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Food, New Orleans, Seafood, Travel, Uncategorized, USA

A Love Letter to New Orleans (from the Hungry Nomad)

July 16, 2012 5 Comments

My dear New Orleans,

I am sad to be writing this letter, sad to end a chapter, sad to have it all come to an end. But it is time for us to part ways. I want you to know that you have been so good to me. I am so lucky to have lived you, experienced you, breathed you. Why?

Where do I begin?

I loved waking up every single day to sunshine- that sweet and warm sunshine. Yes there was plenty of rain- but tropical warm rain still feels so good, especially for a Canuck like me. And with the rain came the amazing green lush streets. Those massive oak trees that speak to you if you listen long enough and tell you tales of New Orleans rich past. I have fallen in love with those oak trees many which wear colorful beads proudly and boast their attendance at Mardi Gras.

Yes, I have fallen in love with a tree. Anne Rice once said “I love New Orleans physically. I love the trees and the balmy air and the beautiful days”. I, like Ann Rice, have physically fallen in love with New Orleans.

But the beauty of a town is never complete without the people. I have fallen in love with the warm, friendly and happy people of New Orleans.

If there was ever a town to have a reason to be full of sorrow and pain, it is New Orleans. And although the damages of Katrina, poverty and crime are all around, it does not stop people from living to the fullest. Every day is a new day and more reason to celebrate.

I loved all the festivals. How can one town have so many festivals in one year? It started with the New Orleans Jazz Festival where I heard the best soulful music while eating some of that hearty food. Crawfish enchiladas while listening to Jazz. Could anything be better?

Jazz fest gives locals and tourists two full weeks of celebrations. Two weeks of celebrating the town’s rich musical history and artists. So many untapped talent in one town. So much beauty in each performance.

Even the local cats go to the bar in New Orleans!

I loved Frenchmen street. The energy, the music, the soul of the city comes out at night on Frenchmens. On any particular night, stepping into any bar I would hear some of the best music ever to hit my eardrums. I would dance among young and old. Locals and tourists. All enjoying life, swaying to the music and happily existing.

It didn’t end there. Next came the French Quarter festival, the Po-boy festival, Oak street festival, oyster festival and creole tomato festival. So many reasons to celebrate. Little reason to mourn the past.

But nothing, absolutely nothing could top Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras gives people a reason to live. When I first moved down to New Orleans I didn’t appreciate how Mardi Gras is ingrained in the genes of New Orleanians.

One month of celebrations.

One month of drinking, feasting and playing dress up.

One month of wonderful, creative and clever floats driving through Saint Charles street.

One month of fancy balls letting you take a step back in time and relive the town’s glorious past.

One month of king cakes.

That purple, yellow and green sugary piece of heaven with a surprise in the middle….

… 11 months of planning and counting down the days.

And the food!

What can I say about the food? I fear whatever I say won’t be enough. My first dining experience was at Commander’s Palace. Twenty-five cent martinis. Turtle Soup and Gumbo. Then came the Chargrilled oysters at Dragos, Barbecued shrimp at Mr. B’s, Po-boys at Parktown Tavern and an experience out of this world at Jacques-Imos.

Oh the food!

The seafood!

The oysters, oysters, oysters.

The spices. The richness and the sauces.

The fresh chargrilled oysters, the rich seafood gumbo, the spicy jambalaya, the creamy crawfish etouffes, the bread pudding and pralines and my favorite- barbecued shrimp from Mr. B’s.

But best of all:

I fell in love in New Orleans.

And got married in New Orleans.

I had the second line band follow me down the beautiful grounds of City Park in New Orleans.

And danced to the hair rising soulful voice of Louis Armstrong in New Orleans.

Even though we are parting ways, New Orleans you will always be in my heart, mind and memories.

Thank you for the unforgettable time and hospitality.

Your biggest fan,

The Hungry Nomad

New Orleans, USA, Wine Bar

Delachaise (New Orleans, USA)

April 30, 2012 No Comments

Delachaise is a lovely little wine bar tucked away on Saint Charles street close to Touro hospital and my favorite sandwich shop, Milk Bar. We usually go here for drinks and appetizers (more specifically, the Lambic framboise beer and goose fat fries for me). On this particular day I was craving steak (poor attempt at vegetarianism preceded my cravings). It was a bit early- many restaurants were still not open for dinner and as we drove by Delachaise I checked the menu online to see if they offered your typical french Steak/Frites dish. Once we discovered that they did we quickly made our way over.

Delachaise is a really lovely place and many of their dishes are delicious. The place is usually packed in the evenings- offering a cozy patio overlooking Saint Charles Avenue and the passing streetcars.

I have never had a bad experience at Delachaise; however, I’ve never had a meal and stuck to the fries and other small appetizers. Craving steak I predictably ordered the Steak/Frites while the Count ordered the special for the day- a Peruvian stir fry served on basmati rice.Once the food arrived I was delighted to see the beautiful presentation and the resemblance of a typical steak/frites dish I frequently had in France. However, as soon as I dug my knife in the meat I was quickly disappointed. The meat consisted of 80% fat. I left the entire thing untouched..and the count had to dissect it to find some small pieces of meat. The worst part…it was not cheap. I was expecting a good quality meat given what they were charging which added to my disappointment. On the bright side, the fries were delicious- as they always are.

On the other hand, the Peruvian steak stir fry was an amazing blend of flavors and sauces.

I don’t usually post these sort of photos as shown below but I wanted to show what remained at the end of our meal: Below: steak dissection…

…and to be fair, our Peruvian stir fry was polished clean.

Since I love this place, my bad steak experience will not stop me from going since everything else is amazing, I guess all I can recommend is: stick to the what they know best: appetizers and amazing wine.

Ice Cream, New Orleans, USA

The Creole Creamery (New Orleans, USA)

April 29, 2012 No Comments

I’ve tried many ice cream shops in New Orleans and this one has made it to the top of my list. It has by far the best ice cream in town. As soon as you walk through the doors you take a trip back in time. It reminds me of many hollywood movies based in the South- it definitely has that old world charm.There are so many delicious and creative flavors to try and it’s usually hard to choose just one. However, over time and many flavor tests I find that I tend to gravitate to chocolate flavors. My personal favorites at the Creole Creamery are the entire chocolate section (located on your left as soon as you walk in); more specifically, the chocwork-orange (a dark creamy chocolate ice cream with a hint of orange flavor), the butterscotch english toffee (soooo good) and lavender honey (who doesn’t love lavender?)

What’s your favorite flavor?

Chocolate, New Orleans, Sweets, USA

Bittersweet Confections- CBD (New Orleans, USA)

April 18, 2012 No Comments

Chocolate truffles, cakes, cupcakes and more chocolate. This is what you’ll find at the new Bittersweet Confections location in the Central Business District. Although, there on a cake tasting mission, we ended up tasting many of their delicious cupcakes in various flavors: chocolate, red velvet and almond. All were delicious and washed down with a perfect cup of cappuccino. They also offer little treats to take away- neatly packaged in clear plastic and pink stickers.

Originally located in Lakeview close to City Park the owners have relocated downtown. Lucky us- their treats are now more accessible for those living on this side of town.I hear their truffles are to die for and so I’ll have to go back sometime on a truffle tasting mission. Will keep you posted on my discoveries.

New Orleans, Sushi, USA

Sushi at Chiba (New Orleans, USA)

April 15, 2012 No Comments

A new sushi restaurant in New Orleans? This I must try. So far I have not been impressed with the New Orleans sushi scene. Most sushi joints serve sushi rolls covered in various sauce, many deep fried, and really not healthy at all. So you can understand how excited I was to try out Chiba hoping that it would resemble more of what sushi should be about: fresh fish preferably not drowning in sauce. This is a sushi spot for true sushi lovers. In fact I quickly learned that the restaurant prides itself on serving less common fish and no Americanized sushi rolls (which means no crispy/fried sushi)! Great if you are looking for a healthier meal.

Chiba is a beautiful modern, clean and roomy restaurant located on Oak street. I love everything on this vibrant and eclectic street, Chiba is a great new addition. We ordered several sushi dishes and loved each one. The perfect amount of rice on each roll (not too much) and fresh fish. Delicious! Being from Vancouver its hard to rate this as the best sushi I’ve ever had but I can easily say that it is the best sushi I have ever had…in New Orleans.

Gourmand, New Orleans, Tapas, USA

Salú (New Orleans, USA)

April 12, 2012 No Comments

Salu is located on Magazine street and offers hot and cold Spanish and Mediterranean tapas (although they also had some Indian dishes). It is a pretty large restaurant offering both indoor and outdoor seating. The interior dining area is decorated with eclectic art pieces and a hand-painted circular skylight designed by local artist E. Lee Jahncke. There is also a large colorful bar offering a wide range of wines.

This place has been around for over a year now; however, I’ve always passed it by without considering it. What a mistake! Everything from the decor, ambiance, service and food was great. The food….

…ahhh the food was delicious. Although I wouldn’t exactly describe all the dishes as tapas since some came in large portions. We ordered the Chicken Tikka Masala, Patatas Bravas, Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Empanadas and Grilled Lamb Lollipops.

As soon as we finished ordering we were served with warm white bread and a plate of olive oil and herbs. Each plate came out as prepared. We went on a Thursday which also happened to be Paella night. The Grilled lamp lollipops was served on top of roasted red pepper fava bean hummus and crumbled goat cheese with two pieces of flat bread.

The wild mushroom and goat cheese empanadas was amazing. I could go back just for those. It was served in a delicious sauce with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

The patatas bravas (roasted potatoes served in tomato sauce) was perfect. Usually the skin is not crispy however this one was crispy yet absorbed in delicious sauce. And on to my favorite dish of the night, the Chicken tikka masala. The masala was a perfect blend of spices and flavors, served over top saffron rice and flat bread. It was delicious and the portion was huge considering it was meant to be a tapas…but I’m not one to complain about larger portions.

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).

New York, Travel, USA

Destination: Brooklyn (New York)

January 17, 2011 1 Comment

A trip to New York is NEVER complete without a journey over the bridge and into Brooklyn. Although there are many ways you can reach Brooklyn I recommend for those who have never walked across the Brooklyn bridge to actually take the time to do so. I absolutely loved every step across. Perhaps its my deep love for anything and everything in and around New York City but I loved the Brooklyn bridge and it was not till after that I realized that is is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. No visit to Brooklyn is complete with out a stop over at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria directly underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. However, do expect long line ups as it is a major tourist destination. If you are lucky enough to visit NYC during the summer you should find out about the free Brooklyn Park outdoor film series. Grab a picnic blanket and a bottle of wine and head to the park to watch your favorite classics outdoors while looking over to the New York City skyline. Sigh. Why am I still NOT living in New York? It remains a mystery.

The construction of the Brooklyn Bridge began in 1869. It was completed and opened to the public in 1883. The first automobiles drove across the bridge in 1925, and the last elevated train crossed in 1944.

Fort Lauderdale, Gourmand, Travel, USA

Gran Forno Italian Bakery (Fort Lauderdale)

January 2, 2011 No Comments

One thing I look most forward to on every trip to Fort Lauderdale is my daily morning trips to the local Gran Forno Bakery. It is located on the lovely Las Olas Street where many wonderful local mom & pop shops can be found. The breads are baked daily in their ovens and if you go early enough you will get your hands on warm, pillowy and delicious breads. I must admit that I have tried everything in this bakery and do love each and every one of their delights. Amongst the favorites include the ciabatta, multigrain, and walnut and raisin breads. Then on to the sweets: the chocolate, almond, ham and cheese croissants are all wonderful treats for one’s belly. But then there is also the scones….oh the scones. How wonderfully delicious and not too sweet are the scones. (Other ‘Forno’rific delights include: custard-filled fruit tarts, lemon cakes and chocolate fudge brownies, chocolate tarts and paninis). Next, make sure to also try the small pizzas!!! They are once again….delicious. Choices include the eggplant, tomato, mozzarella or the tomato/mozzarella pizza. I can’t resist having these for breakfast. Living only two blocks away from this little Floridian gem is both a blessing and a curse. I have no control when it comes to delicious breads and treats…. or to be more factual I have no control when it comes to the wonders of gastronomy.

French Quarter, New Orleans, Travel, USA

A photographic tour through the French Quarter (New Orleans)

November 27, 2010 3 Comments

Although mostly known for its rowdy crowds on Bourbon street, the French quarter in New Orleans is one of the most charming neighborhoods in the United States. From the beautiful architecture to art galleries, museums, restaurants, bars and boutique hotels, the French Quarter has something for everyone – no matter what your interest may be.

From wrought-iron balconies, tall shutters, courtyards, and horse carriages- the French Quarter is uniquely New Orleans. For a day tour of the French Quarter, 1- Start at the French Market located alongside the Mississippi river (the first outdoor produce market in the US. (Make sure to pick up some hot sauce or my personal favorite Tabasco Sauce 2- You will soon smell the scent of beignets from Cafe du Monde. Stop over for some of their famous sugar coated beignets and chicory laced cafe au lait. I guess it is worth mentioning that while in New Orleans, you should completely put aside any diet or idea of healthy eating and indulge in Southern Cajun food.

3- Listen to some local street musicians on Royal street 4- Visit the St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square with its manicured lawns 5- Back on Royal street you can try a little antique shopping and visit some of the art galleries 6- Wonder around the different streets (Pirate’s Alley and Pere Antoine’s Alley) and make your way over to Bourbon street to see one of the most happening streets in the US. 7- If you are getting hungry check out one of the many amazing restaurants in the Quarter. For more on restaurants check out other postings on French Quarter food.