Archive for category New Orleans restaurant

Central Grocery Muffuletta

Central Grocery in the French Quarter is the mecca for the Italian sandwich that got its start here and dates back to the early 1900′s: the muffuletta. Central Grocery is an old time Italian market specializing in mostly Italian delicacies but the muffuletta is the definite draw. Spell it and pronounce it how you please, but I can assure you that once you experience one of these great sandwiches, you will not care about anything else but going back for more.

20110121 111917 300x199 Central Grocery Muffuletta

Central Grocery’s muffuletta consists of cappicola ham, genoa salami, mortadella, provolone cheese, Emmentaler cheese, and of course, what makes it is the olive salad. This olive salad is a mixture of olives, carrots, celery, cauliflower, seasonings, and copious amounts of olive oil to bring it all together. Of course, I can’t forget about the special bread/bun/loaf/roll that holds all of these flavor ingredients. It is round in shape, with an airy sturdy interior and fairly crusty exterior that is topped with sesame seeds. The marriage of all these ingredients creates what is quite possibly one of the best sandwiches out there.

I am a sucker for a muffuletta and will try one at any place I see it at, aka I have eaten many muffulettas… some that only lasted one bite and some that where pretty darn good. But to date, I have yet to come across one that compares to the original at Central Grocery. There are not many things better than going down to the Quarter and to Central Grocery for a muffaletta, bag of Zapp’s potato chips and a bottle of Barq’s root beer. Depending on when you go, be prepared to wait in a line which at times can stretch down the sidewalk on Decatur but rest assured that you will not be disappointed once you finally get to bite into your muffuletta.

Here is just a little tip I have learned…….if you are not going to eat your muffuletta immediately(almost impossible), turn the sandwich over so that the logo is facing down. This will cause some of the olive oil and all of the flavors of the olive salad to trickle into the bottom part of the bread. So now when you bite into it, you get the flavor in both the top and bottom of the bread.

There is a sign inside the store that reads……”IMITATED BY MANY….BUT NEVER DUPLICATED.” I must say, well put my friends. So to all of those imitators out there, you can’t make the original better. And that is not a knock on any other version, you may be able to put your own twist on the original but never better it.

If I had to recommend a “must go” place in New Orleans to someone, Central Grocery’s original muffuletta would be that place.

20110121 112013 224x300 Central Grocery Muffuletta

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Where to eat in New Orleans for Easter

For all those looking for a place to have a meal Easter Sunday in New Orleans, I have compiled a list of some places off the top of my head.  These are just a few that have some sort of Easter menu and would be worth going to.

Palace Cafe

504-523-1661

Restaurant August

504-299-9777

Antoine’s

504-581-4422

Arnaud’s

504-523-5433

Cafe Adelaide

504-595-3305

Cafe Giovanni

504-529-2154

Dante’s Kitchen

504-861-3121

Mr. B’s Bistro

504-523-2078

Muriel’s

504-568-1885

Bacco

504-522-2426

Bourbon House

504-522-0111

Court of Two Sisters

504-522-7261

Red Fish Grill

504-598-1200

Try to make reservations now in order to guarantee a table.

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Domilise’s Poboys

domilises sign 255x500 Domilises Poboys

Located near the river in Uptown New Orleans, Domilise’s has been a New Orleans poboy hotspot for many years.  The small, uninviting corner store is not an easy place to find for those unfamiliar with the location.  Directions are a must as you are more likely to be riding up and down one-way streets in search of poboy greatness.

Once you finally happen upon it, don’t be surprised to see a line outside the door.  This should not deter your attempt at chowing down on one of there many delicious sandwiches however.

Another thing: Domilise’s is small to say the least.  The kitchen is smaller than the bar and there are only about five or so tables at which to eat.  Be sure to grab a number printed on a ratty tag and then wait in line to be waited on.  When finished ordering your poboy, pull up a seat at the bar and order a cold Abita beer or a bottle of root beer.

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Enjoying the lake at Landry’s Seafood House

Fall is in the air and this is the perfect time of year to enjoy Louisiana outdoors.  You can find a spot to dine in a famous New Orleans courtyard in the French Quarter or you can head to the lake.    Last week we ate lunch on a beautiful, cool, blue bird day at Landry’s Seafood House  at 8000 Lakeshore Drive  in New Orleans.

If anyone saw the devastation to this area after Katrina you will be amazed at the progress that has been made in reviving the area.   This restaurant sits in a picture perfect spot overlooking the lake and the marina.  You are almost on top of the water; definitely close enough to hear the waves lapping on shore and have the gulls flying over head.   We wanted a lunch spot where we could talk in a relaxing, peaceful setting without loud noise and this place fit the bill.

The Landry family began it’s tradition in the seafood business with the first Landry restaurant in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1947.  There are now 24 restaurants, two of which are in New Orleans: one at the lake address and one in the French Quarter.

We did not expect a whole lot of the food as we really chose it for the ambiance.   This place has not received many accolades and in a city where everyone is a foodie and stellar restaurants abound we were not expecting much but we were pleasantly surprised and had an enjoyable afternoon on the deck.   Our meals were delicious!!!

The menu has fresh seafood in every way imaginable with a variety of toppings to suite your taste.  Also on the menu is certified Angus beef steaks which you get with a choice of sides two of which are the signature Landry’s sweet potato and creole green beans or go for the chicken BLT or a 10 ounce sirloin burger.  Oyster season is here so look for other seafood favorites such as oysters on the half shell, fried, grilled, and baked oysters.

All entrees come with Landry’s Salad Bowl which is presented in a very large bowl,  tossed table side and served family style.   A Bloody Mary set the mood for the lunch for me.  Served in a huge glass rimmed with Old Bay spices, it came with enough garnishes to meet my minimum daily requirements for vegetables.

The specialty of the day was a fried soft shell crab dish.  It was a winning dish with two very fresh crabs served crispy with an “Acadian” topping of crawfish tails, corn pico de gallo and andouille cream sauce.

As we had to try a dessert to share, we went for a bananas foster recommended by the waitress.  The rich vanilla bean ice cream was served in a crepe and topped with the banana, rum and brown sugar cane topping and whipped cream.  A beautifully presented twist on a New Orleans tradition this dessert literally fed our table of four.

This is the place to go for a walk by the lake and a meal with a view or just a drink on the open deck.  Try it!

biglink Enjoying the lake at Landrys Seafood House

The Galley Seafood Restaurant

IMG 0585 300x225 The Galley Seafood RestaurantThe Galley is aptly known as a no frills seafood joint.  If you are looking for white linens and other fancy amenities, this is not your place, but if you want great seafood, cold beer, and a home-y atmosphere, this is the place.

Due to the somewhat small dining area, waiting for a table can be very common.  This is especially so during the Lenten season as locals flock to the Metairie Road establishment to chow down on great seafood.

The Galley serves up the typical appetizers of a seafood restaurant.  The crawfish hushpuppies, their twist on the traditional variety, comes with a great crawfish sauce that adds a great layer of flavor to an otherwise normal hushpuppy.

When in season, the boiled seafood is usually the go-to option.  They serve up boiled shrimp, crawfish and crabs.  I generally don’t order boiled seafood from a restaurant because they never seem to be seasoned correctly…either too bland or over salty.  The Galley is the exception…

The crawfish and crabs are always seasoned to perfection with just the right amount of spice and salt to compliment.  Besides the great flavors, the boiled shrimp peel easily signaling that they have been cooked well.  There is nothing worse than getting a bunch of boiled shrimp that are over cooked and a struggle to peel.  No worries at the Galley.

Seafood baskets consisting of fried shrimp, catfish, oysters, softshell crabs, and stuffed crabs are always a good bet too.  These dishes are served with french fries but can be substituted for any side item.  Some of the choices are sweet potato fries, baked macaroni, and corn grits.  I am a sucker for corn grits and they have a pretty good version that is quite creamy with ample amounts of corn.

photo 300x225 The Galley Seafood Restaurant

In the mood for a poboy?  They are whipping out several of the great New Orleans sandwiches…..catfish, oyster, and shrimp.  But the poboy that they are known for is their softshell crab poboy.  If  you have ever been to JazzFest and tried the softshell crab poboy, then you know what I am talking about.  This has been a crowd favorite at JazzFest since 1977.  The first thing I do as soon as I enter the Fair Grounds for JazzFest is to head over to the Galley’s food booth to get one.  No matter how long the line is (and it always the longest of all the food booths), I will always hit it up first.  I can promise you that the end result is worth the wait and it seems to make the music that much better.

jazz fest soft shell close 300x224 The Galley Seafood Restaurant

While waiting for your food to be cooked and served, order yourself an Abita Amber on draft.  Not that the Galley has some special version of this delicious Louisiana brew, it’s just that they serve it in a huge, ice cold frosty goblet that makes the beer taste so much better.

Next time you are in the mood for good seafood and a relaxed child friendly atmosphere, do yourself and your taste buds a favor and head out to Metairie to dine on all the tasty dishes the Galley has to offer.
biglink The Galley Seafood Restaurant

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McHardy’s….Great New Orleans Fried Chicken

IMG 0716 150x150 McHardys....Great New Orleans Fried ChickenI overheard a conversation the other day about McHardy’s Chicken & Fixin’ in New Orleans…the couple was raving about it, and my ears really perked up when I heard them say that “they give you a lot of chicken for $5.”

I stopped in my tracks and headed over to the North Broad St. fried chicken establishment.

When I arrived at McHardy’s, I was surprised to see that he place was packed with people who had the same idea as me, only it looked like they all knew exactly what they were getting into.

Once I made my way inside, I was again surprised at the size (or lack thereof) of the place.  No tables are inside the restaurant. It’s takeout ONLY.  I knew that the drive home was going to be a very long one, with the  smell of fried chicken sitting on the passenger seat next to me.

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GW Fins- New Orleans Seafood, Redefined

pompano GW Fins  New Orleans Seafood, Redefined

Recently, I attended a company meeting in New Orleans. Normally our rather large group is crammed into the banquet facilities of a hotel for dinner and served a mass produced meal of questionable inspiration.

This trip however, we were split into several small groups and each group went to a different French Quarter restaurant. From classics like Brennan’s, Galatoire’s and K-Paul’s to new stars like Stella, NOLA and Bayona, my co-workers got to experience New Orleans’ best.

My group drew GW Fins, an establishment that I had long been intrigued by, but one which I had also not heard much about. I was not overly enthused because I knew it meant I would have to break my long held rule of never ordering fish in restaurants (except for sushi). My cynical policy is based on many experiences both in restaurant kitchens and dining rooms alike.

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Cooter Brown’s, an Oasis

A long, hot Audubon Zoo excursion worked up an appetite desperate and elephantine. Worse, the seven depleted adults lost the brain function to find a place to eat. Thankfully, the place to eat found us (before the buzzards did), and a cowboy waved us into the cool, beer and brine air .

To call this a bar is a common misapprehension. Cooter Brown’s Tavern is a public house in the proud old tradition, infused with Orleanian hosts’ ethic and dressed for every occasion. Brown’s welcomes Tulane, Loyola, pre-parties, after-parties, former hippies, yuppies, yats, sportsfans, beer snobs and zoo refugees adrift in the Riverbend. The bar with its 150+ beer selection, serves them all competently, but the kitchen stands out: preparing elevated pub grub, or haute grille.

Abstaining from anything stronger than cold Barq’s, we settled at a long table near the oyster shucker. It would’ve been painful to choose just one sandwich from the menu wall, so we worked it out.  Half the menu was soon realized in front of us. Our “Killer” onion rings were truly killer and the meat pies, boudin, phillies, &c. were mercifully rich in calories, flavor and wonderful cheese.

We were long satisfied by time my wife asked for help finishing her oyster poboy, and not prepared to be astonished by it. These oysters were succulent, freshly shucked and perfectly done in the lightest fry coat, nestled delicately into mayo-painted loaf. No diet was worth missing this.

As my Grandma used to say, it was an excellent sufficiency, anything more would’ve been a superfluous inadequacy. Although I did allow myself a final indulgence – known to many locals to compliment a good meal, but rarely talked about – the effervescent Barq’s root beer burp. Ah, contented.

Author’s Note: Please feel free to share your favorite Barq’s burp pairings by commenting below. Example: 1982 Sid Mar’s roast beef dressed, fries. Barq’s served with chilled short beer glass.

biglink Cooter Browns, an Oasis

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Satchmo SummerFest: July 30th-August 2nd

Final Poster Art 184x300 Satchmo SummerFest: July 30th August 2ndCome enjoy great music and awesome food for the 9th Annual Satchmo SummerFest paying tribute to New Orleans’ own Louis Armstrong.  Hey, no need for any excuses for not coming out to enjoy all of the festivities.  The Satchmo SummerFest is a free festival for all experience.  If good music, food and tons of fun is how you like to spend your weekends off, head to the French Quarter/Downtown area for a fantastic experience.

Food Vendors:

Bach Dang Cafe
Crepes a la Cart
Crescent City Brewhouse
La Divina Gelateria
Palmer’s Cuisine
Pearl’s Catering
Ralph & Kacoo’s
Saltwater Grill
The Praline Connection
Vaucresson Sausage Co.

Besides for the music and food, there is also a wide variety of special events, seminars and a host of other activities for the whole family.

After enjoying all that the Satchmo SummerFest has to offer, let us know your thoughts, especially on the food.  You can email us at thecajunfoodie@gmail.com

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The ClamHammer Cocktail Tour

In conjunction with the Tales of the Cocktail event kicking off yesterday in New Orleans, our friend Gilbert (Jo-bear) decided to write up a post commemorating the drinks of New Orleans and an adventurous evening.

There is no secret that people come to New Orleans to enjoy the nightlife, and with so many delicious drinks and establishments in which to drink them, that it can get a little overwhelming.  For that reason, I decided that I would enjoy an evening of drinking some of New Orleans’ greatest cocktails at some of the places known for making them.  My background research consisted of a little internet search and asking my friends, “Where do you get a good _______(insert drink name here)?”  Thus the tour was born.

To be sure, I am not a cocktail aficionado of any sort, although I do enjoy a drink now and then, and these are my recollections from the night many months ago.  Some of the cocktails that I imbibed that day were maiden voyages, some I have had before.  Nevertheless, I will still relate my opinions of them here.

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