ValueNola presents Reuben P. Burka

How and Why is a dog being featured on ValueNola? Good question. I will attempt to answer this question throughout my post.

Reuben AKA "RPB" AKA "Big Foot" is a 70 pound standard size golden-doodle. He is a joy! Sophie and I rescued Big Foot from Mobile, AL. Reuben's original parents went into the witness protection program. This is why he was brought back to his breeder. He arrived to New Orleans fully trained: sit, down, rollover, speak, human hug, etc...

Basically, Reuben is the man & Soph and I are very lucky to have him in our lives! Did I mention he is first cousins with Beignet Burka?

Reuben is a healthy, strong, ball of fluff & fun. As you can see, he is very handsome.
I dont think I could have handled a baby puppy with making all sorts accidents around house and chewing up everything in site.

On a more interesting note, below is a photo of the bench in front of Ms Mae's aka the club @ 7:50 AM this past saturday

Even better, here is a photo of the same bench at 9:15 AM

Rough night right?

Oh, New Orleans! That is most definitely a good value for a free place to sleep after a long night of partying in NOLA. I wonder if he woke up and got a drink?

Photos & Thoughts from Borgne - John Besh

John Besh sure knows how to put together a heavy menu. He is a man who firmly believes in Pig! Ham chop? Oh, and did I mention that there is bacon in everything...I mean everything.

Borgne is an amazing addition to the Superdome area. They are going to print money on game-day! As pictured above, the interior has tons of chalkboards throughout the dining area that are decorated by the staff. These boards are changed frequently. Photos of Louisiana line the walls. The dining room seats over 150 people at a time = HUGE!

I was also a big fan of their menu which is presented on a clipboard. Besh knows how to give his own twist to the norm. He is also big on creating inviting happy hours. Borgne holds happy hour from 3-6 daily. One thing I did not like was the valet parking which costs $10 after validation. You might as well park on the street and take a pedicab for that price. Pictured above is my Louisiana Jumbo Shrimp Remoulade
petit iceberg salad which was delicious but expensive at $14. Borgne is not exactly a restaurant you go to for value. In fact, it seemed a little over priced. Regardless, Besh is and will do well here!

One other thing I really liked was the double sink in the men's bathroom. I want one of these in my house badly. Overall, very cool interior & the Hyatt has never looked better. I will be back to Borgne!

Guess that dish / restaurant?

Welcome back to the next edition of guess that dish / restaurant...
This weeks edition centers around New Orleans, but travels all the way over to Fairhope, AL for what has to be the most unique dish I have ever eaten. Good luck & Enjoy.

Clues for photo #1 - This has to be one of the top 3 salads in the city. Fresh Louisiana shrimp give justification to the $14 price tag. This restaurant is a perfect example of location not being the end all, be all. If your product is good, people will seek you out and find you

Clues for photo #2 - These high end spring rolls feature my favorite shrimp: Royal Reds. Interesting to note, Royal Reds are caught in deep water and are frozen upon capture!

Clues for photo #3 - This place has to be Uptown's most straight forward breakfast spot. Located perfectly! This plate is just what the doctor ordered after a long night on the town.

Clues for Photo #4 - This is our shout out to Fairhope, Alabama's trendiest spot. A great new age take on pizza. Guess what the crust is made out of?

So, there you have it. Email me, comment, post, do whatever...

Let's see who can get one these photos correct!

Partying with H2O

I love tequila! And tequila shots are plain fun. The lime, the salt...

Nothing makes less sense than taking shots during a night out at the bar. Sure, it's rowdy & fun, but the aftermath is treacherous. The dehydration that takes place from beer and mixed drinks is already bad enough. Shots intensify this tenfold.

This is why I want to create a new, value added trend:

I want to start ordering shots of super fine, extra cold, filtered water for my friends and I at the bar. It is the best shot I could ever buy a friend. Cold water during a night of drinking truly would help any party animal. I would even be willing to pay $0.25 per shot which if you do the math, is a huge markup. I could and would buy round after round!

Why is this value? This trend would save endless amounts of money one would spend on shots for a group of friends. I/You could be known as the waterboy or waterman. It is also saves the terror felt the next morning.

It has even been brought to my attention that an entire bar could center around hydration...making mixed drinks with gatorade and coconut water.

We need to make drinking water at the bar cool!

New to Claiborne Ave: Little Korea

Welcome to Little Korea! This is the former Taco on South Claiborne Avenue. Unbelievable...UNBELIEVABLE. The operators have closed down the drive thru window and former side entrance door to create an authentic sit-down restaurant.

The interior is quaint. The service is phenomenal. Everybody is so nice. The menu is diverse with good pho soups & authentic korean cuisine.

Entrees range from $9.99 to $14.99 and the portions are more than adequate. I am sad to report there are no desserts on the menu. Interesting to note, they do serve beer!

The bottom line is Little Korea is great for the community. I only know of one other Korean restaurant in the city which is located in fat city. The interior and bathrooms are clean, the staff is friendly, and the prices are fair. What more do you need to know? ValueNola endorses this spot and can't wait to go back for seconds!