rock0052's Profile
Jager Haus
On my trip to New Orleans, this was the only restaurant to which I wouldn't return again. My goulash was barely passable, but my girl's jagerschnitzel was terrible- and I'm usually pretty lenient in reviewing places. It was nothing more than a thin pork chop that was overcooked to tasteless leather, smothered in an underreduced, flavorless, soupy sauce. It hadn't even been breaded and fried.
Pretty good spaetzle and potato pancakes though, I'll give them that. The service was friendly enough.
?????? About Brigstens!
It's a seasonal menu, but it looks like there are some staples to it. If you enjoy seafood in the slightest, go for the "Shell beach diet"- either as an entree or to split up as an appetizer. As mentioned before, the duck's great, too.
K-Paul's -- 3/20/08
Having just went to New Orleans for the first time (July 2009), K-Paul's was one of the restaurants my girlfriend and I tried. Brigtsen's, Emeril's, Bayona, and Commander's were the other big ones we hit, and while we had great meals at each one, K-Paul's took the cake and we both thought it was overall the best meal of the trip. Though each restaurant definitely had some different strengths- the turtle soup and bread pudding souffle at Commander's, the duck PBJ at Bayona, and the Shell Beach Diet at Brigtsen's, the Spanish tasting menu at Emeril's....the all around crown went to K-paul's. In a time when diners seem to prefer lighter dishes and more delicate flavors, K-Paul's fit our palettes perfectly-delivering full-flavored, yet still balanced, dishes cooked to perfection- and enough of them to fill up a hungry ex-linebacker. We returned two days after our initial visit and were just as impressed the second time around. To get the full experience, we ordered apps/soup each night along with our entrees and never had a disappointing dish.
The Blackened Stuffed Pork Chop with Marchand de Vin sauce, in particular, is the stuff of legend.
Parmigano Reggiano rinds
I love to add it to risotto stocks at the beginning; it's a good way to enrich the cheesy goodness of the dish. As the rind melts and becomes more pliable, it becomes easier to get every last bit of cheese in there.
Question about Brigtsen's for upcoming trip (7/19-7/24)
Some good advice getting put out here, I genuinely appreciate it. I've got the reservation in for Brigtsen's, and we're going to nix the zoo in favor of some more climate-friendly activities. Also, we're going to fit in a trip to Bayona's.
As for Tujague's, I figured it might have some old school charm since the place comes off as a living museum; we're not looking for a home run there foodwise as much as an interesting experience. If the place is genuinely bad though, I'd love to hear a recommendation on something else that might fit that bill.
Question about Brigtsen's for upcoming trip (7/19-7/24)
Hello fellow foodies,
My girlfriend and I are headed down to NOLA- yes, it's the offseason, but at the rates I got for a French Quarter hotel, it was too good to pass up. My motto is, "What better way to capitalize on those savings than to reinvest it into the food?" So, that's exactly what's going to happen. I've got K-paul's, Commander's, and Tujague's on the agenda so far. Brigtsen's is the next one on the hit list, but I had a question first I'm hoping someone can help with.
I figure we'll take the St. Charles streetcar uptown to get there, but we'd also like to visit the Audobon Zoo as well. Would it make more sense to use the Streetcar to fit both of those in to one day, or to drive? If both wouldn't fit, is there anything around Brigtsen's to do (shopping or otherwise) to fill that void? Thanks in advance!
Help! Looking for fresh morels in northwest IN
Thanks for the responses everybody! I wanted to put the question out there early so I'd know where to go before the season started, and this all helps tremendously.
Paula Deen on foodtv
So, what's the big deal? Eating fatty foods fills you up faster, and people who eat full fat versions of food not only get food that's more satisfying, they consume less calories, on average, than people who eat fat-free. Diets, in a word, are overrated. Eat what makes you happy!
You should check out The Obesity Myth and The Gospel of Food. Both very good books about how we're being marketed to, and creating an anti-fat culture that's extremely damaging to our society, and built on a lie.
Help! Looking for fresh morels in northwest IN
I spend half of my time in South Bend, and half in Hobart. I stumbled across them a couple of years ago once at a Martin's Supermarket, and alas, that was the last I've seen of the fresh ones. I bought them not knowing what they were at the time, but I've been having cold sweats from withdrawal of the risotto I made with them ever since. At the time, I was figuring they'd be back for sale there every year.
Anybody know where I can get my fix? I don't mind anything within that 60 mile space between South Bend and Hobart, SW Michigan would be OK too. I really don't want to have to go into Chicago for them, though. Thanks in advance!
Steak Dinner!!! No Idea what I'm doing!!!!
It's too late for the original poster to get any benefit of this for his lady, but my favorite method of bringing steaks up to temp is using one of those ziploc/onezip resealable bags (like you'd use for a marinade), seal the steaks up in it (squeezing out as much air as possible), and then letting them soak for 10 minutes or so in a pot of warm water. In my experiences, this little trick brings the temperature of the meat up much quicker (and more effectively) than leaving it out.
Anything worthy in South Bend, IN?
Taj is definitely better than Star in my opinion, as far as Indian food goes.
I will say that in my experiences, Lasalle Grill comes off as more hype than great restaurant- the atmosphere is great, but their entrees have failed to live up to the flavors promised on the menu. Perhaps the most disappointing appetizer I've ever had was the "Jamaican Jerk" shrimp, which had absolutely zero jerk flavor and seemed to only have a few seasonings on to make the shrimp "look the part". The soups are consistently good, though.
Yesterday's is great. Large portion sizes, and plenty of intense, flavorful dishes on the menu. They also have perhaps the best desserts in the area.
If you're coming to South Bend, the real crime is in not going to the number of good Italian restaurants. Rocco's is great, and Carmella's (in the Macri's building downtown) and Ciao's (located near Lasalle Grill and right down the street from the Morris theater) are even better than Parisi's , which is also an excellent choice.
Also, Club Noma is right next door to Ciao's, and is another excellent restaurant with a great atmosphere and unique styling. I'd rank all 3 (Noma, Ciao's, Carmella's) over Lasalle Grill in downtown dining.
As far as Mexican goes, if you want the real stuff (no, Hacienda doesn't count), Mazatlan, located on Mckinley (US20) is number one, and it's not really a close call in my book. The flavors, portion sizes, and value are tremendous- I'd recommend the Camerones Ala Diabla (Diablo Shrimp) with no lettuce for anybody who loves their meal to pack some flavorful heat. There's probably a couple places in South Bend's west side region that are great, but I haven't eaten at all of them to narrow them down.
Toyo Grill is the easy (and smart) choice for Japanese cuisine and sushi, and the Vietnamese restaurant in Town and Country is amazing as well- and one of the healthier places in town with the abundance of fresh veggies used there. It was also the official restaurant for my late father (who was a Vietnam vet) and I.
If anyone's got any questions about any restaurants I've mentioned or any other ones, I've eaten at alot of places in South Bend so I'd be glad to help if I can
