tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73440954209718624002024-03-13T17:53:59.327-07:00FleurdeliciousExploring the culinary deliciousness of New Orleans.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-18137644756558302852010-05-11T12:03:00.000-07:002010-05-11T12:12:23.531-07:00Fleurdelicious Has Moved!Hello dear friends and followers of Fleurdelicious! I wanted to let y'all know that I have purchased my own domain, so please check out my new and improved website: <a href="http://www.fleurdelicious-nola.com">www.fleurdelicious-nola.com</a> <br /><br />I am still learning a lot about using the website, so bear with me while I work on making it pretty and user-friendly. <br /><br />As always, thanks for being a part of my life through my culinary adventures! Your support means the world to me :)<br /><br />-XOXO-<br />EmilyEmilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-3684978647697057602010-05-05T09:46:00.000-07:002010-05-05T12:06:05.715-07:00Cinco de Mayo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNwL0YVj3nA8HVu18-6eAf5KL1UtYiNH0e2I0EwvMter9aYH3PSjGBUQSi2Mbq8GOeSLaRxsRCZQ2kCcWdmU3GX5FyA53_r7yukpSKDNHHDOpQpc3613LLOuW4xiF9GbqkOYyd2DG0Xt5/s1600/Superior+Grill+008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNwL0YVj3nA8HVu18-6eAf5KL1UtYiNH0e2I0EwvMter9aYH3PSjGBUQSi2Mbq8GOeSLaRxsRCZQ2kCcWdmU3GX5FyA53_r7yukpSKDNHHDOpQpc3613LLOuW4xiF9GbqkOYyd2DG0Xt5/s320/Superior+Grill+008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467858590048116162" /></a><br />If you're like me, you believe Cinco de Mayo is a holiday worth celebrating, but not always on May 5th. The inevitable long restaurant waits and crowded bars are a huge deterrent in my willingness to go out and join the party. Instead, I like to think of it as a week-long celebration, which is honestly just a way for me to justify having frozen margaritas for a longer period of time. My mom and I celebrated Cinco de Mayo at <a href="http://www.superiorgrill.com/">Superior Grill</a> a few days early this year, and it was still delicious and fun. <br /><br />Superior Grill on St. Charles Avenue has been serving up Mexican food for over 10 years and it still remains as my favorite place for frozen margaritas, chips and salsa, and sizzling hot fajitas. I've never really been a huge fan of enchiladas, and I prefer the <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/03/fish-tacos.html">tacos</a> at other places, but Superior's fajitas always hit the spot. They come out on a super hot cast iron skillet with onions, bell pepper, tomato, your choice of chicken or steak (or both) and a plate of all the other fixings (cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo etc.) Paired with some queso dip and the best frozen margarita Uptown has to offer, and you've got yourself a Cinco de Mayo feast any day of the year. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Kblt9KzGHsAOjhb8XCJr7P7jXFq2BUshT-HbTj-QUHoei3ui4jZDOHSA80YETNr5XsvqaYFT5seWYkKKU9sxt4TUcBcuSzXXHwiNzIjoEuotN0kkSmzFEPv8PaYvFoc5CkMgvpSZy58H/s1600/Superior+Grill+013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Kblt9KzGHsAOjhb8XCJr7P7jXFq2BUshT-HbTj-QUHoei3ui4jZDOHSA80YETNr5XsvqaYFT5seWYkKKU9sxt4TUcBcuSzXXHwiNzIjoEuotN0kkSmzFEPv8PaYvFoc5CkMgvpSZy58H/s320/Superior+Grill+013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467861601002303442" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Lunch fajitas with steak and chicken</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9MjrbT16g7ruxDQz0V0mBIYoeIKCXIGMgdCSV9luQUVyk61q0xAgfHWgDrXjUDgpQfKj8HABZJZz7kMJRXTaflPmT20NCLX4OeLHEt4vCsiDss_fjvWQptNV38_R8C3PrNPdNCzSPLhl/s1600/Superior+Grill+005.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9MjrbT16g7ruxDQz0V0mBIYoeIKCXIGMgdCSV9luQUVyk61q0xAgfHWgDrXjUDgpQfKj8HABZJZz7kMJRXTaflPmT20NCLX4OeLHEt4vCsiDss_fjvWQptNV38_R8C3PrNPdNCzSPLhl/s320/Superior+Grill+005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467862305882013090" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">A small glass of frozen goodness :)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rccUxaYXG44Ichp-Fz0jhDYquBhacXg1JY8E7Gt0Q6FlfzQts4MQfDzw86rZzuu2tUvRz2KaIkJKZcYhdBI395uD7QSPzYDg6NUqkSIgquNmVezbzN9yyJC5j8P30_nZ886E9eABfuqo/s1600/Superior+Grill+012.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rccUxaYXG44Ichp-Fz0jhDYquBhacXg1JY8E7Gt0Q6FlfzQts4MQfDzw86rZzuu2tUvRz2KaIkJKZcYhdBI395uD7QSPzYDg6NUqkSIgquNmVezbzN9yyJC5j8P30_nZ886E9eABfuqo/s320/Superior+Grill+012.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467860553635141938" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">One of the busiest bars on the Avenue, and the best place to get a drink during the Mardi Gras parades</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqBhVlwhqdlaaUzss8xeQ8rjcNvxxiiv7u89tR0DzCaHJV7FR0JIW4Z_XaoKE8HRkHMAZc8x3Uo85ETIWnjbRGlrw1wAclegHVo67Im7aNfKaptqO5cY-yNMh-VSjM9D-oDkwVxb5xQX1/s1600/Superior+Grill+011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 183px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsqBhVlwhqdlaaUzss8xeQ8rjcNvxxiiv7u89tR0DzCaHJV7FR0JIW4Z_XaoKE8HRkHMAZc8x3Uo85ETIWnjbRGlrw1wAclegHVo67Im7aNfKaptqO5cY-yNMh-VSjM9D-oDkwVxb5xQX1/s320/Superior+Grill+011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467862700506315074" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Take your drinks to "geaux"</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-41852328873192029622010-05-03T09:35:00.000-07:002010-05-04T14:35:02.534-07:00Free Sippin'<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcvsV4JDlXoYmk4RW2vqGlFYAH5Wri4HECCfq5bZMbiLB2KIHLpJRZW_jrseEE9WmozUw-FHcslDCoSD725e7KnF1TgNLGsycoNmYQQWh2SuImgmijmsHznClda1_9FE76XfX8P4xqcdL9/s1600/Lebanon+-+Chicken+schwarma.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcvsV4JDlXoYmk4RW2vqGlFYAH5Wri4HECCfq5bZMbiLB2KIHLpJRZW_jrseEE9WmozUw-FHcslDCoSD725e7KnF1TgNLGsycoNmYQQWh2SuImgmijmsHznClda1_9FE76XfX8P4xqcdL9/s320/Lebanon+-+Chicken+schwarma.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467083570180910130" /></a><br />There are few things that excite me as much as finding a restaurant that doesn't charge a corking fee. And even though I've happily shelled out over $100 in corking fees <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/03/top-of-tapas.html">here</a>, I'm glad there are places where I can enjoy wine with my meal at no additional cost. Chef John Besh has the right idea by not charging a corking fee at his restaurants. Alcohol, after all, is merely an afterthought to great food. No one ever says "The food was terrible but the wine was so great, I'll definitely be back!" Point made? Good. <br /><br />Needless to say, I've become increasingly interested in finding restaurants that charge little to nothing to cork a bottle of vino. But right now I only know of one restaurant that doesn't charge a fee at all, and that's <a href="http://www.lebanonscafe.com/">Lebanon's Cafe</a> on South Carrollton Avenue. Since ethnic food is something I'm often craving, I love that a trip to Lebanon is both delicious and cost-friendly (two people can easily fill up for under $30). We always start the meal with the <a href="http://www.lebanonscafe.com/pages/dinnermenu.html#anchor2">Musaha</a>, which is sautéed eggplant, roasted garlic, red, yellow & jalapeño peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, and celery that is marinated with olive oil and white vinegar. No tasteless veggies here! These vegetables are incredibly flavorful, and I especially like the combination of textures from the crunchy celery and soft eggplant. I spread mine on hot pita bread, sometimes with some Labna or Hummus, and it could easily become my entire meal. As far as entrees go, I particularly like the <a href="http://www.lebanonscafe.com/pages/dinnermenu.html#anchor3">Chicken Shawarma</a> because you get a generous amount of chicken, salad, and hummus (which you can substitute for rice if you want) for around $12. The dinner sandwiches are also great, especially the <a href="http://www.lebanonscafe.com/pages/dinnermenu.html#anchor5">Luna Kabob</a> (lamb), and they all cost between $6 and $7. With quick and friendly service, a menu full of variety, and no corking fee, Lebanon's Cafe makes a great dinner spot for first dates and big groups alike. <br /><br />Can any of you suggest places that charge a small corking fee, or nothing at all?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySTsjz5kLK9vnZgkl423ZEKzKNZ1gV_WWbSZgFZNg5NV4h5AMd-jGCkDqEdb9fcXGP57J_XjdOX9AwQwvYF9RTnQRPlwQSjYbk6CMpyxFz_hUIj8aDzrQ7xA1o0HWfSNHPrGcyqZcXSUR/s1600/Lebanon+-+Musaha.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySTsjz5kLK9vnZgkl423ZEKzKNZ1gV_WWbSZgFZNg5NV4h5AMd-jGCkDqEdb9fcXGP57J_XjdOX9AwQwvYF9RTnQRPlwQSjYbk6CMpyxFz_hUIj8aDzrQ7xA1o0HWfSNHPrGcyqZcXSUR/s320/Lebanon+-+Musaha.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467083765211993138" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Musaha: Sautéed eggplant, roasted garlic, red, yellow & jalapeño peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, and celery marinated with olive oil and white vinegar</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwtf4_OF6Joy6hDc0ZnJjaMKTs6EZdp5DLHokePF9Q2XYs2pZ-lWv8iGhZFvOn1ckLaaowjFC5WP-CmOwHBY97FbX3_otUpBYJUQ1hKegwboW_fj8hU-LT3VgCwEUxL3y-Dj9wX1D-qPi/s1600/Lebanon-+grape+leaves.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwtf4_OF6Joy6hDc0ZnJjaMKTs6EZdp5DLHokePF9Q2XYs2pZ-lWv8iGhZFvOn1ckLaaowjFC5WP-CmOwHBY97FbX3_otUpBYJUQ1hKegwboW_fj8hU-LT3VgCwEUxL3y-Dj9wX1D-qPi/s320/Lebanon-+grape+leaves.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467083999358916178" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Vegetarian grape leaves with hummus</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQmqJB49qsSsuCYgjlaaHGuAsRE6hrk6KWmHeVKk7hsFGtpfdVZVMAYBI9zuHTfMS2LS4xSjE2-1p2ZUsXosHzKPZbqwocIJF74IvvM1cXmzIJ5oyewq1uNbUJDJW_nOVusQI56ST_V14/s1600/Lebanon-+Sauteed+Veggie+Plate2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQmqJB49qsSsuCYgjlaaHGuAsRE6hrk6KWmHeVKk7hsFGtpfdVZVMAYBI9zuHTfMS2LS4xSjE2-1p2ZUsXosHzKPZbqwocIJF74IvvM1cXmzIJ5oyewq1uNbUJDJW_nOVusQI56ST_V14/s320/Lebanon-+Sauteed+Veggie+Plate2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467530731472145986" /></a><br /><em>Sautéed Vegetable Plate: Basmati rice topped with eggplant, onions, carrots, tomatoes, squash, cauliflower, broccoli, red, yellow & green peppers and a layer feta and mozzarella cheese, then baked to a golden brown in the oven</em>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-28512746074474081462010-04-30T08:00:00.000-07:002010-04-30T15:26:48.935-07:00Childhood is Calling<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KSHwweL5FEcmhfwoRCXaraHjrjXGqObz7NlvElvEyKRnSnqdwL1e5f2X1univdJ95xjAwjYW_urGWJiAMCBKmv2NXn0AEi7KZQMK8lwk2TB_trPf_oPaMfL4T6xta4Gm9NuzzdDQDDOA/s1600/IMG_3061.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8KSHwweL5FEcmhfwoRCXaraHjrjXGqObz7NlvElvEyKRnSnqdwL1e5f2X1univdJ95xjAwjYW_urGWJiAMCBKmv2NXn0AEi7KZQMK8lwk2TB_trPf_oPaMfL4T6xta4Gm9NuzzdDQDDOA/s320/IMG_3061.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465766623497485106" /></a><br />When I think of my favorite foods as a child, a few things always come to mind, but nothing can quite measure up to the pure joy that a trip to McKenzie's caused. Home to what many locals consider to be the best king cakes in the city, McKenzie's bakery on Prytania was definitely one of my favorite places for a sweet treat as a kid. I can still remember the sound the bell made when you opened the door, their display of king cakes that seemed to go on forever, and how I thought nothing was cuter than one of their pink petit fours decorated with a little green leaf. <br /><br />In 2001, McKenzie's closed its doors for good, but not before selling some of its most popular recipes to Tastee Donuts, another local donut chain. Long-time McKenzie's fans were thrilled that they would still be able to enjoy the bakery's best sellers, such as their king cakes, jelly rolls, turtles, and buttermilk drops. The McKenzie's that I used to go to as a kid is now home to <a href="http://www.creolecreamery.com/">Creole Creamery</a>, so whenever I need some sugar-coated joy I head out to the Tastee Donuts on Harrison Avenue in Lakeview. My most recent trip resulted in the purchase of buttermilk drops and turtles (pictured above). The turtles are shortbread cookies topped with chocolate frosting and chopped pecans, and the buttermilk drops are these round, cake-like donuts about the size of a tennis ball, covered in a sugary glaze. No matter if you grew up eating these tasty treats or not, one bite will definitely make you feel like a kid all over again. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQwGlyrTUvRwzqpbvPpjUfus161LElelB1laxyw9CLCuUrfZSHB-yQpYMjlcegeOG3jMKbe9QvvJq-2HfDLE2oeucruM7Hn8HKELLOorS4MppjzZY58Pk9PcXl9ug362-iJ0RrVyadknt/s1600/IMG_3062.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQwGlyrTUvRwzqpbvPpjUfus161LElelB1laxyw9CLCuUrfZSHB-yQpYMjlcegeOG3jMKbe9QvvJq-2HfDLE2oeucruM7Hn8HKELLOorS4MppjzZY58Pk9PcXl9ug362-iJ0RrVyadknt/s320/IMG_3062.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465766539172167746" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Tastee Donuts: "It's a New Orleans Thing!"</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-25917492444464958392010-04-28T10:59:00.000-07:002010-05-04T14:39:58.229-07:00Refuel Cafe<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0viM3z3GUiDrVpCmlIqULVEEZCr6k-b5XTXQIKGSSmCTgO4vyCW0Vc_8OmveCAlQVgP9Bm53FxKkktHXahmJUpnvhm2lzFTd_UZb0XNWRZqQss4bYUwxKNtWA16Pq0thzNyqN9QPWT5R_/s1600/Refuel+001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0viM3z3GUiDrVpCmlIqULVEEZCr6k-b5XTXQIKGSSmCTgO4vyCW0Vc_8OmveCAlQVgP9Bm53FxKkktHXahmJUpnvhm2lzFTd_UZb0XNWRZqQss4bYUwxKNtWA16Pq0thzNyqN9QPWT5R_/s320/Refuel+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465303025973512226" /></a><br />I may have mentioned before that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. It's the jump-start you need to take on whatever lies ahead and I think we can all agree that there's nothing quite like waking up to the smell of freshly baked biscuits and eggs frying in the skillet. Unfortunately, most days out of the week I find myself settling for cold cereal with fruit, so the occasional mid-week trip to a local breakfast joint to get the good stuff is always welcomed with open arms and a big appetite. <br /><br />This week we decided to try <a href="http://www.refuelcafe.com/">Refuel</a>, a breakfast/lunch/brunch place on Hampson, just a few doors down from <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/02/purple-green-and-gold-valentine.html">here</a>. Their breakfast menu lasts from 7 to 9 a.m. and consists of the traditional items such as eggs, waffles, and parfaits. I ordered the Garden Omelet with potatoes and my boyfriend ordered the Riser 1, which came with 2 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, toast, grits, and a small cup of coffee. My breakfast was slightly disappointing because the omelet was watery (probably because of the spinach that was in it) and my potatoes were cold and tasteless. In fact, the absolute best part of the meal were my boyfriend's grits, which came out in a nice sized portion, super hot, and super creamy. Definitely the best grits I've found in New Orleans thus far. <br /><br />The service was friendly, prices were reasonable, and I liked the clean and cozy atmosphere. So even though my breakfast was a let down, I'll most likely go back to Refuel for their weekend brunch, where they offer things such as a Prime Egg Sandwich, with prime rib and a fried egg, and Huevos Rancheros. Besides, those grits are a good enough reason to go back any day of the week. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69vowLFG5gQR9BL8KeqNZ8p50ImexnVxe2N7tKu_-sk_A_7yP-4-h74AnMD9olJhZW9Ak8YqwWLwypr3YdgEWXdqYlKd26-B5-IyNXzmH8j6xPsp2fq4XURMo_y8vUz9aiw13eT80TagS/s1600/Refuel+004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69vowLFG5gQR9BL8KeqNZ8p50ImexnVxe2N7tKu_-sk_A_7yP-4-h74AnMD9olJhZW9Ak8YqwWLwypr3YdgEWXdqYlKd26-B5-IyNXzmH8j6xPsp2fq4XURMo_y8vUz9aiw13eT80TagS/s320/Refuel+004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465304042760083010" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Even though Refuel is a small restaurant, they have a lot of windows, making it seem much more open</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUv4nqwF6fGeczok6Q1TM5Ie6j2Ae8X_rKOvIFbPqna0Ot3cXBS79_4unUp4Nea75mEXoawcqfsnXwQNIi3P8enXUH5V96OUN0XjKJdvtx6Vm99iYAd0CL67dGfKuaFfvaXPjGM7YloCk/s1600/Refuel+006.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUv4nqwF6fGeczok6Q1TM5Ie6j2Ae8X_rKOvIFbPqna0Ot3cXBS79_4unUp4Nea75mEXoawcqfsnXwQNIi3P8enXUH5V96OUN0XjKJdvtx6Vm99iYAd0CL67dGfKuaFfvaXPjGM7YloCk/s320/Refuel+006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465304464988630386" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Garden Omelet with potatoes and wheat toast</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtCyVfWs02YJNH2suIMp0RxnIGu7NnnGj3_8GH1OmS45QOZ9szVI9d3b3KGbaPXw__5p2nc7_mcbOhk5HPaN5lvqcrVY9VTMaHZLqz5ZhaPvK1c-8zdad_xJP4B5o3c6L0m-enVUZKvYl/s1600/Refuel+008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtCyVfWs02YJNH2suIMp0RxnIGu7NnnGj3_8GH1OmS45QOZ9szVI9d3b3KGbaPXw__5p2nc7_mcbOhk5HPaN5lvqcrVY9VTMaHZLqz5ZhaPvK1c-8zdad_xJP4B5o3c6L0m-enVUZKvYl/s320/Refuel+008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467532546354072258" /></a><br /><em>The best grits I have ever had</em>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-86282142308452951082010-04-26T09:40:00.000-07:002010-04-26T13:00:00.717-07:00Petit Dejeuner<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPa-Fd4IJ5qYjdatkCipwD6uwgjSGf6g0-g7wZWCBNBumFo39XHPc3oixAtFwB06v1Y8eDtOdY4wAcaKTawKCJ75FLW08_wp96MdFoT9KMa9e7E_cWiqPZxnMRE_wPM4zi_vIHKwnaYNac/s1600/La+Boulangerie+001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPa-Fd4IJ5qYjdatkCipwD6uwgjSGf6g0-g7wZWCBNBumFo39XHPc3oixAtFwB06v1Y8eDtOdY4wAcaKTawKCJ75FLW08_wp96MdFoT9KMa9e7E_cWiqPZxnMRE_wPM4zi_vIHKwnaYNac/s320/La+Boulangerie+001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464509582843975426" /></a><br />The summer before my senior year in college I had the amazing opportunity to visit Paris, France while studying abroad. We were there for three unforgettable days, filled with beautiful scenery and delicious French food. We enjoyed wine and cheese on the Champ de Mars at night during the Eiffel Tower's light show, crepes while waiting in line outside of Notre Dame, and the most scrumptious chocolate croissants every morning from the vendor across the street from our hotel. <br /><br />So when the cravings for authentic French baked goods sets in, it's nice to know that there's a place in New Orleans where I can get those wonderful chocolate croissants and much more. La Boulangerie, literally meaning "Bakery" in French, is located on Magazine in between Cadiz and Valence Streets and is home to some of the best pastries and breads in the city. They have everything from fresh fruit tarts to olive bread, and during carnival season people go crazy for their authentic French King Cakes. We like to get an assortment boxed up to bring home for special weekends when friends are visiting. Nothing says "we love having you here!" like a box full of flaky, buttery pastries filled with fruit or chocolate. Be sure to bring cash because this bakery doesn't take anything else, and don't be surprised if the staff doesn't dish out loads of southern hospitality. They tend to be pretty busy in there and I think it reflects in their unwillingness to be incredibly helpful. So to ease the decision making process, here are some of our personal favorites: Apricot and Cherry danishes, Raspberry and Chocolate croissants, Brioche, and Raisin rolls. <br /><br />I highly recommend La Boulangerie for a quick bite to eat before hitting up the shops on Magazine, or in our case, when your Saturday morning needs a little something sweet to remind you that the weekend is finally here. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjST40CzBtKmLyZkm-HZHLRM_RsODqJ56vqL_g2QSjU1SOUG-MexT5Tb61p1heTj56gPTkHk_Tfr_SPsP7DcNbu8d22PsdpVzkJTmpwrwtLnkB7XLchl2CKDgZd4E4zhGb2uaCHH2jq_cFQ/s1600/La+Boulangerie+004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjST40CzBtKmLyZkm-HZHLRM_RsODqJ56vqL_g2QSjU1SOUG-MexT5Tb61p1heTj56gPTkHk_Tfr_SPsP7DcNbu8d22PsdpVzkJTmpwrwtLnkB7XLchl2CKDgZd4E4zhGb2uaCHH2jq_cFQ/s320/La+Boulangerie+004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464512286755108066" /></a> <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Dr. Bob's artwork is proudly displayed all over the bakery </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXLuryjw8NO20MMyXvTr_xLnch_rfufOA-3oaVlbfus6C00u4XB13eQSLItKqYESQ9M4qtTsTSgxnh8VeGW-n3QFQbNr3dUYLmxq4zHDzxMJFg7SC35NVGvl73VzCjOq8td1DZC22VhiZ/s1600/La+Boulangerie+007.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXLuryjw8NO20MMyXvTr_xLnch_rfufOA-3oaVlbfus6C00u4XB13eQSLItKqYESQ9M4qtTsTSgxnh8VeGW-n3QFQbNr3dUYLmxq4zHDzxMJFg7SC35NVGvl73VzCjOq8td1DZC22VhiZ/s320/La+Boulangerie+007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464530147386505266" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Croissant and danish heaven</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdiszdPYqyqc4y2FMP_4UxlQmg6OBz2lFuLb0BvHx1uo86T99P1Oh1pUfNuwOqu-flJlWzvnkadqPk99W8rYzxDJWH96GHu08N5BCp0VrUWVQfdzREYa7qv6MGJon9WmvXZzxf61HFcDh/s1600/La+Boulangerie+008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirdiszdPYqyqc4y2FMP_4UxlQmg6OBz2lFuLb0BvHx1uo86T99P1Oh1pUfNuwOqu-flJlWzvnkadqPk99W8rYzxDJWH96GHu08N5BCp0VrUWVQfdzREYa7qv6MGJon9WmvXZzxf61HFcDh/s320/La+Boulangerie+008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464530471010599586" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">It's obvious that the Sticky Buns are big enough to share, but I'm not sure I'd want to!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7IQrSSL0GWU-_6J4M5FWw8np81DV3fdJoP5eby2A9t6P0PBMBkBhryOWhCMmy_zB7mP5LvCLn792Id2l7M3a4u7xM5nPEr19hpTKJwjoiMc1UE6HoeKBqM8TOlLElk3BreILtqA2gfFU/s1600/La+Boulangerie+011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv7IQrSSL0GWU-_6J4M5FWw8np81DV3fdJoP5eby2A9t6P0PBMBkBhryOWhCMmy_zB7mP5LvCLn792Id2l7M3a4u7xM5nPEr19hpTKJwjoiMc1UE6HoeKBqM8TOlLElk3BreILtqA2gfFU/s320/La+Boulangerie+011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464531526983811490" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Gorgeous fruit tarts and eclairs </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKzfCELYCgjYepYbq-hMeCwp_xVgxbTcpj3zh8sQ8GD0CXrgu9kzWAJlh3ae7ViIMSZOefZLFw60LXk06pYFe1AYRVG9V0_bxUbRsUUxEdvx7D0J8Kbn8u2uLt29UPyKCtXb4aNi_tzug/s1600/La+Boulangerie+015.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 236px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKzfCELYCgjYepYbq-hMeCwp_xVgxbTcpj3zh8sQ8GD0CXrgu9kzWAJlh3ae7ViIMSZOefZLFw60LXk06pYFe1AYRVG9V0_bxUbRsUUxEdvx7D0J8Kbn8u2uLt29UPyKCtXb4aNi_tzug/s320/La+Boulangerie+015.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464531968354221970" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Our assortment: Peach, apricot, & cherry danishes; regular, raspberry, & chocolate croissants; brioche suisse (brioche filled with pastry cream and chocolate chips); raisin roll<br /></span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-22615743287862107172010-04-23T09:36:00.000-07:002010-04-23T12:40:31.312-07:00A Pleasant Surprise<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXp8WWLra6iLPHkMoCdWEJAqUyXaY31DSVgm4IVAnByXIIh6QKp-qyawAoYLm8noxrUD4mjG2h8R5fgt321Le-lDV0JWLKtcCtvxiw0yKcefi3ljx2Y5i13iBFjPPOvMDT0V94aSo5rU2/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+242.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXp8WWLra6iLPHkMoCdWEJAqUyXaY31DSVgm4IVAnByXIIh6QKp-qyawAoYLm8noxrUD4mjG2h8R5fgt321Le-lDV0JWLKtcCtvxiw0yKcefi3ljx2Y5i13iBFjPPOvMDT0V94aSo5rU2/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+242.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463373443648939506" /></a><br />Even though I'm constantly researching new places to eat, I'm always pleasantly surprised when my friends make suggestions of where to go. One of my best friends (and fellow food lover) took some time out of her busy nursing school schedule to slow it down with me over dinner and drinks this week. She suggested <a href="http://ihhotel.com/restaurant.html">Rambla</a> since we could bring our own wine and because their menu is designed for sharing. After reviewing their menu online, I replied to her suggestion with an enthusiastic "Yes!". <br /><br />Located on Camp Street off of Canal in the Central Business District, Chef Kenneth LaCour's Rambla is a unique blend of Spanish and French cuisine inspired from the popular tapas bars that line the streets of Barcelona, Spain. Both the food and the atmosphere have been designed to inspire conversation and relaxation, using big wooden tables, antique mirrors, candles, and decorative ironwork to create the right aura. <br /><br />I arrived earlier than my friend and received a very detailed overview of the menu by the maître d’, who was incredibly helpful, so by the time my friend got there with the wine, I had already decided on what we should order. We started with the Medjool Dates which were stuffed with blue cheese and a Marcona almond, then wrapped in smoked bacon. The combination of the chewy date and bacon mixed with the creaminess of the cheese and crunch from the almond made this small plate an instant favorite. Next we had the Applewood Smoked Salmon, served with a dill crème fraiche, corn beignets, and sliced grape tomatoes. We both really enjoyed this Petits Plats (small plate). Smoked salmon and dill are a classic combination and the corn beignet was both unexpected and wonderful. It was crunchy on the outside, sweet and fluffy on the inside, and dotted with plump corn kernels. The sliced tomatoes, though not many, added a nice tang and splash of color to the dish. Next our waiter brought out the Stuffed Piquillo Peppers, one stuffed with Tuna Confit and the other with Herbed Chevré, and the Patatas Bravas. We found the Tuna Confit to be slightly fishy and agreed that sweet pepper paired with the creamy herb cheese was much better. The Patatas Bravas were cubed pieces of potato, much like hashbrowns, that were cooked to a golden brown, rolled in paprika, and then topped with a garlic alioli. Coming from a person who doesn't even like potatoes that much, these cute little carb cubes have my vote for "Most Delicious Potato Put in My Face in 2010". Last we had the Churros with salted caramel for dessert. Let's just say that when my two churros were gone, I definitely dipped my finger in the caramel sauce three... okay, four times. <br /><br />We finished up our glasses of wine, paid the bill, and thanked our waiters for an excellent meal. It was the perfect amount of food for the two of us, though next time I'm definitely going to try the Galacian-Style Octopus and Rambla Shrimp, which sound too good to pass up a second time. Even with our busy schedules and monthly money saving attempts, my friend and I still manage to get together often to enjoy a nice meal. Food always tastes better when enjoyed with best friends. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgTJFjpy4YpYPguYnumzSGEX5-gbvLXoa6kVeAf9mMb_2LzWbwIJp7adtoN0SiUQq1vYOLKkA2rfdJn8kGAAr_2QvDoROJxhjb7jMwV9-GibsGSeiBQPO3ojafz4VPARFP3uqUVVKnppQy/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+244.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgTJFjpy4YpYPguYnumzSGEX5-gbvLXoa6kVeAf9mMb_2LzWbwIJp7adtoN0SiUQq1vYOLKkA2rfdJn8kGAAr_2QvDoROJxhjb7jMwV9-GibsGSeiBQPO3ojafz4VPARFP3uqUVVKnppQy/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+244.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463373734774543922" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">We drank our own bottle of wine, but don't these specialty drinks sound delish?</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsszrUIDqGyeSPxsbBSmdroqRXY0f6ZB88sdOgd-Oh6YF0FBQYPW-qR4Y1EcA6KK0QbAdFQS9jA2OWzP7ldxqdQTqwNxvt-axOF5xFtL1cTdSje2ZQUwY017-zV5Dehd-J0ydiEcVAkuH/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+247.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTsszrUIDqGyeSPxsbBSmdroqRXY0f6ZB88sdOgd-Oh6YF0FBQYPW-qR4Y1EcA6KK0QbAdFQS9jA2OWzP7ldxqdQTqwNxvt-axOF5xFtL1cTdSje2ZQUwY017-zV5Dehd-J0ydiEcVAkuH/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+247.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463373978571499426" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">My friend and I both agree that a dinner party around this big table would be so much fun</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNN_szuiAv8HZiokXyCNAkn_3m4_MqfsOCHtwwv8_BaOH9NvCtsWwS4q_9EA16S0E4WjFGaTkBn4xM0d8oDpZAdYSab59o-kvMfovo7kG6YKm9Y-tk0E-FeuIgfQshOivM9HO9fa7zCg__/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+249.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNN_szuiAv8HZiokXyCNAkn_3m4_MqfsOCHtwwv8_BaOH9NvCtsWwS4q_9EA16S0E4WjFGaTkBn4xM0d8oDpZAdYSab59o-kvMfovo7kG6YKm9Y-tk0E-FeuIgfQshOivM9HO9fa7zCg__/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+249.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463374311392326578" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Applewood Smoked Salmon with Corn Beignets and Dill Crème Fraiche</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSgIQYA8wGKfr_Bh1NcV95FbBCU1E_trhh7dwGWo-1_7vIlEUlZnWeTpkH0I8edQOtnMddzom05cvn4s0uUrdv_hD9Lq3Q1subsKFfkFsk62taly21r-uAZsod4Y33VafXsrnPlvCyiIP/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+251.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSgIQYA8wGKfr_Bh1NcV95FbBCU1E_trhh7dwGWo-1_7vIlEUlZnWeTpkH0I8edQOtnMddzom05cvn4s0uUrdv_hD9Lq3Q1subsKFfkFsk62taly21r-uAZsod4Y33VafXsrnPlvCyiIP/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+251.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463374520176192914" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Stuffed Piquillo Peppers with Tuna Confit and Herbed Chevré </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxK7sjNysf8odJz6mxn4K1nwZAnc3wIIG_-iyuV8GTrpjrmTIHoGC_mIW1wWdIiM90qAaIQDWfhiOZGfNgzBwtQ7sc29wg-Ctt4WemlpEUwlVlbQhcKZTz5TZ58uUVDvuEzrj-YVQg7iOw/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+250.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxK7sjNysf8odJz6mxn4K1nwZAnc3wIIG_-iyuV8GTrpjrmTIHoGC_mIW1wWdIiM90qAaIQDWfhiOZGfNgzBwtQ7sc29wg-Ctt4WemlpEUwlVlbQhcKZTz5TZ58uUVDvuEzrj-YVQg7iOw/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+250.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463374733012200690" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Patatas Bravas with Paprika and Garlic Alioli</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cHu7DynVVV1edBYw6rTW-yLr1zhimJaDgkIxCPfXXWYtVzSntwyAt4C6ZURMP-J98LbbwN2jzerf7TcEkLFCXitFtv-eT4CN6RY_oArZL6YjAO5QA0N74jGX_JkhztBMag-hKQwvsWlj/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+252.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7cHu7DynVVV1edBYw6rTW-yLr1zhimJaDgkIxCPfXXWYtVzSntwyAt4C6ZURMP-J98LbbwN2jzerf7TcEkLFCXitFtv-eT4CN6RY_oArZL6YjAO5QA0N74jGX_JkhztBMag-hKQwvsWlj/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+252.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463375054815003554" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Churros with Salted Caramel sauce</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-54390352352168459252010-04-21T08:54:00.000-07:002010-04-21T12:54:00.195-07:00Rum House<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHilycqliqWg67cKoNhBBOMlbDOnhRPBY-HW81ZgYpssMd66jAUCC1Gvqtj7kSSxtfn0-LdDCjo8ONFt-le4zO0ZrQ-3XpvEbLpurz8jBcgDlmhyecQugNtShTbWprL8aHF8Rw1dAzDAqq/s1600/Rum+House+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 181px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHilycqliqWg67cKoNhBBOMlbDOnhRPBY-HW81ZgYpssMd66jAUCC1Gvqtj7kSSxtfn0-LdDCjo8ONFt-le4zO0ZrQ-3XpvEbLpurz8jBcgDlmhyecQugNtShTbWprL8aHF8Rw1dAzDAqq/s320/Rum+House+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462677023126294866" /></a><br />When I was 17 I went with a friend and her family to the British Virgin Islands. We chartered our own sailboat, the Fantasea, and every day we would sail to the different islands. We went snorkeling through the reefs, took the dingy ashore to sample some of the local fare, and at night we slept on the boat underneath the Caribbean star-studded sky. It was my very first time flying, my first time living on a boat, and up until then, that 2 week vacation was the longest time I had ever spent away from home. I have the most incredible memories from that vacation; the friendly BVI locals, gorgeous salty blue water and, of course, the amazing food. <br /><br />So I was super excited when a friend suggested we go to the <a href="http://rumhousenola.com/">Rum House</a> on Magazine Street last week while a bunch of our friends were in town for a wedding. The Rum House is a Caribbean Taqueria that serves up food with Caribbean, Latin American, and Creole influences. And as most of you already know, I am a <span style="font-style:italic;">huge</span> fan of the Latin/Caribbean food <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/03/top-of-tapas.html">here</a>, so I'm always willing to try other places with the same cuisine. <br /><br />We went on a Thursday night, so it wasn't too crowded, and while we waited for everyone to get there, we ordered the Conch and Sweet Potato Fritters. I remember enjoying them in the BVI, but perhaps my memory deceives me because these fritters were pretty horrible. They were sweet in all the wrong ways and had an odd texture and shape. Every fritter I have ever had has been round, so what were these odd-long things on the plate in front of me? The breading was really the only thing I tasted and they were a little too greasy. We ended up leaving a majority of them on the plate for the waitress to take away.<br /><br />Since the fritters were a bust, we ordered the chips with queso blanco and griddle roasted vegetable salsa. We all agreed that the chips tasted stale, that the salsa was mediocre, and that <a href="http://www.superiorgrill.com/">Superior Grill</a>'s queso is definitely better. Although it wasn't looking too good at this point, I still had high hopes for my Taco Trifecta entree where you choose 3 of the 10 tacos and a side. I ordered the Chopped Shrimp taco, which came with black beans, roasted peppers, pico de gallo, onions, and queso; the Brisket taco with chimichurri, barbecue sauce, cilantro, and fried shallots; and the Flaked Fish taco made with charbroiled black drum, asparagus and creole tomato chutney, and a dill tarter sauce. The Brisket taco was odd because of the bbq sauce and the fried shallots, which were cold and chewy. The Flaked Fish was forgettable and the Chopped Shrimp was just one big let down. While my friends who ordered the same thing got lots of shrimp, I only got one half of a shrimp. It was even more upsetting considering that the shrimp taco had the best flavor of the three.<br /><br />We skipped dessert since we were all pretty disappointed and vowed that we would only go back for nachos and drinks. My "Painkiller" drink was pretty darn good and it definitely reminded me of my time spent in the Islands. Other than that, I'm glad there are other Latin/Caribbean restaurants in the city that do a much better job of satisfying my constant craving for this wonderful cuisine. Because if Rum House were the only option, then my memories would be all I would have. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2u8hVH9XXtgPiBmnp9lqmCXbZmkrQA7ly2jcn3_dHDAo1L3bIOhyphenhyphen8dUyYmJIHmhaZvGwaWEUOMRTCg1Y1ms1fkfDTinWc-yFGBdoyIY2sEuTSvp6TgWS7JkQ2w86fTnT-XJ1NQyYIMe_b/s1600/Rum+House+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2u8hVH9XXtgPiBmnp9lqmCXbZmkrQA7ly2jcn3_dHDAo1L3bIOhyphenhyphen8dUyYmJIHmhaZvGwaWEUOMRTCg1Y1ms1fkfDTinWc-yFGBdoyIY2sEuTSvp6TgWS7JkQ2w86fTnT-XJ1NQyYIMe_b/s320/Rum+House+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462677255942159458" /></a> <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Conch and Sweet Potato Fritters with Spicy Remoulade Dipping Sauce</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilver0WOLKr_1UTl_VkDnYzxcIgUZj-DBVb3wdfZmgthd6lhr07X-rK19UeKM9ivQvN3d429DTBb8cgoV3UNihP5gQL1-Zre-YC3QxyVv0K3HuRJFuTDs4Gx0enMFS2tB250_eTV6d3cgf/s1600/Rum+House+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilver0WOLKr_1UTl_VkDnYzxcIgUZj-DBVb3wdfZmgthd6lhr07X-rK19UeKM9ivQvN3d429DTBb8cgoV3UNihP5gQL1-Zre-YC3QxyVv0K3HuRJFuTDs4Gx0enMFS2tB250_eTV6d3cgf/s320/Rum+House+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462677465513021858" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Queso Blanco and Griddle Roasted Vegetable Salsa with chips</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHcvkzcex5V70EEKFx8KBwYU_LoJdplNra-7WitydFA6rXDZoFVuZEutUSQNmnlq75UzGHdl-VjHK6lE38j-ACBDEvd9hkQocnYMyTEX17aU4AgXu6fiXa4dov1sb5WXK0z0kHvctHBVJ/s1600/Rum+House+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHcvkzcex5V70EEKFx8KBwYU_LoJdplNra-7WitydFA6rXDZoFVuZEutUSQNmnlq75UzGHdl-VjHK6lE38j-ACBDEvd9hkQocnYMyTEX17aU4AgXu6fiXa4dov1sb5WXK0z0kHvctHBVJ/s320/Rum+House+4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462677756722820882" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Taco Trifecta (from left to right): Flaked Fish, Brisket, and Chopped Shrimp with a side of Coconut Mango Rice (which was dry and lacked the big flavor I was expecting)</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-74610977036027926312010-04-16T09:04:00.000-07:002010-04-19T11:20:57.757-07:00Noodle Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZZ1y2uZzqm29U4o3hiHuxiH9rXWBAKic3mmzk7XCTzBH-Wh159Ukk17SzyeMmhxMj64Z13BzPWesRxVknx6eiOVlM3psQbwOZXFnjiz1MS7EXOz98tG7nNW2SzcLckp9_0VVOieq5cry/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+172.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ZZ1y2uZzqm29U4o3hiHuxiH9rXWBAKic3mmzk7XCTzBH-Wh159Ukk17SzyeMmhxMj64Z13BzPWesRxVknx6eiOVlM3psQbwOZXFnjiz1MS7EXOz98tG7nNW2SzcLckp9_0VVOieq5cry/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+172.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460767214928728626" /></a><br />Every week I get an insatiable craving for Asian food. Usually I'll satisfy my craving by going out for sushi, which definitely isn't something I'd ever attempt to make at home, and depending on what you order, it can be very healthy. But sometimes I need a change and that's when I usually turn to Thai food. <br /><br /><a href="http://lathaiuptown.com/">La Thai</a>, located on the corner of Robert and Prytania, is a great Uptown Thai restaurant that offers an extensive menu of starters, soups, salads, noodles, stir-fry, curry and other entrees to please everyone at the table. I'm fond of the Tom Ka Gai soup, which is a classic Taiwanese soup made with chicken, coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger, and mushrooms, and I also really like the Paht Woon Sen glass noodle dish with shrimp and veggies in a sweet soy-garlic sauce. My boyfriend particularly enjoys the green curry with chicken, which he orders spicy, but you can specify how much heat you want in any of the dishes. Personally, I don't enjoy spicy food, but I find that if I endure a little spice, I have an even bigger excuse to hit up <a href="http://www.creolecreamery.com/">Creole Creamery</a> after the meal :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaYNOqQv-1JEO7bA4DjSSrCgANGoxvDtDQ8chJ3lpwyqjSbPpL32cYXwroxGOSo6ogy1YFvaFTD9qH9HyfIc-oR8OyQuuiPD8PjjD_r4xolwo7Tjq-UU2enKBquVzCV4OFW1Z9D65KaJR/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+174.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaYNOqQv-1JEO7bA4DjSSrCgANGoxvDtDQ8chJ3lpwyqjSbPpL32cYXwroxGOSo6ogy1YFvaFTD9qH9HyfIc-oR8OyQuuiPD8PjjD_r4xolwo7Tjq-UU2enKBquVzCV4OFW1Z9D65KaJR/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+174.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460767542189349234" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Green Curry Mussels - Mussels were decent but the french fries were slightly disappointing (tasted too much like fast food fries)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6Isu5kPQmx8SylUxCPpMrWY-ZZcmRnt0Ou5qnSNmsT2SvyoqjnTIUKjPNQ-wckLOwK0pUV0jayuoJf2AXeOakNlX6ZDh1tMED_z9x2NCMTSBdW26Sxqqr3lHkyRy2WuN7sp7iM-jp7F0/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+177.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6Isu5kPQmx8SylUxCPpMrWY-ZZcmRnt0Ou5qnSNmsT2SvyoqjnTIUKjPNQ-wckLOwK0pUV0jayuoJf2AXeOakNlX6ZDh1tMED_z9x2NCMTSBdW26Sxqqr3lHkyRy2WuN7sp7iM-jp7F0/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+177.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460767793200646994" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Paht Woon Sen: Glass noodles, shrimp, scallions, baby corn, mushrooms</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprGPrEQ-GKYb5twhw9W2HpKL6OC5he-DL2EEJdZuH44EPQmN5WGwyeCXnYqkpllzzZL5wVTz5EM3TZ1QnpZs-Kf-nA0XvoastHVHHegNgzrjFCZY9ZdcDzORyKBRRCo-Roi-PCJMS2zwg/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+178.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgprGPrEQ-GKYb5twhw9W2HpKL6OC5he-DL2EEJdZuH44EPQmN5WGwyeCXnYqkpllzzZL5wVTz5EM3TZ1QnpZs-Kf-nA0XvoastHVHHegNgzrjFCZY9ZdcDzORyKBRRCo-Roi-PCJMS2zwg/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+178.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460768014627835474" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Green Curry with Chicken: Coconut milk, bamboo shoots, eggplant, basil</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-79050215494916874822010-04-14T09:09:00.000-07:002010-04-14T14:11:17.130-07:00An Italian Tuesday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbiIHRwJDi8XtyoeVv49KaTLnJcddhf0oAyGMIE0Xwt_7jXkroLugOfl8trdes_8W7p9r4CMfIyBTQkl4Xbb0I76uEcfA22QfAMXJyBAyU_lRCDZXOOPFIeK8T3FfBmbMvZobYqyxq7Wc/s1600/Domenica+002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbiIHRwJDi8XtyoeVv49KaTLnJcddhf0oAyGMIE0Xwt_7jXkroLugOfl8trdes_8W7p9r4CMfIyBTQkl4Xbb0I76uEcfA22QfAMXJyBAyU_lRCDZXOOPFIeK8T3FfBmbMvZobYqyxq7Wc/s320/Domenica+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460036054025912370" /></a><br />Ever since I had my first taste of John Besh's <a href="http://www.lukeneworleans.com/">Lüke</a> burger, I have been eager to try out his other restaurants that are scattered around the city's business district. Restaurant August and Besh Steak are on the pricier side, so this week we decided to go to <a href="http://www.domenicarestaurant.com/">Domenica</a>, Besh's Italian restaurant, located on Baronne off of Canal Street in the CBD. <br /><br />Domenica has everything from pizzas and cheese boards to large and small antipasti (no pasta) and primi (pasta) plates. They even have seafood, chicken, and red meat entrees. With all of this to choose from, I was glad that I had already done my research and knew exactly what I wanted to order. To start, we ordered the Calabrese and Wild Mushroom pizzas which were some of the best I have ever had. The Calabrese came with spicy salami, capers and olives and the Wild Mushroom had fontina cheese, bacon, and a cracked egg in the middle. I know, I know, an egg on pizza? Just trust me, it was fabulous. <br /><br />Next we had the small Wood Grilled Shrimp antipasti plate, and the small primi Stracci plate. The shrimp dish was not my favorite. I found it hard to taste anything except for the burned, woodsy flavor, which kind of ruined it for me. Fortunately the Stracci made up for the disappointment of the shrimp. The Stracci was this beautiful torn green pasta topped with an oxtail ragu and fried chicken livers. I've never really been a huge fan of liver, but the rest of the dish was to die for. The oxtail ragu was tender and had the most incredible savory and comforting flavor that the pasta just seemed to soak up. I think next time I will have to get the larger portion of this dish sans the chicken livers and enjoy it with a big glass of red wine*.<br /><br />After eating we took a walk through the Roosevelt Hotel to see the famous <a href="http://www.therooseveltneworleans.com/">Sazerac Bar</a>, which was surprisingly full of people at 7:30. It was neat to eat at a fairly new restaurant and then moments later step foot inside a bar that's been around for more than 100 years. Food + History = Just one of the many reasons why I love this city. <br /><br />*You can bring your own wine to any of John Besh's restaurants and enjoy a waived corking fee. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhht9j0lF6DzF7_kXqSITVIn9Lujbk9m6uPMK7FVphzUVhecEVeQaDQYPfXQXobV23nWdh-0MhkGAnO7R9XGCk0xIVnELV8ktyw2V10KpSLPThnY9_ThkAeFB20W_Vhh8_v1E9G2_AtWa8G/s1600/Domenica+007.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhht9j0lF6DzF7_kXqSITVIn9Lujbk9m6uPMK7FVphzUVhecEVeQaDQYPfXQXobV23nWdh-0MhkGAnO7R9XGCk0xIVnELV8ktyw2V10KpSLPThnY9_ThkAeFB20W_Vhh8_v1E9G2_AtWa8G/s320/Domenica+007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460058496810690146" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Domenica was voted Best Casual Upscale Dining Establishment in January 2010</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkaMiRWITKy0dogBt7t3_hylaRBlWOZrWZoqwXkMV5qDDSM2esjD-TlxtccQoa7jzicqG3Vv3e_GfqE84YAXCrxI-frXhiHYkpnxoxSIASKr_qN4idceYPwaGF5XXhZ1t7970zW3pAf9R/s1600/Domenica+010.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkaMiRWITKy0dogBt7t3_hylaRBlWOZrWZoqwXkMV5qDDSM2esjD-TlxtccQoa7jzicqG3Vv3e_GfqE84YAXCrxI-frXhiHYkpnxoxSIASKr_qN4idceYPwaGF5XXhZ1t7970zW3pAf9R/s320/Domenica+010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460063665964081970" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Calabrese Pizza: Spicy salami, mozzarella, capers, and olives</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisiMiIX6biEo72YVzihYyeTcQidnFjcFolmPE1pauM-ryrGs3ie0VF5VRZskdChkm1UQ9t_SRRcnGz0x-6khOgzmuFiJDWAjsJDBDrtpEmEL0iEvTzPCWpO7irR8ZEzG7-AGD4Fa67Xe46/s1600/Domenica+009.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisiMiIX6biEo72YVzihYyeTcQidnFjcFolmPE1pauM-ryrGs3ie0VF5VRZskdChkm1UQ9t_SRRcnGz0x-6khOgzmuFiJDWAjsJDBDrtpEmEL0iEvTzPCWpO7irR8ZEzG7-AGD4Fa67Xe46/s320/Domenica+009.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460064300101006786" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Wild Mushroom pizza with fontina, bacon, and yard egg</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxktVQgl4KPc-aSylfhJrLIKTTdahULAm2rmuehzFIBZLzn2tTLSdCzXr-LSvGYr3JlYQ_0OeEUoZRZpuuCa0DNHAAmPaFVf47bhh_Gkgx5eylo7rzKDPc1NPXKf65OonhGV04sgktM3i/s1600/Domenica+011.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxktVQgl4KPc-aSylfhJrLIKTTdahULAm2rmuehzFIBZLzn2tTLSdCzXr-LSvGYr3JlYQ_0OeEUoZRZpuuCa0DNHAAmPaFVf47bhh_Gkgx5eylo7rzKDPc1NPXKf65OonhGV04sgktM3i/s320/Domenica+011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460065716215094850" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Stracci: Torn pasta, oxtail ragu, and fried chicken livers</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlo7E_u_4s-0fKz28861MeVoF6guxQBHmnlmDiFlJidnYwK6L3C9yYzM2gBydf8j9SvyEISPKN7iZRZk21H5hyLuLF1E_kAvkkMaSY2MbUqX2uzGh8eWHnDGGlNID4b5AYBkj1njjr7QJU/s1600/Domenica+016.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlo7E_u_4s-0fKz28861MeVoF6guxQBHmnlmDiFlJidnYwK6L3C9yYzM2gBydf8j9SvyEISPKN7iZRZk21H5hyLuLF1E_kAvkkMaSY2MbUqX2uzGh8eWHnDGGlNID4b5AYBkj1njjr7QJU/s320/Domenica+016.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460066087974042290" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">My plate of the Stracci and Wood Grilled Shrimp with Calamari</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJWXE5PbnjuCgtYaCiGVHVD7NK7TT5MLtXKgH9l00ONBp8ynY31B_amW94ktg3-BhKkwVTQJGFqJJ6NdRHa7O7s-yP1aGBaQqjvBUzvQcBRXFgx-Upu9_Auyf8cCZ02zRmJJPU_F1oxKT/s1600/Domenica+020.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYJWXE5PbnjuCgtYaCiGVHVD7NK7TT5MLtXKgH9l00ONBp8ynY31B_amW94ktg3-BhKkwVTQJGFqJJ6NdRHa7O7s-yP1aGBaQqjvBUzvQcBRXFgx-Upu9_Auyf8cCZ02zRmJJPU_F1oxKT/s320/Domenica+020.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460066445063684402" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Hanging house cured meats</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRa2FMV2A2iMpIg0dGaB9fXDnOU2LgQgaO0HaitK9FzqeXM5seqIDmnjM2wKSsscLkd6Dy2dVw92gnzoAs0kF5gQlDReh9uSSuTjwIBIXVQnmCx5cIUoVbowlGyffLEKk7uhJw7M46Qzu0/s1600/Domenica+021.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRa2FMV2A2iMpIg0dGaB9fXDnOU2LgQgaO0HaitK9FzqeXM5seqIDmnjM2wKSsscLkd6Dy2dVw92gnzoAs0kF5gQlDReh9uSSuTjwIBIXVQnmCx5cIUoVbowlGyffLEKk7uhJw7M46Qzu0/s320/Domenica+021.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460066782771545234" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Herb and sesame seed bread sticks that are placed in the center of every table</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSaW1BbwfwUf3C3COQi4Dtw6YcufGrI-F4z1GPzoh8mkZJB29uCyPofdXNKIzuHwUeyPtScq7Whb0G5DVqMIHnPicjyGiQwItFMgnYWDvcDs3OWSVwJf_B_OstC4QWfHQ_01tc1sN9dVf/s1600/Domenica+025.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoSaW1BbwfwUf3C3COQi4Dtw6YcufGrI-F4z1GPzoh8mkZJB29uCyPofdXNKIzuHwUeyPtScq7Whb0G5DVqMIHnPicjyGiQwItFMgnYWDvcDs3OWSVwJf_B_OstC4QWfHQ_01tc1sN9dVf/s320/Domenica+025.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460067279486442498" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Entrance to the Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-12663738247527706872010-04-12T09:00:00.001-07:002010-05-04T14:37:01.663-07:00French Quarter Festival 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOciRk-LOx7WhtL0Miml6S_PZsRKkzBv8au4xcXt1ZOCGnbMHcg26tqpT_MDYc-vFTpxlTa1nep_xtfBwsEDkJolZ3JMKPDzDiHWPMfDhC17pxJjUceNqYVvv1KhzKAdxqISca_9uvoyC2/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+181.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 221px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOciRk-LOx7WhtL0Miml6S_PZsRKkzBv8au4xcXt1ZOCGnbMHcg26tqpT_MDYc-vFTpxlTa1nep_xtfBwsEDkJolZ3JMKPDzDiHWPMfDhC17pxJjUceNqYVvv1KhzKAdxqISca_9uvoyC2/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+181.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459289661639929442" /></a><br />The city of New Orleans and its faithful dwellers seem to always be looking for an excuse to have a party. Especially when those parties involve copious amounts of food, alcohol, and live music. From Mardi Gras season to Hurricane season and everything in between, this city has got it going on... all year long. <br /><br />While I'm familiar with many of the parties and festivals this city holds annually, this past weekend was my very first time attending the <a href="http://www.fqfi.org/">French Quarter Festival</a>, which has been boosting the city's spirits and revenue for over 20 years. The festival was held from Friday, April 9th to Sunday, April 11th, with food and music happening from 11 in the morning until about 9 o'clock at night. My boyfriend and I went with my parents on Sunday and spent five hours walking around the Quarter, eating from the local vendors, tapping our feet to Dixieland Jazz and Zydeco music, and we even slowed down long enough to relax, or in my dad's case, nap, under the shade of a Magnolia tree (with a bloody mary in hand, of course). <br /><br />So what delectable goodness did I eat? Well, let me first say that choosing was rather easy, considering I had already printed and highlighted everything on <a href="http://www.nomenu.com/">Tom Fitzmorris'</a> "Obsessive Eater's Guide to French Quarter Festival 2010" that had a high rating (like I said <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/03/do-hokey-poke.html">here</a>, I am a huge dork). I didn't get around to trying everything that I wanted to, but I did manage to cross off a good number of things on the list. <br /><br />We started the day by camping out in Jackson Square and the first thing I had to have was <a href="http://www.jacquesimoscafe.com/">Jacques-Imo's</a> Slow Roasted Duck Po Boy, which I had once before at the <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/03/evening-with-chefs.html">James Beard Benefit</a> I went to in March. For the record, it was just as fantastic the second time around. Then we hit up <a href="http://www.muriels.com/">Muriel's</a> for the combo plate of the Louisiana Crawfish and Goat Cheese Crepe and the Shrimp and Eggplant Stuffing. The crawfish had great flavor in the creamy sauce poured over the crepe and the stuffing was a savory mixture of plump shrimp and soft eggplant... cornbread stuffing ain't got nothing on this stuff! Next we got the Oyster Bonne Femme over Bow Tie Pasta from <a href="http://www.antoines.com/">Antoine's</a>, which may have been my favorite thing we ate. Because the oysters are cooked in their own liquor, the sauce is like eating one big melted oyster topped with Romano and Swiss cheese. Fabulous! We started craving something sweet so we resorted to Desire Oyster Bar's Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce. Even my dad, who is a self-proclaimed bread pudding connoisseur, said that it was "very, very, good". <br /><br />After listening to the Panorama Jazz band for a while, we decided to move to Woldenberg Park, where we camped out underneath a Magnolia tree. There I had Audubon Nature Institute's Crawfish Bread, which was more like a crawfish pie, boasting a hot and spicy crawfish filling inside a flaky dough. Then it was Emeril's <a href="http://www.emerils.com/">Delmonico's</a> Crawfish and Veal Sausage Po-Boy with Smothered Peppers, which I only had one bite of because I found it to be a little dry. My boyfriend got the Cajun Meat Pie from <a href="http://www.mrswheatsfoods.com/">Mrs. Wheat's</a> Pies, which I snagged two bites of because it was excellent. And to end the eating frenzy I got some of the <a href="http://www.gumboshop.com/">Gumbo Shop</a>'s Chicken and Andouille Gumbo. I was happy it had okra in it, but unhappy that some of the rice grains were not cooked. All in all, once I added a dash of Tabasco sauce, the flavor was pretty darn good.<br /><br />With the sun beaming down and the cool breeze blowing in from the river, my first French Quarter Festival experience was an incredibly enjoyable one. It was a perfect Sunday full of streetcar rides, live music, food, and most importantly, time spent with family. So until next year New Orleans, thanks for the free music and the long-lasting memories... I'm sure we'll be in touch. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6tj0ICgicS1el58EcGPHTHyDROO7s3CN2LeQrdDmlAXx2H2uUAzDMUcDrsOCvmQzDNgc7EtwiKGMeNulwjSQwLxU43kOJHthqT4yVKLaLY5XZiZJ-qql3zPLc0-ISROZDdZoRW2Ga_LK/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+183.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6tj0ICgicS1el58EcGPHTHyDROO7s3CN2LeQrdDmlAXx2H2uUAzDMUcDrsOCvmQzDNgc7EtwiKGMeNulwjSQwLxU43kOJHthqT4yVKLaLY5XZiZJ-qql3zPLc0-ISROZDdZoRW2Ga_LK/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+183.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459290894447382002" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Jacques-Imo's Slow Roasted Duck Po Boy with a Southern Comfort sweet tea</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZlsLSbSCmONYdtbbukxRi8AcJhUwFRXFODC8oqixf7QvkSB-PaM__JtNEyJLKjZy3C24gK6MGXDGXGuxTNC5xtWjiSW_SyP7aG562VPsYFZvYOEsJa2630jEwu59Drt2nqw2X4xZGc3J/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+184.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZZlsLSbSCmONYdtbbukxRi8AcJhUwFRXFODC8oqixf7QvkSB-PaM__JtNEyJLKjZy3C24gK6MGXDGXGuxTNC5xtWjiSW_SyP7aG562VPsYFZvYOEsJa2630jEwu59Drt2nqw2X4xZGc3J/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+184.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459324383723306466" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Muriel's Louisiana Crawfish and Goat Cheese Crepe and Shrimp and Eggplant Stuffing</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnb6HkfLSKLLkgKGPsed0aOUHlixC8z0IVe09iVIZ9KuuwgY6y8UxdjMwhNX52UGs9g7ewKtsH99QwGH2pZmWFgHhqW-qCdsd8bV8CWnKgOOhd8FXj2OL7zlyBN4dYbGzGudjnuBMmQTth/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+188.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnb6HkfLSKLLkgKGPsed0aOUHlixC8z0IVe09iVIZ9KuuwgY6y8UxdjMwhNX52UGs9g7ewKtsH99QwGH2pZmWFgHhqW-qCdsd8bV8CWnKgOOhd8FXj2OL7zlyBN4dYbGzGudjnuBMmQTth/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+188.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459324786296414370" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Antoine's Oyster Bonne Femme with Bowtie Pasta. Bad picture, excellent dish.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnhb9LjJ-LyxxXqZIQfYhAbv6NmWKQmn0rx0XalUb5mz2QALG4od4LReaLn7rGrc-d6vfgUxL6VOMNMQ0ip3t5V85WttOBBD7HItWm6RKVECUuEQ1Pwu4oVrveYX01OxZhDHSOMssllxb/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+191.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnhb9LjJ-LyxxXqZIQfYhAbv6NmWKQmn0rx0XalUb5mz2QALG4od4LReaLn7rGrc-d6vfgUxL6VOMNMQ0ip3t5V85WttOBBD7HItWm6RKVECUuEQ1Pwu4oVrveYX01OxZhDHSOMssllxb/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+191.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459325400227998002" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Desire Oyster Bar's New Orleans Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_6GgRI_hSLV2klzidV6E6hI0TXfvke0p4M5XlWBuUWYqbMCyk0pnNKSQ0avXkkFERsZqTA_izxPP3XFh6u9xj2pmUetHSosS5dfs094w-RteLN875m7hUv_u4sZ83eHq0VOuwPyUoaNd/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+192.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_6GgRI_hSLV2klzidV6E6hI0TXfvke0p4M5XlWBuUWYqbMCyk0pnNKSQ0avXkkFERsZqTA_izxPP3XFh6u9xj2pmUetHSosS5dfs094w-RteLN875m7hUv_u4sZ83eHq0VOuwPyUoaNd/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+192.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459325978304647762" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Local art at the Pedestrian Mall in Jackson Sqaure</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCz9mH3CY9AvIwgyhg6q6hNpXjKNcGjMVwcroGLoT_X4KXDz_RyGvUCF5HUk19QaWbWfRv8a3wUk3aeBtCcbciIY4Atm9f2SH_6H8AqAHgaYBHoJ_zSHcuS2yJcB6LUUd5Wju7FOlxNYC/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+199.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUCz9mH3CY9AvIwgyhg6q6hNpXjKNcGjMVwcroGLoT_X4KXDz_RyGvUCF5HUk19QaWbWfRv8a3wUk3aeBtCcbciIY4Atm9f2SH_6H8AqAHgaYBHoJ_zSHcuS2yJcB6LUUd5Wju7FOlxNYC/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+199.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459326358480970146" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Big crowd at the Abita Beer stage at Woldenberg Park</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6NK95-I5aacaHTG2hSNB9TA3or3kJW5w7HNsJtKR_EJozbjcPEAqpUe1yQhJ3uI3MMFDDFP-Uq83gbLWHa4i6OaXnII94W-tqkzQBYtxwdL-R2Wk2-Vu-xyNPAyGzvw8WPHhUD9KQFCL/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+200.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6NK95-I5aacaHTG2hSNB9TA3or3kJW5w7HNsJtKR_EJozbjcPEAqpUe1yQhJ3uI3MMFDDFP-Uq83gbLWHa4i6OaXnII94W-tqkzQBYtxwdL-R2Wk2-Vu-xyNPAyGzvw8WPHhUD9KQFCL/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+200.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467531888017690226" /></a><br /><em>Audubon Institute's Crawfish Bread</em><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFJbM-l604WeURDFEnYqDxsgrq_nDPfbO0T_0j-SFhEjBh6vTpyWzm-koKAS7NgW2gJ5-fPYylMs7gVy-YGUWFtLkPsEuk1EuYG7i_FhWThTCWMBQvGY65Dpi2ixjJyDyS4LQEXiKwQIZ/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+197.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFJbM-l604WeURDFEnYqDxsgrq_nDPfbO0T_0j-SFhEjBh6vTpyWzm-koKAS7NgW2gJ5-fPYylMs7gVy-YGUWFtLkPsEuk1EuYG7i_FhWThTCWMBQvGY65Dpi2ixjJyDyS4LQEXiKwQIZ/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+197.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459326840637556274" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Mom with her strawberry Plum Street snowball</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx47PjWUG6d7i1wEUHp9VGGPUhkZbveouXWml1ZYCfycVbbsGhDmb2eXIZH7ULOnDEGxJreM4mDExU2sNRJZeGssxohJDePZgUpTsevf9XJu2UtlaZ-auqRMNHvpXpX0PvpoSCj0jWzjFq/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+212.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx47PjWUG6d7i1wEUHp9VGGPUhkZbveouXWml1ZYCfycVbbsGhDmb2eXIZH7ULOnDEGxJreM4mDExU2sNRJZeGssxohJDePZgUpTsevf9XJu2UtlaZ-auqRMNHvpXpX0PvpoSCj0jWzjFq/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+212.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459327262930365586" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Great Zydeco band outside of Rouse's on Royal</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLngBOPzfVLaiMZIj0Xi90rhVxb5t6MjQAAYI6KWefdDqjmOf7CCfFAFTb8eAW1YYTJn-QXW9AYwnf3hgPPLQx8PUOKcOcdlsBnSnaS2NiGm41LHl7Gw5UQe-N4eXBgwdGWdbVJweMsKGT/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+213.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLngBOPzfVLaiMZIj0Xi90rhVxb5t6MjQAAYI6KWefdDqjmOf7CCfFAFTb8eAW1YYTJn-QXW9AYwnf3hgPPLQx8PUOKcOcdlsBnSnaS2NiGm41LHl7Gw5UQe-N4eXBgwdGWdbVJweMsKGT/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+213.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459327657828922210" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Gumbo Shop's Chicken and Andouille Gumbo</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3MI-OckTojtoVERL1T8674lKYLY6zz6m_iGFQ2JtFy9aL7W5LpAKGkd2ihTbVidACkyQgKeA_XeFtsRG-uRU0pP9lyeiDo6Hw6JmZKHThfOipBstUvOhItLrWw-pwBeo0I7mpeeL20h5/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+221.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3MI-OckTojtoVERL1T8674lKYLY6zz6m_iGFQ2JtFy9aL7W5LpAKGkd2ihTbVidACkyQgKeA_XeFtsRG-uRU0pP9lyeiDo6Hw6JmZKHThfOipBstUvOhItLrWw-pwBeo0I7mpeeL20h5/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+221.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459328092941390706" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">A sweet end to the day: Café Au Lait and beignets from Cafe Du Monde</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-50046248752969168132010-04-09T08:35:00.000-07:002010-04-09T11:06:49.410-07:00Friday Sweet Treat<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWZw3u7WG1bskQANWpqGuWOkdDZ5N_r2SeOHahip9nbANVavfR4QRhE1Kt9-9zVhaIhDJixVht0qjpLLbMW6uLHIfIagc9mK718dI2cy2VPyBOWvFvBegjTV3AH9MjxA8vp9pX0XCZXUg/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+131.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWZw3u7WG1bskQANWpqGuWOkdDZ5N_r2SeOHahip9nbANVavfR4QRhE1Kt9-9zVhaIhDJixVht0qjpLLbMW6uLHIfIagc9mK718dI2cy2VPyBOWvFvBegjTV3AH9MjxA8vp9pX0XCZXUg/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+131.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458176441659574930" /></a><br />Once the weather starts warming up in New Orleans, everyone seems to flock to the nearest snowball stand or ice cream shop. Of course, with ice cream shops as good as <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/02/sundae-to-remember.html">this</a> one, New Orleanians tend to enjoy the frozen treat all year round. But in an effort to mix it up a bit, I recently paid a visit to <a href="http://www.ladivinagelateria.com/">La Divina</a> gelato shop on Magazine Street. Their gelato's smooth, creamy consistency makes it a joy to eat, while flavors such as crème brûlée and bourbon pecan make it completely addictive. I even spotted Blake Lively there, who was enjoying an afternoon treat and chatting with some friends. With a menu that offers paninis, salads, coffee, and gelato, I guess even movie stars have trouble fighting the urge to indulge. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPbGvbrGVYMEBAcWh14c2lSqkRDzTOcvKZiq16uLZiBL6BMERjWy52LFkTIbVDUltGwExhAeI6gitxYkTOvCc_qw2uXmKWygK8FHbqPQC_S6BQPyExm8VhcfaE0dBb8unKZvbhxvsR4GP/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+132.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigPbGvbrGVYMEBAcWh14c2lSqkRDzTOcvKZiq16uLZiBL6BMERjWy52LFkTIbVDUltGwExhAeI6gitxYkTOvCc_qw2uXmKWygK8FHbqPQC_S6BQPyExm8VhcfaE0dBb8unKZvbhxvsR4GP/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+132.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458176748278037522" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Gorgeous baked goods</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCozWU7cLOgzaZBEDihuGlnAmkkap5rnpHyEPIbLLa7I_LvhMLuZ-RU91hJWazB4J8oep5VAw0P1gPhpTTJCYPmo1alEqrn0CaYd_qeK3xsbU5iSEmV8krSZ4JO7rdRP5IFTIZoHavaFG/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+134.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCozWU7cLOgzaZBEDihuGlnAmkkap5rnpHyEPIbLLa7I_LvhMLuZ-RU91hJWazB4J8oep5VAw0P1gPhpTTJCYPmo1alEqrn0CaYd_qeK3xsbU5iSEmV8krSZ4JO7rdRP5IFTIZoHavaFG/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+134.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458177084360515826" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Two "Bambino's" and an almond cookie </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMavGPMiXIkMwNS3zbjirOPbnVAzYqjtP-lZAWl-XR3Dg5N6azkHtBssBMXv9cdZwAuwKrMy-sC3NLHtJnKkPKSn45LYidztWtNsRFZVwF_ZDXcL7a_-y2Cqj5_VYuhf-UngUjJfLzo8w/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+136.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMavGPMiXIkMwNS3zbjirOPbnVAzYqjtP-lZAWl-XR3Dg5N6azkHtBssBMXv9cdZwAuwKrMy-sC3NLHtJnKkPKSn45LYidztWtNsRFZVwF_ZDXcL7a_-y2Cqj5_VYuhf-UngUjJfLzo8w/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+136.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458177328438458754" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Decisions, decisions...</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ryIAnffzt91x5TGxMBFVMwaI5ncp9vCYgbUohUDhF_9rHSxrnh5O06CXJp3CCpOjBLBjL-5rcXSnJ2m3gXJHZ9ulSWdROkYVppOvHFTu7fjsKEKMN_80YiIOSuj9EzCbXX4Yb3N6sdAP/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+137.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ryIAnffzt91x5TGxMBFVMwaI5ncp9vCYgbUohUDhF_9rHSxrnh5O06CXJp3CCpOjBLBjL-5rcXSnJ2m3gXJHZ9ulSWdROkYVppOvHFTu7fjsKEKMN_80YiIOSuj9EzCbXX4Yb3N6sdAP/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+137.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458177693343823170" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">A beautiful afternoon in beautiful New Orleans<br /></span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-28440174508797840742010-04-07T09:23:00.000-07:002010-04-07T11:39:23.380-07:00Old Dog, New Tricks<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gEEkZpr3HpZFOuegX59_WmKhpnBPj-tE-4h9Q1zormETJ9kfDavFejgxBVNhHQYPJJ8W3afT7IgsOOZ-xPjdZy-P-40GgFfJNj7slM3yLy7kklxFy_PFE_OmoMDDqlDc2WDYuiteM0qE/s1600/Reginelli's+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3gEEkZpr3HpZFOuegX59_WmKhpnBPj-tE-4h9Q1zormETJ9kfDavFejgxBVNhHQYPJJ8W3afT7IgsOOZ-xPjdZy-P-40GgFfJNj7slM3yLy7kklxFy_PFE_OmoMDDqlDc2WDYuiteM0qE/s320/Reginelli's+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457443008571368834" /></a><br />I love it when restaurants get creative and update their menus. I had sort of forgotten about <a href="http://www.reginellis.com/">Reginelli's</a> pizzeria until recently, when we received their new menu in the mail, along with some coupons. I immediately noticed some new things that I was eager to try, and I have to admit that yesterday marked my third time eating there in the past week and a half. Pretty intense, huh? Sure, it might be, but I'll let the food speak for itself. <br /><br />They have expanded their menu beyond pizza, Caesar salad, and calzones and now offer more options for everyone on every diet. Since I have been trying to makeover my breakfast and lunch options to include more veggies and lean proteins, I especially love Reginelli's Chicken Salad, Mad Capper sandwich, and Hummus Pitaco. The Chicken Salad comes with mixed greens, Roma tomatoes, pecans, Gorgonzola cheese, and sliced green applies with a balsamic vinaigrette. The Mad Capper doesn't just have an awesome name, it also has two portabella mushroom caps that are seasoned, cooked, topped with dill aioli, grated fontina, and a cold salad of roma tomatoes, basil, red onions and capers. And although I love the hummus sandwich <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/03/lunch-date.html">here</a>, Reginelli's does their own version by topping grilled pita with hummus, cucumbers, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, and serving an asparagus and artichoke salad on the side. I could eat this six dollar sandwich at least once a week. <br /><br />So if you haven't been to Reginelli's in a while, I highly suggest paying a visit to this neighborhood eatery. I'm sure I'll be back soon, considering there are a couple of appetizers I want to try, $2 pitchers of Abita Amber on Mondays and Tuesdays, and $10 bottles of wine on Wednesdays. Now that's what I call eatin' (and drinkin'!) good in the neighborhood...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqndp2s9SjZd1hGSfnftmO8IBJpceM5Z6_e64eebxR4zqAswiHPPjMAEDgw462CSivPY3XL-DoP_Hxh1avtKmUkj5zUGaT1l2zUwcPaHXyZTlQLNRZgMTAsf3_MMdG_Cu6ywwcu_SJFbZ/s1600/Reginelli's+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqndp2s9SjZd1hGSfnftmO8IBJpceM5Z6_e64eebxR4zqAswiHPPjMAEDgw462CSivPY3XL-DoP_Hxh1avtKmUkj5zUGaT1l2zUwcPaHXyZTlQLNRZgMTAsf3_MMdG_Cu6ywwcu_SJFbZ/s320/Reginelli's+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457463071452085922" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Tomato Basil soup</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSgB2XGA6zEOmwE3Rnh_xHUiEUrKsuaYvUcdmrgrrDk7NeQBJ5DLTU-XXVz-0ZALoQgfmM5jvNw3KdLUNr-HjFFEanN903JCh5pG9C8RfxTTDdIewbKmnHICts-eC89cHTDbV2mFstcbg/s1600/Reginelli's+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSgB2XGA6zEOmwE3Rnh_xHUiEUrKsuaYvUcdmrgrrDk7NeQBJ5DLTU-XXVz-0ZALoQgfmM5jvNw3KdLUNr-HjFFEanN903JCh5pG9C8RfxTTDdIewbKmnHICts-eC89cHTDbV2mFstcbg/s320/Reginelli's+4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457463426874068786" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Hummus Pitaco: Hummus, cucumbers, Roma tomatoes, and alfalfa sprouts on grilled pita with an asparagus and artichoke salad on the side.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHm4B_bzUw5OFlIXWaofqbKas7zedWbHnIRQ__UpaCeUscwi1YJBokMJRqoHxwAHln5DGLGmr0SibCUAndByL3FsgHDJqPNd6ySug0T0ABaJ5opNmIeFKrR_BZHI080mn5UmA7sWRH1ex/s1600/Reginelli's+-+chicken+salad.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtHm4B_bzUw5OFlIXWaofqbKas7zedWbHnIRQ__UpaCeUscwi1YJBokMJRqoHxwAHln5DGLGmr0SibCUAndByL3FsgHDJqPNd6ySug0T0ABaJ5opNmIeFKrR_BZHI080mn5UmA7sWRH1ex/s320/Reginelli's+-+chicken+salad.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457464504885394594" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Chicken Salad with Gorgonzola cheese, pecans and green apples. </span> <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDkkqoQfkIkM7gzAgmueCAR2Cvc_Ron58TbhmJze_tnv6LFPQufWbXdbZQiq4jYk3g8EEVqclgU4zV-OpkTnXYDYvGeKDJ6zvm6HGX-6KDUmXHmk1ifDtQ_pkQ-xf1zfEA6KS251Wfw_F/s1600/madcapper.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDkkqoQfkIkM7gzAgmueCAR2Cvc_Ron58TbhmJze_tnv6LFPQufWbXdbZQiq4jYk3g8EEVqclgU4zV-OpkTnXYDYvGeKDJ6zvm6HGX-6KDUmXHmk1ifDtQ_pkQ-xf1zfEA6KS251Wfw_F/s320/madcapper.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457464968424507058" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">I went mad for the Mad Capper sandwich... I think you will too!</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-49944649043869282822010-04-05T09:24:00.000-07:002010-04-05T13:16:49.473-07:00Fast Food, Nawlin's Style<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpV4sCJ8rndUAlgiqvhDms_qy6wQjionP7FHLVxCTpZOIRZd3W2zlhEwFvO_PdlnK-Lz0U6G6tvFwThEZLQvSVaJhCB7L8jIcO7jky5uSsa8lkbqTrR0MLPFsaPh4Zum-dQoUjSi2nF5G/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+155.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJpV4sCJ8rndUAlgiqvhDms_qy6wQjionP7FHLVxCTpZOIRZd3W2zlhEwFvO_PdlnK-Lz0U6G6tvFwThEZLQvSVaJhCB7L8jIcO7jky5uSsa8lkbqTrR0MLPFsaPh4Zum-dQoUjSi2nF5G/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+155.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456703237071869042" /></a><br />I love being a tourist in my own city. Sometimes spending a day perusing the shops in the French Quarter, going for a ride on the streetcar, or making a trip to Cafe Du Monde for beignets is as necessary for us New Orleanians as it is enjoyable. Doing these things reminds us how different and special our city is and, for me, puts into perspective just how lucky I am to live here. <br /><br />So in order to kick off our Easter weekend, my boyfriend and I woke up early on Friday morning and waited in the 50+ person line at the <a href="http://www.auduboninstitute.org/">Audubon Zoo</a>. And after spending two hours walking around (dedicating most of our time to watching the hilarious monkeys), sharing some strawberry <a href="http://romancandy.gourmetfoodmall.com/">Roman Candy</a>, and visiting the "Embraceable Zoo", we decided that we had officially worked up an appetite. As soon as I suggested a trip to Bud's, my boyfriend's eyes lit up and an enthusiastic "yes!" was given. <br /><br /><a href="http://budsbroiler.com/index.shtml">Bud's Broiler</a> has been serving up fast-food burgers since 1952 and with eight locations spread around the city, most New Orleanians consider it the one and only choice for a no-fuss, great tasting burger. First of all, it's cheap. I treated both of us to a burger with all the fixings, cheese fries, and a drink and it ran me a mere 17 bucks. Second of all, it's local. So if you're willing to wait in lines at McDonald's or Wendy's, then you should be more than willing to sit at the picnic benches inside Bud's and wait for your number to be called. Money spent locally is money spent wisely!<br /><br />The burgers at Bud's are a far cry from those at <a href="http://www.lukeneworleans.com/">Lüke</a>, <a href="http://portofcallneworleans.com/">Port of Call</a>, or even GB's, but the smokey charcoal flavor and house-made hickory sauce definitely sets them apart from all the others. I especially love how their hot dogs are butterflied and served on hamburger buns... it has always made choosing between a #6 with onions or a #9 with cheese difficult! <br /><br />In a city like New Orleans, where history and food are so important, it's hard to deny just how awesome it is to have a place like Bud's. Everyday they prove that food doesn't have to be pretentious in order to be delicious, and, well, I'm down with that. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65U1YfBfciS9kLC67r7iWLskh34mKLFVMy2LA2NElN2YW4ncm7-9vBay-6-9pAMOYTsJFmGVuISczRBCX9TZoyz3B3AxEDBO4sTHIWMukjmOmWdNhMkAnsfMFsc2RhCgxqaFAb1DcWVg7/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+152.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65U1YfBfciS9kLC67r7iWLskh34mKLFVMy2LA2NElN2YW4ncm7-9vBay-6-9pAMOYTsJFmGVuISczRBCX9TZoyz3B3AxEDBO4sTHIWMukjmOmWdNhMkAnsfMFsc2RhCgxqaFAb1DcWVg7/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+152.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456702910040612210" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Two #6s with onions, cheese fries, and a Barq's Root Beer</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjRkv3ppHcB4WI3_K3WcIsMQ-zZ9rcSIzklrndDbweQ0XO5Y2s-7Uf8GC-tISz0tf7xV27L2LbbyiSNPDK8yjEGjbF3AN1_4kbcHgAV3EKRrWFHTlnfAr7vLyUhYBEFg0Ye4ChzGhXGpX/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+149.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrjRkv3ppHcB4WI3_K3WcIsMQ-zZ9rcSIzklrndDbweQ0XO5Y2s-7Uf8GC-tISz0tf7xV27L2LbbyiSNPDK8yjEGjbF3AN1_4kbcHgAV3EKRrWFHTlnfAr7vLyUhYBEFg0Ye4ChzGhXGpX/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+149.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456702717343626498" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">I love watching the elephants, even though they never really do anything...</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45UhbAeovc2ZoYTVThbsa9oy4pixll9TSFELc0KEg3vL0CRLE3pqbtQhUac_OMwWP_MSQSZX3yKM58mpj_ZTMq3QOcJZ8Zb662M96rQA0PTKKPJVyymUJiyNKidzWDD7Ri_dCJ77lALfi/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+150.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 307px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45UhbAeovc2ZoYTVThbsa9oy4pixll9TSFELc0KEg3vL0CRLE3pqbtQhUac_OMwWP_MSQSZX3yKM58mpj_ZTMq3QOcJZ8Zb662M96rQA0PTKKPJVyymUJiyNKidzWDD7Ri_dCJ77lALfi/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+150.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456702499402007346" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Giving the goats at the petting zoo some love </span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-8903545611396499722010-03-31T08:44:00.000-07:002010-03-31T14:22:17.266-07:00Sunday Funday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCvmJcsWrzym-2gE1QjAxX9gDfwx_ysglBsNlF6juTnG1cd5JD1krEnB8Rwt9gqnTLActys53lIfMEl7GUr6bomhrMuWCoZSpDt__nMt8fCUA18zdBnKLIq6K8yUuKhh_Us87ACRp_SLU/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+117.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCvmJcsWrzym-2gE1QjAxX9gDfwx_ysglBsNlF6juTnG1cd5JD1krEnB8Rwt9gqnTLActys53lIfMEl7GUr6bomhrMuWCoZSpDt__nMt8fCUA18zdBnKLIq6K8yUuKhh_Us87ACRp_SLU/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+117.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454827200679722834" /></a><br />Before my boyfriend and I made the big move to the Big Easy, I constructed a list of all the things I wanted to do during our first year living in NOLA. Things like "Take a walk in Audubon park", "Eat a po-boy", and "See at movie at Prytania Theater" were crossed off the list quickly, but there are some that we still haven't gotten around to doing. With May 31st quickly approaching, I look at every day off work as an opportunity to complete something on the list.<br /><br />Sunday just so happened to be an absolutely gorgeous day, so we decided to grab an early breakfast and then spend the afternoon at the Riverwalk, which I hadn't been to since before Katrina. I knew I would want to reminisce about going to the Riverwalk with my family as a kid, so instead of going to my favorite childhood breakfast joint (written about <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/02/startin-day-off-right.html">here</a>), I wanted to commemorate the day by eating somewhere different. And nothing is as fun and different as <a href="http://www.surreyscafeandjuicebar.com/">Surrey's</a> on Magazine Street. Their menu is quite extensive, offering everything from Scrambled Eggs with Salmon and the Tofu Breakfast Platter to Bananas Foster French Toast, Corned Beef Hash, and Biscuits with Sausage Gravy. They also have fresh squeezed vegetable and fruit juices that you can mix to make your own delicious and healthy concoction.<br /><br />I have been to Surrey's a few times and seem to be pretty fond of the Migas, which are scrambled eggs with red onion, peppers, tomatoes, and cheese folded into corn tortilla chips, then topped with pico de gallo. And while I tend to sway towards breakfast dishes with eggs and veggies, instead of those covered in syrup, I have tried Surrey's Pain Perdu (french toast) and it tastes just as good as my <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/02/carnival-favorites.html">dad</a>'s, if not better. <br /><br />After filling up on eggs, boudin, cheese grits, and biscuits we went for our promised walk along the muddy Mississippi and shopped in some of the stores. The Riverwalk certainly isn't as great as it used to be, but it's always fun going to the places you loved so much as a kid and reliving those moments. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1L7FuI2X7CuHO6cZsiU2EwEooiOSfzDHJrb4yLUDzoWSQBLnoxtHRY1tB1YI1k0ELt2ARhjRYLPqtq3qsZsAreEm3y8-lh8G7ov4o2ZCqzISikPxJKpE07cP34jff_0RIwT_OQa8iPNoL/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+119.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 249px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1L7FuI2X7CuHO6cZsiU2EwEooiOSfzDHJrb4yLUDzoWSQBLnoxtHRY1tB1YI1k0ELt2ARhjRYLPqtq3qsZsAreEm3y8-lh8G7ov4o2ZCqzISikPxJKpE07cP34jff_0RIwT_OQa8iPNoL/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+119.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454824900956698306" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5KTqw-VSJ_tshGvOwhfxy25HPSne7MTs8bXkkkqnBGRKGopRa-ZqTE7YQmIqTJy99sGET2l-RXg-wrQWXL5jMsyEwmbeI-mbjBiB55MNnppKRp_Wc6VNwIHDrBpqSDJpbJIbjOE9RNO1/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+123.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5KTqw-VSJ_tshGvOwhfxy25HPSne7MTs8bXkkkqnBGRKGopRa-ZqTE7YQmIqTJy99sGET2l-RXg-wrQWXL5jMsyEwmbeI-mbjBiB55MNnppKRp_Wc6VNwIHDrBpqSDJpbJIbjOE9RNO1/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+123.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454825919831279762" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Eggs benedict with creamed spinach</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcT08bKKs8NmdsLIXwygUuKJfQDGVwjaJ_gmHfWnxqGhEwY2Q410PsAz4HipxAHpb9c30d0aUxJzZL212OPG6LCnmKLtJkR5g16HGKBVPUeemW8DsimpbyzXPj_GbKZq9FSD2t6m5oOZ4T/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+124.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcT08bKKs8NmdsLIXwygUuKJfQDGVwjaJ_gmHfWnxqGhEwY2Q410PsAz4HipxAHpb9c30d0aUxJzZL212OPG6LCnmKLtJkR5g16HGKBVPUeemW8DsimpbyzXPj_GbKZq9FSD2t6m5oOZ4T/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+124.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454826101178078882" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Migas with chorizo and cheese grits</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfbEUCDEMsbSt4fA_YqqZ57GCWG1NWqNjwiJDsx6iI0WSIP4FkKOfgehIfbSdBO1QqhkRFJCFitCbZocGRotLnzixv1Nnf-Vpnvk1qg11Pa1TRxwxGLfPvz0sxBDbI4FnbzqPSQCCph82/s1600/Fleurdelicious+2010+127.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTfbEUCDEMsbSt4fA_YqqZ57GCWG1NWqNjwiJDsx6iI0WSIP4FkKOfgehIfbSdBO1QqhkRFJCFitCbZocGRotLnzixv1Nnf-Vpnvk1qg11Pa1TRxwxGLfPvz0sxBDbI4FnbzqPSQCCph82/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+127.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454826388443467762" /></a>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-19066260938335577192010-03-29T09:05:00.000-07:002010-03-29T13:14:35.581-07:00BBQ Shrimp Done Right<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ74IcuBDVlaj1DPv7kRamhL8yQVQGflRMlEHiP8AAxsAcLGcdp2YMrIvy0FlXodZeTUJ9RFNi7cV-u4W5PVw9aGNiFaaN4ZBwE6KM3uIU5C3jnVJogYpJf7Z7D3XpApQgsFZG9ikJ2vn8/s1600/Mr.+B%27s+BBQ+Shrimp.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ74IcuBDVlaj1DPv7kRamhL8yQVQGflRMlEHiP8AAxsAcLGcdp2YMrIvy0FlXodZeTUJ9RFNi7cV-u4W5PVw9aGNiFaaN4ZBwE6KM3uIU5C3jnVJogYpJf7Z7D3XpApQgsFZG9ikJ2vn8/s320/Mr.+B%27s+BBQ+Shrimp.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454087663737918050" /></a><br /><br />So I'm sure that most of you remember a not-so-nice <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/03/slice-pizzeria.html">piece</a> I wrote about Slice a few weeks ago. Well, not too long after I had my terrible barbecue shrimp po-boy there, I made a point to go somewhere in the city and have the real thing. The "real thing" being authentic New Orleans style barbecue shrimp. After all, some classic New Orleans dishes just cannot be replicated. You either shell out the cash for the real deal or pay little money for big disappointment. <br /><br />The good news is that there are many places in the city to get great barbecue shrimp. You can go to <a href="http://www.neworleansrestaurants.com/pascalsmanale/index.html">Pascal's Manale</a>, located Uptown on Napoleon Avenue; or take a walk off Canal Street to <a href="http://www.deanies.com/">Deanie's Seafood</a>, located on the corner of Dauphine and Iberville in the French Quarter. Deanie's offers barbecue shrimp for a reasonable price (under $20) and they also have a barbecue shrimp pasta dish with peeled shrimp (for those of you who don't like working too hard for your food). But my personal favorite place to get these tasty critters would have to be <a href="http://www.mrbsbistro.com/index2.php">Mr. B's Bistro</a>, located on Royal Street in the French Quarter. At $24.50 (for eight shrimp), their shrimp dish is one of the more expensive ones, but worth every penny. Pascal's Manale's shrimp are also around $24, and while they are very good, I found that their sauce was a tad too oily for my liking. Mr. B's, however, has this recipe perfected. The shrimp are large, easy to peel, and perfectly cooked. Their sauce is a beautiful blend of butter, pepper, spices, and lemon that creates a tangy and savory combination you will never forget. <br /><br />Barbecue shrimp is a quintessential New Orleans dish, so if you're visiting the city you definitely don't want to miss out on the opportunity to try it. Just please don't be tempted by hole-in-the-wall places claiming to have "the original" or "the best" in the city. My advice? Go to Mr. B's and grab a seat at the bar, order a drink and the barbecue shrimp, say "yes" to the bib, and then go to town on one of the best seafood dishes this city has to offer. In that order... and you can thank me later. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikc9YNDS87K0T5n-IwNslGmcx7IHN5KzX-NgbkrbWfAt4SmTKnB878OoMd34EeI9AJfVk6A0OiSfPshaBYEskXP3-1R0vgYBwF5xVp4P8LkDltj_0Cw8joIob1hMZNpZ4APgH2dv82cg_h/s1600/Mr.+B%27s+Spinach+Salad.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikc9YNDS87K0T5n-IwNslGmcx7IHN5KzX-NgbkrbWfAt4SmTKnB878OoMd34EeI9AJfVk6A0OiSfPshaBYEskXP3-1R0vgYBwF5xVp4P8LkDltj_0Cw8joIob1hMZNpZ4APgH2dv82cg_h/s320/Mr.+B%27s+Spinach+Salad.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454150434174209282" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Baby spinach and goat cheese salad: Baby spinach tossed with a warm bacon vinaigrette and topped with a goat cheese medallion... and it's <span style="font-weight:bold;">not</span> served on a Styrofoam plate. </span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-81583359438281540742010-03-26T08:59:00.001-07:002010-03-26T12:32:41.116-07:00Do The Hokey Poke<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE04vplnDqKwo-LsWLLMYhq1k-Ck7_UYuDBV10JriRd20MvZsZuxg1a4yqX1G2oqnQ_CWxrP6EnWZTy1M4j3U3ue8z7BNWRU7TBbFjUnCZ6M70JuM3LpVVRb1TWzHE9jAc2Y93n2pro0p8/s1600/Kyoto+-+Poke+Salad.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE04vplnDqKwo-LsWLLMYhq1k-Ck7_UYuDBV10JriRd20MvZsZuxg1a4yqX1G2oqnQ_CWxrP6EnWZTy1M4j3U3ue8z7BNWRU7TBbFjUnCZ6M70JuM3LpVVRb1TWzHE9jAc2Y93n2pro0p8/s320/Kyoto+-+Poke+Salad.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452990543500232962" /></a><br />I'm a huge dork when it comes to going out to eat. I love the entire process of choosing a time, getting ready, and reading the restaurant's online menu (if available) in order to pick out what I want ahead of time. But what makes me even happier is when I don't have to get into a car and drive to my destination. For me, there's something so much more appealing about walking to a restaurant rather than driving to it. That's what I love about my boyfriend's neighborhood. From his apartment we can walk to four or more great restaurants, including <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/02/romance-around-corner.html">here</a> and <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/03/say-cheese.html">here</a>, and well, I just love that. <br /><br />The weather has been perfect for restaurant walking the past couple of weeks, and we have taken full advantage of the opportunity to burn a few calories before and after meals, while breathing in some fresh springtime air. <a href="http://www.kyotonola.com/">Kyoto</a> Japanese restaurant on Prytania has been the choice this week because it's healthy and because they're the only place that has the famous Poke Salad. This salad (pictured above) is only $10 and it's basically a squid salad, seaweed salad, and cucumber salad all mixed together with fresh tuna, salmon, avocado, crabstick and asparagus in a spicy chili dressing. It is <span style="font-style:italic;">amazing</span>, and because of the amount of food you get for the price, it's a favorite amongst many Kyoto regulars. I like to have mine as my whole meal, with just a miso or clear soup to start. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGO8IRhC5c7BLXvqexQ0mDGA_2XK_sQv5lw9IC_EEtjINM-MWTUYFWBNhgPaYche6me41kdGzB2fifJ20XsWwawpIe5eq86d_B39ddLOA-XcNfztSmrU5HD7PW1FLugRNq6ScPw8iLRwB/s1600/Kyoto+-+Soft+Shell+Crab+Roll+and+Fresh+Salmon.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 192px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGO8IRhC5c7BLXvqexQ0mDGA_2XK_sQv5lw9IC_EEtjINM-MWTUYFWBNhgPaYche6me41kdGzB2fifJ20XsWwawpIe5eq86d_B39ddLOA-XcNfztSmrU5HD7PW1FLugRNq6ScPw8iLRwB/s320/Kyoto+-+Soft+Shell+Crab+Roll+and+Fresh+Salmon.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452999193886018450" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Soft-shell crab roll with Fresh Salmon sushi</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTGWYaDbUb-HnICpq0bvYa1pU_Ud-wKNGcuxWbNlmRUV78A_bCMLlvqKaWC93BrXpVGgXV3ZXH5okX3XGr3OMe8Lsl1y5ewoVi5LqVdxpux0rHDGvrapOODhIBu3wOjb6EGP2My44g7LT/s1600/Kyoto+-+Taco+Salad.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTGWYaDbUb-HnICpq0bvYa1pU_Ud-wKNGcuxWbNlmRUV78A_bCMLlvqKaWC93BrXpVGgXV3ZXH5okX3XGr3OMe8Lsl1y5ewoVi5LqVdxpux0rHDGvrapOODhIBu3wOjb6EGP2My44g7LT/s320/Kyoto+-+Taco+Salad.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453000621246976434" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Taco Salad: tuna, fresh salmon, whitefish, white tuna, shrimp, crabstick, sour cream, margarita sauce, and smelt roe served in a fried spring roll shell </span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-13501840658948178512010-03-24T06:42:00.000-07:002010-03-26T14:48:11.521-07:00An Evening with the Chefs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfE1duwXgmV_fA0bof04hDDcWU2SaYnpdl9j51jDMkCxOa-kogF2m_yRynVuAj8r2i2uevoyAiO8rkSrOLQSh7QSq-x9WtOxZIAW_Jw2xoyTf1J4hEuM2Gn4boaYTQT3sntNbhWia6rE2B/s1600/IMG_2785.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfE1duwXgmV_fA0bof04hDDcWU2SaYnpdl9j51jDMkCxOa-kogF2m_yRynVuAj8r2i2uevoyAiO8rkSrOLQSh7QSq-x9WtOxZIAW_Jw2xoyTf1J4hEuM2Gn4boaYTQT3sntNbhWia6rE2B/s320/IMG_2785.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452195652647622994" /></a><br />When I returned from Jackson on Sunday I was lucky enough to get a free ticket (thanks cousin!) to attend the Chefs for Louisiana Cookery: A Friends of James Beard Benefit at the Kingsley House in the Irish Channel. The tickets were valued at $100 and allowed you to sample the creations of some of New Orleans' most prestigious chefs, sip on wonderful wines, beer, and other spirits, and enjoy some live music from Alex McMurray and Papa Grows Funk. The weather was miserably overcast, windy, and chilly, but that didn't put a damper on anyone's fun. The chefs managed to keep the food hot, the drinks continued to flow, and the band had everyone tapping their feet. <br /><br />Everything I ate was pretty much "the bomb-dot-com", but my favorite items are as follows: <a href="http://www.herbsaint.com/">Herbsaint</a>'s Pig Roast with Louisiana Citrus; Best Chef Nominee <a href="http://www.restaurantstella.com/">Scott Boswell</a>'s P&J Oysters on the Half-Shell with Louisiana Mirliton, Citrus Granita & Bowfish Caviar; <a href="http://danteskitchen.com/">Dante's Kitchen</a>'s Louisiana Pork Roast with Perique Farms Root Vegetable Gratin & Gin au Jus; Crabby Jack's Slow-Roasted Duck Po-Boy; Emeril's Grilled Gulf Oysters; and last but never least, Susan Spicer's Rabbit Confit Cake with a Fried Quail Egg. The caviar was incredibly fresh and buttery, adding a lovely element when paired with the salty-sea taste of the oysters and the tang from the citrus granita. The slow-roasted duck po-boy has me wondering if fried shrimp could ever satisfy me again. And proof that heaven exists lies in the combination of quail egg and rabbit confit cake. It was butter, it was egg, it was savory rabbit meat, it was spices, it was all put together in a cute little presentation. It was a shame I only ate two of them...<br /><br />The James Beard Foundation is dedicated to honoring all who are passionate about the food and beverage industry. From the design of a restaurant all the way to the food presentation on the plate, this foundation praises all who are dedicated to making each and every meal special. Please visit their <a href="http://www.jamesbeard.org/">website</a> to read about how to become a member, scroll through the 2010 nominees, and search through some delicious recipes. But first check out all the awesome stuff I ate!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxYJPmva0jkJ9uicvpkD0YKTHMyLkFsvL5Xw-QjbWlPONJLSmbXD5q_e1SvaCGsx-YqfFHzuDEWPhtqcNwzNRmwTzQZTEHCW5kEgjFoythXQj6nC1C0quSqLJJFSWtsW4QdNPbuoMRdXQ/s1600/IMG_2752.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRxYJPmva0jkJ9uicvpkD0YKTHMyLkFsvL5Xw-QjbWlPONJLSmbXD5q_e1SvaCGsx-YqfFHzuDEWPhtqcNwzNRmwTzQZTEHCW5kEgjFoythXQj6nC1C0quSqLJJFSWtsW4QdNPbuoMRdXQ/s320/IMG_2752.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452195831224531890" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Caviar station display</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCA8IEX2mt3hhb6ZW-M1hobX49-1GAdOSxE98H28xThc859vYniHYXM1ruGPnMvQITulbMR_O4ETdB1P2GQAncfG0e2k5368LhgZfjvn-B1e8MPikZKkVWnLpYYp08iuEOhPzYk7KwoeU/s1600/IMG_2756.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzCA8IEX2mt3hhb6ZW-M1hobX49-1GAdOSxE98H28xThc859vYniHYXM1ruGPnMvQITulbMR_O4ETdB1P2GQAncfG0e2k5368LhgZfjvn-B1e8MPikZKkVWnLpYYp08iuEOhPzYk7KwoeU/s320/IMG_2756.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452195975017694546" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Chefs Tory McPhail & Chris Lusk of Commander's Palace & Cafe Adelaide: Alligator grillades & grits and alligator sausage</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZgLFW7DjYO5sW6IG_PSTIpp0W9xJPAbqYCBmrmCZ0IomNsYaohK6Lv3j9lEhnf2GDn1MZsc4pkU2M9sHyR8g6JiUlIjFu70utbE4G-sVrrZFpJOOpHT4a5oAkqIeDn5sQFwhXLfsg8Eu/s1600/IMG_2760.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZgLFW7DjYO5sW6IG_PSTIpp0W9xJPAbqYCBmrmCZ0IomNsYaohK6Lv3j9lEhnf2GDn1MZsc4pkU2M9sHyR8g6JiUlIjFu70utbE4G-sVrrZFpJOOpHT4a5oAkqIeDn5sQFwhXLfsg8Eu/s320/IMG_2760.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452196487772048690" /></a><br /><em>Amazing hot boiled seafood with artichokes</em><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HOawezIWIAuznSSf2FOtJS8fIcKCWNapCWcQiMpBT4LhatiKTwbCiI5nUN5LKsqkN9WerihGHUJ0rHXDz5tofSiVk97Fu_ArTN9uypBSJM-XYtpB31GH7npvIH74B-AMLYtY0i0JYe2v/s1600/IMG_2761.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HOawezIWIAuznSSf2FOtJS8fIcKCWNapCWcQiMpBT4LhatiKTwbCiI5nUN5LKsqkN9WerihGHUJ0rHXDz5tofSiVk97Fu_ArTN9uypBSJM-XYtpB31GH7npvIH74B-AMLYtY0i0JYe2v/s320/IMG_2761.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452196648088994034" /></a><br /><em>Chef Scott Boswell's oysters on the half-shell with Bowfish caviar and citrus granita</em><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gQGYEaL2ixiLhGJe-I-Hc4IOfhKnWcWBzgs-AboMpn9K12yrtPwSfJLj_V_i7xay82mP42yuYEN7FBFycHLzMXb01HJ5pSLzGD4iJZkvts4lPy3QGVqTfcfuuDqC7yY5M0UkaKfR-fo1/s1600/IMG_2789.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gQGYEaL2ixiLhGJe-I-Hc4IOfhKnWcWBzgs-AboMpn9K12yrtPwSfJLj_V_i7xay82mP42yuYEN7FBFycHLzMXb01HJ5pSLzGD4iJZkvts4lPy3QGVqTfcfuuDqC7yY5M0UkaKfR-fo1/s320/IMG_2789.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452198846728188754" /></a><br /><em>Chef Eman Loubier's Louisiana Pork Roast with Perique Farms Root Vegetable Gratin & Gin au Jus...sorry there's not a plating picture, I devoured it...quickly</em><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1v7IWSWnx0ci7611NfEf_5r4TvSNdbfF55ByZtqiwVsIkYClrpS-mP7lV7FjzLeOxDFn-WMxBjvanioDHsF8hPOk03pyiM_zD61_Xj4nX6jDlIntzUOeOQUqr7J0WtDEqTTJOUe1ypeG/s1600/IMG_2763.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 215px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh1v7IWSWnx0ci7611NfEf_5r4TvSNdbfF55ByZtqiwVsIkYClrpS-mP7lV7FjzLeOxDFn-WMxBjvanioDHsF8hPOk03pyiM_zD61_Xj4nX6jDlIntzUOeOQUqr7J0WtDEqTTJOUe1ypeG/s320/IMG_2763.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452196915238251778" /></a><br /><em>The coming together of my Herbsaint Pig Roast with Louisiana Citrus</em><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYugBsuV1LIMyeOGhYOw1TN8oFvlvtYw3s14QrZjYprEwKzM3Tg997xynxrc0_lWYTTcxl93WKpIXeJi9B1TYbsDTsbGdGsGN1gtQvbXgiRpAFHmX3oGEDqY3XjRzyPG5upxqgGh9FRq6/s1600/IMG_2770.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoYugBsuV1LIMyeOGhYOw1TN8oFvlvtYw3s14QrZjYprEwKzM3Tg997xynxrc0_lWYTTcxl93WKpIXeJi9B1TYbsDTsbGdGsGN1gtQvbXgiRpAFHmX3oGEDqY3XjRzyPG5upxqgGh9FRq6/s320/IMG_2770.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452197098009370162" /></a><br /><em>Chef Susan Spicer handing off some deliciousness</em><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3Qj_JZ50R2tFBd3_MzpYuzurICYkHed8WO7_qAW7tcfprAMKsPMLT8IkAMiPIGIVsVN5lEHkoz15ZjrqENVSp8xbuVgqLC9X1bqU4p94NBJK8AL1ji_XDttoZNLXC_0VAPQaL2oXfDhG/s1600/IMG_2771.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3Qj_JZ50R2tFBd3_MzpYuzurICYkHed8WO7_qAW7tcfprAMKsPMLT8IkAMiPIGIVsVN5lEHkoz15ZjrqENVSp8xbuVgqLC9X1bqU4p94NBJK8AL1ji_XDttoZNLXC_0VAPQaL2oXfDhG/s320/IMG_2771.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452197236817103394" /></a><br /><em>The delectible rabbit confit cake with fried quail egg</em><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1Sbd_9tIs2CYV-IhbCOhQSGKgdmBKX5wkSdREomezMB9XxwK8PSLqSRkB2Xn-pIzLjona2vXRa8QkZGPrc76f208uUn16axbhCiTSa8o7TU5gLGoNlsJZDDdUEQuZRYXZr0fg0jWP1zW/s1600/IMG_2775.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG1Sbd_9tIs2CYV-IhbCOhQSGKgdmBKX5wkSdREomezMB9XxwK8PSLqSRkB2Xn-pIzLjona2vXRa8QkZGPrc76f208uUn16axbhCiTSa8o7TU5gLGoNlsJZDDdUEQuZRYXZr0fg0jWP1zW/s320/IMG_2775.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452197403069783170" /></a><br /><em>Rice fritter, creme brulee, and Steen's cane syrup ice cream</em><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluC9PV0T65hNLflpBr-0vSmxZsOyMS25bYuZ12Wl3yEnoEkc2YYRB8RdeaDlDwXccS3OIfkpilu9xEFVNDxGmUmxE_aURWiqxzy0nCQro9vm0rGIRWxTiLwgO4VHbJyaQeXHNLrcHg0BS/s1600/IMG_2778.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluC9PV0T65hNLflpBr-0vSmxZsOyMS25bYuZ12Wl3yEnoEkc2YYRB8RdeaDlDwXccS3OIfkpilu9xEFVNDxGmUmxE_aURWiqxzy0nCQro9vm0rGIRWxTiLwgO4VHbJyaQeXHNLrcHg0BS/s320/IMG_2778.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452197586208965330" /></a><br /><em>Sucre's Ponchatoula Strawberry and Lemon Verbena Soda</em><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8nkD6NDjMvy5Tnn8szk60udXj8apvdNy9xFibZ_T6LhoPQTojpu92mlkPH3zFbhCM-oGQkI7yIdVTcKPnTddiNLegp5rgbVbJnpEJJHx0gHejJdBT-aQpRvrVIJQ-ip9IVyVENa8zzu-/s1600/IMG_2779.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil8nkD6NDjMvy5Tnn8szk60udXj8apvdNy9xFibZ_T6LhoPQTojpu92mlkPH3zFbhCM-oGQkI7yIdVTcKPnTddiNLegp5rgbVbJnpEJJHx0gHejJdBT-aQpRvrVIJQ-ip9IVyVENa8zzu-/s320/IMG_2779.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452197792972963394" /></a><br /><em>Sucre's Citrus Creole Cream Cheese and Pecan Feuillette</em><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQ1XQeFUY79vx9SlGU7psZfABTPmyMm6CZdzPjGlTFOryPQHYdoZ8N7K2xucGWdnhKwAxqJiV-e6YWWg00wDRRwtgEVJTzOPZi74zSqeoA13dC4W6OQYjOjNfeSBs-bcnFiaS4i24l5Wn/s1600/IMG_2781.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIQ1XQeFUY79vx9SlGU7psZfABTPmyMm6CZdzPjGlTFOryPQHYdoZ8N7K2xucGWdnhKwAxqJiV-e6YWWg00wDRRwtgEVJTzOPZi74zSqeoA13dC4W6OQYjOjNfeSBs-bcnFiaS4i24l5Wn/s320/IMG_2781.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452197984111321426" /></a><br /><em>Chef John Besh's white chocolate cake...it was for sale, so I didn't get to taste it :(</em><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12gT46A2UsZ7Rua84p4PmkoU92AbhG31Ob3lOPVNljAOjPoY2QXn85ulnA8fzb5pHUDqjb_oBoQek9Dv7CFsrek7vA2RPqPNbMPrI0C-My9RdUGfpG-WTPvsCNjgYqUPE0Jdi0tgtQLi8/s1600/IMG_2754.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12gT46A2UsZ7Rua84p4PmkoU92AbhG31Ob3lOPVNljAOjPoY2QXn85ulnA8fzb5pHUDqjb_oBoQek9Dv7CFsrek7vA2RPqPNbMPrI0C-My9RdUGfpG-WTPvsCNjgYqUPE0Jdi0tgtQLi8/s320/IMG_2754.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452198235214371442" /></a><br /><em>M Bistro's Rabbit and Andouille En Croute with Pickled Vegetable Salad & Creamy Tabasco Mustard Sauce</em><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSitMVekuN8JEpwggMhCxA2k41vLTB6bODqCapxIUHCH1diy7vPxlhwWYI-bYJ7bPUQ4KlVOaTl9cpn9yu74PhBXEZ_1SX9DmLgK4bLJVnR24-j2AKSHanKzg5VNwbyDuiFAS0HthFBXO/s1600/IMG_2782.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihSitMVekuN8JEpwggMhCxA2k41vLTB6bODqCapxIUHCH1diy7vPxlhwWYI-bYJ7bPUQ4KlVOaTl9cpn9yu74PhBXEZ_1SX9DmLgK4bLJVnR24-j2AKSHanKzg5VNwbyDuiFAS0HthFBXO/s320/IMG_2782.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452198439790155858" /></a><br /><em>M Bistro's sweet potato tart</em>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-81071887789900894422010-03-22T08:38:00.000-07:002010-03-23T07:55:28.438-07:00Look Out Jackson Town...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXI_VDFycsHLJEJGGLCWuEyO9MH7QYQZdpQwhr48kY88w1JF09XycgJ9IvcJVrWeObxsd-z8h445KosIJXOtdkFYXQOfPn9D4qOADSKMKfHtZ6LPX6Rj8x9CGdXgwTY5Mfs-KF_zzaH8Is/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+114.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 317px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXI_VDFycsHLJEJGGLCWuEyO9MH7QYQZdpQwhr48kY88w1JF09XycgJ9IvcJVrWeObxsd-z8h445KosIJXOtdkFYXQOfPn9D4qOADSKMKfHtZ6LPX6Rj8x9CGdXgwTY5Mfs-KF_zzaH8Is/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+114.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451486047723943138" /></a><br />It's hard to believe that at the end of May it will mark the 1 year anniversary of my moving back to New Orleans. I must admit, however, that after living in Jackson for only four years, it still feels somewhat like home. We left Thursday evening and headed three hours North to spend the weekend catching up with college friends, eating at some of our favorite restaurants, and reflecting on our former life there. Here are some pictures from my weekend spent in Jackson, Mississippi... my other home. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQs0oI3mFsd3nEpTlXAUHHqspbR0h9L8a-QY_htwm5V1TOXGN6rGeNdWhYlOk8JFiq1MqneogZAw7HC4x693vY2YbMqpCtSE7QSSk98ABUa-J4jdiywfG8CHICEP3kY4esuMOl8hPPR8eG/s1600-h/Cups.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 277px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQs0oI3mFsd3nEpTlXAUHHqspbR0h9L8a-QY_htwm5V1TOXGN6rGeNdWhYlOk8JFiq1MqneogZAw7HC4x693vY2YbMqpCtSE7QSSk98ABUa-J4jdiywfG8CHICEP3kY4esuMOl8hPPR8eG/s320/Cups.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451486856657776786" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">On Friday morning I had to take a trip to <a href="http://www.cupsespressocafe.com/page/page/326512.htm">Cups</a>, the local coffeehouse, and order a skinny vanilla latte</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qCS9Mxauzor0eJQz69cPRnlfEKaVy_DUFu7KK4KvRcE6eAoJyn-rr0u-da9KJHMOLfdhWQ2pdsMQUL8l-MKNsSMdcg9iukQGpWe10k1_8_UIv8flKm6JJAk0IxId1aI3B574qSBrqelN/s1600-h/Cups2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qCS9Mxauzor0eJQz69cPRnlfEKaVy_DUFu7KK4KvRcE6eAoJyn-rr0u-da9KJHMOLfdhWQ2pdsMQUL8l-MKNsSMdcg9iukQGpWe10k1_8_UIv8flKm6JJAk0IxId1aI3B574qSBrqelN/s320/Cups2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451488490328204626" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Cool painted tables at Cups</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHe1eHScr1DEqUxrT0jSgbS21BMGQYAISsTFZIqpBOOsqCtM1y_iyekTUtn_t2GxpqHvMWlCCjOn6XC1rid-ZJbL_MERIvgUJGI7G9QBBUlj9KgSYu0Pk7srSw9JLa0BnlS3xa1mnQY8fG/s1600-h/Broad+Street+bfast.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHe1eHScr1DEqUxrT0jSgbS21BMGQYAISsTFZIqpBOOsqCtM1y_iyekTUtn_t2GxpqHvMWlCCjOn6XC1rid-ZJbL_MERIvgUJGI7G9QBBUlj9KgSYu0Pk7srSw9JLa0BnlS3xa1mnQY8fG/s320/Broad+Street+bfast.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451489690530806146" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Breakfast in the sun: a egg, bacon, and cheese burrito with a side of cheese grits at <a href="http://www.broadstbakery.com/">Broad Street</a> </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmp0_3bcadgBUyn6LoDpxr4ZhgVpKUrG5hzAk71UEPWzXgtM5csLpWZfWJ9rDS1I0pj6CJGKdbSzKqJFL-hdacadPQoRrid4IPBEtSHgCWmfzAzqyN__Xpx6bE4BPaAQTVyvR09vj2kry/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+112.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmp0_3bcadgBUyn6LoDpxr4ZhgVpKUrG5hzAk71UEPWzXgtM5csLpWZfWJ9rDS1I0pj6CJGKdbSzKqJFL-hdacadPQoRrid4IPBEtSHgCWmfzAzqyN__Xpx6bE4BPaAQTVyvR09vj2kry/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+112.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451491318595571858" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">After an afternoon full of shopping, we worked up an appetite and had dinner <a href="http://www.walkersdrivein.com/">here</a></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkKziOTz2as2D6_jLbaDOYQYObOmqyYnt1DDBupxTO4XDfHGSxgoSedCnoBgPd0eRro3E3WHXBlqIzZEsWfD_pn_e7Ut25eETKJm_QYcDNYXPf20M-bbR16VxCO2BKsclq6GSzWtFx35J/s1600-h/BBQ+oysters.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvkKziOTz2as2D6_jLbaDOYQYObOmqyYnt1DDBupxTO4XDfHGSxgoSedCnoBgPd0eRro3E3WHXBlqIzZEsWfD_pn_e7Ut25eETKJm_QYcDNYXPf20M-bbR16VxCO2BKsclq6GSzWtFx35J/s320/BBQ+oysters.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451492099612969090" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">BBQ Oysters with Warm Brie and Apple Slaw at Walker's</span> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrveKvUDDXUyPrMgfxT1hA2O1wsXma4YkW-r_JK6u9-kKBCNoeI4kUFGb43z0FThpmMs-CsvrolxKz4U4mX7vi3OypDrdSY_0j1Gjr1654t5-9pb142hPN7-qPNhgGCkqFIZYKGEhFynm/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+113.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrveKvUDDXUyPrMgfxT1hA2O1wsXma4YkW-r_JK6u9-kKBCNoeI4kUFGb43z0FThpmMs-CsvrolxKz4U4mX7vi3OypDrdSY_0j1Gjr1654t5-9pb142hPN7-qPNhgGCkqFIZYKGEhFynm/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+113.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451493192028434594" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Kermit the Frog at the St. Patrick's Day Parade</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyIca3b_RgdhFZATQC01bsHwAeZaT8zfBjF2HX8uAz0VvR0fKfyZsLf5FI2_HkukkygBl-LrNYDe4zsyGoYA88YTGTJjQuAcopi5b9UevJAmf7oso6naL01bekhh7VsBmMuwaRtxj8BqC/s1600-h/Rooster's.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXyIca3b_RgdhFZATQC01bsHwAeZaT8zfBjF2HX8uAz0VvR0fKfyZsLf5FI2_HkukkygBl-LrNYDe4zsyGoYA88YTGTJjQuAcopi5b9UevJAmf7oso6naL01bekhh7VsBmMuwaRtxj8BqC/s320/Rooster's.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451493535320626178" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">A fried chicken sandwich from Rooster's after the parade</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-37987211173003106972010-03-19T09:18:00.000-07:002010-03-22T11:52:14.941-07:00Say Cheese!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-hQbLJCPVGOCz4ORiFvuERkjgKeOe9ar3eAlN6EP0eYUg5gPe2YxYx2Kq4QRSRQUUzz8k-Pker_LSn3aSYSwHjaynxVNI8hPHRhrI-U5f9j3A5IZforegzZhez41ysbwc3oI7QRVbEUY/s1600-h/St.+James+Cheese+Co..jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-hQbLJCPVGOCz4ORiFvuERkjgKeOe9ar3eAlN6EP0eYUg5gPe2YxYx2Kq4QRSRQUUzz8k-Pker_LSn3aSYSwHjaynxVNI8hPHRhrI-U5f9j3A5IZforegzZhez41ysbwc3oI7QRVbEUY/s320/St.+James+Cheese+Co..jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450383465130684562" /></a><br />Yesterday I had the opportunity to grab lunch with a friend that I don't get to see very often. So I wanted to make sure we went somewhere with great food and an atmosphere that catered to conversation. <a href="http://www.stjamescheese.com/zodiac.html">St. James Cheese Co.</a>, located on Prytania Street is one of my favorite Uptown sandwich and salad places (in addition to <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/03/lunch-date.html">here</a>). Their impressive selection of artisan cheeses, cured meats, pates, and pantry items such as crackers, compotes and jams make this Uptown fromagerie a local favorite. They even have cheese boards, cutlery, and anything else you might need for your party or picnic. <br /><br />We grabbed a table for two by the window and enjoyed tea, sandwiches, salad, and chips while catching up on each others' lives. I loved sharing good news and good food with a great friend. <br /><br />PS: I am in Jackson, Mississippi for the weekend to visit old friends, attend the St. Patrick's Day parade, and patron some of my favorite Jackson restaurants. Stay tuned next week to read about my weekend festivities. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgbkasCiWKgyiHKCgkzBQ8H4uPmrHCiITtIzGkzw0jVR9p9zw3Il8TsT2dwC5Ld_3pxQhbQz3La_ZUxPmLnVLhZX5jyKmVQmxKnIdbR6vTn4PJeYSteIn6Rc-MigZelXvV0x8K6PiubLK/s1600-h/St.+James+Cheese+Co.+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgbkasCiWKgyiHKCgkzBQ8H4uPmrHCiITtIzGkzw0jVR9p9zw3Il8TsT2dwC5Ld_3pxQhbQz3La_ZUxPmLnVLhZX5jyKmVQmxKnIdbR6vTn4PJeYSteIn6Rc-MigZelXvV0x8K6PiubLK/s320/St.+James+Cheese+Co.+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450384217564445666" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Check out the St. James Cheese Co. website to read their full menu and about their weekly classes</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVlNA_EWDh4lwzOxgwYMeLBVK5l-I9IKhQE11-gj95tgMOR6X6OlcYAI72Ot1Ned-7QwziT6l93b5jvtw9QQUNdRejpDmAbTd-J0owo697Gl9Ns-sxWoObQ3amdynhzJGFjV9Ci_KNgbG/s1600-h/St.+James+Cheese+Co+-+Mozzarella,+salami,+basil+pesto,+ciabatta.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVlNA_EWDh4lwzOxgwYMeLBVK5l-I9IKhQE11-gj95tgMOR6X6OlcYAI72Ot1Ned-7QwziT6l93b5jvtw9QQUNdRejpDmAbTd-J0owo697Gl9Ns-sxWoObQ3amdynhzJGFjV9Ci_KNgbG/s320/St.+James+Cheese+Co+-+Mozzarella,+salami,+basil+pesto,+ciabatta.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450384852594111682" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Mozzarella, Fra Mani salami, and basil pesto grilled on ciabatta.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJsuGt3w0snM_KlfGjEzxCp9ArcThKtIGj7z5PeMD2j6YgUQugmAUEPCd8M7XmBqY0z9xcejRjv9aZT3jj8ds0q6ceAtS4-0dBp8cn8B5VBguPYjt6L6dp8ejLKqBPRBf0PwYAdjkZhc3l/s1600-h/St.+James+Cheese+Co.+-+Beechar%27s+Cheddar.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJsuGt3w0snM_KlfGjEzxCp9ArcThKtIGj7z5PeMD2j6YgUQugmAUEPCd8M7XmBqY0z9xcejRjv9aZT3jj8ds0q6ceAtS4-0dBp8cn8B5VBguPYjt6L6dp8ejLKqBPRBf0PwYAdjkZhc3l/s320/St.+James+Cheese+Co.+-+Beechar%27s+Cheddar.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450394328514977090" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Beecher's Cheddar: Smoked turkey, fresh basil, avocado, and tomato on ciabatta.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisowLajd_Mf-dcJZlATqCuL3NYm7Jsr21GHZGGYFTMOQkGmS9_UVgvUCGAZefqT3HqJoXc12tZZ7LOU6IuVzG8u0cRsqKY71dG_WveqiCXi9rVEpBmxBhSPSNQ9IKQ4p_DZDujnGLLKSMJ/s1600-h/St.+James+Cheese+Co.+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisowLajd_Mf-dcJZlATqCuL3NYm7Jsr21GHZGGYFTMOQkGmS9_UVgvUCGAZefqT3HqJoXc12tZZ7LOU6IuVzG8u0cRsqKY71dG_WveqiCXi9rVEpBmxBhSPSNQ9IKQ4p_DZDujnGLLKSMJ/s320/St.+James+Cheese+Co.+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450400255740223394" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Beautiful cheese selection</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-59487854694741389232010-03-17T09:06:00.000-07:002010-03-17T19:43:20.851-07:00Slice PizzeriaContrary to popular belief, there actually is something worse than bad food; and nothing puts a worse taste in your mouth than over-priced bad food. I have fallen victim to over-priced bad food many times in my life and rarely ever give the culprits second chances to prove themselves. Disappoint me once, shame on you, disappoint me twice, shame on me. <br /><br />Well, it pains my heart (and my wallet) to say that I have been disappointed twice. While <a href="http://www.slicepizzeria.com/">Slice</a> pizzeria on Magazine claims to have excellent pizza, subs, salads and more, I found them to be pretty lacking in every category. Their food isn't exactly over-priced, but when you're shelling out 40 bucks on a dinner for two that wasn't the least bit enjoyable, it's a bit upsetting. <br /><br />My boyfriend and I went to Slice for the first time during the Saints football season and the place was packed, which we took as a good sign. I ordered a small spinach salad which came with raw spinach, mushrooms, red onion, pine nuts, tomatoes, pepperoni bacon, and a Gorgonzola crostini. Forget the fact that the crostini was burned, forget that there wasn't enough dressing on the salad so the spinach was dry, and let's concentrate on the fact that my salad was served to me on a Styrofoam plate. Ever stabbed at raw spinach on a Styrofoam plate with a metal fork? Like nails on a chalkboard...<br /><br />We couldn't agree on which whole pizza to get, so we decided to order individual slices. I ordered a slice of the "Fresh", which is basically their version of margherita, and a slice of the "Prosciutto, Gorgonzola, and Arugula". Both slices of pizza seemed very dry, as if they had been sitting out long enough for the cheese to harden, then re-heated and served. Tough and chewy are not the words I often look for when describing my pizza. <br /><br />A few weeks ago we went back hoping to prove to ourselves that first impressions aren't everything. And after hearing someone rave about their barbecue shrimp poboy, I decided to give it a shot. My boyfriend followed suit and ordered the meatball sub. How do I say this nicely? The barbecue shrimp poboy boasted 7 shrimp and a sauce that was so salty I'm pretty sure the Dead Sea would have been jealous. Maybe it was the combination of the garlic butter on the bread and the already salty sauce from the shrimp... either way, it wasn't working for me. In my opinion, a great BBQ shrimp poboy shouldn't need buttered garlic bread to make it noteworthy. My boyfriend's meatball sub may have been worse than the poboy... The "homemade" meatballs were mushy and I honestly couldn't even tell what kind of meat they were made from. I'm going to be way harsh and compare them to canned dog food. Yeah, I went there. <br /><br />While It's certainly not my goal to be this mean when reviewing restaurants, Slice leaves me with no other choice. I can only hope that their whole pizzas are made fresh to order and are better than anything we had during our two visits. But it's going to take a lot of convincing and someone else footing the bill in order to get me to go back to this pizzeria.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOb4ldi9qTzt3z91nTrd9vWII04zmBHQ7_-1GfhtaCJsywQ8rdHI8fCHRpscCPgHBehRGsoAtsvQmcsuKVibV_DcIX1YULw3FkmNiKQj1p1HVFYVIIeeXNPrdSgVdUQYq813ZVqm2MX7ed/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+064.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOb4ldi9qTzt3z91nTrd9vWII04zmBHQ7_-1GfhtaCJsywQ8rdHI8fCHRpscCPgHBehRGsoAtsvQmcsuKVibV_DcIX1YULw3FkmNiKQj1p1HVFYVIIeeXNPrdSgVdUQYq813ZVqm2MX7ed/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+064.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449716925244053954" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">BBQ Shrimp Poboy - I must admit that my Abita Strawberry beer was delicious :) </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHA1C-SlDkjaPOtH4vxvXogWP2P8XIlvzgYAUTr9ECzbIqCvDHXY3EwCctXXhwR9P8boKbPC6xH7LAgtJHx86ML-jOYnyRiEbMDjR0NBsQa-63gfG4kKZD7Nr0QpE05gsuzcSVVPeNdfv/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+068.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHA1C-SlDkjaPOtH4vxvXogWP2P8XIlvzgYAUTr9ECzbIqCvDHXY3EwCctXXhwR9P8boKbPC6xH7LAgtJHx86ML-jOYnyRiEbMDjR0NBsQa-63gfG4kKZD7Nr0QpE05gsuzcSVVPeNdfv/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+068.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449717328399634866" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Meatball sub</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-42469383809169155232010-03-15T08:30:00.000-07:002010-03-15T19:42:25.885-07:00Fish Tacos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtfuYKYh-1K4j5UNU2KCAqNzbV7gMlnWX-2UniqqzW7V8oJW8yrKO2xwafyb7spOsL0GWzN_NpouDD0ZEaFmz7Ac7rdfom8Lla42swN8kgSPvknRvX_ipnN5UbVa12-GFVEKJ9GIp6rV9/s1600-h/Fish+Taco.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 182px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtfuYKYh-1K4j5UNU2KCAqNzbV7gMlnWX-2UniqqzW7V8oJW8yrKO2xwafyb7spOsL0GWzN_NpouDD0ZEaFmz7Ac7rdfom8Lla42swN8kgSPvknRvX_ipnN5UbVa12-GFVEKJ9GIp6rV9/s320/Fish+Taco.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448904077222952722" /></a><br />I think most people would agree with me when I say that there is a point in everyone's week/month/year when nothing else will satisfy their taste buds except for some good ole Mexican food. It's quick, easy to order, fills you up, and best of all, it's usually pretty cheap. Blame my love for Mexican food on the use of ripe tomatoes, smoky cumin, fresh cilantro, colorful peppers, and, of course, gooey melted cheeses. <br /><br />But it's not the popular menu items, such as enchiladas, burritos, flautas, or even nachos, that keep bringing me back for more. For me, fish tacos are the most appealing menu item. I had my first one about a year ago, and have been hooked ever since. Who wouldn't want a piece of lightly fried (or grilled) fish, topped with fresh herbs, salsas and veggies, wrapped in a flour or corn tortilla? Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.<br /><br />Since moving back to New Orleans last year, I have endeavored to find the city's best fish taco. It's a little too soon to completely call off the search; but in the meantime, <a href="http://www.taqueriacorona.com/">Taqueria Corona</a> on Magazine Street has been doing an excellent job of curing my taco cravings. Taqueria's fish taco is a great example of simple ingredients done right. It comes with lightly fried fish, shredded red cabbage, fresh cilantro, and a house-made spicy tartar sauce. Wrap it all up in a warm flour tortilla, sell it for about 3 bucks, and you've got a mid-week dinner that satisfies without breaking the bank. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0xNNJemTX1X5Mr4E_0q56Iwz8JsBQmwDfmx0AV-nZRN766OMVy6L7i4gGSn-cV1OeSKJ89AbtvNLhDUm56tGm7HEIF626-VOxSARwZZBeAKoy14WWz-gpZxOJQ2EiqeD0PONKj5bpIwt/s1600-h/Gazpacho.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0xNNJemTX1X5Mr4E_0q56Iwz8JsBQmwDfmx0AV-nZRN766OMVy6L7i4gGSn-cV1OeSKJ89AbtvNLhDUm56tGm7HEIF626-VOxSARwZZBeAKoy14WWz-gpZxOJQ2EiqeD0PONKj5bpIwt/s320/Gazpacho.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448916986392254178" /></a> <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Gazpacho: A cold veggie soup made from tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and fresh herbs.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht71FMokkYu3L2bfy1j0C9f0fI6RHHHsyWyIulEg_Q8tJijZ2vb6r07RP2y5NJAT5y2VyT1wDtxQtuR0H-kdvhyphenhyphenYoEwLKyyh9QmbxzNe94gXmf5vGTwqKOESrln07tCeXO-2iby8BdOdQo/s1600-h/Tacqueria+Corona+4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht71FMokkYu3L2bfy1j0C9f0fI6RHHHsyWyIulEg_Q8tJijZ2vb6r07RP2y5NJAT5y2VyT1wDtxQtuR0H-kdvhyphenhyphenYoEwLKyyh9QmbxzNe94gXmf5vGTwqKOESrln07tCeXO-2iby8BdOdQo/s320/Tacqueria+Corona+4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448917660185369570" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Grab a seat at the bar and be part of the action in the kitchen.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XK-N48hedzgKq2HLp-ehX_wfrBpFaCQrQBpGd7NAUCCqe3Mow3jypVtisHFJFsanYVyGHOnj1zwz-wktDz7g4-RdwTAd8GXP50xqhIs-PDuY_gBf9Hbmu0FNuOIPHaE0uBsZpOlomre8/s1600-h/Tacqueria+Corona+3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XK-N48hedzgKq2HLp-ehX_wfrBpFaCQrQBpGd7NAUCCqe3Mow3jypVtisHFJFsanYVyGHOnj1zwz-wktDz7g4-RdwTAd8GXP50xqhIs-PDuY_gBf9Hbmu0FNuOIPHaE0uBsZpOlomre8/s320/Tacqueria+Corona+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448924554368835202" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Queso fundido: Melted white cheeses, jalapeño peppers, chipotle, and chopped scallions.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOX8lUKwN7gDKRtcv4mem8zoM3pI90ap4A87AFeVw_thDzAppYSJCvEX-FFrDBEdX0czQWTTSOj5sU8mMT9bPzK0X1flcVlsJg5Zk5-jZc5OiiTxtvCNvFk-KxxdkwuRHJ9J2wKGP0PaEU/s1600-h/Tacqueria+Corona+5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOX8lUKwN7gDKRtcv4mem8zoM3pI90ap4A87AFeVw_thDzAppYSJCvEX-FFrDBEdX0czQWTTSOj5sU8mMT9bPzK0X1flcVlsJg5Zk5-jZc5OiiTxtvCNvFk-KxxdkwuRHJ9J2wKGP0PaEU/s320/Tacqueria+Corona+5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448924876038340962" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Taco salad with chicken.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QZ8qQ6mLL4NM7VIzx3F5SAV-FWzOkcIyWbzjTQ3fL09hqi8c10j2trgts7rlGdonMGEx1eJAaa5MqIk17k0R2IN7ju1cXpQ9LOEDlAMJLTXH1NwJE3d-f8IXvg8EaJh9PBqUe7hGrBaY/s1600-h/Tacqueria+Corona+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QZ8qQ6mLL4NM7VIzx3F5SAV-FWzOkcIyWbzjTQ3fL09hqi8c10j2trgts7rlGdonMGEx1eJAaa5MqIk17k0R2IN7ju1cXpQ9LOEDlAMJLTXH1NwJE3d-f8IXvg8EaJh9PBqUe7hGrBaY/s320/Tacqueria+Corona+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448925169095903202" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Best of New Orleans rewards don't lie.</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-31574565657626270502010-03-12T08:09:00.000-08:002010-03-27T22:05:30.609-07:00Top of the Tapas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwka8S1ZsKpSPFMkWPV4JWkjWe1nLN8fnmChyNZI26qXJu5ZxKoxbcJZ4cXvlm2sJCOy8vjX8UsL1UWciPCi65RHTg6JhbncEtTTJmbuc3RNR0k3fgFH4qmUq8N82_KEOlVD9NvpeCVpca/s1600-h/Baru+-+Camarones.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwka8S1ZsKpSPFMkWPV4JWkjWe1nLN8fnmChyNZI26qXJu5ZxKoxbcJZ4cXvlm2sJCOy8vjX8UsL1UWciPCi65RHTg6JhbncEtTTJmbuc3RNR0k3fgFH4qmUq8N82_KEOlVD9NvpeCVpca/s320/Baru+-+Camarones.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447796418549196546" /></a><br />So I have a secret... I am in love with a restaurant. Yes, a restaurant. My boyfriend knows this and is okay with it, so don't worry. We met about 7 months ago and I have yet to be disappointed. My restaurant is comforting, friendly, accommodating, and most importantly, delivers exceptional tasting food. Baru is its name, and Latin/Caribbean tapas is its game. Located on the corner of Magazine and Amelia Street, Baru Bistro is one of Uptown New Orleans' most precious gems. The waitstaff is the friendliest you will ever meet, the food is consistently delicious, and the ambiance is inexplicably romantic. I am in love with this restaurant.<br /><br />Baru's specialty is their tapas, which is basically a fancy name for appetizers. But that's not all their menu consists of. They also have soups, salads, entrees and desserts and I have tried just about everything they have to offer. My advice on what to get? Everything. Honestly, there's nothing bad at Baru, but my personal favorites are as follows: For the tapas, I love the Ostras Fritas (fried oysters), Tuna Tartare, Pimenton Asado (roasted red peppers) and the Ceviche. As for entrees I am partial to the Lechon Cubano (pulled pork), which is slow cooked for many hours and literally melts in your mouth. And as a lighter option, I really enjoy the Camarones salad, which is grilled shrimp, avocado, mango, red onion, cherry tomatoes and mixed greens drizzled with a citrus vinaigrette. Eating healthy has never looked or tasted this good.<br /><br />Like all great restaurants, Baru changes its menu based on what's in season and what fresh ingredients are available to them at the time. I love seeing what tasty creations the chef, Edgar, will come up with next. The bistro is also BYOB, so they do charge an $8 corking fee per wine bottle, but no charge for beer or liquor brought to the restaurant. The restaurant is small but not too crowded and when the weather is nice, outside seating is available. In addition, they do not take reservations but if you call them while you are en route, they will often put your name on the list to help cut down on your wait time. Like I said, accommodating and friendly.<br /><br />Baru currently holds first place as my favorite romantic dining spot (in addition to <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/02/romance-around-corner.html">here</a>), but it's also a great place to go with a group of friends. By sharing the tapas and entrees and paying a moderately priced corking fee, you can save a lot of money. So if you've never had Latin/Caribbean food before, or you're in the mood for something fresh and flavorful that won't weigh you down, I highly recommend giving Baru the chance to make your lunch or dinner very special. <br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXts0zUupj13ZEKs133YYc_lfT7VPaas7rDZSLBYdp35FjqKxkiw5G6FC6OQPBoVzPrhFnbT12dxXXWGa6AvbBPoAXmpPl-HTK-3WbLuUD9ebI3xNcTfRzOq9g25VXUJkduw5n8DGsMuGF/s1600-h/Baru+-+Black+Drum+Ceviche.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXts0zUupj13ZEKs133YYc_lfT7VPaas7rDZSLBYdp35FjqKxkiw5G6FC6OQPBoVzPrhFnbT12dxXXWGa6AvbBPoAXmpPl-HTK-3WbLuUD9ebI3xNcTfRzOq9g25VXUJkduw5n8DGsMuGF/s320/Baru+-+Black+Drum+Ceviche.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447795434358580402" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Black drum ceviche with avocado, habanero peppers, pickled red onion and cilantro.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_shOi5MZAIqBrjCoCPBiE5_nBGJ-CQyKzutnspWUtXVxFfhFYnI3bt0x_P7efB0Jj-ynmhmvz95FvC3BxI7I-DqGL29P6nRSYjxDDuFOLOORoh1p8FwinPA2NQ7U4eOmdg3ZKfd1MUDzs/s1600-h/Baru+-+Lechon+Cubano.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_shOi5MZAIqBrjCoCPBiE5_nBGJ-CQyKzutnspWUtXVxFfhFYnI3bt0x_P7efB0Jj-ynmhmvz95FvC3BxI7I-DqGL29P6nRSYjxDDuFOLOORoh1p8FwinPA2NQ7U4eOmdg3ZKfd1MUDzs/s320/Baru+-+Lechon+Cubano.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447803992713570818" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Lechon Cubano: Pulled pork, black beans, fried plantains and pickled red onions.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZG761lFCAM8jUsjfq30t3DwspqaW0TOpbHOpi9u3127L8aloQ5cpL14jSwl9KMpR1PCJavhxO5qTncAXw2TaB3cjnmBwK5eJTU8_Xa3q6ajKqj75qg7pqCWZ_JM_G1a3JNSIOvR8wR_z2/s1600-h/Baru+-+Ostras+Fritas.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 158px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZG761lFCAM8jUsjfq30t3DwspqaW0TOpbHOpi9u3127L8aloQ5cpL14jSwl9KMpR1PCJavhxO5qTncAXw2TaB3cjnmBwK5eJTU8_Xa3q6ajKqj75qg7pqCWZ_JM_G1a3JNSIOvR8wR_z2/s320/Baru+-+Ostras+Fritas.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447817548696928450" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Ostras Fritas: Cornmeal fried oysters with cilantro aioli and caramelized onions.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_Nc2WPPPbwWD9UtrrnBLpg9RLtJ-f1gKIjg3BwZ-hgsFebQrtkMN3dHOZR_mjT29_aTNkVSWkn6jcKMTNmZqBti6CkpYSaqReAnczdKkw7DYtSjewuiz5q94TpJhyKE6UPHbLHTR71FC/s1600-h/Baru+-+Pimenton+Asado.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_Nc2WPPPbwWD9UtrrnBLpg9RLtJ-f1gKIjg3BwZ-hgsFebQrtkMN3dHOZR_mjT29_aTNkVSWkn6jcKMTNmZqBti6CkpYSaqReAnczdKkw7DYtSjewuiz5q94TpJhyKE6UPHbLHTR71FC/s320/Baru+-+Pimenton+Asado.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447819606883555858" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Pimenton Asado: Roasted red peppers with grilled bread.</span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-67332117679071451022010-03-10T20:06:00.000-08:002010-03-22T11:50:59.414-07:00Classic Creole<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDn0y01995W2gGgfH-UFi0CsqgST11O4ji6rpjUvCGi3ekRQ8RXT01brz_SeDhXiU-mhqCyJBR0KM_yACioYBwqUpdFYVdEQbl8XmcMnlZoEPHncIjBn8YIRJixf-yLkEDIWofkrhdumj/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+082.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDn0y01995W2gGgfH-UFi0CsqgST11O4ji6rpjUvCGi3ekRQ8RXT01brz_SeDhXiU-mhqCyJBR0KM_yACioYBwqUpdFYVdEQbl8XmcMnlZoEPHncIjBn8YIRJixf-yLkEDIWofkrhdumj/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+082.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446851939074498034" /></a><br />Even though I was born and bred a New Orleanian, I don't often indulge in the dishes that make this city so renowned. Famous creations such as jambalaya, gumbo, and etouffee aren't things I find myself eating as often as, say, Latin American or French cuisine. So it's always exciting to go to an established restaurant such as <a href="http://www.chefpaul.com/site.php">K. Paul's Louisiana Kitchen</a>, located in the French Quarter on Chartres Street, and sample some real New Orleans style cookin'. <br /><br />I had the chance to go last week with some friends and cross, yet, another restaurant off my list. We had so much food that it's hard to remember what I liked the most, but I can pretty confidently say that the oysters with caper dill sauce and the chicken and andouille gumbo were my favorites. In the world of gumbos I am usually partial to the seafood okra variety, but since I was so impressed with the chicken andouille gumbo <a href="http://fleurdelicious-emily.blogspot.com/2010/02/oh-when-saints-paraded-in.html">here</a>, I decided to give K. Paul's version a try. I was not disappointed. Their gumbo had the same thick, dark roux and was spicy with a subtle sweet flavor that I couldn't quite figure out. By the time our entrees came, I was already pretty full, but my fried rabbit with linguine, shrimp, and red-eye gravy made putting my fork down a little difficult. <br /><br />The food at K. Paul's is incredibly rich and, therefore, not something I would choose to eat often. But occasionally it's fun to take a trip to the Quarter and savor some of the food that keeps tourists coming back year after year. Three appetizers, six entrees, two bottles of wine, and five desserts later our stomachs were full and our faces hurt from laughing. Food and friends are always the perfect combination. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfmPGLSw1YnYi_6BItMsc45Sn4DQrqHjfMNZX4t9R6NWJPiEWwpJSnvV-PJVhRmgzR2pPgt4N5jmE8iKJ_TwIg34D4o_bBWuaBYPSczpqYa9gLCyQUoRfkWF06FdWhJDCJd0pI8e-16UL/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+081.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfmPGLSw1YnYi_6BItMsc45Sn4DQrqHjfMNZX4t9R6NWJPiEWwpJSnvV-PJVhRmgzR2pPgt4N5jmE8iKJ_TwIg34D4o_bBWuaBYPSczpqYa9gLCyQUoRfkWF06FdWhJDCJd0pI8e-16UL/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+081.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446867858392245730" /></a><br /><em>Oysters with Caper Dill Sauce</em><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUbChyphenhyphenp3IZ2snbbUkQDZrH7bUWXVPhAfdKmDrmXD917b_cV-x_Qbgtdry4EU4rVDNc-SgxtY4b-_wflEKk2WSOGHS7wXo7SE98VGY6cdMGn8sm5mYTBodvNt1gIapTLHbr2vsg_nhxpaY/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+077.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDUbChyphenhyphenp3IZ2snbbUkQDZrH7bUWXVPhAfdKmDrmXD917b_cV-x_Qbgtdry4EU4rVDNc-SgxtY4b-_wflEKk2WSOGHS7wXo7SE98VGY6cdMGn8sm5mYTBodvNt1gIapTLHbr2vsg_nhxpaY/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+077.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446868675555227906" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Tablecloth artwork</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrW0qjb5_l2oRSGOE3PCJXPW7u7MazLla-5-Efbx0aZQ7J8QCQ6BXkzkC8sFrGYsQYwoblvHcPuL-r-JqMcrG8cFWfDObPrF6yrzFCjz9TBxvcMFVq_yPnoGoPhcf3AnkTUk2SjzpeyP6L/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+083.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrW0qjb5_l2oRSGOE3PCJXPW7u7MazLla-5-Efbx0aZQ7J8QCQ6BXkzkC8sFrGYsQYwoblvHcPuL-r-JqMcrG8cFWfDObPrF6yrzFCjz9TBxvcMFVq_yPnoGoPhcf3AnkTUk2SjzpeyP6L/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+083.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446868000790256050" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Pan-Fried Rabbit Tenderloin with Creole Mustard Sauce</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6zT5pZxYvyXg7Rs_dZ9cr0Y6rU-CgmQk2CJ87P_mbUJ0W4e9f3YzpdZvhSqUNEOz221ZrKiaFGw5kr5hyNKvIsgBSJoI0AqDHLPysvqTwE-VDiqSdshWq_8VtWEKbRZoJm3X3Tk6-jYU/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+087.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6zT5pZxYvyXg7Rs_dZ9cr0Y6rU-CgmQk2CJ87P_mbUJ0W4e9f3YzpdZvhSqUNEOz221ZrKiaFGw5kr5hyNKvIsgBSJoI0AqDHLPysvqTwE-VDiqSdshWq_8VtWEKbRZoJm3X3Tk6-jYU/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+087.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446868385122331410" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Blackened Drum with Chipotle butter </span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXXddRahW_zUn4ZQr0PXsTMlcmXCfL-y8jMz7m2XgQc6y2X3WQ9TvPova5lISrr8xmNkUD8veN2vNJAGO-2-lBsUjI6lJaUP1IZBLBlRXcJkXi7KWkX9PkSv-sinveQC6Q5_O5S5dGJsb/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+084.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXXddRahW_zUn4ZQr0PXsTMlcmXCfL-y8jMz7m2XgQc6y2X3WQ9TvPova5lISrr8xmNkUD8veN2vNJAGO-2-lBsUjI6lJaUP1IZBLBlRXcJkXi7KWkX9PkSv-sinveQC6Q5_O5S5dGJsb/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+084.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446868117398895778" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Fried Rabbit with Linguine, Shrimp and Red-Eye Gravy</span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MCCSC6cBJmuNL_pcUd4uDErtmMlR6_XWTZwjbmHc4NotSdP-wPwmXJnl92nJO7VuCv35XIUk-1BFQytvQXF7171m-zPu3bpQwZsODrE-CmHLRWOK43IuJVhaNM4vUfKRyDQjrOYvNtSD/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+086.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MCCSC6cBJmuNL_pcUd4uDErtmMlR6_XWTZwjbmHc4NotSdP-wPwmXJnl92nJO7VuCv35XIUk-1BFQytvQXF7171m-zPu3bpQwZsODrE-CmHLRWOK43IuJVhaNM4vUfKRyDQjrOYvNtSD/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+086.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446868286277290946" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Paneed Veal with Seafood, Mixed Vegetables and Mashed Potatoes </span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKS93WMxIdVjmRM95LSve2xZfCY2hsKYjB53z8zHDPHFmxSKFzDgRl9zSA9MYTZYNu3t9myasulHYmwVSifGQtyEyNGEprUXCMn29llrF4uk5do0ld4mRkrlPVYpIrWulnXdt8U-2snJQ-/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+078.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKS93WMxIdVjmRM95LSve2xZfCY2hsKYjB53z8zHDPHFmxSKFzDgRl9zSA9MYTZYNu3t9myasulHYmwVSifGQtyEyNGEprUXCMn29llrF4uk5do0ld4mRkrlPVYpIrWulnXdt8U-2snJQ-/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+078.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446868585863859234" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Cute recipe artwork </span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qZ3OYLwNy5MUvxf7BnU6M9F7TpWoU6PWFWTv_HhuruhXOf6DS2z7KCiT-6qAJMa9qdOCJl7RDi1FwM8WyQVyGb3hysG3Yo-pk10Qh7t3ZDn5AqHjmlc0VjMZEXGPvCKwL2vAB85ObCWh/s1600-h/Fleurdelicious+2010+090.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qZ3OYLwNy5MUvxf7BnU6M9F7TpWoU6PWFWTv_HhuruhXOf6DS2z7KCiT-6qAJMa9qdOCJl7RDi1FwM8WyQVyGb3hysG3Yo-pk10Qh7t3ZDn5AqHjmlc0VjMZEXGPvCKwL2vAB85ObCWh/s320/Fleurdelicious+2010+090.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446868776091806098" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The restaurant was nice enough to bring out a complimentary dessert sampler of bread pudding, cheesecake, creme brulee with praline bottom, chocolate bundt cake with chocolate ganache, and Louisiana pecan pie. </span>Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7344095420971862400.post-623279386104880792010-03-08T20:11:00.000-08:002010-03-14T15:25:46.794-07:00Love At First Bite<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDMv-9pcCbKP57FW72ZHuJLC4K5o_F3AF6o_mCyELgDbZSPFGCNwF5duCYhX8opCFNtZMPnxVx5MnBoQHmQs5OML6phyphenhyphenZBEOBCJGb5SKovK4KKd_LeQfxvBGc29cgJBu1xVj_tA2s30Ki/s1600-h/luke+burger.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitDMv-9pcCbKP57FW72ZHuJLC4K5o_F3AF6o_mCyELgDbZSPFGCNwF5duCYhX8opCFNtZMPnxVx5MnBoQHmQs5OML6phyphenhyphenZBEOBCJGb5SKovK4KKd_LeQfxvBGc29cgJBu1xVj_tA2s30Ki/s320/luke+burger.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446111291213363602" /></a><br />After seeing Eric Clapton in concert on Saturday night, my boyfriend and I were stricken with some pretty intense post-concert hunger pains. We decided to reward ourselves for avoiding arena food and take the brisk walk to Chef John Besh's <a href="http://www.lukeneworleans.com/">Lüke</a> restaurant, located downtown on St. Charles Avenue. This restaurant is no stranger to my boyfriend, who has been several times; but for me, it was a first (and another on my list). He took the liberty of ordering for me, which I rarely allow, and within minutes the famous Lüke burger was sitting right in front of us. <br /><br />My initial thought was how awesome the presentation was. This $16 burger comes topped with tomatoes, Allen Benton’s bacon, caramelized onions and Emmenthaler cheese and is served atop a wooden carving board. The french fries are made in-house and served alongside in a classic silver mint julep cup. There is even a small place on the cutting board to hold your ketchup. <br /><br />Once the cheeseburger touched my lips I knew that no other hamburger would ever compare. The cheese, bacon and onions brought sweet and salty elements and the meat was juicy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. After hearing for months how amazingly addictive this burger was, I could finally agree. <br /><br />Now don't get me wrong, I love my <a href="http://www.portofcallneworleans.com/">Port of Call</a> burger just as much as the next person, but the Lüke cheeseburger is just, well... different. It has a certain sophistication that most burgers simply don't have and I cannot wait to go back to this New Orleans brasserie and have it again.Emilyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10459197716583859455noreply@blogger.com2