Value This - Hammer Time!

Good Morning & Happy Holidays,

Wonderful time of year with the weather and the holiday spirit. It's too bad we cant extend the holiday season for an extra few weeks moving forward.

I wonder what Santa is going to bring me for christmas? I also wonder if Santa could guess the dishes below:

Starting it off, I have no recollection as to what the exact name of this dish was, but I do remember where it was from. Big fan of this new restaurant in the warehouse district.

Clues for photo #2 - Same restaurant as above and oh my what a nice piece of chicken. The host for this classy spot is outrageous. He came and sang to our table twice during our dining experience. He reminded me of a character from the hit musical "RENT."

Clues for photo #3 - Same restaurant as the previous 2 photos. I am not losing any weight eating out at these kind of places. God help me - the butter, the cream! Oh, and by the way, I am glad my parents paid for this meal.

Clues for photo #4 - I thought I was ordering a semi-healthy chicken dish last night...No chance - there is nothing healthy on this entire menu. The chicken was fried on the outside & it's anybodies guess what was in this sauce. This uptown hot spot was packed. Such a heavy menu.

Clues for Photo #5 - Same UPT hot spot thats menu makes the customer gain weight by just looking at it. The quality here is about a B & the prices are not unreasonable. I am a semi-fan.

So, any guesses on the two restaurants pictured in the above 5 photos? Bring em on Chanukah Harry!

Food For Thought...

Where is the best grilled cheese in New Orleans?

Some contenders include il Posto, Cowbell, St. James Cheese...where am I missing?

Did you know my grandfather called grilled cheeses - toasted cheese? Old School.

Any guesses where this one is from? $2 prize if you get it!

And while we are looking at good looking food, check out this daily special from a popular CBD deli yesterday. Good going down, but intense going out....

This burrito plate was $10, which in my book is good value...some of the sandwiches at this spot are not as great when it comes to value.

In closing, let's see a photo of Reuben.

Happy Thursday!

Last Weeks Answers & A $10 Challenge

It's beginning to look a lot like christmas...
I am dreaming of a white christmas.

So, starting things off, last weeks answers:

Photo #1 - Emeril's Delmonico Chicken - overrated & too expensive
Photo #2 - Restaurant Stella - beef tenderloin with a marrow sauce - delicioso
Photo #3 - Restaurant Stella - Octopus appetizer - excellent!
Photo #4 - Restaurant Stella - BBQ Wagyu Kobe Beef - the best dish ever, but ridiculously expensive. I could never justify ordering this again.

And now to the exciting stuff. $10 to the first person who can tell me where I had lunch today. Clues below

This place blew my socks off. Similar to St. James Cheese and Tartine, but much better value!

Cheers!

Guess it!

Disclaimer: ValueNola does not support the value of any of the photos featured below. But please let me know what each dish is & where these dishes are from:

Photo #1 clues - this was my first time to this most famous of chef's restaurants. Located right across from Louisiana's own - Louisiana Fast!

Photo #2 Clues - Another first trip for me. The flavors were amazing, but the value was beyond terrible.

Photo #3 Clues: Same spot as photo #2. Very interesting dish with huge chunks of the sea. Again, flavors were amazing but value was two thumbs down.

Photo #4 Clues - Worst value of my life. All in, this dish costed over $150 (tax & tip included).

Please note that none of the dishes above even qualify for Splurges of the week due to their abismal value.

I'm getting sick - over & out.

Sushi Village - Guest Writer Jeff Sandman

The only sin worse than gluttony is passing up a killer deal when you see one. Sushi Village in Metairie might not look like much (it reeks of suburban hell from its nondescript strip mall location on Severn Avenue), but it delivers with Yokozuna-sized punch: all-you-can-eat salads, soups, teriyaki, udon noodles, deserts, and, yes, made-to-order sushi. With its 20 dollar price tag ($22 on Fri-Sun), you can find cheaper options. But such an extensive variety of made-to-order items? Fat chance, tomodachi.

Start with the spicy seaweed salad, move on to the redfish teriyaki, gorge yourself with a few specialty rolls, and wrap things up with the excellent red bean ice cream. If the mood strikes, wash it all down with a Sapporo (or another five sushi rolls).

For best results, take a quick 5 minute lay-down on the couch in the front to recharge your appetite.

Answers to GTR / GTD Post Turkey Day

Welcome back & happy hump day!

So, where did those two beautiful appetizers pictured in Mondays edition come from?

CLANCY'S - The ultimate uptown neighborhood restaurant.

Photo #1 - Scallops with fois gras on top! Delicious, but not the best value at $16 pre-tax and tip for 2 scallops.

Photo #2 - Shrimp Remoulade: Nothing special about this version of the New Orleans classic.

Remember, everybody's working for the weekend, so get back to work!

Guess that Dish - And that Restaurant

Happy Monday! Nothing like a long LONG weekend - which clearly makes this cyber Monday one of the toughest of the year. This is why GTR / GTD is taking place today! Two photos for you - both from the same restaurant. Winner must identify the restaurant and exact dishes pictured. Here we go:

Dish #1

Dish #2

Those are some good looking plates no?

Also of note, check out the sandwich I had for breakfast (courtesy of SCP) the day after thanksgiving:

We like to call this "The Pilgrim Sandwich" and let me assure you, it is one of the best...YUM!

Closing question: Why isn't baked turkey served more throughout the year?

Have a great day!

Answers to this weeks GTD/GTR

One day until weight gain gets underway. I am pumped but my belts are not!

So, where were those beautiful photos from? Answer: The new satsuma on Maple Street. Photo #1 was the cheesy scrambled eggs special which was steller. Photo #2 was the BLT that was also up to expectations. Satsuma did a great job with their renovation & with bringing the bywater vibe into uptown. I will be back & ValueNola approves of everything on Satsuma's menu, except for the fresh squeezed juices.

Idea of the week: Brussel Sprout Chips. I mean, why not? They make chips out of every other vegetable these days. Hipsters would love 'em!

Photo of the week:

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all - christmas music 24 hours / day is almost here!

Guess That Dish & Restaurant - COMBO PLAY

Thanksgiving week! One of the best no doubt.

Last night I celebrated my first FriendsGiving & I must say, it was totally awesome. I am always down for an excuse to eat turkey, stuffing, and pie. Simply put, my pants no longer fit - very sad.

In positive news, can you guess either of the dishes below or where they came from?

Any guesses?

In negative news, check out the butcher of a haircut Petco gave to Reubs yesterday - embarrassing.

Poor guy.

Finally, am I the only one that finds this video amusing?

I hope everyone has a great thanksgiving! Nothing is better value than being with your family and pigging out.

Have a blessed day!

ValueIdea - An addition to every dinner table

One week until turkey day & I must say, I am really hoping that someone in my family brings a truducken to the big feast!

Answers to last weeks GTR:

1. Cowbell - chicken salad
2. Naked Pizza - Create your own
3. Hurricane BBQ - Two meat plate

Congratulations Scott Kushner! You are now tied for top 3 in the ValueNola GTD/GTR history. You are a great man & a great fan of the wave.

This weeks idea is a way to spice up every dinner table in the world.

The question that inspired the idea: Why is salt & pepper the two seasonings featured on every table?

The idea: What if a dinner table had three shakers present for every meal?

Each house would feature a family/house spice. One house could be curry while another could feature tumeric.

The possibilities are endless & every meal would have a new found twist.

Just putting this idea out there - who is with me?

Guess That Restaurant - Saints Win!

What a game last night. Vick gets sacked 7 times. WHO DAT!

On this historic election day, I felt it was only fair to play a little GUESS THAT Restaurant...

And we're off ----

Clues for photo #1 - What a good looking salad from a place you wouldn't think would have the best salads. The new outdoor furniture / seating is phenomenal. So close to the Mighty Mississippi...

Clues for Photo #2 - obviously a pizza, but from where? Thin crust, low calorie, and actually...pretty good. This pizza is not cheap & I dont quite understand the $1.50 delivery charge.

Clues for photo #3 - Mediocre BBQ that had big expectations coming in. This Metairie lunch spot was hyped as being the answer to New Orleans long battle with good bbq & what a let down it was. BOOOOO! Oh and did I mention the value is not great?

Two out of three of these restaurants will prove to be a challenge for my readers, but give it a try!

Happy Tuesday - GO VOTE!

Boiling Peanuts AKA Hoppers

There is a first time for everything...

Boiling your own "hoppers" is super easy and quite fun! All you need is

-crockpot
-seasonings
-raw peanuts
-electricity
-liquid to cover the hoppers

Q. Where do you find raw peanuts?
A. Farmers Market

Q. What is a good amount for a normal size crockopot?
A. 2 pounds

Here are the ingredients we used:

We used Jockamo IPA for our broth. Other non-conventional additions included truffle salt and hot sauce.

Cooking time: I recommend cooking the peanuts in the crockpot on high for 24 hours. Let those nuts soak in the flavor.

As you can see, this is a really fun process in which you can "set it & forget it."

These hoppers are perfect for game-day snacking and will stay good for up to two weeks if you keep the nuts in the fridge.

Make Your Own Pizza - Gangnam Style

How about them Who Dats? Worst game ever. Depressing at best...

Invention (idea) of the day - What if there was a doggy water bed that could be filled with ice. This would cool down big & hairy dogs during the dog days of summer. Thoughts?

So, when was the last time you made your own pizza?

Pizza dough can be bought at many local pizzerias & even at the great Whole Foods. Cost is about $2.99 per pizza. Whole Foods uses a wheat pizza dough that gives off bitter taste that most people really enjoy. I suggest sprinkling sugar on the flatend pie dough and then brushing butter on top. Can you say fat?

Check out the second pizza we made last night -- shaped like a football...

Even the football shaped pizza couldn't help our beloved terrible Saints. Worst defense in the history of football. Pizza's are similar to waffles & pancakes --- the first round is never best. The second batch was much better than the first.

Cooking tips in the oven: 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Can you spell delicious? I can't it without spell check.

Happy Monday! Go Hornets.

The Show Goes On...

Happy 28th Birthday Ashley Orr! You truly are a fantastic spice of life.

Congratulations as well to Austin Travis Lane who was this weeks lucky winner of GTD. The answers were:

1. Superior Seafood - Steak 'n Eggs
2. Superior Seafood - Couchon de Lait Po-boy
3. SoBou - Tuna Special

In an effort of keeping the fun guessing alive, can you guess where I had dinner last night?

Clues: This chain restaurant is relatively new to the NOLA dining scene. There were some items that were good value (vodka soda = $6.95 & redfish almondine $25) and there were others that made me scratch my head ( ie. 4 asparagus for $8 pretax and tip). Do you know how many happy meals I could buy for the same as the four asparagus? A LOT

So, where did I eat last night? Next week, I will be featuring a post on how to boil your own peanuts aka or as they call em in Alabama "hoppers." RTR

Guess that Dish - 7th Ward Style

Congrats to Scott Kushner. Last weeks lucky winner. What a man!

Random thought of the day: I am constantly over eating and eating too fast...and I think, how can I slow myself down? I have the solution: miniature silverware...I ate a meal the other night with a lobster fork & it really helped. Chop sticks also help slow me down.

Last week's featured restaurant was Sylvain which is truly something special. It can be done with Value in mind but can get out of control fast. Unbelievable atmosphere. BIG FAN!

This week is all about guessing both the restaurants and dishes featured. And, we're off....

Clues for Photo #1 - I bet you didn't know this uptown restaurant does brunch on Sundays... Oh and did I mention they do Happy Hour all day Sunday. Frozen mimosas (made with orange sherbet) are amazing.

Clues for Photo #2 - Same spot. Photo gives away the restaurant, but can you GTD?

Clues for Photo #3 - New french quarter restaurant to the NOLA scene. Value is not associated with this place, but can you say SPLURGE OF THE WEEK. Unbelievably cool and progressive atmosphere.

Ok - bring it on! And for bonus points, email me what ward each restaurant is located in...

Answers from this weeks GTD + a new NTR

Welcome back! As promised, the answers from Monday's Guess That Dish:

1. Mandina's on Canal - Seafood Platter = heart attack heaven
2. Fury's - Fried Chicken Plate = not that impressive
3. Crabby Jacks - Fish tacos = AMAZING & great value
4. Tartine - Tuna Nicoise salad = not for me
5. Herbsaint - Ribeye = overrated and too expensive

To keep the games rolling, below are three photos from last nights dinner. Can you guess this amazing french quarter restaurant?

Clues:

- this restaurant may have the best atmosphere in the city
- reminds me a little of restaurants in NYC
- You can go either way in terms of value here. It can be done on the cheap but can get expensive real fast
- dark interior
- fabulous courtyard
- very small dining room

Bring it on!

Week of October 15th: Guess that Dish!

A new week begins & another weekend is over! Happy Monday and good morning. I hope to engage all of you in this weeks edible delights and don't forget to check back in regularly for the answers!

Clues for dish #1: This New Orleans staple is not for those on a diet. Located right off the streetcar tracks, ValueNola approves of this menu! Fair prices and a great place to bring clients and/or out-of-towners!

Clues for dish #2: "The Franky & Johnny's of Metairie." This is an italian restaurant which happens to make great fried chicken. No glitz or glamour at this hole in wall that people call a "hidden gem." I dont know if I would go that far...

Clues for dish #3: My new go-to dish at one of my favorite lunch spots on the Hwy. Probably one of the healthier dishes on the menu & so F*&cking good. Grilled not fried. Also a huge fan of the huge to go cups they give their guests for water.

Clues for dish #4: This is how a salad should look. Enough to get even a man full for a little while. Unfortunately, this salad has too many components I disagree with, but perfect for a more adventuresome eater! An uptown destination.

Clues for dish #5: An expensive and salty steak at one of New Orleans most respected establishments. Apparently, Susan Spicer had some involvement with this warehouse district spot in its early days. But now it's just Donald Link. Right off the tracks as well!


More photos, more clues, answers coming soon! ValueNola is stepping it up!

Value Fixing with the GTD answers

Happy Friday crew!

It was brought to my attention that I should start releasing the answers to Guess That Dish / Name That Restaurant each week.

This weeks answers:
1. Antoine's - Soufflé Potatoes
2. Saints Tailgate - Jambalaya
3. Tartine - Steak Sandwich

Congratulations Bond Lengsfield - this weeks lucky winner of a jar of pickles. CONGRATS!

Bond is also this weeks Value Handyman aka Handy Man "Mazel"

Why the need for a handyman? Reuben locked himself into the bathroom last friday night after eating 7 ounces of M&M's. So, I kicked down the door at 11 pm. This cracked the door frame and door.

The above photo shows the before, during, and after of Handy Man Mazel's excellent work. Mazel uses all cookbooks to clamp the wall together with the wood glue.

As you can see, Mazel does excellent work and is available all day - everyday. You can reach him on his cell at 504.628.1188.

Ok. That's it. Have a great weekend.