New Orleans - The Hungry Nomad

Breakfast, Brunch, Gourmand, New Orleans

Brunch at Surrey’s Uptown (New Orleans, USA)

January 2, 2012 No Comments

Happy 2012 to all my readers. I have been away for the past week down in New Orleans eating some good food, drinking mint julips and sazerac and listening to some amazing brass bands. The next few posts will therefore be dedicated to the New Orleans dining scene I discovered on my most recent trip.

First stop, Surrey’s Uptown! On a lovely spring-like day in December the Count and I decided to walk along Magazine street to discover the long stretch of shops, restaurants and art galleries. Along the way we discovered Surrey’s Uptown. Not having heard about it before we were curious to try it for ourselves since the line up seemed long and everyone seemed eager to eat.

The next day along with our friends we visited Surrey’s Uptown for breakfast and I was not only impressed but wanted to go back every day for the rest of the trip (sadly my request was denied by the Count).

They make their own fresh juices which you can blend to make your own creation. I had the carrot, orange and apple juice which was lovely. We all ordered different dishes and tried a bit of each. Mine was the Miga- scrambled eggs mixed in with all sorts of delicious goodies including crispy tortilla chips. The Count had the huevos rancheros deluxe which included smoked salmon. He absolutely loved it! I on the other hand didn’t like the mixture of the black beans and the smoked salmon. Smoked salmon to me is best served with cream cheese, capers and onions. However, to each their own I guess. The best part of the meal had to be the stuffed banana french toast which was truly like to no other I’ve ever tasted. The mixture of flavors and the rich sauce was to die for.

They have a really large selection and I definitely will have to go back to try out the rest. If you ever happen to be in New Orleans definitely check this place out for breakfast/brunch- if one is busy (which I guarantee you it will be) there are always two locations: one Uptown and the other in the Garden District.

Gourmand, New Orleans

Lilette (New Orleans, USA)

May 7, 2011 No Comments

Lilette, located Uptown on Magazine street is one of our top ten places to dine in New Orleans. The restaurant serves authentic French cuisine and carries an extensive list of wine from all regions of France. Be prepared to wait while before you are seated. We went there last weekend with the start of the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Perhaps this is why it was busier than usual but having made reservations in advance we expected to be seated in a timely manner… 2 hours past our reservation time we were seated. In fact by the time we sat down most tables were finishing up their dinner. I’m wondering why they take reservations when they can’t keep them. Not to mention our party included a very pregnant friend who had to stand on her feet for two hours. Complaints aside: once we were seated and the food and wine arrived everything was great.

First on the list was the potato gnocchi with sage brown butter and parmigiano cream. It was PERFECT. The count and I absolutely love gnocchi and seem to order it whenever its offered on the menu. This one was delicious with a perfect creamy sauce.

Our table also ordered a cheese plate which included several different types of specialty cheese including blue and goat cheese. The bread was served right out of the oven…and perfectly warm.

Cheese plate

The escargot served with mushrooms and Calvados cream. If you like snails then you can’t go wrong with an order of the escargot.

The Escargot in creamy butter

Fried Kurobuta Pork Belly with a salad of melon, pea shoots and cucumber

Steak Frites with bordelaise sauce

Roasted Poulet Breast

And after all that I absolutely had to order dessert…which was beautifully presented and amazing. All in all the meal was fantastic. The ambiance is also very inviting. The restaurant is almost always busy so it makes for a great night out. There is also the newer addition to the Lilette family called the Bouligny Tavern located right next door. They have a wonderful cocktail menu. So if you ever have to wait for a table make your way over to the Bouligny for a drink.

Gourmand, New Orleans

Rue de la Course (New Orleans, USA)

May 3, 2011 No Comments

Great coffee and an interesting eclectic mix of people. It mostly attracts the laptop crowds due to its unpretentious environment. There are two locations: one on Magazine street and the other on South Carrollton.

Gourmand, New Orleans, Sandwich Shop

Stein’s Market and Deli (New Orleans, USA)

May 2, 2011 1 Comment

If you are looking for delicious New York style sandwiches then Stein Deli is the place for you. A very unassuming Jewish and Italian shop offering cold-cuts, specialty cheeses, meats and other goodies (from around the world). It does tend to be a bit on the pricier side but if its quality that you are after then you won’t mind. My favorites are the Robert and the Jeff Berger served with a side of Kosher pickles. Who would have thought that prosciutto with honey would taste so delicious?

The Robert (Prosciutto, mozzarella with balsamic vinegar)

New Orleans, Travel, USA

Just your typical day on Bourbon St. (New Orleans)

February 1, 2011 2 Comments

Bourbon Street (French: Rue Bourbon) is a famous and historic street that spans the length of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. When founded in 1718, the city was originally centered around the French Quarter. New Orleans has since expanded, but “The Quarter” remains the cultural hub, and Bourbon Street is the street best known by visitors. Although, once you’ve seen it you really won’t be drawn back to Bourbon since present day bourbon is filled with drunks (day and night), rowdy college kids, strippers hanging out by their clubs, and at times it can be quiet dangerous. Many hang out in the balconies and will throw you beads if you are drunk enough to flash them your boobs. Although sometimes they’ll be nice enough and just throw you one without you having to expose your privates. It is however, packed, day and night! So if you are looking for some crazy fun then definitely make your way to Bourbon. If you are really in need of getting drunk at 9 am. Don’t fret: bourbon street is waiting for you.

I personally MUCH prefer the street parallel to Bourbon: Royal street. Its filled with antique shops, restaurants, and jazz musicians performing on the street. (see my post: french quarter, new Orleans for more).

Gourmand, New Orleans

World’s Best Barbecue shrimp at Mr. B’s Bistro (New Orleans)

January 24, 2011 2 Comments

Mr. B’s Bistro is one of our favourite restaurants in the French Quarter. The chic setting and cozy atmosphere make for a great dinner out. Upon entering the restaurant through the revolving door you get a feeling that you’ve stepped through a machine back in time. Everything from the decor, the servers and the experience could be straight out of a turn of the century movie.

Each time we have gone to this restaurant there has been a wait…but its never a problem since many come just for the bar where you can have yourself a bloody mary, mint julip or a sazerac while you wait for your table. The restaurant serves contemporary Creole cuisine in a warm relaxed atmosphere. Signature dishes include Gumbo Ya Ya, Barbequed Shrimp, and Bread Pudding with Irish Whiskey Sauce (see menu). The service is amazing- the waiters always happy and welcoming. If you happen to have the Barbeque shrimp (which is really a must if you go to this restaurant) they even go so far as to put on your bib for you (needed to peel the shrimp), bring you hot towels and lemon and continuous servings of fresh out of the oven french bread, which ofcourse you proceed to dip in the bbq shrimp sauce (probably the best part of the meal). The gumbo ya ya is also a must- definitely one of the best I have had since my time in New Orleans…and I have had ALOT of Gumbo. Finishing off with a plate of desert you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu: my favorites- the profiteroles (a french dessert consisting of light fluffy dough filled with vanilla ice-cream and topped with dark chocolate sauce (TO DIE FOR), if you want something more New Orleans in flavor then try the home made breadpudding. You will not be dissapointed. Not with the dessert. Not with your meal. And definitely not with the service you receive at this charming restaurant in the quarter.

Famous Mr. B’s BBQ Shrimp

Clean bib before

getting dirty in the dirty south

Gumbo ya ya

Delicious Bread Pudding with whiskey sauce

Crabcakes

Belgian, Gourmand, New Orleans

Clementine’s Belgian Bistro (Gretna/New Orleans)

December 31, 2010 No Comments

In our new mission to discover restaurants in the West Bank we once again headed over the bridge to try some Belgian food. This time chez Clementine’s Beligan Bistro.

First on our ordering list was the cheese fondue and an order of our favorite Belgian beer: Framboise. Having lived in Switzerland and eating Swiss fondue at least once a week, I consider myself a fondue snob. This fondue claimed to have imported cheese and while the strong taste of Gruyere and emmenthaler cheese could not be missed I was left wondering if it was made from powdered cheese rather than real Swiss cheese. Since real fondue has a very cheesy texture and when you dip the bread the cheese is stringy, yet this fondue was watery and did not have any real melted cheese texture to it. Needless to say I was disappointed (8/pp for watered down cheese and bread).

The service and decor at this restaurant were amazing. Our next order was the Blue cheese salad and goat cheese and spinach crepes along side onion soup and Belgian fries. The belgian fries were amazing and reminded me if the street fries in Brussels (make sure to order the dips). Our dishes were delicious (except for the fondue). All in all, we were left satisfied with our meal. I won’t deny them that but it was a tad bit overpriced. It’s a great place to go as a large party. Also the restaurant had no music so if you are looking for a loud restaurant and ambiance then don’t go here. However, if you are looking for a quiet meal sprinkled with a bit of romance than definitely make your way over to Clementine’s Belgian Bistro.

Cheese fondue

Onion soup

Crumbled blue cheese salad

Yummy belgian fries

Spinach and goat cheese crepe

Belgian Chocolate Mousse

Gourmand, New Orleans, Sweets

La Boulangerie (New Orleans)

December 20, 2010 1 Comment

La Boulangerie: For those of us nostalgic for the days spent in Paris and knowing that walking the cobble streets and stopping for a frequent cafe, vin et cigarrette are no longer possible, La Boulangerie can help fill the void. Not only do you get to taste delicious delights that resemble most bakeries in Paris but what you also get is the Parisian attitude. Lack of service and an air of arrogance can be found at La Boulangerie along with delicious pain au chocolat, croissant et le parisien.

But back to what is really the heart of the matter: the food. Despite the service the bread, pastries and quiches are delicious and keep the customers going back for more. Try getting there early so that you can taste the freshness of the croissants that melt in your mouth. They often run out by mid-day.

Delicious Cherry Danish

Puffy, light, perfect raspberry croissant

La Boulangerie is located at: 4600 Magazine St, New Orleans, Louisiana – (504) 269-3777

Gourmand, New Orleans, Oysters

Acme Oyster House (New Orleans)

November 30, 2010 2 Comments

Looking for great Chargrilled oysters in the French Quarter? Then look no further. Acme Oyster House on Iberville street offers a delicious variety of oysters (raw and chargrilled), gumbo soup, jambalaya, soft shell crab, etc. The atmosphere is also great. There is usually a line up outside to be seated since the restaurant is on the smaller side; however, it really doesn’t take long to get seated. Plus its all part of the fun. If you are in the french quarter then definitely stop over at Acme’s for some oysters.

Acme Oyster House: 724 Iberville St, New Orleans

Chocolate, New Orleans, Sweets

X-mas at Sucre (New Orleans)

November 28, 2010 No Comments

I know I know! I already have a long post on Sucre. But I went there again last night and they happen to have the nicest window installations so I just had to create another post in order to honor the creativity of the owners and share it with the rest of you.Plus, they have special holiday macaroons (double chocolate covered in gold dust). Could anything taste better? I think not.