Top of the Tapas

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.

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.

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.

Baru currently holds first place as my favorite romantic dining spot (in addition to here), 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.


Black drum ceviche with avocado, habanero peppers, pickled red onion and cilantro.

Lechon Cubano: Pulled pork, black beans, fried plantains and pickled red onions.

Ostras Fritas: Cornmeal fried oysters with cilantro aioli and caramelized onions.

Pimenton Asado: Roasted red peppers with grilled bread.

Classic Creole

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 K. Paul's Louisiana Kitchen, located in the French Quarter on Chartres Street, and sample some real New Orleans style cookin'.

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 here, 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.

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.


Oysters with Caper Dill Sauce

Tablecloth artwork

Pan-Fried Rabbit Tenderloin with Creole Mustard Sauce

Blackened Drum with Chipotle butter

Fried Rabbit with Linguine, Shrimp and Red-Eye Gravy

Paneed Veal with Seafood, Mixed Vegetables and Mashed Potatoes

Cute recipe artwork

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.

One Turns Five

Last night we attended One Restaurant and Lounge's 5th Anniversary party on Hampson Street. It was a cool, clear Tuesday night and many people came out to show their support by purchasing a drink from the bar and noshing on some free food. Chef Scott prepared his delicious char-grilled oysters with Roquefort cheese and red wine vinaigrette, as well as some other delectable dishes. My personal favorite was the pulled pork, which was rubbed with brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and paprika, then slow cooked all day in a bath of beer and chicken broth. The result was moist and tender pork served up with some long-grain white rice. After enjoying the pork and some chicken and sausage gumbo, I grabbed a white wine from the bar, headed outside, and hovered over the hot boiled shrimp with potatoes, corn, sausage, garlic, and mushrooms to stay warm.

The music, friendly crowd, and wonderful food was a great mid-week escape from the norm and I was very happy to be included. I look forward to sampling the new Lenten menu that the restaurant has created (available on their website) and attending the celebration again next year!

Congratulations One! Here's to enjoying another year of great food!


Cookin' up some char-grilled oysters

White wine and oysters: a perfect pair

Pulled pork and rice

Hot boiled shrimp

My favorite photograph in the restaurant

A great turn-out