syoung68

Rouses has some green ones in stores now. I will stop by the fruit stand in Abita this weekend. She gets her citrus primarily from Becnels. I will see if she has heard how the crop was this year.

Brooks I totally agree about the quality improvements and the ability to get take out. As a man with two munckins under the age of four, between bed times and my 1.5 year old daughter's restaurant antics, quality take out is a beautiful thing. Now if only the boys at Nirvana expand....

No Idea. It is not like there is a giant Asian population. Though we did get some folks from The East post K. Where as it is evident that the Latin population has grown just like everywhere else, I have not seen the same situation in the Asian population.

As crazy as it is, we have not been. It is on the list because we have heard good things from semi respected sources. There is another Thai joint whose name escapes me right now, on 190 as it meets up with Florida that we were not impressed with at all. IMO Thai is like Chinese or pizza, even when it is "bad" is is still pretty good - unless it is awful and that is hard to do. It is unfortunate that New Orleans, especially the north shore, is limited in its ethnic cuisine. I lived outside of Boston for 6 years and was spoiled by the variety of good quality ethnic restaurants. Don't get me wrong, the Vietnamese food here is much better than up north, at least better than it was 8 years ago, but even our best Chinese places pale in comparison. Back to your original question, if we make it to the Thai pot soon, I will post it here.

There is a new restaurant going in where the "Perk U Later" coffee shop was in Abita Springs. I do not know details, but the since it is the owners of the Latino Grocery that are doing it, I assume it will have Latin food, but I could be wrong. It is VERY early in the process.

I have always liked the Delachaise. It was our go-to bar Pre K, in fact whenever we cross the big pond we still head there first for a drink before we meet up with any companions. Their liquor selection is is really great and they actually know how to make cocktails. I was very disappointed that I could not make it to the Spirited Dinner there for Tales of the Cocktail, unfortunately I was out of town for the entire event. As for d.b.a. I have always felt that they are not really about cocktails. Yes their selection is as good as or better than Delachaise, but they are more of a beer and straight liquor joint. In their defense, I have not been in ages so this may have changed. I think another problem we face in some of these bars, is time of night. When d.b.a. or the Bridge Lounge get busy the chance of you getting a well made cocktail are slim. It is less of a problem at places that are smaller like St. Joe's, Loa or the Delechaise, but it can still be an issue. Then again, if you are foolish enough to order a Mojito at 10:30 on a Friday night, you get what you deserve.

Last weekend, my wife and I with the help of our neighbors had our own little Thai food battle. At last count there are no less than 5 Thai restaurants in the Mandeville Covington area, but none scream smackdown like Thai Flavor and Thai Spice. There are several reasons for this; they are directly across the street from one another, their menus are virtually identical (there is a reason for this), they are relatively close to my house, and there is a history to the owners. Let me say a little something about the history, which also explains the similar menu. First there was Thai Chili. Thai Chili had an employee named Ricky who was the maître d', and sometime chef. Ricky decided to leave and start his own restaurant with his family. Incidentally, Thai Chili has not been the same since. So, Ricky and fam open Thai Spice where Schwings once was on 190 (the Tiki hut place). Thai Spice is better that Chili and Ricky is a great host. Then one night we decide that on my way home from work, I will pick up Thai. We can't find a menu and call information. There is no listing. Odd. No problem, I will simply stop on my way, order the food, and wait. Once there I do not realize there is a sign change out front, I get my food, and go home. Upon opening the bag I find a Thai Flavor menu (actually a Thai Spice menu photocopied with "Flavor" over "Spice" - no lie). HUH?! Two weeks later there is a sign across the street ... Coming Soon Thai Spice By Ricky! Evidently there was a family squabble, and Ricky has moved on. Since Ricky has reopened across the street, we have been to both and liked both... chances are, we figured, it is the same recipes. We feel a loyalty to Ricky because he is so nice, but some people have liked Flavor better and this is what led to the smackdown. Here is how we did it. We chose the exact same items from both restaurants. We picked based on pretty common orders and things we thought would travel well. We did not choose many items and 6 people still had left overs. The Menu Crispy Spring Rolls Shrimp Phad Thai Beef Drunken Noodles Chicken Mussaman The smackdown was based solely on food. Not atmosphere. Not the fact that the wife and I like Ricky - in fact I had a neighbor order from Spice b/c I did not want to risk and special treatment if Ricky recognized me. The Verdict We picked up the food within minutes of each other - across the street remember. The bills were within pennies of each other. Upon getting home the first thing we noticed is that Flavor had given us more food in every dish. 8 spring rolls to Spice's 6, more noodles etc. Spring Rolls Even though Flavor had given us more, Spice was the winner here. The spring rolls from Spice were crispier, and the filling was fresher and more plentiful. Shrimp Phad Thai This was dead even. There were surprisingly different flavors here, though I think it was the proportions of the ingredients as opposed to variation in them. Flavor had a bit more tang to it. Beef Drunken Noodles Flavor's noodles were MUCH spicier, but had better underlying flavor. Yeah I know "spicier that Spice" and "Flavor had more flavor" you try to come up with anther way to write that. We happen to like a little heat, and we gave this round to Flavor. So far we have a 1 - 1 - 1 record. For the final dish... Chicken Mussaman Again, Flavor was considerably spicier, but they also had a more dominant cinnamon flavor that was way too overpowering. Spice's dish was just right. The Winner Is Thai Spice. If I were just going to have some drunken noodles for lunch, then I would likely go to Thai Flavor. That being said, other than a quick bite, my money is being spent at Thai Spice. Now I know there are more dishes to consider and that this is one night of tasting - take out no less, but this was not meant to be a restaurant review. It was simply a fun way to spend a Friday night.

We are splitting hairs. To be technical so is Grand Marnier, but I was really referring to well brand triple secs (Bols, DeKuyper, etc)Actually, Grand Marnier isn't a triple sec, it's an orange liqueur with a cognac base. Cointreau is a high-quality triple sec. I think what kills a margarita most of the time is the use of Rose's Lime and Sweet & Sour mix. If you use 100% agave tequila and fresh lime juice, Bols triple sec may be just fine. It's not quite that simple, Marco (see this thread), although I think we all agree that GM isn't a great product to use in a Margarita. IMO, Cointreau or another triple sec of similarly high quality (by which I mean better than Brizard and definitely better than Bols) is necessary for a good Margarita. ← I really did not mean to start a triple sec war. My whole point was that If I am willing to pay for a better tequila, I hope my bartender goes for the Cointreau or at least asks me. And IMO GM does not belong in a margarita, and neither does OJ but I have seen both.

Just got this via email... The Manhattan project: A bartender spills his secrets on the king of cocktails johnder, I wish there were more bars like yours in New Orleans.

We are splitting hairs. To be technical so is Grand Marnier, but I was really referring to well brand triple secs (Bols, DeKuyper, etc)

Fair enough. My only caveat would be how busy the place is. But to your point a good bartender should still ask the basics. While they may be exempt, I would not discount all dives. The right night, the right bartender, you never know.

You know, jmfangio is right. A martini a good test to see if a bartender is really knowledgeable. The two big signs for you to know there is a problem are; he/she automatically reaches for vodka, and he/she does NOT reach for vermouth. If the bar actually has and the bartender reaches for the orange bitters, you have a winner. You could always have a progressive test; 1. Martini, 2. Manhattan, 3. Old Fashioned, 4. Plan on calling a cab for your ride home because the night has just begun.

I actually like my orange muddled. And yes I know that the original recipe did not have orange in it, but the modern recipe certainly does. You can skip the BS maraschino though. I do totally agree with this. Knowing your regulars, working the crowd, this all goes into being a good bartender. The problem with a margarita, is that unless you are specific in your order, most bars are going to give you crappy tequila, triple sec (maybe) and sour mix with the requisite squeeze of lime. It is what the general public expects. If you order a margarita up, you might get lucky and get lime juice but you will still need to specify the liquor. Now I have to say I do not mind specifying the main ingredient like the tequila, but I do not want to have to specify Cointreau over Triple sec if I order a higher end tequila - good bartender should know. And PLEASE no Grand Marnier, or ORANGE JUICE!!!!!

I have to agree that you need to assess the situation. I also agree that most bartenders in the the Big Easy are not taking the time mix quality drinks. There are exceptions of course (Lu at The Swizzlestick for one) but for the most part is "move 'm in and move 'm out" bar scene. I have also found, not only in New Orleans, that there are many bars with great liquors on the back bar, but still do not know how to mix a drink. All that being said, if the bar is not crazy busy, my test has always been an Old Fashioned. Again it is about balance, muddled fruit, the right amount of sweetness, and bitters. I can live with packet sugar if they do not have cubes, but if there is no fresh orange I will order something else. The big no no for me is if they try to top it off with soda or water. It is NOT a highball. BTW, you may want to check out Robert Hess' (AKA Drinkboy) video on the Manhattan.

I saw mention of it in Tom 's latest letter and I have driven past it, but not tried it yet. It may be on the shortlist this weekend. I will let you (et al) know how it is. That is if the Thai Flavor vs Thai Spice event does not happen this weekend. My better half and I want to get the same dishes from both to see who is actually better in a side by side comparison. Luckily Thai travels well.

St Tammany has definitely added restaurants. At least it seems so to me. I lived uptown Pre K and Abita now, but the rest of my family has been on the north shore for ages. The choices for north shore residents have certainly increased and this completely coincides with population. St. Tammany has been adding restaurants steadily for years, but post storm it seems like it is happening faster. There are new Thai places, New Orleans expansions (we now have a R&Os and Mandina's and if the new shopping center off of 1-12 ever gets built we will have a Ruth's Chris), several new chains, and some neighborhood type joints.

If any one learns of something new and not boring for the north shore, please help a brotha out. I would kill for Korean or even better Indian food. There was a rumor that the Nirvana/Taj guys were looking but I have not heard anything.

I liked the food, but it did not blow me away as I was expecting it too. I may have built it up in my head too much. In their defense, it was the first night back after a return from a vacation. I did not know this when I made the reservation or I might have moved it a week. I was determined to go back and give them another shot, but did not get to it before they closed. It will be interesting to see if the move across the pond will make a difference in what they try to do.

I hear you. I read the Gambit frequently pre Katrina and liked your stuff. I was wondering where you were writing these days - I don't normally pick up an OffBeat. I do like Brett's reviews as well, and I totally agree that the Picayune has a much larger audience. I think Brett should have started back up sooner. P.S. I was not really throwing Tom under the bus - though he does drive me crazy at times.

What Todd, you do not put much stock into a certain radio host's reviews?

It taste like chicken, like frog legs tastes like chicken. Alligator tail meat is white and firm and the texture is sort of like chicken. The deal is that most places you can get it, it is deep fried. If you batter and deep fry things, they "taste like chicken". I have had it fried, in sauce piquante (a spicy tomato stew), and ground in meat pies. All are good, but I am not out buying gator meat every weekend. My wife (a yankee from Boston) likes it and she is not that adventurous when it come to game. So... Try it. Try everything once.

If I am just focusing on accomplished chefs that make the transition to TV, the worst was/is (I am not sure if he is still on) Todd English. I really tried to like his show on PBS because I love his food at Olive's and Fig's (both in Charleston, MA) but I could not stay awake during his show. I am not sure if he was teaching anything or not because he was so bad on TV. As for Emeril, I am from New Orleans and have been Emeriled out, but the man can cook. He can also teach, one of his past protoges, Tommy Wolfe, has gone on to own several fantastic eateries around town. While I personally may want to vomit every time I hear "BAM", he has done more for cooking than anyone since Julia.

He realized that it was a tourist trap, but they agreed to serve him on the street and he said he was surprised that the food was as good as it was. I was RAILING that he ate there. Literally yelling at the TV. My wife made me calm down. From there he could have walked to a half dozen better eats. I expected more in New Orleans.

Timh, I lived in Salem MA for 6 years and was excited to try Del Porto. I was holding out that someone in New Orleans could cook exciting Italian food. Not that other Italian joints are bad, just not exciting. I was spoiled being so close to Boston and the North End. Unfortunately, I can't give you the details you are looking for, but as I said in my previous post, I would go again.

My wife and I ate there a few months ago and we were underwhelmed. I am not sure if I had just built it up so much because we have heard it is the best Italian in the city north or south of the pond, or if it was an off night. Don't get me wrong, it was not bad, it just did not live up to my expectations. It has been a while since we went, but I remember the appetizers being ok - good but not WOW. The real stand out was the pasta. We split an order of a lamb bolognese, and it was stellar. The biggest issue we had was with the entrees. I had the short ribs and they were mediorcre at best, and my wife had scallops. The scallops were cooked perfectly and they were topped with a meyer lemon compote which was also good, but then they stuck them on mashed potatoes and the potatoes just muddied up the dish. We found the staff friendly and our waitress in particular was very knowledgeable about both the menu and the wine list. Speaking of the list, it is a great Italian list. Small but well crafted. It is funny that this is posted today, because we drove by the restaurant last night and both said that we would give it another try, just maybe concentrate on the pastas this time.