lukestar
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Posts posted by lukestar
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Lukestar, your request is a rather tall order. As you probably know, DC has become quite a good restaurant city. Please be much more specific about your preferred price range, preferred type(s) of cuisine, what you like to drink with your dinner (and how much you want to spend), willingness to walk or take public transportation vs. taking a cab, etc., etc. Is this your first trip to DC? If not, where have you eaten and how much did you like it?
This is our 4th or 5th trip to DC. In the past we have dined at Old Ebbitt's Grill - OK food but enjoyed the atmosphere, Legal's Seafood - good food decent price, McCormick & Schmidt's - thought it was over priced with so so food, Rosa Mexicano - Over priced poor food, Capitol City Brewery - Great burgers good price. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse - Good Steak but overpriced. These are are restruants we have visited in the past. We will probably go back to Legal's, Old Ebbitt's Grill but would like a couple of other suggestions for dinner and lunch. Pretty much like any type food but prefer seafood, steak, and other ideas. We can travel by cab but prefer to stay in the DC area. Also good places to grab a lunch without breaking the budget. Help is appreciated.
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My wife and I have a trip to Washington DC the end of July. We will be there for 5 days and nights...Any suggestions on where to eat. We need suggestions for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We will be staying close to Union Station but are willing to travel if it's special. Thanks in advance.
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Well my wife and I made a trip to New Orleans this past week for our hope to be, yearly Culinary Tour. These are the restaurants we were privileged to dine at. Can't say we had a bad meal on the trip and I probably don't need to eat for about 2 weeks. We drove down from Shreveport so this was our agenda.
Monday - Prejean's in Lafayette Very good Seafood Gumbo and Shrimp Poboy. A+
Tuesday - Cafe Du Monde - Beniet's and cafe au lait for breakfast...I'm just not a fan...Drago's for lunch, Can't go to NOLA without having Drago's Charbroiled Oysters. Also the best Oyster Poboy I've ever eaten. A+
Bacco's for Dinner, had the Bacco Shrimp which is their version of BBQ Shrimp, Excellent! A++. My wife had the Lobster Ravioli, Excellent! A++
Wednesday - Cochon for Lunch, Pork stuffed Bell Pepper was great. A++. For dinner, Dickie Brennan's Steak House. Probably our least favorite meal while in New Orleans. We had the Roasted Tomato Soup first, tasted like it came out of a can. For the main course we had the BBQ Ribeye which has BBQ Shrimp over the Ribeye. Decent but not as good as it should have been for the price. C+
Thursday - Central Grocery Muffeletta for lunch. Don't shoot me but I'm not a big fan of CG. To me their bread is always stale. I've had better muffelettas. C-
Friday - Lunch at Mothers, Love their Ferdi Special Poyboys. A. For Dinner back to Cochon's. Had the Smoked Brisket with Horseradish Potato Salad and an order of smothered green. Great meal. The gravy with the brisket is drinkable.A+
Saturday - Commander's Palace Brunch. IMHO you just can't go to NOLA without eating brunch at CP...For starters I had the Chicken and Andouille Gumbo, very rich and maybe the best Gumbo I have ever had. For the entree I had the Cochon de lait with eggs over biscuits. My wife had the Pecan Crusted Grouper. Both were great. For desert I had the Pecan Pie with a scoop of ice cream and my wife had the Bread Pudding Souffle with Bourbon Sauce. Both were great as well. I also had a couple of Bloody Mary's with my meal and CP has the best Bloody Mary's in NOLA. A++
It was a great trip and hopefully we will be able to do it again next year and hit a few of the restaurants we didn't get to hit this time. Let's see, Herbsaint's, Brigtsen's, Stella, Restaurant August, Luke...
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The Country Tavern in Shreveport has decent BBQ...All be it kind of pricy though.
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Le Creuset...They are great pots but I think there are enameled pots that do just as good a job for about 1/5 the price...
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I got my copy for Christmas also...Great book IMHO, HungaryC must really be from New Orleans. I have heard it told that New Orleaneans don't care for Folse...May be true. I think it is a great history book full of recipes and great stories. Folse is a great Louisianean historian and story teller. His cooking shows are the same, he doesn't just cook a meal he tells a story as he cooks it...
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Bourbon - I don't eat a lot of burgers but I thnk this should be on the list of contenders. Topped with carmelized onions, on a bun that doesn't take itself too seriously and with a small silver cup (a la Blue Duck) side of duck-fat fries. Wonderful bar staff too.
I have been to DC a few times and will be going back in about a week. Although I have not been to a lot of DC restaurants I have to give my vote to Capitol Grill for a very good burger. I plan on hitting them next week...
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Well my winter/fall garden is about to wind down. I still have a few cabbage, turnips, collards, carrots, rutabagas and green onions left. I dug my new potatoes a couple of weeks ago and my broccoli is gone. I had bell pepper and jalapeno peppers up until Christmas. It's now time to plant English and Sugar Snap Peas and onion sets are due to be put out. I am in the process of ordering Pepper and tomato seed for Spring...Can't wait till those fresh tomatoes are ready...
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Hey Lukestar...my tomatoes already have fruit on the vine! What a big difference in climate from S'port to south of NOLA....looks like the Celebrities are the winner in the "earliest fruit" race this year. As usual, they beat out the Early Girls & everything else, though the Sweet 100s are just a few days behind. I tried a new strategy this year: I left all of the straggling, winter-planted bok choy & broccoli to go to flower, and I have mowed around the clover patches in the lawn. This has brought me a bumper crop of hungry bees, which in turn discovered the early tomato flowers.
That's great...My tomatoes are just now starting to set blooms. I grew most of mine from seed, I have a total of about 45 tomatoes, early girls, Ark Travelers, Super fantastic, La Roma, San Marzano, Super Paste. Celebrities, Argentina and Creoles... For Peppers I have Giant Marconi, Super Heavyweight, and Big Early in the Bell Peppers, then I have some Anehiem and about a dozen jalapeno peppers. I shoudl have new potatoes ready in about a month. I have been pulling carrots for a month...nothing greater than fresh carrots. I picked about 4 gallons of English peas this week and will have more this weekend...My onions will be ready anytime and I will start planting peas and beans in a couple of weeks....I love fresh veggies...Oh an I have 4 hills of cucumbers, 6 hills of squash, zuchinni and eggplant im my garden as well....I picked all my brocholli about 3 weeks ago and cut my cauliflower this week....Love those fresh veggies....
Well I am starting to get fresh tomatoes...Good thing cause you can't get them at any local restraunts. I should have tons of fresh maters in the next couple of weeks, if I can just keep the squirrels out of them...My squash and cucumbers have been making for a couple of weeks. I should have a few egg plant in a week or two. I have several varities of peas and beans that will be ready later in the summer and corn that is about 3 feet tall. Love those fresh veggies...
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Hey Lukestar...my tomatoes already have fruit on the vine! What a big difference in climate from S'port to south of NOLA....looks like the Celebrities are the winner in the "earliest fruit" race this year. As usual, they beat out the Early Girls & everything else, though the Sweet 100s are just a few days behind. I tried a new strategy this year: I left all of the straggling, winter-planted bok choy & broccoli to go to flower, and I have mowed around the clover patches in the lawn. This has brought me a bumper crop of hungry bees, which in turn discovered the early tomato flowers.
That's great...My tomatoes are just now starting to set blooms. I grew most of mine from seed, I have a total of about 45 tomatoes, early girls, Ark Travelers, Super fantastic, La Roma, San Marzano, Super Paste. Celebrities, Argentina and Creoles... For Peppers I have Giant Marconi, Super Heavyweight, and Big Early in the Bell Peppers, then I have some Anehiem and about a dozen jalapeno peppers. I shoudl have new potatoes ready in about a month. I have been pulling carrots for a month...nothing greater than fresh carrots. I picked about 4 gallons of English peas this week and will have more this weekend...My onions will be ready anytime and I will start planting peas and beans in a couple of weeks....I love fresh veggies...Oh an I have 4 hills of cucumbers, 6 hills of squash, zuchinni and eggplant im my garden as well....I picked all my brocholli about 3 weeks ago and cut my cauliflower this week....Love those fresh veggies....
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I've been wanting to do this for a long time now and I finally have the means to do so. I live in the Carencro area (near Lafayette). I'm looking for suggestions, tips, basically whatever information you guys have about growing your own fruits, vegetables and herbs.
The things I'm most interested in are
1) ingredients that much better homegrown than storebought (I notice this in tomatoes especially)
2) ingredients that are fairly easy to grow and don't require large amounts of time to maintain
3) what grows well in my area and what doesn't, or what requires special treatment
4) what seeds / soil to buy, where to buy, planting instructions, when to plant / transplant, indoor / outdoor considerations (I have a large fenced in backyard and also a small shed with windows)
Hopefully this info can be useful to other people in Louisiana who want to plant this Spring. Thanks in advance.
As for what ingredients are better homegrown...That's most everything, I have carrots and broccoli in my garden that are 100 times better than store bought. Carrots are very sweet. In your area you can grow pretty much anything you like. Tomatoes and peppers are a must. Plant several varities of both. Be sure to plant slicing tomatoes such as Celebrities, Big Boys and also plant paste tomatoes such as Roma or San Marzano. Plant jalapeno and bell peppers.
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Here's a link to the LSU AgCenter home gardening website:
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/lawn_garden/
Prominently displayed is the "Louisiana Vegetable Planting Guide" in the right column.
I have a garden in my back yard that I keep planted year round. I use the LSU Ag Center site a lot, it has a lot of great information, such as spacing, fertilize reccomendations and planting schedules. My garden is about 60' X 40'. At present I have new potatoes, onions, carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. I have tomatoes and peppers growing from seed that I will start planting in the next 2 or 3 weeks. You can't beat fresh veggies...
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Okay, I now have a new favorite place to go when I am in Shreveport. THat is beside Lucky Palace and Bella Fresca. The Cotton Boll on Fairview across the street from Schumpert Hospital is excellent. Miz Jackie, the cook, made a great omelete. I just wish I didn't have to leave town because the word that I got is that her fried chicken is the BEST IN TOWN. Now I have a reason to go back.
Here is my favorite restraunts in North LA.
Cheap - Papa's Grill - huge hamburgers on homemade buns
Monjouni's - Great Italian food, Shrimp Pasta Salad is my favorite
Cotten's Fried Chicken (Minden) best spicy fried chicken any where
Nicky's Mexican Grill - Good food for the price.
Medium - Superior Grill - Good Mexican food, be careful with the Margaritas, they
very potient.
The Cub - Looks like a dump but has great steaks.
Expensive - Ernest's Orleans Restraunt - Snapper Shreve is great
The Maybury House - Chef's table is a treat
The Village Grill - Great Steaks and Seafood.
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Check out either the New Orleans Cooking Experience or Savvy Gourmet.
The New Orleans Cooking Experience is more demo than hands on. I attended a class taught by Frank Brigtsen. The class of 10 sat around the counter sipping wine and watching Frank cook a three-course meal. He was a great instructor. After the demo, we went to the living room to eat the meal that Frank prepared.
I understand that Brigtsen's classes sell out quickly, but there are plenty of other well-known chefs and instructors. The setting, inside the House on Bayou Road, is pretty spectacular.
I haven't attended a class at Savvy Gourmet, but I understand that they offer both demos from local chefs and more hands-on classes. Savvy Gourmet hosts lots of interesting events, so you should check the calendar for other culinary activities.
There is another place in the French Quarter that used to offer cooking classes, but I don't know much about them or whether they've returned since the storm.
I can second the New Orleans Cooking Experience...My wife and I went in June 2005 and had a great time. We plan to go back when we get a chance. It's a lot of fun...
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I can my own so I use them rather than buy them. I have about 50 tomato plants growing in my garden, can't wait till they start getting ripe...
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I just got back from New Orleans, my wife and I spent 3 days in the city, this is a few of my favorites.
Mothers - Ferdi Special
Drago's - Chargrilled Oysters
Acme Oyster House - Oysters on the Halfshell
Red Fish Grill - Hicory Smoked Snapper, Double Chocolate Bread Pudding
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Hey Richard, welcome over the border to Louisiana. And your right, I think the only way to get the book is to order directly from Chef Folse. There is also a cd of the book you can get. RIchard, have you made anything from the book yet? if so, what did you make and were you happy with how it turned out?
I don't have the book yet. When it arrives, I'll spend some time with it and pick out something to do. I think you can order it on Amazon, but I preferred to buy it from Chef Folse. The CD appears to be a real plus, and I'll probably order it after getting familiar with the book.
My kids gave me Folse's book for Fathers Day...I haven't put it down yet...It is full of history and recipes. With the size of it I will have reading material for a while...
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Maybe I should have been more specific, but I meant New Orleanians' tolerance post-Katrina.
Service in general has probably taken a nose dive, but it was a pretty dramatic falling off in New Orleans.
I haven't been to New Orleans in an eating capicity "Post Katrina" so I can't really comment on how it is now, but I was there in June of last year and I would have to say that service was probably 40 % of our experience. I will be going back soon and I will expect the same service as before....
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i'm so excited to be coming back...and bringing my darling sons with me for a wild weekend in new orleans. the 19 yr old is (sigh) a frat boy (but a sweet, relatively mild mannered one), and the 21 yr old is a dreadlocked, tattooed cook. we are an interesting group! ;->)
both love to eat, and both are excited to see new orleans (even with mom!).
so...i need a plan. as a mother, i realize that it will be tentative and fluid at best...but my two requirements of them are (a) that i WILL have a dining companion every evening (lunch optional) and (b) that at no point will i feel the need to take any member of the group to an AA meeting in the quarter...
so, we arrive about 7 on friday...home base is just off the quarter.
here's my first stab at a dining itinerary:
Friday dinner: Acme? Nice and close to the hotel, both boys do oysters...then I can retire for the evening, and they can...explore.
Saturday breakfast--I won't even expect to see them...so I might try Camelia on my own?
Sat lunch--Le Petit Grocery? are they open for lunch? is this a good choice for us? haven't been there myself, and wanted to try it (gotta fit a new place into the trip!)
Sat Dinner Jacques Imo? i've been, i think they'll love it...
Sunday--Brunch? Galatoire's? Is this too much for them? I don't want them to feel all twitchy and stiff-collared...suggestions? (i'm considering it for personal reasons--i have never been there, and we do have a sunday brunch time slot in this trip, so i'm tempted to seize the moment. but i don't want to "punish" them with anything too formal---i have their dad, and another trip, for that!)
Sunday Dinner Upperline, because of a stellar experience I had when I visited last year, when uglesich's closed (oooh, to take the boys to uglesich's...)
Monday--See one boy off to the airport early, need a lunch spot, then we'll grab some muffalettas to take home, and fly out in the afternoon
again, all our plans are fluid at this planning stage, and will remain pretty fluid during the weekend...thoughts? suggestions? what should we not miss?
one of the boys college pals is working at gulfstream..should we dine there, or take her elsewhere? (she's a tulane girl, and hasn't had that much time to dine out in the city, so we may be taking her along on some of our adventures).
also, any recommendations about a cooking class? i've done the new orleans school of cooking thing, and don't need to do that again...anybody know about "cookin' cajun"? i'd LOVE to take the class on sat night at savvy gourmet with leah chase and poppy tooker.....(i have a cooking school, so i'd love to see this) but it's sat night, and i really want to spend the meal time with the boys...they will be on their own the rest of the trip....am i nuts, and should i just let them have sat night? or am i nuts to do THAT? (taking the class will also cut out an opportunity to dine somewhere new, so i'm on the fence..the class subject matter is game, which is not something we have a chance to do much of in southern californai...but i can always learn something at a cooking class, especially with these ladies involved!)
and one more thing---our local travel section just ran a blurb on "disaster tours"...
i'm torn.
we will not have a car, so this is probably our (or my) opportunity to experience some of the lasting physical effects of K. i have no interest in a voyeristic gawk at other people's pain. on the other hand, part of the reason i'm going is to fill friends and students in on the current state of things, and people will want to know. i want to possibly plan a "field trip" for students to go spend some money in the city, as that's what we keep hearing is needed....thoughts on whether this type of tour is a good idea, or just stupid?
oooh, i am counting the hours. thanks, people!
edited for bad typing---have to set an example here. one boy is a food guy, and might actually read this!
If you are wanting to attend a cooking class let me recommend a class at The House on Bayou Road. New Orleans Cooking Experience... Guest instructors include Frank Brigtsen, Chiqui Collier, Poppy Tooker, Leah Chase, Poppy Tooker, Michelle McRaney, and Ken Smith amoung others. I attended a two day session last June as a birthday gift from my wife, and had a blast. They are back open now and doing well. I can't wait to go back for another class.
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Here is the schedule on the Food Network listing Emeril's program on the recovery from Katrina along the Gulf Coast. It has been pretty good so far. Lots of interviews with restauranters, the Brennan's of course and Leah Chase. I recommend it if you can.
I watched it tonight with interest...I thought it was a very good show that showed the spirit of the city...Got to see several restraunts I have visited in the past and hope to visit in the future. I have family in this weekend that I plan on cooking creole chicken & grits, cheese sausage bisquites and bread pudding for tomorrow...I am looking forward to visiting family in NO this summer, I hope things are back in order.
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Yea, I know but it would kind of be hard to leave what I am doing now, move to South LA just to take a class at his school. But I wouldn't mind attending a seminar of his, if he ever had one...I enjoy hearing him speak.
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I love john Folse's books and his PBS show as well. He not only teaches cooking but he offers a history lesson with each recipe. I would love to hear him speak or take a class from him.
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I browsed back through this board's archives and wrestled with the Search function, but I've been unable to find a lot of discussion about great places to eat in Baton Rouge. I guess being an hour or so from New Orleans it's easy to get overshadowed!
Anyway, I'm planning a trip down there to visit a friend the second week in April, and I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions of great places to eat. I believe she lives near the LSU campus, and we will have a car.
I'd love a wide range of suggestions -- it'll be her birthday when I'm down so we could do a bit of a splurge, but she's also a poor grad student and I'm a recent grad, so I'd love to discover great (relatively) inexpensive local places too.
I'm hoping for places with healthy options, and while I'm not a strict vegetarian I do prefer to avoid meat, so great veggie options are really appreciated! I know a lot of the quintessentially Louisianan (er, if that's the right term?) food my friend has talked about is fried or otherwise made with lots of fat -- I'd like to stay away from a lot of that as much as possible.
Thank you so much for any thoughts on this!
If you don't like meat or fat you may be coming to the wrong state... Pork fat rules?
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Brooks, how did Plaquemines Parrish do, in terms of their crawfish industry being affected? I can remember the amazing crawfish we had at their Heritage Seafood Festival back in June, just before Katrina:
I would imagine it was completely devastated because of the storm... Read the Parrish President's message on this page..
Man that's a great looking picture. Got my mouth watering...
Washington DC Trip
in D.C. & DelMarVa: Dining
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Busboy...Understand I am from Louisiana so yes I do love seafood...Oysters specifically but we do love a great steak. As for as Legal's and McCormick's, my past trips to DC have been with groups. This time it's only my wife and myself so we will be able to a little more latitude. We are open to all suggestions. I would love to have some great sushi but it will probably be for lunch when I am alone, my wife won't go there...I am also open to different ethnic restraunts. There has been some great suggestions so keep them coming. I will let you know where we go and what we think. Thanks again for your suggestions!