definitely a culinary triumph. 


I chose cacio e pepe for my entree. Cacio e pepe is a popular dish in Rome. The Romans often have late-night spaghetti parties on their rooftop balconies, and cacio e pepe is often served. It seems so simple on paper. In Italian, it just means "pasta with cheese and pepper." To be exact, Pecorino Romano, a cows-milk cheese, with a sharper, tangier flavor than that of Parmesan is the classic ingredient, while black pepper is another authentic addition. If you don't put black pepper in a cacio e pepe, it's not a cacio e pepe. You've got an Alfredo sauce. Spaghetti is the classic kind of pasta used, and at Pepolino, they were certainly authentic and classic, so they did all the hallmarks of the dish well. The rich, creamy, melty cheese, al dente pasta, and spicy pepper aftertaste were all there. The pasta was homemade, and was cooked perfectly; tender but with some bite. Also, I tasted one of the specials of the day: spinach and ricotta ravioli with tomato and fresh basil. It was fresh, light, and summery, and the ravioli itself was cooked again to perfection. The entrees I sampled were certainly authentic, and I enjoyed them to the fullest.


For dessert, I chose an orange blossom creme brûlée. After my rich meal, I felt a bit delicate, so I passed on the chocolate cake. The creme brûlée seemed like the perfect "docli" to me. I was also very surprised and gratified when the waiter presented me with not only a creme brûlée, but a slice of free ricotta cheesecake (complimentary, of course)! I cracked the top of my brûlée and dug in. The custard was sweet, creamy, and rich, and perfectly infused with just the right amount of dainty orange blossom flavor. The top was crunchy and had that delectable bittersweet flavor. There were candied pieces of orange zest on top. The cheesecake was nothing like a New York cheesecake. It was much less dense, a tad airy, and very elegant. The ricotta lent an interesting texture as well. Lightly dusted with powdered sugar, this cheesecake could make you faint with the wonderful flavor. So I give that an A+.


The service was divine, too. All the staff was Italian, giving the place an authentic feel. My waiter also spoke French and Spanish; it was fun talking the latter with him. My food came promptly, and it tasted absolutely sublime, as if they really put their hearts into it. The atmosphere was intimate, and the soft lighting and quiet music told me once again that it was a place for dates and couples. The price was rather expensive, but everything had been worth it.

So if you're in the Tribeca one night and need a really memorable Italian meal, stop by Pepolino, and I promise you'll be happy. Very happy. 

The Lemongrass Grill

As if once wasn't enough, here is yet another Thai restaurant, reviewed by moi, Mademoiselle Nouvelle Orleans, here in New York City.

Yesterday was a very nice day, a step away from the day before yesterday. I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rockefeller Center, and explored Brooklyn a bit. Cool, right? That night, I was hungry and wanted to go out to eat, so I researched a bit, and found The Lemongrass Grill. I decided to stop by; two Thai nights in a row isn't that bad, is it? So I got my coat and umbrella (it was raining and the wind was roaring and blowing like mad), and walked a couple blocks till I found it. It looked nice to behold; with lots of pretty, soft lights. I saw in a moment that it was a romantic restaurant; there were lots of couples in there. But I decided that I liked the feel of it and went inside. 

I sat down at a table and got my drink and menu right away from a sweet, pretty waitress, and she left me to choose my food. I decided to try another drink, called some Thai name I can't remember off hand. After I'd sipped for a bit, the flavor of it hit me nicely. It was sweet and cold and absolutely singing with cherry flavor.  Yum!

I then chose my appetizer. The menu of the place was huge, at least 6 pages, so I had a long list of starters to choose from. After a bit of debating, I chose the Vegetarian Crispy Roll, which was a dish with bean thread, carrot, cabbage, and onion embedded on a wonton wrapper, which was fried until it was crisp and flaky. It came with (I think?) sweet chili sauce for dipping, which made it taste even better. The vegetables tasted pleasantly fresh, and the outside was crisp, flaky, and golden. The sauce was a curious syrupy texture but tasted spicy and full of flavor. All in all, a good way to start a good meal.

I chose Nasi Goreng Bali, a Thai and Indonesian fried rice with carrots, peas, onions, and a scrambled egg on top. The rice was perfectly cooked and the shrimp that came with it was super spicy and flavorful, just not as fresh tasting as the un-frozen gulf shrimp we get back in New Orleans. The vegetables were okay, and the egg was fluffy and well browned. My entree was very good just not spectacular.

Thai folks aren't big on dessert, so had to go my own way on that. My dinner at The Lemongrass Grill was very good, the waitress was sweet and took good care of me, and the atmosphere was quiet and better for romantic dates than for a normal dinner. So if you need yet another Thai restaurant to consider, here is my review of the Lemongrass Grill!  

Cafe Chili, The Tired Traveler's Savior

Au revior, NOLA! I'm heading up north to New York, steadily eating my way through the state, and giving you my usual reliable restaurant reviews. New York, here I come!

Yesterday was a super hard, draining sort of day; full of traveling, motion sickness (due to a bumpy JetBlue flight), and so on. As for nice dining (before dinner, I mean to say).....I DON'T THINK SO! I passed on a smelly chicken salad sandwich at lunchtime, and after I got to JFK, Madame La Bouffe did get me an Orange Sherbet from Jamba Juice, but I was still starving when dinnertime came along. When we got to our temporary lodgings and relaxed a bit, we decided to go for a walk, and find someplace to eat. That wasn't easy, because it was Christmas night, and only a handful of restaurants were open. After strolling up and down in the biting cold, we came across a  cozy looking Thai restaurant, called Cafe Chili decorated lavishly with a Christmas tree, fake snow, and many other Christmas symbols. We decided to give it a try. We wouldn't last much longer if we waited for dinner; I was practically famished.  We went inside and were immediately attended to by a quiet Thai waitress, who led us to a table by the window. 

After we had seated ourselves, and got our waters, Madame La Bouffe ordered a Sake cocktail, because, as she said, "We're only in NY for so long. I'm going to live large." 

Our waiter, a very reserved, super quiet young Asian man, gave us our cocktails and menus, and left us to choose our food. There were lots of tasty-looking options on the menu, and I had a hard time deciding which to choose. Finally, I settled on the Cilantro Corn Fritters for my starter, and the basil snapper for my entree. Madame La Bouffe got the Emerald Green Vegetable Dumplings and the scallop-shrimp curry for her main course. 

Our appetizers were absolutely delicious. My fritters tasted so good, with a super crisp, craggy crust and a soft, sweet interior. The corn kernels on the inside were pert, not mushy, and when dipped in sweet peanut sauce, they were just fabulous. I snitched one of Madame La Bouffe's dumplings, which I really liked a lot. The wrapper was actually bright green, and the fillings....well, I don't know what the fillings actually were, but they tasted very fresh and yummy. Dipped in a soy sauce, they tasted like a magical, life-renewing food.

Our entrees were "uneven." I had been expecting just a fillet of fish with a basil  sauce, but NOPE!

Anyway, now that you know what it looks like, I'll tell you about the most important part of it: the taste. The snapper was deep fried WITH THE SCALES AND EVERYTHING ON. Then they took the meat out and piled it on top of the fried carcass. The basil was incorporated in the dish as crisp little chips, which were delightful. The meat was tender, with a crust that crunched deliciously as I chewed. The meat was also sauced with some kind of sweet concoction that was really good. This entree was the strangest yet the most delicious snapper I'd ever eaten. 

Madame La Bouffe's curry, however, was not so good. Her scallops, she said, "tasted like they were marinated in Windex, and I actually had to spit them out." Her shrimp, she said, were just "okay," and the curry sauce tasted "like it came out of a box." 

So if you happen to be in Brooklyn, hungry and tired of traipsing about in the cold, stop by Cafe Chili, located on Court St., and you'll get a really memorable snapper and other great Thai food. We don't recommend the shrimp and scallop curry, but the Emerald Green Vegetable Dumplings and Cilantro Corn Fritters will practically knock your socks off! Until next time, and happy eating!`

The Milk Bar

The Milk Bar, a casual sandwich-salad-milkshake lunch spot, is a fairly new addition to the River Bend Area, and I've been wanting to try it out for a while now. The tantalizing "Open Soon" signs almost drove me nuts, and finally, after many long weeks of waiting, it opened! I soon found the perfect opportunity to stop by. After I had performed in my school Christmas service, and left with Madame La Bouffe at 11, we both got hungry and talked about a good place to eat our lunch. We remembered The Milk Bar, and sped off down the street toward the River Bend.

As we entered, it was clear that the Milk Bar is very popular around noon. The place was filled with folks sitting at the tables, eating, drinking, talking, and in a nutshell, having a very nice time. Madame La Bouffe and I chose a table, got a menu and drinks, and perched ourselves comfortably upon the black-and-white cow-patterned chairs. We studied the gourmet sandwich menu carefully, and soon we chose our food. I picked the Shirley Valentine, a delicious sounding sandwich of hot ciabatta bread stuffed with spinach, tomato, red onion, artichoke, mushrooms, and melted feta and mozzarella cheeses. Madame La Bouffe selected the Thai Chili Chicken, which wasn't as well described as my sandwich was on the menu. Still, it attracted Madame La Bouffe like a pin to a magnet. 

As we waited for our food, we chatted and sipped our drinks and watched the staff make milkshakes, which was a simple process yielding wonderfully tasty results. Our sandwiches came at last, wrapped in paper bags with hearts drawn on them. We released them from their wax paper and bit right in. The Shirley Valentine, was, I thought, one of the best vegetarian sandwiches I'd ever eaten. The bread was crisp and soft, and the fillings made the already great roll even better. Everything was cooked well; nothing was mushy or overly crunchy, and the gooey cheeses added rich, creamy notes, a step away from the other rather fresh, raw fillings. The sandwich was delectable, but it sadly was so big I couldn't finish it. So if you're a dainty bird-eating eater, you might not be able to finish very much. Madame La Bouffe too, liked her Thai sandwich, and all in all we had a very good time.

Both the staff and atmosphere at The Milk Bar are both pleasant, and they always slip a lollipop into your sandwich bag, if you choose not to have a milkshake.

So if you're looking for a good spot to have lunch with your friends or just by yourself, come over to the Milk Bar. I promise you'll be coming back for more. And if you don't like milkshakes or lollipops, Cold Stone is just around the corner, so you can get an ice cream cone instead. Bon appetit, my faithful readers! 

Zea, A True Southern Favorite

Zea, that smooth Southern chain, had never really crossed my mind as a good spot to eat until I'd had my first dinner there. Mind you, I'd never been there, but I've pretty much just passed it by. Now it happened that me, my grandmother, and my best friend/second cousin Jeanne were going to a play together, and, being hungry, we decided to go out for a nice dinner at a restaurant beforehand. My grandmother asked, "How about Zea?" Jeanne and I said OK, Jeanne with a touch more enthusiasm, having already been there and enjoyed a good meal. I recalled that old saying, "Try everything at least once in life," and decided to play along and try it out. So we pulled into the parking lot of one of the Zeas, and strolled up the prettily lit walkway to the eatery itself.

After our friendly waiter had us comfortably seated at our table, placed our drinks beside us, and given us our menus, we sat back and browsed. Finally, I decided on the Southern Thin Fried Catfish, chose my sides (Zea's signature stone-ground grits and hush puppies), and sat eagerly awaiting my food. Jeanne got the Duck Empanadas, a favorite of hers, and Grandma got a half-rack of the Thai Ribs. We had plenty to chat about as we waited, and we watched others eat their food, eagerly anticipating the moment when we would be doing the same.

Our food came quickly, which I was very happy about; some restaurants I've been to in the past make you wait for your food for over half and hour, which is very inconvenient setup. We tucked right in when the waiter brought us our plates, and there was a cozy silence for the first few minutes, as we crunched, dipped, gnawed, and chomped, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. My first remark on my catfish is that the menu lied. It said, "Southern Thin Fried Catfish," and in reality it wasn't thin at all. The fish was in the shape of chicken tenders, and was, well, pretty thick. But the coating was crisp, crunchy, golden brown, and well fried, and the fish was flaky and moist. Adding a good dunk of flavorful tartar sauce made it even better, and I crunched away. My hush puppies were very good, with a pleasant sweet flavor of corn on the fluffy inside and a shatteringly crisp browned outside. The grits are what I really loved. Most grits are just the classic dried ground corn, which is delicious, but Zea's grits had real, genuine, sweet little corn kernels in them, and they tasted like homemade. Apart from that, the grits were creamy and scoop-able, unlike some grits I've eaten, which were watery and looked like undercooked gruel. 

After we all finished our delectable entrees, Jeanne and I decided to spilt a piece of strawberry cheesecake. It came, fantastically presented, on a white plate; a golden beauty of a dessert, with delicious syrupy strawberries lounging about the plate. On top there was an enormous piped puff of whipped cream, which added lots of charm. Our waiter put down three plates and three forks , and Grandma said, "I really don't need dessert, I'm really full from my ribs." The waiter said cheerfully, "Oh, it's just in case you do. It's really good cheesecake." Jeanne grabbed two of the forks and held them up, which made us all laugh. Then Jeanne and I got to work. The cheesecake was delicious, though still very average. It was crumbly, creamy, and melted in our mouths, but Jeanne and I didn't stop to "mmm." We attacked it has fast as we could (we were trying to eat before Grandma came back from the bathroom), and when she did, there was only the whipped cream left. Grandma took a swipe of that, and then Jeanne and I ate the rest. A perfect way to end a perfect dinner.

So all in all, I had a really fun time at Zea, and I urge you to try it out as well, if you've never been. I recommend the catfish and the strawberry cheesecake, but if you're one of those folks who talks a lot and only occasionally takes bites, keep watch, because someone will probably want steal it! 

Dinner at Nino

Friday night came along, and I was getting desperate. Madame La Bouffe was out of town, and since I had no expert recommending restaurants to me, I was on my own. I thumbed through a Gambit "Out to Eat" issue without much interest, and researched a few other places. Friday night is the night lots of people go out to dinner, and spots like Superior Grill, Stanley, and other delicious eateries would probably be packed. I needed a nice, casual, quiet place with no huge hordes of hungry folks holding up the line, and suddenly, my brain snapped. Aha! Cafe Nino! I've been to Cafe Nino a few times before, and I remember being very satisfied and having a good eating experience. So I decided to stop by for a bite. 

Cafe Nino is a very casual local Italian restaurant, and it serves lots of hearty food. Pizza, pasta, calzones and Philly steaks are the top items on the menu, and they make them pretty darn good! The night I went, they also had spinach lasagna, chicken Parmesan, chicken Masala, and a veal dish sitting in hot vats.  I decided on a spinach calzone, and after I ordered I talked to the good natured man who was making the pizza. He let me watch him toss the thin dough and knuckle it into a large round. He explained the different things that they put on the pizzas, and we had a nice conversation. So you can count on getting treated really well by the staff!

My lovely calzone came, steaming hot, out of the pizza oven. The filling, absolutely stuffed with cheese and flavorful spinach, tasted perfect all wrapped up in a hot, golden-brown pocket of dough. The nice man gave me a plate of marinara sauce for dipping, and after I brought the first bite to my lips, I began to eat enthusiastically. The filling and dough were both very delicious, and they were the perfect marriage of crisp, chewy, creamy, and earthy. The sauce was tasty as well, and when I dunked a forkful of calzone into it, it tasted even better. 

I also tasted some of the spinach lasagna, which was delectable but just not spectacular. After I thought I was done eating, the man also brought me some hot bread, shaped like bows, that tasted really fresh and had a nice yeast flavor. I'm happy to say that I did have a little room left for them. 

This hearty meal only cost me $20, which is a really good price for such delicious dinner. 

If you're counting on fine dining, I suggest not to come by, because this place was formerly a Steak and Egg! The kitchen and dining room share the same space, so you can watch the cooks work their magic. Also, you have to clean up your own table, so don't count on someone throwing away your plates and stuff for you! It's a bit more effort, I grant you, but I think it's still so worth it!

If you're walking about at night, hungry and tired, stop by Cafe Nino, and I'm sure you'll be satisfied, by both the food and the price! 

A Truck Stop Breakfast

Madame La Bouffe and I were heading back home from Oklahoma, and had to spend the night in Talullha, Louisiana before proceeding on our way. After a night of not much sleeping at a Super 8, we wanted to get a good breakfast before leaving, so we wouldn't be crabby and waspish. The breakfast buffet at the hotel was nothing special, and we wanted something heartier. So we asked the lady at the check-out desk for suggestions. She recommended the Country Pride Restaurant, a spot that truckers haunted for the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. Madame La Bouffe declared that truck stop food was generally very good, so we decided to try it out.

After we were seated comfortably at a clean table at the restaurant, our waitress poured us some delicious, rich decaf, and told us to help ourselves at the buffet. We each snatched a plate and wandered over to the food. There was some really hearty, yummy looking food steaming under the infrared lamps; good food like breakfast casserole, biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, grits, French toast, fruit, and pancakes. I helped myself to three pancakes, and drizzled the stack with a ladle-ful of maple syrup, which was contained in a large vat, piping hot. Madame La Bouffe also made an excellent breakfast, and after our plates were filled, we sat down and ate. My pancakes were very good; fluffy, flavorful, and golden. I soaked my bites of pancake with the pool of maple syrup, and I can tell you, I can't remember enjoying breakfast in a restaurant more. Madame La Bouffe's only complaint was that her eggs were rather cooler than she liked, but I glossed over this one, and went back to my delicious food. 

The atmosphere was very masculine, with lots of men everywhere, eating, drinking coffee, and talking about their trucks. It wasn't overly loud, though, and the service was ideal. Tami always made us laugh, and was always checking on us to see if we needed anything. I felt rather pampered. 

If you happen to be staying at a hotel on 65 South Highway, stop by Country Pride Restaurant, and I'm sure you'll be satisfied by the hearty, tasty food and good service. 

El Maguey

Madame La Bouffe and I were looking for a good lunch spot on Black Friday in Oklahoma, which was a little hard, because some of the good spots were closed. We were originally planning to eat lunch at a Lebanese restaurant that is called (get this!) La Roma Pizzeria, but, being a family-run business, it too was closed. So as we drove about, we stumbled upon a Mexican eatery called El Maguey. Madame La Bouffe and I both love Mexican food, and we were too hungry to go to even further lengths to find a good restaurant. So we parked and went inside.

We were led to a clean table by a nice waiter, and we chose our drinks and food. We were first served hot tortilla chips that came with really tasty salsa and guacamole. The salsa was a step away from most salsas, which are chunky. This one was smooth and deep red, and had a seriously spicy flavor. The guacamole was very good, but not spectacular. It was, to me, pretty much just average but still delectable when perched atop a crispy chip. As I sat, contentedly slurping my beverage, munching my chips, and debating what to order, my eyes fell upon a certain component of the menu. It was a rather plain dish, to be sure, but still looked so yummy that I felt I had to get it. This "wonderful food" was really just a cheese quesadilla and Mexican rice, but I have such a large fondness for each of these two dishes that I couldn't resist. Madame La Bouffe chose the Tacos El Maguey (you get a choice of meat), and after we ordered, we sat and talked and looked around. The atmosphere was very average for a restaurant, with lots of people talking, waiters bustling around, and the smell of food in the air. It wasn't overly loud, and the plants and antique clay pots sitting around added a nice touch. There were lots of colorful pictures on the walls, and the feel was of nice, cheery chatter.

When our food arrived, we whiffed the fragrance for literally a second, then dove right in. I, of course, had to put habanero hot sauce and a big dollop of guacamole on top of my quesadilla, and after I had finished topping it, I cut off a big bite and began to eat. The tortilla, a plain flour one, was very average for a quesadilla but was nicely crisp and chewy. The cheese was creamy and melty, and tasted rather like American cheese. In a nutshell, my quesadilla was normal and good, just not remarkable. The rice I liked. It was fluffy and toothsome, and I really enjoyed eating it. My meal, a plate of classic Mexican staples, was good, but nothing to write home about. 

Our waiter was nice and was always calling us us "amigas," which means "friends" in Spanish. Specifically, it means friends that are girls ("amigos" means friends that are boys), but I don't need to give you a language lesson. All I'm trying to say is that the service was very good indeed, and that you can be sure that if you ever dine at El Maguey, you will always be treated with respect. 

So if you happen to be in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, pop into El Maguey, and I surely hope you'll eat good and feel good after you eat good! 

A Thanksgiving Greeting

Bonjour, my faithful readers and a very happy Thanksgiving to you! Since Thanksgiving is a time for family as well as food, I'm not going to be eating in a restaurant dining room, but in my relative's. I hope you have a wonderful evening gorging on your turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, potatoes, pie, etc., and I'll be back at my laptop tomorrow reviewing a delicious Mexican restaurant, right here in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. Have a happy Thanksgiving and, most importantly, happy eating!  

The (Not So) Snack-y Bar (aka: The Snack Bar)

As Madame La Bouffe and I were heading out of Austin after visiting our cousins, we both got seriously peckish, and trooped rather listlessly around S. Congress St. to find a good restaurant that served brunch or late breakfast. All the lunch-y places didn't open until 11:30 or so, and the coffee shops we passed just had, of course, coffee and pastries and such truck, which we thought wouldn't stick to our ribs very long since we had a hard day of driving to Oklahoma ahead of us. We walked some more and came across a spot called the Snack Bar. Of course, given the title, I thought that the "snacks" wouldn't keep us full. They would be just snacks, after all. But then I saw a menu, and forgot my we-would-be-hungry-in-an-hour-if-we-ate-here mantra. It certainly looked pretty hearty to me, and the breakfast looked delicious. Madame La Bouffe insisted that, "We need get the food to go, because it takes all day to get to Tulsa, and the sooner we get on the road the better." I was cool with that. As long as I got to get something off that yummy menu. 

As we waited for my food (I had picked the Spiced French Toast), Madame La Bouffe and I sat on high stools and looked at our surroundings. The place had a very open feel to it, both mentally and physically, and there were lots of bright colors all over, making you feel very welcome. The staff member who waited on me was very nice and let me take long moments to look at the menu. He didn't just pop up like some restaurant staff do, shove a styrofoam box at me, and grunt, "Here's your food." He was very polite about it and handed it to me with a smile. 

After we were comfortably cruising down the highway, I opened the box, seized my fork, cut a big triangle off a corner of a piece of the French toast, and crammed it hungrily into my mouth. The toast, being sourdough, was very puffy, fluffy, and light; not at all the dense, floppy squares you sometimes get at some not-so-good brunch spot. It was very nicely flavored with cinnamon and other spices and was very crisp and golden on the outside. Drizzled with a good glug of maple syrup, it was pure bliss. It was also served with a few pieces of fresh fruit (plump purple grapes, toothsome pineapple, and super juicy orange segments), which added a fresh, delicious touch. 

So if you happen to be in Austin on S. Congress and you're feeling hungry, go to The Snack Bar, and I'm sure you'll be as happy as I. The French Toast was great and you can choose your own bread. Besides sourdough, there is banana bread, multi-grain, cranberry-rasin wheat, or sweet sorghum to choose from as well, so if you don't care for sourdough, you can have a choice of other delicious breads. It also has good coffee and lunch, so if you come at noon and not at 11 like I did, you don't have to eat breakfast food if you don't want to. The Snack Bar has my eternal approval, and if you want some really memorable French Toast, I recommend you stop by. 

Enoteca

Madame La Bouffe and I left Houston and drove to Austin to see a few relatives and see some sights. I had a very nice morning of long walks and semolina seed toast, and after that exceptional interlude, Madame La Bouffe and I wandered toward downtown, popping into the little shops and admiring the scenery. Around lunchtime we got hungry and paused our sightseeing at an attractive Italian restaurant called Enoteca. We were led to a table by our waitress, Susan, and given our drinks and menus. Since we were so peckish, we decided to get an appetizer to take the edge off our hunger. We decided on the Parmesan French fries, and after a thought, we decided to get garlic ones too. They came to us soon after, contained in cute paper cones, served with some white garlic sauce that smelled absolutely delicious. We both snatched a handful of each kind and dunked them in the sauce. Cosi delizioso! The fries were super golden and crisp, and the inside was soft and pleasantly mealy. It was rather hard to distinguish the two flavors; both tasted sort of alike once dipped in the aioli, but I didn't stop to ponder this. This was the perfect way to begin the meal.

Next we had the main course. I got a pizza margarhita, while Madame La Bouffe savored a hearty minestrone-like soup and a salad, which had two cute little crab cakes sitting upon the plate, and a good mess of greens in the center. My pizza was really fabulous. The crust (handle) was shatteringly crisp, golden, and crunchy, and the topped portion of it was paper thin yet super flavorful. This pizza, unlike most pizza margarhita I've eaten, put real tomatoes on the crust instead of sauce, a nicer, fresher swap. The mozzarella was very good, too, with deep creamy flavor and nice chew-ability. The basil that was embedded atop the pizza was still green and fresh, a step away from some pizza margarhita, upon which the basil was black and blown out. This was one of the best New-York style pizzas I've ever eaten. 

We certainly didn't want to go without dessert, and the waitress provided us with a grand cast of them. I debated for a while, finally deciding on the Italian cream cake. A delicious concoction of moist nut cake layered with cream cheese icing and covered in a shaggy coating of shredded coconut, this showstopper of a cake won me right over. When it came, I seized my dessert fork and dove right in. The cake was really good, if a bit dryer than traditional, but still exceedingly addictive. After this wonderful meal, we could do nothing but linger over our crumb-y dessert plates and drinks, and, of course, pay the 100 dollars (It seems very expensive, but it was totally worth it!). 

My verdict? Enoteca is an absolutely amazing place to eat, and if you happen to be in Austin, I highly suggest you stop by. The service was very good, and deserves high marks, and the atmosphere was one of peaceful chatter. It's not so much a place for young children, being rather grownup-y, but it's a very good place, I presume, for dates or special dinners. 

A Slice (No pun intended) of Heaven

After a delicious meal at Teo, Madame La Bouffe and I decided to eat our dessert at the legendary House of Pies in the upscale Westhiemer neighborhood. We went inside, and were immediately enveloped in the buttery warmth of the place. After we sat down at a booth and received our drinks, we got our spectacular menus. Fruit pies, meringue pies, cream pies, specialty pies..... the list of bliss was endless! I finally decided on the coconut cream pie, and Madame La Bouffe got the coconut meringue pie. We sat, looking around at the old-fashioned diner style room, our minds on our pie.

Finally heaven came, in the form of two fourths of white fluffy wonderfulness. We brandished our forks and stuffed our faces. My pie was absolutely fantastic, with a flaky crust; a rich, sweet, creamy, coconut-y filling; and a gigantic swab of fluffy whipped cream. It was so huge that I couldn't finish it, but I did get a slice of lemon icebox pie (for breakfast the next morning!). 

Our pies were very reasonably priced, and we also got some really delicious decaf to go with our dessert. 

House of Pies is an absolutely amazing place to eat, and apart from delectable pie, it also has breakfast, lunch, and dinner! If this diner was in your neighborhood, it would be all you need. Shoo, Burger King! Scat, Waffle House! I'll be back, House of Pies! 

Teotihuacan

After an eventful day exploring Houston's wonderful sights, Madame La Bouffe and I decided that a good, hearty Latino dinner would cap the day off right. Our local friend told us about a restaurant called Teotihuacan, which is across the street from the bus that takes you to Mexico (The Tornado). All this meant, I reasoned, that the food must be very authentic. So Madame La Bouffe and I drove through Houston until we found our spot. 

We were shown to a table by a Spanish waitress, given our drinks and menus, and left to choose our food. The food was definitely authentic, and everything looked so good, I had a hard time choosing. Finally I decided on the fried shrimp and French fries, which are not very traditional, but looked so good that I couldn't resist. Madame La Bouffe chose the enchiladas verdes, and we got a shrimp quesadilla as an appetizer. Our food came so quickly, I thought they had made it in advance! But it certainly didn't taste old! My shrimp was piping hot, shatteringly crisp, crunchy, and toothsome, and the shrimp itself was very tender and cooked perfectly. The fries were crisp on the outside, and fluffy on the inside, a combo I have begun to look for in a good fry. The ketchup that came with them was called "fancy" tomato ketchup, but it was really nothing to write home about. The quesadilla was really fabulous, with crisp flour tortilla folded around gooey Monterey Jack, poblanos, and tiny tender shrimp. It came served with some "pico de gallo" which, to me, was just some minced tomato and cilantro. Nevertheless it was very good. The guacamole was really awesome. It seemed so simple, but was so spicy and wonderful, my hand holding my fork came swooping in every few moments to snitch a forkful. This was one of the best Mexican meals I'd ever had!

The habitual atmosphere here is one of loud, cheery raucousness, and if you like that kind of place, you'll be pleased. Bring your kids, too, because Teo is very family friendly as well. 

If you happen to be in Houston, I highly recommend stopping by Teo for a meal, and I think you'll really be satisfied. And should you get bored of being in Texas, hop onto The Tornado, and go to Mexico! Teotihuacan, mi amore tu! 

Lunch at The Cheese Company

As I was heading out of New Orleans on my way to Houston, I decided to stop someplace to get a quick bite of lunch. I made my way down Prytania St., looking for a nice spot. Crepe Nanou? No, only open at dinner. La Thai? Madame La Bouffe isn't really impressed by that, so no. Then, I came across St. James Cheese Company. I sometimes haunted the place for the delicious cheese, but that was all I'd bought there before now. I knew it had sandwiches and salads and such truck, so I decided, since there was no where else, to stop by and consume something before I got stuck on the road with a McDonalds or other nasty chain restaurant. 

I went inside, took a good look at the sandwich menu and chose my food. I decided on a classic grilled cheese, with potato chips and pears as sides. I chose my table, was graciously given a drink by the staff, and sat down to wait for my sandwich. I was't bored at all, though. I had a grand time looking at all the foreign cheeses (and tasting a couple as well!) There were also countless little jars of jams in interesting flavors sitting on a shelf, delicious-sounding flavors like fig and grape. There was also a good selection of delectable-looking crackers next to the jams, a basket of plump baguettes, and a whole case of cured meats next to the cheeses. I ended up buying some prosciutto, and Kaila, the member of staff I talked to most, sliced a gigantic pig leg on the meat slicer and let me watch. "I always say thank you to something like this-" Kaila gestured at the leg- "before I slice it, because it gave its life so we could enjoy prosciutto." A memorable quote. 

My sandwich came after a bit, and I dove in immediately. This was, I decided, one of the best grilled cheeses I'd ever eaten, which is saying something, because I've eaten so many. The bread was multigrain and had lots of tasty seeds in it that broke up with thrilling crunches when I bit. The cheese was very melty and creamy, but still a pleasantly sharp cheddar. The chips were addictive, and very sweet and crispy. The pears were not creamy, but not completely hard, either. All in all, a delicious meal.

St. James is a great place to bring the girls (or guys) for a really yummy meal, and if you have kids, I recommend the meal I had, grilled cheese with chips and fruit, called the Mini Moo on the menu. St. James has my eternal approval. But that's enough New Orleans for now. Let us travel out West, and eat at even more great spots. Au revoir! 

A Nice Little Change of Pace

Bon Jour, my faithful readers: I am sorry to say that on Friday, I will be going on a road trip with Madame La Bouffe and you will not get your regular reviews on New Orleans's restaurants.

However, you will be getting regular reviews on Texas's and Oaklahoma's restaurants! It's time for a little change of pace, and I'm going to be branching out a little more from just local spots. See you on Friday! 

The Fox and Hound

Today I went to Fox and Hound, a joint in Elmwood, around lunchtime. I was planning to see a movie at AMC, but I got hungry waiting for my 1:40 showtime. So I came across this spot, and decided to try it out. 

I was shown to a table by a couple of waitresses, who seemed very happy to see me. I got my drink and menu, chose my food, and contented myself in looking around at my surroundings. Fox and Hound is actually a sports bar, and there was a TV screen wherever I looked on the wall. It was a spacious restaurant with a very large bar, the kind of place you'd go to watch the Saints (hopefully) clobber the visiting team. So if you're looking for a nice, pretty spot to dine, this may not be the place for you. Anyway, I got my food, which was a quesadilla with lots of stuff inside it. Cheese, beans, bacon, and chipotles were stuffed in the tortilla, which was rather stale and crunchy. The fillings were not spectacular, just average. Another complaint was that the fillings were placed inside the tortilla in uneven dollops, so I got a big mouthful of bacon in one bite and a big mouthful of beans in the other. I wasn't expecting amazing food, so I just ate quietly and steadily as not to insult the staff. 

I also had some French fries with my meal, which were very good. They were nicely crispy on the outside, and fluffy on the inside. Eaten with a good blob of ketchup, they were just fine. The salsa that came with my quesadilla was very good, too, if a little watery. The sour cream just tasted like it had been dumped out of the Daisy brand container, which is how sour cream should taste. 

The service was good, too. My waitress, Nicole, was very sweet and pretty, and took good care of me. 

My verdict? Fox and Hound is a fine place to go to watch the game and have a beer, but as a restaurant, it stumbles a bit. So if you have no where else to go, come to Fox and Hound, and the hearty food will fill you right up! 

Eatin' Happy at Ancora

Friday night I was looking for a good place to eat dinner and came across a fairly new pizzeria called Ancora. Located on Freret St., this Italian eatery got high reviews in a Gambit restaurant guide, so I decided to give it a try. I drove to the place, was led to a table by a cheerful waitress, and received my drink and a menu. I was satisfied so far.

I decided to begin my meal like any other respectable Italian does, with antipasti. This means "before pasta" in Italian, and is a real classic. Oops! Did I say antipasti? I meant antipizza, because that's what they call it here! I was stunned when the waitress presented me with the platter. There were the most delicious things in there, all in little sections, and it was so beautifully presented that I was left speechless. There were tons of delectable little bites on the plate. There were marinated olives; homemade spicy pickles; a cute little meatball dappled with a fresh, vivid marinara sauce; a fried mozzarella and rice ball; paper-thin slices of cured Italian meats; a curious, sweet, jammy, fruit-like substance with millet seeds; light and creamy ricotta bruschettas with tapenade; and last but certainly not least, roasted shrimp with breadcrumbs. Talk about heaven on earth!

Next was the pizza course. I chose the "pizza margharita," which is a combo I really love. Mozzarella, basil, and tomato sauce. Sounds plain but at Ancora it was divine. The pizzas at Ancora are cooked in an 850 degree pizza oven, which means they take only about 90 seconds to cook. My grumbling stomach soon found love as I dove into the fantastic pizza. The crust (handle) was wonderfully puffy, chewy, and slightly but pleasantly burnt, and the topped portion was amazingly thin and flavorful. The sauce was as good as it was in the antipizza, and the melting blobs of mozzarella and fresh basil topped the whole thing off. 

The service was great, too, and I was really happy when I left. The atmosphere was a tad loud, but that might have just been the screeching toddler at the neighboring table. 

My verdict? Ancora is simply a divine place to dine, and I hope you'll be as happy as I was. I give this spot at least five stars, and, I'm happy to say, so does Madame La Bouffe! 

The Tapas Adventure

Tonight, I decided to go to a Spanish restaurant called Barcelona Tapas for dinner, having heard great things about it from Madame La Bouffe. I've always liked the idea of tapas; the idea of lots of small plates, rather than one or two big plates, but have never tried it out. I also bet you folks reading might be wanting a change of cuisine, and what better way to wake up tired palates then with tapas? I've found out lots of great things about this yummy tapas spot, so let me fill you in.

I was welcomed warmly by a sweet member of the staff and led to a clean table. I got some ice water and ordered my food. To take the edge off my appetite, I got a basket of hot, crusty, sweet rolls and aioli to spread on them. This was one of my favorite parts of the dinner. It tasted so wonderfully fresh, and I ate a whole roll by myself. 

Next I got the Spanish tortilla, one of my favorite Spanish dishes. For all you folks who don't know, Spanish tortilla isn't really a tortilla at all. It's really an omelet with potatoes, and at Barcelona it was amazing. The egg was fluffy and hearty and dense, and the potato was super soft and spicy. All in all, a delectable beginning to the meal. Next I got an especially wonderful dish. It was slightly like Italian bruschetta, but very different all the same. It was the usual Caprese combo with balsamic vinegar, but on super crisp toast. It was the most delicious bruschetta I've ever eaten. Next was the seafood course. I tasted some garlic shrimp in a flavorful butter sauce and a couple of scallops in a tomato-y sauce. Both were breathtaking in their own way. The shrimp came to me still bubbling rapidly in a hot little dish, cooking in the sauce. The scallops did as well, and I thought the presentation was great.

Next I tasted some gazpacho. I really didn't know what to make of this dish. It had so many interesting and tasty flavors all melded together, and was perfectly smooth, a step away from a usual gazpacho, which is rather chunky. Then I had a couple of French fries with some more of that killer aioli, and I downed those in a blink. 

 I got the dessert menu and began debating between the French creme brûlée and the Catalan creme brûlée. My waitress recommended the latter, and I was more than happy to oblige. It came to me about fifty seconds after I ordered it, and I dug right in. It was infused with lemon and cinnamon, and the top was crispy and delicious. The custard with smooth, thick, and luscious, and I personally think it was the most wonderful dessert I've ever eaten. 

The service was wonderful, too. All my waitresses were sweet and kind, and took very good care of us. 

My verdict? This is an absolutely spectacular restaurant, and you should definitely give it a try. Muy Bueno! 

Crazy for Crepe Nanou!

Here is yet another French restaurant, so I hope you folks aren't getting tired of reading my reviews on French restaurants, still more French, STILL MORE FRENCH! The place I'm going to tell you about is a really delicious bistro called Crepe Nanou. Located on Robert St., and just off Prytania, this bistro may look tame outside, but inside is where the magic happens. I went in with Madame La  Bouffe, and we were seated in the back room at a table. We got our drinks, menus, and bread and butter, and sat back, ready to enjoy a good French meal. First, the baguette was great. Chewy, crusty, and full of flavor, it was perfect when spread with good salted butter. The soup and salad course was next, and I sampled a variety of good stuff. The French onion soup was quite delicious, with it's rich onion-y broth, soft baguette, and gooey cheese. It wasn't superior to Cafe Degas, but still good. Madame La Bouffe got a goat cheese, prosciutto, arugula, and grape tomato salad, which she said was "not very good", and the dressing tasted like "battery acid". She must have been feeling very negative that evening because when her leek and potato soup came, she described it as "glutinous and gluey, with only passable flavor."

Then we had our entrees. I had a dish called "Les Crevettes du Jour", which was sautéed shrimp with parsley and garlic, served with spaghetti and sautéed vegetables. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and had a nice herb-y flavor, and the pasta was very tasty as well. The veggies were rather limp and lifeless, but still tasted good. We also got a "crepe au crab", which I really fell in love with. The crepe was soft, spotty golden, and sweet, and the creamed crab was really amazing. The dish also came with creamed spinach on top, which I really took a tremendous fancy to. I personally had a very good meal. But we weren't done yet. We got our dessert menus, and ordered right off the bat. 

I chose the "crepe Lucie", a really amazing dessert. Madame La Bouffe got the "mousse au chocolat", which she thought was OK if a bit "chalky." My crepe was perfect. The plain crepe was its usual stunning self, and it was stuffed with strawberries and chocolate syrup. It had a large scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, which I devoured in three big big bites so it wouldn't melt. Whipped cream topped the whole thing off, and I was really in heaven. 

The service was okay. Madame La Bouffe's soup came out stone cold, and she asked for a hot version. They brought it out again, and it was unevenly heated and just as gloppy. Thankfully, they only made that one blunder, and if I gloss over that, I'd say the service is fine. 

My verdict? Crepe Nanou is great for classic French dishes and crepes, but it stumbles on newfangled food. It still has a wonderful atmosphere, and it's a great place to spend your evening. Stay tuned, tout le monde.

La Boulangerie

As if I haven't reviewed enough French restaurants, here is yet another delightful spot. This is more cafe, patisserie, and coffee stop than sit-down eatery, but it has certain qualities that make up for that. It's called La Boulangerie (meaning "the bakery" in French), located on Magazine St. ("magazine" is actually the French word for "store", so it sort of makes sense, since all those shops are seemingly endless! This has nothing to do with the restaurant; it's just an interesting bit of info). I've often popped into the Boulangerie to get pastries, and, in my opinion, they have the best croissants in the city, but I've never thought of going for lunch or dinner. So as I was biking down Magazine one brisk autumn day at lunchtime, hungry and tired, I noticed I was near the Boulangerie and decided to go in for a quick lunch. I had never eaten lunch there, so I decided to give it a try.

I locked up my bike and went inside, and was immediately engulfed in the warm, buttery, croissant-scented air. I chose my food, which was a Mediterranean panini with mozzarella, pesto, and sliced tomato, and a cream puff for dessert. I chose my drink and sat down at a table. I had a fun time looking around the shop, at all the people bustling around and the pretty displays of breads and pastries. My sandwich came, and I dove right in. The bread was crisp, crusty, and pleasantly chewy, and had the beautiful brown grill marks in it you see when the panini is made in a good panini press. The pesto was nicely acidic and really delicious. It was spread thickly on each slice of bread, creating a super flavorful burst in each bite. The cheese was gooey and molten, and the tomato was juicy and toothsome. All in all, a really delicious sandwich.

My dessert was amazing, too. The pastry shell was flaky, and had a nice custardy webbing inside as well. The outside was deliciously crusty and golden, and was topped with a generous dusting of powdered sugar. The whipped cream was my favorite part, and was wonderfully fluffy, sweet, and creamy. So come to the Boulangerie if you're feeling peckish, and I'm sure you'll be downright happy. The pastries and croissants are divine as well, so come over for breakfast, too, and have your morning croissant and coffee. Stay tuned for my next post, tout le monde, and au revoir!

Louvre that Mona Lisa!

Italian has always been one of my "Top 3" cuisines (French, Italian, and Thai), and I've loved it ever since I was a very little kid. I was frequently pestering my parents to make me "pasta with red sauce" for dinner, and it still is one of my favorite foods. But now that I've grown older and wiser, I've started to branch out from that basic, tomato-y luxury and begun to eat all kinds of Italian specialties. We have lots of yummy pizzerias and Italian bistros here in New Orleans, and I've eaten at, think, most of them. So as I was strolling through the French Quarter around twelve-thirty today, hungry and tired, I stumbled upon a little spot called Mona Lisa. It was Italian, I thought, so how bad could this be?

I went inside and was led to a clean table by a member of the staff. The tablecloth had a nice rustic red and white checked pattern that added nice charm. The walls were literally covered with pictures of the Mona Lisa (all of them added a comical twist). A nice, quiet waitress came over and gave me a glass of ice water, and I placed my order. I had a good time looking at all the funny Mona Lisas while I waited for my food. One of them had a leopard head, and another had a pig snout nose. Then my food came, and I immediately dove right in. I got the "pasta authentico," a very fresh and tasty meal. It was simply tomatoes, olives, spinach and roasted garlic sautéed in olive oil and served over penne pasta. It was garnished with nicely crunchy bread crumbs. I ate with relish. It was very refreshing, just not spectacular. 

For dessert, I had a slice of lemoncello cake, a delicious layered dessert of lemon sponge cake and some kind of lemony pudding in between. There was a nice thin layer of lemon icing, and white chocolate curls on top. I felt it was the perfect way to end the meal. It wasn't very pricey, and it was the perfect place to go for my lunch.

So Mona Lisa is a fine place for dinner or lunch, and I think you'll be happy once you eat up your meal. Stay tuned. Au revoir. 

I Dream of Degas....

As I might have said in the past, I am a firm believer in everything French, from the proper way to drink your morning cup of joe to the best place to shop (The Bon Marche is always my place to drop into when in Paris), but I am always so intoxicated by, of course, the food. I've eaten at many a French bistro and savored countless Parisian decadence while overlooking the Eiffel Tower, but I always am sad to accept the fact that I only get to enjoy such luxuries when I travel across the seemingly endless Atlantic. But I'm overjoyed to say that I've found the most delicious, the most wonderful spot that's just a fifteen minute drive away from my lodgings! Let me fill you in.....

I'm going to tell you about a delightful little slice of heaven called Cafe Degas, located on Esplanade Avenue, and across the street from a lovely little park. I went there this evening for dinner and I was really just completely speechless by the end of it. I was served some ice water in a pretty tulip glass, and a basket of crusty baguette and salty-sweet butter. I appreciated the nice chew and sweetness of the baguette, and I ate a thick slice of it in a blink. Then I got a really heavenly bowl of French onion soup, complete with the golden, gooey top of crusty melted Gruyere, and the broth and soft onions were really to die for! The soft croutons of baguette were amazing as well. The next course was the "quiche Degas." This was the course I really was left speechless by. The crust was deliciously flaky, buttery, and pleasantly short, and the filling was real AMBROSIA! The eggs were so amazingly light and fluffy; it felt like eating clouds. 

It also had perfectly cooked Swiss cheese packed in there, along with some soft broccoli and caramelized onions. Finally I had a really yummy creme brûlée. It was vastly different from, say, Cote Sud, but still super addicting. The custard here was dense and fluffy, not at all creamy, but the sugar top made up for that. Bittersweet, crunchy, and black, I spent a couple minutes after eating up my custard scraping up the crispy bits still clinging to the cup. 

The staff is great, too. My waiter was French, and he seemed really nice and caring. He always made sure I had exactly what I needed, and I felt so pampered! The atmosphere is really nice, too. You can just sink back and relax and gobble up your food and enjoy it to the fullest. Lunch and brunch are also served, and my sources tell me it's really tasty. So pull up to Degas if you're feeling peckish, and I can tell you that you'll be really happy! Till next time, tout le monde! 

Le Cote Sud est Exquis!

Ever since my enlightening trip to France, I have adored French cuisine. The wonderful pastries, crepes, seafood, cheese.....Oh my gosh... it's just stunning. I'm always thrilled when I find a great new French restaurant, especially if it is close to my lodgings. I found just the place! Let me tell you what I've discovered.....

Madame La Bouffe and I biked to Maple St., where we've often passed by a lovely little French restaurant called Cote Sud (meaning "south coast" in French, for all you Yanks who don't speak the language). We decided to try it out. We both had healthy appetites from our biking, and were anticipating a great meal. We walked up the steps at five o'clock, but were rather disappointed because we had come half an hour before they opened. Much was our surprise when the smiling waiter told us to come right in! We were seated at a nice little table by the window, and were served ice water and wine. 

Since we were the only ones in the restaurant, we were treated like queens! The sweet waitress gave us a private wine tasting, and we were served hot, crusty, sweet baguette and butter to take the edge off our appetites. We had a while to wait, because the kitchen didn't open until five thirty, but the waitress placed our orders, so we could have them as soon as the kitchen was in business. They played the most soothing French music, and this spot had the most relaxing and peaceful environment imaginable. There were pictures of wine and grapes everywhere, and everything was just so charmingly rustic and wonderfully authentic that I actually thought I was in a French bistro!

For the main course, I had a delicious shrimp and zucchini linguini. The shrimp and zucchini were sautéed in the finest extra virgin olive oil, and the linguini was super flavorful and tasted nicely peppery. Everything was perfectly cooked. Madame La Bouffe got the steamed mussels literally bathing in a mariniere sauce, which was like eating ambrosia, let me tell you. We got pommes frites to go with it, and, while just a tad greasy, were amazing when dunked in the sauce. 

Then we had the cheese, wine, and fruit course, a classic French custom. They eat the cheese and wine right after dinner and just before dessert. The plate was a little tame compared to the spectacular aged cheeses I'd eaten in France, but still very tasty. We had Swiss cheese, triple cream Brie, goat cheese, and blue cheese. They were served with green grapes, which added a nice burst of color. We both really liked the goat cheese, which was shaped into two cute little balls. The Brie was creamy and rich, the blue flavorful and yummy, and the Swiss was...well...Swiss. The red wine was spectacular, according to Madame La Bouffe. 

Finally, while Madame La Bouffe lingered over the remains of the loved goat cheese, I polished off a mouthwatering creme brûlée. The sweet, creamy, cold custard and crunchy bittersweet sugar top were really to die for! So Cote Sud is a fabulous place to eat your dinner, and I bet you'll be as happy as I (which is saying something)! Happy eating to all you folks! 

Chillin' at the Chill Out

Bonjour, tout le monde! Mademoiselle Nouvelle Orleans here, giving you the most descriptive and reliable reviews of New Orleans restaurants. Now, I happen to love Thai and Asian cuisine, and am always happy to find a great new restaurant. There's a certain spot on Maple St. that really caught my fancy.  It's called the Chill Out Cafe. I always pop in there anytime I can, and everything about it is just genial (that's French for great, in case you Yanks don't know).

It has a very tasty American breakfast menu, a Thai lunch menu, and a Thai dinner menu. The desserts, including Cheesecake Tempura, battered and fried cheesecake served with ice cream, fruit, and maple syrup; and Sticky Rice with Mango are also Thai with a nice American twist (hence the cheesecake). 

I came upon this spot while walking down Maple St. I was very hungry, and it was about three o'clock in the afternoon. I had been busy all morning, and had had no time to stop and eat at lunchtime. I thought, "How bad could this be?" and walked inside. I was welcomed by a sweet, quiet Thai lady and sat myself at a small table. I was served a delicious Thai iced tea, a super sweet, creamy, cold beverage that I had a wonderful time guzzling down. I requested an order of fresh spring rolls, and they came out of the kitchen beautifully plated; stacked artistically on top of one another and dappled with a yummy sauce studded with crunchy peanuts. The rolls were stuffed with delicious fresh, crunchy vegetables including carrots and spinach, and were mixed with other great fresh, beneficial stuff and glass noodles. The rolls were so healthily delicious, fresh, and flavorful, and were the perfect pick-me-up if you just drank too much or ate something super rich and heavy. 

The breakfast is also delectable. The pancakes are out-of-this-world-good; unbelievably puffy and fluffy, flavorful, and soft. The waffles, too, are great; crispy and tall and downright irresistible. Everything else is yummy, and The Chill Out has a great atmosphere, too. The waitress is so kind, quiet, and a great server. The cooks are skilled as well, and you'll be happy, I promise. So for all four meals, The Chill Out is a wonderful place to go. So that's all for today. See you next time, folks! Happy dining! 

Vive Felipe's!

Hello everybody! I'm Mademoiselle Nouvelle Orleans, here to give you the most reliable and descriptive reviews on New Orleans' restaurant scene. Now, I happen to adore French, Italian, Asian, and cuisines of that sort (to name a few), but nothing, in my opinion, can beat good Mexican. I crave the freshness and flavor this cuisine packs, and I especially love the spiciness. Born and bred in the South, I really know how to eat spicy, so I'm always more than happy to find that a new, exotic cuisine has a nice, satisfying tingle that really starts me off right.

Lucky for me, we have a couple very good Mexican restaurants in New Orleans, like El Gato Negro and Taqueria Corona. But one taqueria really stands out. Felipe's! Yes. You heard me right. You may think chain restaurants are beneath me, but if you ever try out this one, you wont regret it. I was rather skeptical, too, and even more so when I saw it had a bar. It brought back memories of eating at sports bars, complete with the loud, unpleasant, glare-y atmosphere and greasy, poorly cooked food. More about the booze and football games than the food, and rather lackluster service, I wasn't in a hurry to try out Felipe's. But after I bit into my pretty, spicy, vegetal food, I forgot all my previous complaints and thought only of polishing off every morsel of my dinner.

I got a DELECTABLE shrimp quesadilla, with yummy warm tortilla chips and fresh, sweet salsa. My quesadilla came with lots of gooey melted Monterey Jack cheese (a good omen), and perfectly cooked, moist fried shrimp coated in a light, crunchy batter. Topped off with generous dollops of crunchy coleslaw, buttery guacamole, tangy Mexican crema, flavorful Mexican rice, yummy pico de gallo, and finally a good scoop of creamy, spicy refried pinto beans. I was more than happy that I hadn't continued with my theories on Felipe's and am beyond happy that I had polished off that quesadilla. So bring the family and consume a Mexican masterpiece!

Rise and Shine!

Salut, everybody! I'm Mademoiselle Nouvelle Orleans, your most reliable critic, zooming in on New Orleans's restaurant scene. Now, do you know that feeling when you wake up on a fine Saturday morning, and you're craving something more than your usual bowl of oatmeal? Well, you'd then probably consider going out for breakfast, or making yourself some pancakes and coffee as a once-a-week splurge. I happen to love making my own pancakes or French toast, but if you're one of those lazy types who doesn't want to exert a lot of energy frying pancakes, you'd better listen up, because I happen to have the perfect breakfast place in mind where you can visit when you'd like a little weekend indulgence. 

It's a really cute little place on Burdette St., and it's called Riccibonno's, or Panola St. Cafe. It has a nice feel, and the waitresses are all friendly and kind. It's a great place to bring the family, and you'll be feeling downright good when you polish off your plate. 

It was a nice brisk Saturday morning the day I decided to give the place a try. I got dressed and walked the four blocks in the cool dawn from my house. The pretty waitress showed me to a table, where I was immediately served a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, complete with all that delicious pulp you get when you squeeze juice yourself. That started my breakfast off right, but then after I saw my beautiful, mile-high, deeply golden Belgian waffle, dappled in a vivid blueberry sauce coming toward my table, I forgot everything else. I polished it off in less than 10 minutes, and I felt totally satisfied and jubilant. It was not overpriced, and I felt as though I had started the day off the perfect way. Madame La Bouffe didn't quite enjoy it so much, but I still stand firm on my verdict.

Panola St. Cafe is a fine place for a breakfast, brunch, or lunch, and I'm sure you'll not regret coming. They also have more than just delicious waffles, too. They have a variety of pancakes:  plain, blueberry, strawberry, banana nut, or buckwheat. (This also applies to the waffles. I had the blueberry flavored one; it was DELECTABLE!). They serve a nice selection of eggs, a tasty breakfast burrito, and huevos rancheros, one of my favorite hearty foods. They also have AMAZING biscuits, which are wonderfully fluffy and light on the inside and crusty and rugged on the outside. So hop out of bed and don't stick with your ho-hum cereal; this spot is a quick, delicious place to spend your early (or late) a.m.! Stay tuned, and HAPPY EATING!

Thriving at Theo's

Greetings, tout le monde! I'm Mademoiselle Nouvelle Orleans, here to give you the most reliable and descriptive restaurant reviews of the New Orleans restaurant scene. Now, I bet that most of you folks reading this love a good pizza, and you'd better believe that I do too! Italian is one of my all-time favorite cuisines, and if well made, I can get absolutely intoxicated and not look up until my plate is licked clean. I adore all the delicious pastas, calzones, paninis, gelato, and cannoli, but I'm absolutely in LOVE with pizza.

Apart from all the French and Southern themed restaurants we have here in NOLA, we have many italian restaurants and pizzerias. There are a few close to my house, one only just about thirty steps away. That is more of a pick-up-and-go sort of place, and the pizza isn't really that delicious. So I set out on a quest to find one or two really delicious pizza parlors, and I'm happy to say that the quest has already ended. My all-time favorite has to be Theo's, located on Canal Street, and a street away from, to my delight, Angelo Brocato. But it is of Theo's you'll hear about today, and I'm sure you'll be satisfied and happy after you've eaten up your pizza pie. 

Theo's has a great environment, as well as great food. It doesn't get deafeningly loud, and the rugged brick walls add a wonderful rustic charm. The waitstaff is always very nice, and treat you with courtesy. Madame La Bouffe usually gets a ritual Blue Moon beer to go with the pizza, and I'll say it pairs perfectly. She and I shared an order of jalapeño cheesy bread for an appetizer, and found it the perfect way to begin the meal. The crust was perfectly cooked and golden, the cheese was wonderfully molten and gooey, and the spicy jalapeño flavor rang through clear and strong. Then the pizza came, and we were smiling through our stuffed cheeks. We got extra tomato sauce on ours, along with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, garlic, basil, and red onions. It was a great, fresh combo, and so flavorful! The crust was thin, crisp, and had a pleasingly rough texture, and I had a ball chowing down on it.

Madame La Bouffe thought that because of the thin crust, the extra sauce made it soggy, but I had to disagree. I respect Madame La Bouffe's outstanding expertise on eating and cooking, but this was the only time I tuned her out. So Theo's is a wonderful choice for an "Italian night out," and I think you'll be very happy with the results. And make sure to pay a visit to A. Brocato's afterward for a replenishing gelato, to top off your night out. So until next time! This is Mademoiselle Nouvelle Orleans. HAPPY EATING!

You gotta love crepes!

Bonjour, tout le monde! This is Mademoiselle Nouvelle Orleans, here to give you the best reviews on New Orleans's restaurant scene, with my undiluted opinions on atmosphere and of course, the food. Now, you may not know that I have French ancestors, have traveled to France on holiday, and follow many of their cooking and eating traditions. For example, the French drink coffee out of bowls at breakfast time. I do that a lot when I'm at home, but of course, you wouldn't look right doing that in a fancy restaurant. I went to Paris and Saint Gilles during my trip, and got especially fond of the food. The pastries, baguettes, fish and hot chocolate were only a few of the delicious foods I ate there, but I can tell you: there's nothing I like better than a good crepe. 

I live happily in New Orleans, and as you may know, we are almost half French here, having a FRENCH Quarter and all. So here you can find lots of French cuisine, like classic French pastries, and, I'm thrilled to say, CREPES! 

At five o'clock one evening, I realized my stomach was growling like crazy and I had sudden craving for a crepe. I set out and settled down at Crepes A La Carte, a teeny-tiny crepe pick-up place right across the street from Tulane University. It's next to a bar called The Boot, a pizza stand called The Dough Bowl, and The Boot Store (since Crepes A La Carte doesn't sell drinks, that's where you go to get them). I squeezed into the tiny cubbyhole. I was charmed. It was so cozy, and you actually got to see them making the crepes on the hot crepe pans, pouring on the batter, spreading it out so thin that it looked as though it would undoubtedly tear, but it didn't. I was utterly transfixed. 

I got the classic Caprese crepe, with mozzarella, tomato, and basil. When the jolly college students managing the creperie gave me my crepe, I immediately paid and gobbled it up. The crepe itself was perfectly golden, lacy, pliable, and had the perfect thickness. It was also pleasantly sweet, something I appreciated because I have the biggest sweet tooth in my family. It was also the very hearty and was a nice big size. After I got my iced tea at The Boot Store, I knew that I was in a Frenchman's heaven. 

To conclude this, I want to say that Crepes A La Carte is an absolutely AMAZING creperie, and that you should definitely give it a try. It also has a delicious crepes sucre (sweet crepe) menu, which is worth coming miles for. The college students are all very friendly, so you won't be saying "My crepe maker was surly and forgetful." So if you want French fast, then head to Crepes A La Carte! Au revoir! 

The Basil Leaf

Salut, everyone! Mademoiselle Nouvelle Orleans here, giving you the most reliable restaurant reviews and honest opinions on the food. Now it happened that Madame La Bouffe and I had dinner at a Thai restaurant a day ago, so if any of you folks reading this love Thai cuisine and want to go somewhere good for an Asian dinner, listen up! We went to a nice restaurant called The Basil Leaf, on Carrolton Avenue. Madame La Bouffe and I were led to a large table in the front of the restaurant, presented with goblets of ice water and Thai beer, and then served our meal.

First, we each had an order of fried spring rolls. I can tell you, I was in fry-o-later heaven! The outside was so crunchy, crispy, flaky, and buttery, and the filling was absolutely sublime. It was a mixture of glass noodles, shrimp, onions, carrots, and spices and it was sliced very attractively on the bias, so it was pretty to look at, too! Then we shared some spicy shrimp soup, fried rice, and calamari and glass noodle salad. The soup was great, as was the fried rice, but the calamari was just "okay." It was a little on the mushy side, and not cooked so well, but the noodles and everything else in the salad was just FAB. 

The waitstaff was very pleasant and cheery, so I felt nice and comfortable. The paintings on the walls of a tropical island and the holy man wearing a pointed hat was there too, so it had very peaceful and quiet atmosphere. 
So it was a pretty good meal, not over the top, but still very delicious. It would be a fine place to hold your next Asian dinner. Bon appetit! 

Bayona Binge

Bon Jour, everyone! Mademoiselle Nouvelle Orleans here, giving you the best reviews for the restaurant Bayona, Susan Spicer's specialty. Madame La Bouffe and I drove to Dauphine St. in the French Quarter, decked out in our semi-formal attire, and walked up the little alleyway that led to the restaurant. We were welcomed graciously by a smiling lady sitting at the front desk. We were led into the cozy little lounge to wait for our table, and were served Brut champagne and sparkling water in tall glasses. It was wonderful! We were led to the table and served our meal.

First we started with an intriguing little bowl of pickled garlic, carrot slices, and cauliflower, which was delicious and the perfect way to begin a meal. Then out came a little wooden tray with a choice of warm breads and a little bowl of whipped butter. We then had the soup course. I had the legendary Cream of Garlic, while Madame La Bouffe savored an interesting over the top delicious Red Lentil Soup, which had little bits of crisp bacon on the bottom. The Cream of Garlic was so delicious, I can hardly describe it. Smooth, silky, creamy, and absolutely singing with garlic flavor, I devoured it in about 45 seconds.

Then we fell upon the next course. My grilled shrimp, black bean cake, and coriander sauce really left me speechless. The shrimp was so tender and flavorful and so perfectly cooked, and the black bean cake was so wonderfully hearty, spicy, and just darn amazing. It was topped with a dollop of creme fraiche and a single coriander leaf, which I scooped up with my fork before eating the whole bean cake. Absolutely amazing! 

Madame La Bouffe and I then shared a delectable grilled plum and homemade cheese salad, and a plate of pastrami spiced scallops atop a bed of mouthwatering Dijon shaved onions and Brussels sprouts. The chef then brought out a showstopping peanut butter, banana, and dark chocolate mousse, enrobed in a thick, crunchy, dark chocolate shell, and sitting on a slab of almond shortbread. An artistic drizzle of caramel sauce and candied peanuts topped the whole thing off. Finally, I had a bowl of delicious rich, creamy, vanilla bean ice cream with a crunchy sugar cookie. 

Despite being a fancy, high end restaurant, Bayona is not at all stuffy or stiff. When we were seated at our table, Madame La Bouffe's chin was grazing the table because her seat was so low. The staff gladly brought her a fluffy pillow to sit on and all was well. The warm terra cotta red walls made for a cozy feel, and you felt like you could settle in and enjoy the food to the fullest. 

So if you're looking for a meal to remember, then come to Bayona. It has my eternal approval. Au revoir! 

Greetings, tout le monde!

Hi everyone! This is Mademoiselle Nouvelle Orleans. Join me and my intrepid dining partner, Madame La Bouffe, as we happily eat our way through New Orleans's famed restaurant scene. I'm under five feet tall, but I've still got a heck of an appetite! You can rely on us to give you the most reliable and descriptive reviews, and we'll specifically tell you if you're in for a dream or a dud!


This is Susan Spicer's famous grilled shrimp, black bean cake, and coriander sauce, found at her award winning restaurant, Bayona. We'll be reviewing Bayona on our next post! Stay tuned!