missmable's Profile
Hillel's Kitchen at Tulane
Ok, this is a bit late but I did try it out and as others reported, it was more of an "eh" than a "wow." I went with a large group so we were able to sample quite a bit. I had the lamb BLT, which had 4 incredibly wimpy, skimpy, slightly charred pieces of lamb bacon on a somewhat doughy bun that was supposed to be a caraway seed rye but was oddly missing the caraway seeds. The bacon covered half the sandwich, maybe. Disappointing. The duck prosciutto and fried bagel also suffered from skimpy meat portions and the bagel was kind of small but still nice and chewy. The burgers were also a big miss: small, overcooked, disappointing.
The Thanksgiving leftovers-style turkey sandwich was good though, and didn't skimp on the meat as my sandwich had done. The fries were a hit with the crowd, who liked the spice mix on them (I didn't actually try any). The veggie sandwich was reportedly tasty but featured awkwardly large pieces of some veggies, like the eggplant (which was about an inch thick), that made it more of a fork and knife kind of deal. It was also unexpectedly cold given that the name was grilled veggie and not marinated veggie or just plain veggie. The hummus and avocado sandwich was also awkward because of the large amount of hummus that kept oozing out. Again, tasty but awkward. The hummus and pita were nice and featured crunchy pita chips, which was unexpected but still good. The matzo ball soup just was. The pickles were really good though and I'm pretty sure homemade.
Don't ever try to go at a peak time because they can't really handle it. The kitchen appears to be staffed mostly by college kids with little guidance. Despite advanced warning of our coming en masse, they still screwed up orders and seemed overwhelmed by all of us. Also, again, despite advance notice, we weren't warned about their Rosh Hashannah payment policy. They couldn't charge us that day because of the holiday and so they took our credit card info by hand and charged us Monday and mailed back our receipts. I understood why but they prob should've explained that.
Hillel's Kitchen at Tulane
Just in time, there's a quick write up by Ian McNulty: http://www.bestofneworleans.com/blogofneworleans/archives/2011/09/27/a-world-of-flavors-at-hillels-kitchen
I'm going tomorrow to check it out and will post.
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McNulty's
5129 Canal Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124
Hillel's Kitchen at Tulane
Totally random, I know but I saw their menu and it looks awesome so I was wondering if it really was. Has anyone been? Oddly, I asked a number of students and no one even knew that the Hillel Center had a kitchen.
Here's their menu if anyone's interested and no, you needn't be Jewish to eat there: http://www.hknola.com/Hillels_Kitchen/Whats_On_The_Chalkboard.html
Why does everyone hate Jacques-imo's
Jacques-Imo's is great if you're drunk and rowdy. It's loud, crowded, and the food is hit or miss and you can tell the place is owned by a drunk. I used to love their fried chicken but one night as I was walking through the kitchen to get to my table, there was literally a bucket of it sitting on the floor. You're better off getting lunch at Crabby Jack's, which is also Jacques Leonardi's place. I do have to say, if they screw something up, they'll overcompensate. Another time, we were seated almost an hour after our reservation (they only take reservations for large parties) so they gave us every appetizer on the menu for free.
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Crabby Jacks
428 Jefferson Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70121
Jacques-Imo's Cafe
8324 Oak St, New Orleans, LA 70118
Uptown (Riverbend/Carrolton area) best restaurants
Vincent's is a gem only if salt has suddenly been bumped up to gem status. Vincent's is terrible. Hands down.
Searching For Soy Sauce Based Marinated Crab Recipe
Koreans make raw, marinated crab in a soy sauce-based marinade. It's basically soy sauce, Korean chili flakes (no seeds, the kind used to make kimchi), sesame seeds, green onion, garlic, ginger, a bit of sugar, sesame seed oil if you like. There's another cochujan-based version that's spicy as well.
Noodle salad at Hana?
Hungry Celeste, Kewpie is the best! Also, I add just a tiny bit of sesame oil to mine and roasted sesame seeds.
The Wandering Buddha in the Hi-Ho Lounge... anyone been?
Yeah, one of my hesitations about the place is that some dishes , including entrees, lack much protein at all. Seems hard to make a meal without it.
Ancora Pizza
It sounds like they are based on Brett Anderson's article back in April: http://www.nola.com/dining/index.ssf/2011/04/chef_adolfo_garcias_new_orlean.html
"The oven was the first step in being able to satisfy the certification requirements of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, an international trade group Garcia said “was organized by people who want to eat and make pizza like it’s made in Naples.”
Ancora Pizza
I love leftover pizza too but my point is, you can't only have tried it as takeout or as leftovers. If you're trying something for the first time, go sit down and try it. Then eat the leftovers (as soon as you get home, if you're me).
Looking for meat curing products
I don't know of anywhere but I bet a restaurant supply place would have them now that so many restaurants in NOLA are during their own cured meats. You can always try asking someone at one of the restaurants doing it, like A Mano or Butcher/Cochon.
Ancora Pizza
By the way, Ancora is absolutely delicious. If you were to take the pizza's home and only try them hot from the microwave, that'd be an absolute shame.
Ancora Pizza
If you know that this is one of Adolfo Garcia's places, you'll know why they don't care to do take-out. It's not meant to be Domino's or Papa John's. Adolfo's places are about sitting down and enjoying a good meal as it was intended to be eaten. That's why he doesn't really care for your opinion (just take a look at the bottom of RioMar's menu). A lot of people are offended by it but the masses aren't really what he's looking to feed. I don't say any of this to be rude, it's simply an explanation of how he works. Basically, if you get what he's doing, you get it. If not, he'll be the first to tell you to go eat somewhere else. With 5 successful restaurants under his belt (6 if you count the now-closed Criollo), he must be doing something right by doing it his way.
The Wandering Buddha in the Hi-Ho Lounge... anyone been?
Has anyone tried The Wandering Buddha in the Hi-Ho Lounge? Someone directed me to their Facebook page but I'm a little skeptical since I grew up eating real Korean food (not the Korea House junk in Metairie) and I'm generally a bit wary of strictly vegetarian/vegan fare.
Their FB page is here: http://www.facebook.com/thewanderingbuddha?sk=photos
Surprisingly Good Chinese!
Random gem out in Kenner, in the same parking lot as the Kased Bros. Halal Market on Williams between 38th and 39th. Skeptically, I went in and was pleasantly surprised to find nothing but Chinese people in there, large dinner parties eating family-style and sitting around sipping tea all night. You know it's a good sign when you see actual Chinese people eating in a Chinese restaurant. Had the beef chow fun, crispy chicken, and beef tripe with ginger and scallions. I really wanted the sweet and sour chicken feet but my dining partner wasn't obliging and I can't finish an order by myself.
The beef chow fun reminded me of the chow fun I'd get back in Honolulu's Chinatown - flat, wide, squishy rice noodles which don't pop on the menus of your typical, American-style Chinese restaurants here. Delicious with just a little bit of sear on it that you can only get from a well heated wok. The crispy chicken by itself was unseasoned but was served with lemon, a salt/MSG/something else seasoning in a small condiment plate, and fresh shrimp chips that kept crackling as they sticked to my lips and tongue (if you've ever had fresh shrimp chips, you know what I'm talking about). And the chicken itself didn't lie. I think the whole thing was deep fried, with no fat left on the skin, just perfect, crispy skin. It wasn't greasy in the least bit though and with the lemon and salt/MSG/something else seasoning, it was delicious. The tripe was pretty good but I wanted a little more ginger and scallion. They served it with a large helping of rice in a container with a lid to keep it hot, the way Asians do back home.
The table next to me looked like they had shared a hotpot and another was full of old, Chinese men cracking open what I suspect was the crab with ginger and scallion with their teeth. It looked and smelled delicious.
Was it the best Chinese food that I've ever had? No. But, in this dearth of good Chinese food that is New Orleans, it hit the spot. Next time, I'm getting the chicken feet, maybe some congee, the choy sim with garlic (which I saw one table and the cooks eating), and the peking duck. You should definitely check it out.
Friday Casual Business Lunch - Suggestions?
What do you think about Boucherie?I've never been.
Friday Casual Business Lunch - Suggestions?
We're coming from Tulane/Riverbend. Location isn't too much of a problem but I'd prefer somewhere where it's not so hard to park. Also, I should clarify that it needn't be too fancy, just not too divey. I'm actually leaning a little more towards Cochon Butcher than Cochon because we'll be doing a "fancy" dinner later.
Friday Casual Business Lunch - Suggestions?
Don't usually do weekday lunches so I need some suggestions for a casual, business dinner for 5 people. Need to be able to carry on a conversation without shouting. One person is an out-of-towner so I'd prefer something he can go home and brag about. I was thinking of something like A Mano or Cochon. I wish Brigtsen's was open for lunch. Your help is appreciated.
Crawfish
It's not really season yet. Still too cold, which the crawfish don't like. They just hide in the mud and hibernate. There was an article in the T-P the other day: http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2011/02/louisiana_crawfish_shrink_in_f.html. If you're seeing anything but small crawfish right now, I'd be skeptical they were really from Louisiana. Mardi Gras isn't too far off, why not wait til then? Btw, Big Fisherman... not nearly as good as they used to be.
Crab Trap in LaPlace is closing
I called in October, the week after they closed for the season and they had not mentioned closing permanently. Maybe everyone's confusing their closing for the season?? There's another website that mentions they'll be opening Feb 25: http://www.laredneckyachtclub.com/thecrabtrap.htm. I'm not sure how credible they are but they have a page on their site dedicated to the Crab Trap so I assume it's legit. Sorry for reviving an old thread but this is news worth mentioning!
Where can we get Brazilian food?
There's a Brazilian market in Kenner that says it sells prepared food. I haven't been yet but I'll make it over there one of these days. It's on Williams, headed towards the river, on the New Orleans side of the street. It's in a strip mall (surprise, surprise!) so keep an eye out as soon as you cross over Vets.
Looking for Taro Leaves
Ok, so I hit up the Asian Gourmet Market and nope, no taro leaves. They just carry the corm like anyone else. As for elephant ears, I consulted the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation and they warned against eating ornamentals, even if they are edible, because "they may have been treated with chemicals or pesticides that are not safe for consumption." What a bummer. He also said that many edible ornamental varieties aren't necessarily tasty like the ones normally grown for consumption. Does anyone know if the Vietnamese farmers market carries them? I've actually never been since it's so early.
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Asian Gourmet Market
3239 Williams Blvd, Kenner, LA
Veal Sweetbreads for our Anniversary
Absolutely. Sweetbreads are too often breaded and fried, which they are too delicate for. Sweetbreads actually come from two different parts of the animal, either the thyroid in the throat or the thymus which is closer to the heart. One is way fattier than the other, but I can never remember which. Either way, at La Boca, they grill the leaner one, which is superior, IMHO.
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La Boca Restaurant
857 Fulton St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Looking for Taro Leaves
Does anyone know where to find taro leaves? I can find the root at the Hong Kong Market, both Asian style small and Polynesian style big but I've never found the leaves anywhere. Any leads?
Any good carnicerias?
I'm tired of the meat offerings in the local supermarkets and have decided to finally drag my butt out to Kenner to find a good carniceria. Anyone tried one out? I've seen some when I was driving around out there but would like a recommendation if possible. Not looking for anything in particular.
Anywhere I can get fresh local oysters by the sack?
If you know your way around town, my friends and I picked up a sack of oysters for $40 behind the shrimp lot in Westwego. Don't buy from the stalls in the shrimp lot though, they buy from these guys and their stuff is older.
Coop's
That sucks about the smaller, crappier portions. I eat there every so often when I'm in the area and always found that the service sucked. I think they take all that Dr. Bob art a little too seriously.
Ignatius for dinner
Never been but had a friend who did a brief stint in the kitchen. He hated the place and wasn't particularly impressed with the food.
Gimchi on Veterans-- Anyone Been??
What a bummer about the food. We have enough mediocre Chinese without it bleeding over into the few Korean choices as well.
Best Sushi in New Orleans?
Haha, they board up the door when they're not open. I think investing in a metal door would look a lot nicer. Anyway, they're still open and doing quite well for themselves. Their hours are Tues-Sun 11:30-2:30 for lunch and 5:00-10:00 for dinner. They might be open a little later on the weekends, not sure.
