Yearly Archives: 2015

Willie Mae’s Scotch House (New Orleans, LA)

Posted on by July 19, 2015

Willie Mae’s Scotch House
2401 St Ann St
New Orleans, LA 70119
Dining date: 6/10/15 and 6/13/15

ExteriorWillie Mae’s fried chicken was probably the most highly anticipated bite of this whole trip for me. In fact, this might have topped the list of dishes I wanted to try in America. I’m a huge fan of fried chicken; Willie Mae’s is supposed to have some of the best in the country. Popularized countless times by the likes of the Food Network and Travel Channel, it kind of seems like the Peter Luger of fried chicken. Pretty much legendary status.

The menu at Willie Mae’s offers a host of southern specialties like a country fried pork chop, smothered veal, and fried catfish or shrimp. These items are supposedly good, but I’ll likely never know – we were here for fried chicken.

Interior

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Restaurant August (New Orleans, LA)

Posted on by July 19, 2015

Restaurant August
301 Tchoupitoulas St
New Orleans, LA 70130
Dining date: 6/13/15

AugustRestaurant August was high on my list of places to try while in town. It’s John Besh’s flagship restaurant and consistently regarded as one of the top restaurants in the city. The food here combines Besh’s classical French training with the cuisine and ingredients of Louisiana. The decor is an upscale setting with old-world charm.

dining room

A few dining options were available – a la carte, a five course farmers market tasting ($72) and a five course degustation menu ($97). The restaurant allows each diner to choose which route they want to go; the tasting menu isn’t mandatory for the entire table. The flexibility allowed us to get one tasting menu and order a handful of a la carte dishes to create a custom tasting.

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K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen (New Orleans, LA)

Posted on by July 8, 2015

K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen
416 Chartres St
New Orleans, LA 70130
Dining date: 6/10/15

K-Paul'sK-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen opened in New Orleans’ French Quarter in 1979 and has been an institution ever since. Opened by chef Paul Prudhomme (and wife Kay) after helming the kitchen of Commander’s Palace, K-Paul’s has been serving creole/cajun favorites that haven’t changed in the last 35 years. Blackened fish was created here, a technique now duplicated all around the region. Jambalaya, etouffée, gumbo, turtle soup, fried oysters – it’s all here. A visit to K-Paul’s was high on my list of restaurants to try. Continue reading →

Chi Spacca (Los Angeles, CA) [3]

Posted on by July 5, 2015

Chi Spacca
6610 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Dining date: 6/6/15

exterior

I was at Chi Spacca just a couple of months prior but returned to introduce the restaurant to some others that had heard great things. It’s a perfect spot for a carnivorous group such as us. Given the format of the menu (primarily large portions of meat), big parties do best here. Luckily, we had a party of seven which allowed us a chance to try a bunch of items.

interior

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Lüke (New Orleans, LA)

Posted on by July 1, 2015

Lüke
333 St. Charles Ave
New Orleans, LA 70130
Dining date: 6/9/15

exterior

Luke was our first dinner in New Orleans. It’s a John Besh restaurant, one of the most notable chefs in the city with over half a dozen restaurants in town. We had a larger group this evening, so Luke’s proximity to the convention center, casual feel and Louisiana take on a French brasserie fit the bill.

kitchen view

seafood

The menu showcases a raw bar (lobster, oysters, shrimp, clams, mussels, crab), charcuterie, and an assortment of southern and French favorites. We began with an order of local oysters.

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Cochon (New Orleans, LA)

Posted on by June 28, 2015

Cochon
930 Tchoupitoulas St
New Orleans, LA 70130
Dining date: 6/11/15

exterior

Cochon was one of the most oft-mentioned restaurants when I fielded New Orleans restaurant recommendations. Both locals and visitors alike have taken a liking to chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski’s ode to the pig. True to the restaurant’s name the menu is pork-heavy, but plenty of other proteins like the region’s local seafood make it on to the menu as well. Almost everything is crafted in-house here, particularly the cured pork products.

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