Great New Restaurant in the 504 that is not very New Orleans!

ROOT, ROOT, ROOT

Formerly operating as Feast, Root is located at 200 Julia Street which is the corner of Fulton. Same block as La Boca, Rio Mar, and Rock & Sake. As a side note, Feast was the worst restaurant i have ever experienced in New Orleans.

This classy spot is trendy. There is new link to New Orleans in Root's menu or design. Some would call it modern. The layout remained the same post-feast which is probably because of the unique landlord situation crossing over with a historic space.

Pictured above is the M é n a g e à F o i e which was totally unique. Great use of pop rocks inside the cotton candy stick.

My O v e n R o a s t e d Y a r d B i r d Wild Mushrooms, Celeriac, Fingerling Potatoes, “Pan Jus” was outstanding!

Pictured above was compliments of the chef. I believe it was bass. Very tasty!

I can't wait to go back to check out C o h i b a S m o k e d S c a l l o p s Chorizo Dust, Caramelized Cauliflower, Fennel Choucrout which is served in a Cohiba cigar box.

There is a definite WOW factor at Root and you most definitely pay for it. Beware, Root is not cheap or good value. Next time, you want a good date spot that is not your typical New Orleans food, Root is your spot!

The New Place to Shop

These days, it's all about the TRD when it comes to "makin groceries.'

Restaurant Depot is the place to be if you are a real foodie who likes to cook. Where else can you buy a half gallon tub of tzatziki sauce or a two gallon jar of pickled okra?

The value is unrivaled at the TRD or RD. The only hurdle i can think of is that the everyday consumer does not shop for the bulk most of TRD packages their products in.

The Restaurant Depot is not the kind of place you go to buy two sirloin steaks to cook up for dinner on a random tuesday night.

RD is a place you go before you host a big mardi gras party or dinner party. The only thing you can shop for in small quantities is seafood. $6 per pound lobsters makes it affordable enough to eat more than one lobster per year.

There are no shopping carts at the TRD, just huge push carts very similar to Sam's club. In fact, the Restaurant Depot could be described as a Sam's Club for Restaurants.

Anybody can go get a guest pass to check TRD out, but in order to become a regular shopper, you need to bring a tax ID # and fill out a form. Please note, this tax ID does not need to be for something in the food industry.

TRD makes a fun outing as it feels like an adventure. Be sure to bring a coat. Half the store is refrigerated.

Thanksgiving

It must be the best meal of the year! I love how tired the niacin (in turkey) makes me. Couch + NFL + change into shorts = after thanksgiving.

Sometimes i wonder why gravy isnt served with every meal?

I am definitely a marshmallow on top guy. You? Isn't marshmallow a weird word? Look at the spelling...

One question that this years thanksgiving brought up: Is it a normal tradition to serve rice with thanksgiving dinner or is it just my family??

I look forward to christmas dinner, but we all know if comes in 2nd place behind turkey day.

The Cheapest Gourmet Lunch near the CBD

Downtown workers & New Orleaniens in general should be pumped about the recent addition of Rouses to the Warehouse District. It is a beautiful store that draws many parallels to Whole Foods. The design is creative and contemporary.

The produce looked amazing, the liquor selection was immense, and the prepared foods / hot plates had a line 20 people deep. I saw fried chicken, a dynamic olive bar, and make your own sandwiches.

It was exciting to walk through this store for the first times. Employees were very friendly and the facility was spotless. There was so much activity all around the store. There was even a lady dressed up as the chiquita banana.

With the South Market District breaking ground soon, the warehouse district is sure to be one of the top places to be in the 504 for many years to come.

*Helpful tip, there is a parking lot on the Loyola Street side of the facility. There is an outdoor lot along with 2nd and 3rd floor parking above the store.

Name that Po-Boy!

Slop or Heaven?

You be the judge?

Where am I?

Any Guesses?

Small Oysters from Luke to Report!!!

John Besh puts on a great happy hour, no doubt. Domenica, Luke, and American Sector all have great drink and food specials from 4:30-6 pm daily. But recently i went to take part in a Luke Happy Hour where it was half off drinks & 50 cent oysters and left very disappointed. The picture below shows an example of the oysters the Luke shuckers were putting out. I must have eaten five or so oysters that were the size of a dime. What's more, My mint julep was 80% ice. They do have great ice at Luke but when i order a cocktail, i am not looking for a head freeze. I just couldn't believe the shuckers would let oysters that pathetic reach a customers table.

What is even worse, is that i sent back one of the "dime" oysters and the waitress that was already doing a bad job looked at me like i had two noses. She tried to tell my client and i that Luke didnt have Oyster forks...what up with that?

Most of the oysters this time of year are of a decent size. If Luke wants to keep putting on an oyster happy hour with these oysters, they may want to try $0.13 oysters.

Disappointing.

Last Week's Food Related Activities

I spent Tuesday night of last week pickling cucumbers, carrots, ginger, green beans, garlic, and chile's. Some of the brine is actually infused with vietnamese pho broth.

Woke up Sunday morning at 4:45 AM to go fishing in Hopedale, LA which is only about an hour drive from New Orleans: 40 speckled trout, 20 redfish, 4 bullreds, 1 bass, 1 black drum, and a few sheepshead. Definitely a fisherman's paradise!

Podnuh's BBQ in Baton Rouge is the single best BBQ restaurant i have been to in Louisiana. The value is superb and the staff is very friendly. Huge meal for less than $7 is a must!

Eat Well Food Mart - Broad & Canal

I get sick of driving to Harahan and Gretna to get vietnamese food. I realize that soon there will be two new vietnamese restaurants on Magazine, but i am always in search of vietnamese food in Orleans Parish.

Recently, through the help of a friend, i found the Eat Well on the North West Corner of Broad & Canal. Yes, across from the Family Dollar. This convenient store is very deceiving. I have observed one family operating this entire operation which is pretty extensive and impressive. The family looks to be of asian decent and each one is extremely friendly. The store is clean and doesn't quite fit the general idea of a convenient store.

The secret is in the rear of the store where the family cooks up delicious vietnamese cuisine. My go to is the chicken vermicelli salad. This tasty entree is plenty of food and only costs $7. Quick tip, add grilled onions. Second quick tip, bring your own cup and choose a drink from their extensive beverage cooler.

There is a small section to eat the food in the shop, but the Eat Well is also a great place to take out. The neighborhood is not the best, but the food well makes up for it.

Try it out!

Vietnamese DIVES

Due to my continued obsession with vietnamese food I am constantly in search of new vietnamese restaurants and cuisine. Most the traditional restaurants like Kim Sun and Pho Tau Bay get old after 5-10 visits. I know, i am husky. This constant eating out and trying to get further out of the box has brought me to more authentic spots for vietnamese cuisine like Tan Dinh and Kim Ahn Noodle House.

But after 40 visits to Tan Dinh, i am ready to start the adventure all over again.

Last week i tried an amazing vietnamese restaurant. Tucked in the exotic and historic Bywater / Marigny neighborhood is the Lost Love Lounge. This hip and happening local bar has comfortable seating, a nice TV, and interesting conversations and people everywhere you look. What is particularly interesting is that in the back of the bar is a dim / quaint vietnamese restaurant.

The prices at the Lost Love Grill were about $1 higher for each item than a traditional vietnamese spot, BUT it was totally worth it. To get a laid back, dark and stormy, bar atmosphere is priceless when the time is right.

All the traditional, made for american, vietnamese dishes were on the menu. The very noticeable chef in the kitchen was most definitely authentic. He had one of those dark Fumanchu beards that he continued to stroke as he tasted the pho broth throughout the night. It reminded me of the sensei in Kill Bill. The springrolls, buns, and pho's were all very tasty and came out fresh and quick. What stood out the most was the guy handling the ordering at the cash register from New Zealand. This guy was fascinating. First of all, how did he end up at the lost love lounge? I dont recall this chaps name but he was extremely friendly and very helpful. I realize this sounds weird, but you will understand once you make to L3.

I hope this post makes you hungry for my next post which will focus on other strange places in the city to find vietnamese.

Oysters and Pearls!

Man, that was one bad mother shucker!

I am happy to report that oyster season is back!

Yes, Cassemento's is officially open for the foreseeable future. Cassemento's, located in the 4300 block of Magazine, is home of 5 time shucking champion, FIVE TIME MIKE.

Other great shuckers in the 504 include Hollywood down at the Acme oyster house & Uptown T over at Pascal's Manale.

My favorite of the three restaurants mentioned above would have to be Cassemento's, but my favorite shucker is definitely Uptown T.

It is important to note that a good oyster shucker is not merely defined by his or her ability to shuck a quick oyster, BUT also the ability to carry on an entertaining conversation during the process with the customers. All three Master Shuckers of NOLA can carry a great conversation and some.

When going to Cassemento's, be sure to go to the bathroom. This trip comes with an epic walk through the kitchen where you can observe the food being cooked. If you look closely, you can see years and years of flavor and love in every pot and pan.

I am glad the months with R's are back again as it not only means great weather, but OYSTERS to go on top!

The Greatest Sandwiches in NOLA

New Orleans has not established itself as a great place to grab a deli sandwich. Most of our bread and meat is defined by the PO-BOYs.

There are some great places to grab a good sandwiches but they are few and far between. The top 5 places would have to be: St. James Cheese, Martin's Wine Cellar, Stein's Deli, Il Posto, and Tartine. The problem with all of the above referenced places is that there is no value to any of 'em. I dont like spending $10 for a sandwich. It just doesn't make sense.

This is why i have compiled a list of the top 5 sandwiches for under $10. Here it is:

1. Bahn Mi from Tan Dinh, the Hong Kong Market, or Phong Doung bakery. These vietnamese po-boys will run you about $3 and are on the greatest bread/baguette of all time. Very Tasty.

2. (Dont hate me) Footlong Meatball Sub from Subway with lettuce and mayo. Enough Said.

3. The Cuban Sandwich @ Taqueria Chilangos in Kenner. Very unique take on the cuban and extremely tasty.

4. Captain Sal's Half and Half Po-Boy is a poor man's ticket to a decent fried shrimp and oyster po-boy.

5. The HOBNOBBER'S in the CBD has good hot plates and is all around good value. Very nice size sandwiches for very little money.

Enjoy!

The Groupon Phenomena

Daily Discount websites have been the anti-diet for/of me! It is so much easier to eat out when a restaurant gives the customer a 50% discount off a certain amount. It's almost unfair to get these emails everyday. Typically, there is a good bit of fine print for each deal, BUT the deal usually motivates me to buy regardless. The biggest two daily deal websites are Groupon and Living Social. Groupon has found a greater market-share thus far, but also gauges the vendor more than Living Social by taking 50% of the money earned by each deal. Granted the vendor should look at the Groupon as a advertising / promotional opportunity that can boost sales for months to come. Grouopon has the ability to bring new eyes and bodies into businesses which is most definitely priceless.

Other daily deal websites in New Orleans are: Perks, Fetch Puppy, and Bargain Bee.

The key to getting the value out of these deals is to be very careful and methodical when using the vouchers. Don't spend more money then you normally would at these restaurants. Stick to the basics. Stay the course.

Breaking the Fast!

I am constantly struggling to find a consistent outlet when i wake up (and look forward to) in the food world. Sure, i love the occasional Lucky Charms, Smacks, and Egg McMuffin. But the question remains, what is a healthy, inexpensive breakfast that i can look forward to week in and week out?

I have gone through many phases in the breakfast portion of my life. The most recent is Jimmy Dean products: Pancake and sausage sandwich (turkey sausage of course), french toast and turkey sausage sandwich, Jimmy Dean's take on the Egg McMuffin (but on a croissant), breakfast bowls, and a few others. Keep in mind, these are all the D-Light label within Jimmy Dean so i can watch my belly that never stops growing. New Orleans is a tough town to maintain weight in.

(*There are always promotions and coupons for Jimmy Dean products.)

I do note that a lot of people a mental barrier when it comes to frozen eggs. The truth is that sometimes frozen eggs work and sometimes they do not. Jimmy Dean's breakfast bowls pull off the frozen egg pretty well, but it surely is not like the real thing.

Two things that stay consistent in every single breakfast:

1. New Orleans Very Own - Cool Brew (I recommend Vanilla or Mocha)
2. Silk Milk Light Vanilla - Made by Dean Foods

I look forward to my cool brew every single day. Simply put, it is like having dessert for breakfast!

Oatmeal, porridge, leftovers from dinner, Indian food from Sunday night Buffett are all in the mix every so often, but i cant rely on any of the above.

So, I am definitely in search of that perfect breakfast idea... and open to ideas.

Let me know what you got.

Martin's Deli Uptown

Ever since the Katrina, people have been wondering when Martin's Wine Cellar will re-open on Baronne. I have heard people say this year dating all the way back to 2008. Well, apparently that didn't happen.

 The most recent rumor i heard was that construction was started and then soon after came to a screeching hault due to financial reasons.

Whatever the reason for procrastination is, one thing is for sure: IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN SOON.

Why? Two reasons:

1. There is an uptown Sandwich monopoly going on between Stein's Deli on Magazine and St. James Cheese on Prytania. Both Stein's and St. James are slammed to the door every single day because of the lack of healthy competition. This creates long waits and limited seating.

(Btw, for a good sandwich wild card try Milk Bar off Prytania.)

2. The neighborhood needs it. There are a lot of very kind "do-good" residents on the "other side" of St. Charles Avenue that are depending on Martin's re-opening. The reasons go way beyond the food into matters like security and a dynamic selection of beer for the neighborhood.

Seriously, Martins has great sandwiches, excellent prepared foods, a unbelievable selection of wine, amongst other amazing attributes.

Maybe we should take it to the Avenue with buckets and collect money for the Cellar.

Bistro Food

I cringe when i hear the word "bistro." I cringe again when i hear la palabra, "tapas."

Why?

In my opinion, both words are synonymous with RIP-OFF.

Although, bistro food is delicious, it also puts a big emphasis on presentation. Presentation is great, but it sure doesn't fill you up. Can you really take anything away from the meal other than a photo when it comes to presentation ? The answer is NO.

So many new restaurants are some form of a bistro: smaller plates and less food combined with higher prices. It just makes me mad. I guess, if you are being treated to a meal by the company, there is nothing better than bistro food, but if you are on your own nickel, walk/run away.

This leads me to the hottest and worst trend spreading across America...TAPAS! Tapas have hit New Orleans like wildfire and i dont have the right equipment to exterminate the fire out. These "small plates" were never meant to be turned into a meal. I get it, women love tapas. But what about the men? The variety that tapas gives a table is great, but i think the plate size can only be justified for appetizers and/or dessert. I simply dont dig it.

Whatever happen to the good ole cafeteria style hot plate restaurant like Rocky & Carlos?

The Company Burger

How do New Orleanien's feel about Five Guys entering the market? Is Five Guys really that good? In my mind it is way too greasy and way too limited in terms of menu design. I just don’t get the five guy hype.

Is New Orleans even into chains?

I can tell you what I am most excited about...THE COMPANY BURGER opening this week at 4600 Freret. The Company Burger is going to be a nitty gritty burger joint founded by former Newman Superstar Adam Biderman. Adam will be assisted by his father in a beautiful newly renovated open-air diner style kitchen in what used to be Wagner’e Meat. Kind of ironic that “you can’t beat Wagner’s Meat” is soon to become “You can’t beat Adam’s Burger.”

What most people don’t know about Adam is that he was all state in two sports while attending Isidore Newman High School which is about four blocks away from the foot of his new restaurant. Bids was a dominant defensive linemen and also was very impressive in track and field where he broke records in the shot-put. Adam would later attend the university of Georgia where he played football before pursuing a career in food. The Biderman family is the proud owners of Hiller Jewelry – THRILL HER WITH HILLER & if Hiller doesn’t thrill her, take her to the company burger

Also interesting to note, Adam makes his own pickles and gained a good bit of notoriety in his culinary days in the ATL. Biderman was also honored recently at Hogs for a Cause for his unbelievable BBQ. I have full confidence that The Company Burger will make a swift climb to the top of the New Orleans Burger hierarchy and I cant wait to take my first bite of his burger. The Company Burger will be closed on Tuesdays every week.

Let me know where you think the best burger is…

Ethnic Value

After an impressive night of middle eastern cuisine I thought it would only be appropriate to give my #1 thought in finding value in food:

GO ETHNIC!

Ethnic food (ie. Middle Eastern, Ethipian, Indian, etc…) is by far the best bang for your buck that I know of. The reason for this is that the meats are basic, the vegetables are a large portion of each of the cuisine, and the spices give the food its name and character (not the décor). Of course, there are exceptions to the rule ie. French and Italian which tends to be more on the bistro / tapas line. Just think of countries that would be expensive to visit and one that would not be & that can be your rule of thumb on ethnic dining.

Nothing makes me happier than a huge pile of food for a very little price. For example, Nirvana Sunday night buffet. $10 for all you can eat delicious food! And did you know that you can do take out on the buffet? Three quick tips on the Nirvana buffet. Take it out, ask for a to go soup container, and make your own rice at home in a rice cooker to save room for the important items.

Next week I will attack my tips of the trade for middle eastern.

Value on a Daily Basis!

So, moving along with educating my readers about value, the question becomes, how does the average individual save money on a daily basis in the food world:

One simple answer: COUPONS!

Every Sunday the local newspaper will have coupons in the back of the paper with the rest of the ads. Pull it out, grab some scissors, and have some fun. The keys to clipping are staying regular and to be organized. Try using a folder with sleeves similar to what little boys collect baseball cards in. Also try separating the coupons by function within the house ie. Cleaning, food, etc…

Once your coupon’s are clipped you simply need to check the weekly specials / promotions at both your local grocery and your local drugstore / pharmacy.

If you really want to get tricky, go to each manufacturers website to investigate if they offer any additional coupons online.

By following this painless and simple methods, I believe a household can save up to $500 per year.