Food Lush

Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans

by Maura

I consider myself a lucky, lucky girl to have spent the past weekend in New Orleans with sixty awesome women. Thanks to the organizers of the Blathering, I had a wonderful time socializing and eating delicious food. The epicurean highlight of my trip was the beignets and coffee at Cafe Du Monde.

(Image Credit: Wikipedia)

These delightful pieces of fried dough are better than any funnel cake you've ever had. They are slightly crispy on the outside, soft and doughy on the inside. Coated in a thick layer of powdered sugar, these beignets melt in your mouth. The beignets at Cafe Du Monde were different than any other beignets I've ever eaten -- slightly denser and square. You can buy the beignet mix at almost any souvenir shop in New Orleans, although I don't know how they could compare to the original.

(Image credit: Cafe Du Monde)

The coffee, too, was incredible; a mix of dark French Roast coffee and chickory. According to Cafe Du Monde's website, the combination of coffee and chickory was discovered by the French during the French Revolution. Coffee was scarce, and the French added roasted, ground chickory to improve the body and flavor to weak coffee. Additionally, the chickory -- which is the root of the endive plant -- softens the bitterness of dark roasted coffee. I brought back a can of Cafe Du Monde's coffee to share with my fiance. 

Have you been to Cafe Du Monde?

Restaraunt Review: La Siesta

By Dani

I'm in a constant hunt for great mexican food. Mexican food is not usually thought of as artful or difficult cuisine, but there is a special touch that you just can't find at chain restaurants. There's something to be said for homemade, slow-cooked refried beans, roasted carne asada that falls apart at the touch of your fork and warm, buttery-tasting fresh-made tortillas. Baja Fresh and Chili's, you are great, but you can't really play at this party.

In my opinion, you can't have a great margaritas without going classic - just give me tequila, homemade margarita mix, and lots of salt and I'm a happy girl.

La Siesta is just this kind of no-frills, homemade mexican food, with only one location (close to North Beach) in San Clemente. It's about a mile from the official downtown San Clemente, so it's funkily situated between a pharmacy, an auto parts store and an empty lot, but still manages to be consistently full of happy eaters.

The staff are friendly and accomodating (the bartenders especially are great) and it's become our favorite place to hang out for a relaxing Sunday Night Football outing, as the perfect end to a busy weekend. The other bonus is that it's very affordable - a gigantic dinner for two people (including a couple of margaritas each) will set us back less than $50 on average, and that includes tip and plenty of leftovers to take home.

Next time you're in south Orange County, you have to try it. You'll be so glad you did.

{Photo by me. I wish I would have gotten a good picture of my enchiladas, but they were blurry. And DELICIOUS.}

Eating Around Nashville

by Tara

I went to Nashville last weekend to meet up with three friends/former coworkers, and I highly recommend going to Nashville, if just for the food. The problem with good food, though, is that sometimes it looks so good you forget to take a picture. So there are a few half-eaten food pictures in the following post.

Friday night we went to Big River Grille where I got a Hummus and Goat Cheese Salad, which was incredible.

Saturday night we went to Merchants. Y’all. Get on a plane right now and fly to Nashville to eat at Merchants. We dined upstairs, which is the fancier part of the restaurant, and nothing was bad. We started with duck fat fries, which are served with ketchup (tasted homemade!) and hollandaise. Wow, so good! The waiter brought tiny corn muffins and Dijon-butter. Delicious. There were also in-house pickled vegetables served in teeny little jars. The vegetables were gone too fast for a picture.

I had a delicious greens and radish salad that was super fresh. My friend M had beets, which I didn’t try, but that looked pretty.

My friend A had fried green tomatoes which were delicious! For dinner I ate the pan-roasted chicken with gnocci mac & cheese, swiss chard, and wild mushrooms. I ate it all. It was delicious.

For dessert we shared two desserts. The first was a chocolate tart and was gone before I even thought to take a picture. The second was pumpkin caramel cheesecake and was absolutely delicious. I took a picture halfway through that one.

Sunday we went to brunch at Fido, which was great! 

I had Pete's Torta with chorizo, and it was the perfect way to start the day and end the vacation.

Highly, highly recommend you visit Nashville and eat a lot. 
Have you been to Nashville? Where did you eat?

 

New Favorite Pizza: Santucci's, Philadelphia, PA

by Maura

My favorite food of all time is pizza. I am not necessarily a pizza snob; I'll eat cardboard with marinara and cheese. However, I am always on the lookout for better delivery pizza. A few weeks ago, Will ordered us pizza while I was on my drive home from work. I expected one of the three pizza places we usually rotate through: traditional, round, mediocre. Instead, I came home to an entirely different pizza experience: square, cheese on the bottom, delicious.

(Image credit: Santucci's Original Square Pizza)

I absolutely love Santucci's pizza. We have eaten this pizza at least three (or four) times since the first time. The crust is thin, but not too thin, the sauce is absolutely delicious -- the best pizza sauce I've ever had. This pizza also reheats beautifully, which is important, since I can't eat a whole pizza in one night. (I've tried.)

If you are visiting Philadelphia and want to dine in at this fine pizza establishment, you will find them around the corner from the Italian Market, so you can eat your fill of pizza and top it off with a cannoli or gelati!

Santucci's has five other locations, too.

What is your favorite local pizza joint?

The State Fair of Texas and All the Fried Food in the World

By Julie

There are many things for which the State Fair of Texas (yes, capitalized) is known, but perhaps none so much as the cuisine. Which, in this case, is a fancy word for fried everything. Literally. And it is awesome.

I haven’t been to the fair in many years, so when I had the chance to partake this week, I jumped at it. They have a contest every year to crown winners in new food categories, and the list of champions is long, distinguished, and deeply weird. There have been fried bacon, fired butter, and fried coke. Sensing a theme here?

So I did my own little taste test of decadent delights. My criteria for selection were as follows: it had to be unusual and it had to have enough tickets to buy it. Let Fried Fest begin!

Let me just state from the beginning that all of these foods, ones tasted and ones left for another day, look remarkably similar because they are all created on the principle of “let’s see what bizarre thing we can wrap in dough/dip in batter and fry to oblivion.” Nothing wrong with that.

I started off with the fried banana pudding because I saw it and remembered I’d seen a coupon in the guidebook for it. Savings at the fair? Yes, please. My judging panel consisted of myself, my 4 year old daughter, and my dad. Our conclusion was that this was pretty good, basically a banana cream fried pie. The whipped cream frosting was the best part, in my opinion. My dad said that it would really be better with some crushed up vanilla wafers inside to give it the full banana pudding experience, and I wholeheartedly agree.

A bit later, we were joined by my husband (who’d been off on his own fried food expedition, and more on that in a moment) to try the fried pineapple upside down cake and the fried “taste of autumn” pumpkin pie. The cake was just a canned ring of pineapple battered and friend, and was incredibly difficult to eat with only a flimsy plastic fork. The pineapple just slid out of the coating and refused to be severed by said fork. The pie was ball shaped and merely filled with pumpkin pie filling, so it wasn’t all that spectacular and I have no idea why it required a special “taste of autumn” descriptor. It was merely fine. I guess I just prefer my pumpkin pie chilled.

Now, my husband had wandered off in search of this year’s best taste winner, the fried jambalaya. He said it was tasty, but that it was predominantly a disc of fried rice and couldn’t really find any sausage or seafood in it, as one might expect in jambalaya. He also said it was fairly teeny in portion.

All that said, the winner of the day was a classic: the good ol’ corn dog, a fair staple since forever. Whether you’re a purist and go for a good slather of mustard, or a renegade and cover yours in ketchup (like my daughter, whom I don’t even know anymore, because ketchup?), you cannot go wrong with a corny dog. So good.

And there you have it, my 2012 State Fair of Texas food roundup. If you’d like to join my next year, please being prepping your arteries now.

{Photo Credits: blogs.observer.com, sidedish.dmagazine.com, and eatsblog.dallasnews.com. I actually took my own photos, but my computer and camera are currently conspiring against me.}

Where to Eat in Boerne, TX

By Erica H.

Okay, so maybe Boerne (population 10,000) isn't currently in your list of Top Ten Dream Destinations or even Top One Hundred Dream Destinations or, likely, Cities You've Ever Heard Of. But trust me when I say that you could find yourself in much worse spots than the Texas Hill Country in the month of October. With its mild fall weather, local wineries, quaint main streets and predominantly German heritage, the area offers a number of pleasant daytrips from Austin or San Antonio. Boerne is among these, a little slice of Oktoberfest and a smaller alternative to popular spots such as Fredericksburg. Some of us appreciate the cozy feel of a small-town atmosphere! Some of us also, ahem, have in-laws there.

Right: you caught me. My time spent is Boerne is not 100% optional. But it has given me a chance to suss out some pleasant places to take in refreshment while taking advantage of free grandparent babysitting.

1. The Dodging Duck Brewhaus and Restaurant. This brewery opened shortly before my husband and I started dating, and I'm not saying it alone has kept us together, but it hasn't done us any harm. It's always nice to sit on the patio with a pint (or a sampler!) and dip everything I can get my hands on into their cranberry mustard.

It's not all bar food, though! If you're feeling a little less indulgent, you can always get a veggie sandwich. With a side of veggies. (To go with your beer sampler.)

2. Bear Moon Bakery and Cafe. Here's how popular this restaurant is: we went for a late lunch this weekend, and the place was completely packed. At 3:00 pm on a Sunday. They ran out of cauliflower soup while we were there! And here's the reason: it's delicious. Grab a pastry and coffee or sit down for a beer and a sandwich. I went for one of the Oktoberfest specials--a bratwurst and kraut with tomato jam and a side of cauliflower soup (sorry other patrons, too slow) and was happy as a clam.

3. Broken Stone Pizza Co. The order-in option. A cut above chain deliveries, and they offer local cheesecake to boot.

4. Fancy fare: my mother-in-law recommends Cypress Grille for nicer dining in-town, and Welfare Cafe a few miles out.

5. My in-laws also like an Italian restaurant that they cannot remember the name of. (Sorry.)

6. And finally, check out PO PO if you want to see where my husband washed dishes in high school.

Restaurant Spotlight: Beggars Pizza

by Tara

Last week my family flew to the Chicago suburbs to see family. My primary goals in Chicago (besides seeing family and having a good time): meet up with online friends, see the Bean, and eat famous pizza. I accomplished all three!

The famous pizza our family members swear by is Beggars, which has been around for several decades and touts THICK toppings. 

We ate it twice in six days. (It was really good.) The second time I remembered to take pictures.

This is deep dish pepperoni.

One piece was like two servings of a casserole. It was so filling. And so good.

What's your favorite famous food?

(Pictures by my shaky hand with my phone.)

Off the Beaten Path: Gems in Downtown Napa

by Caitlin

Ask anyone about a trip to Napa and they'll probably start discussing all their favorite vineyards, tasting rooms, and restaurants. A trip to Napa most often consists of a trip to Napa valley and the towns surrounding Napa proper (Yountville, Saint Helena, Sonoma). What I didn't realize when I started planning my first trip out there (and asking for advice, which I received here in spades, and was very grateful for) is that Napa itself is a town, with a downtown area and everything. The past few years have not been kind to the city of Napa, and a lot of businesses have closed. So while the wineries and restaurants in the surrounding area seemed to have flourished (and please correct me if I'm wrong on that), downtown Napa can be a little depressing, with empty storefronts. My husband and I stayed in downtown Napa, though, and boy are we glad we did. We truly couldn't have picked better. 

To start, we arrived at our hotel (The Avia Napa) on a Thursday. Apparently we timed it well, as on the first Thursday of the month during the summer they shut off the street right in front of the hotel for a Chef's Market. We spent the evening wandering around listening to live music, drinking local wine and beer, and sampling all kinds of delicious food from various local vendors. It was a delightful way to start our trip. And I'm saying this as someone who normally finds street festivals to be kind of overwhelming and overrated. To me they're usually too crowded and it's not worth standing in line for mediocre food. Not the case here. We did stand in a few lines, but it wasn't suffocatingly crowded and we met so many great people; locals who were happy to stand around a table in the middle of the street chatting over a glass of wine with a couple of tourists. Including, oddly, a couple who had their two young kids with them named Zach & Caitlin. (This will only be odd if you recall that my husband's name is Zach. It also may be a lot funnier after 3 or 4 beers.)

 

Photo by me.

The next morning my husband woke up early and went in search of good coffee (necessary, on a number of levels). He found a place on Yelp with stellar reviews, and went to check it out. Molinari Caffe was everything Yelp said it would be and more. Zach struck up a conversation with the owner, Rick, and came back to the hotel room telling me what a nice guy he was, and how well he knew his coffee. And Rick does know his stuff: that coffee was perfect, let me tell you. We ended up going back there every day.

Photo from napavalleyregister.com.

We were actually in Napa for a wedding, so we went to plenty of other restaurants and wineries in Napa Valley while attending wedding events and celebrations. We also had a few extra days to spend on our own, and were constantly popping in and out of the hotel. At one point we found a flyer in our room for the Napa Valley Toffee Company, which was next door to the hotel. Again we turned to the yelp reviews, and again they didn't let us down. 

They also have a wine and espresso bar and one afternoon we were in desperate need of caffeine, so we wandered next door for some refreshment. While we were there we chatted with the woman who helped us, and told her we'd come by because of the blurb the hotel had put out. (It turns out she was the owner, and she hadn't seen the hotel flyer, apparently the hotel just loves the toffee?) (We brought one down for her the next day.) We sampled some toffee, and it was quuuuite good so we got a bunch for gifts, and while we were chatting, asked if she could recommend a nearby restaurant that was off the beaten path a bit, where locals go. She recommended Carpe Diem Wine Bar, and, you guessed it, it was another Yelp hit. 

 

Photo from tripadvisor.com.

We happened to hit it on the night they were celebrating their two year anniversary, and it was very crowded. We were lucky and surprised to find the last two seats at the bar. We were further surprised to sit down right next to Rick, from Molinari Caffe, whom Zach had met the day before. We ended up having dinner and chatting with he and a few of his friends at the bar all night, and it was a truly memorable evening. (As a bonus, he supplies their coffee and ordered one of his newest brews for us to try.)

As for Carpe Diem itself, it was my first chance to try what's become a favorite bubbly: Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs. It was recommended by a Food Lush reader, and I probably would never have tried it if not for her. Thanks, Elz! We tried a bunch of things, and our favorite was the boar meatballs. The crispy, goat cheese stuffed olives were great, and we also enjoyed one of the flatbreads and the alligator tacos, which were that night's specialty. Rick ordered the ostrich burger and when we saw it served we were sorry we didn't have enough room for one!

We hit plenty of the well-traveled places you've probably heard about in Napa (Ad Hoc, Bouchon Bakery, Domaine Chandon, etc.), and we really enjoyed them all. But we also loved making these memories of places we'd never have imagined or planned on going to, and we're so glad we did. We met some truly wonderful, gracious people and got to share delicious things with them in beautiful Napa. What's better than that?

Have you been to Napa? Have you found any hits off the beaten path?

San Diego: Herringbone

By Erica H.

Herringbone is the latest offering from former Top Chef contenstant (and haver of the world's hardest-to-type-without-punctuating-with-an-exclamation-point name) Brian Malarkey. As I am living the fancy-shmancy life in La Jolla, CA for a few brief days, I ate there. And I took some pictures for you. This one is of a tree.

You're eating indoors but also next to a tree. Did I just blow your mind? I tease, but I actually found it quite enjoyable. It's sets a mood! An arboreal mood. If you check out the website, you'll immediately see that this is one of your higher-end establishments, boasting both "fresh dishes" AND "hand-crafted cocktails." No stale food or robot-mixed drinks here. Am I now wishing that there had been a robot mixologist behind the bar? I most certainly am. But the human hands that crafted my Rob Roy and Dan's Missouri Mule did a fine job.

These adorable little heirloom tomatoes were "Compliments of Chef Amanda," who was also on Top Chef and of whom I did NOT take a picture, because come on you guys, be cool. Instead, I spent the entire meal staring at her through the big look-at-the-kitchen windows like the awestruck country bumpkin that I am. So you don't have to! You're welcome.

Being so very near the ocean, it seemed logical to order something from the sea. We shared an order of Wood Roasted Oysters, which either 1) were really excellent or 2) benefitted from my still being on Central Time and half-starved because it was like TEN PM TO MY STOMACH. Or possibly 3) both.

When perusing the menu, my eye was obviously drawn to the Pancetta, Egg, Lamb's Quarters, and Fontina Pizza because EGG! On a PIZZA! Yet weirdly, I was not in the mood for that particular combination, so I opted instead for the Cured Salmon, Leek, Bacon, and Goat Cheese.

I made my husband get the egg.

They were both nice flatbread-style pies. We were the only people at our large table to ask for a to-go box, as they seemed too lovely to waste. The heavily en-cocktailed gentleman across the table from us loudly suggested that the leftovers would be disappointing, but happily he was mistaken. Fancy cold pizza is in fact a delight.

So there you have it: indoor trees, free tomatoes, and an opportunity to gawk at a reality television participant. All in all a pleasant experience, lack of robots aside.

Beer and Restaurant Review: Deschutes Brewing Company

By Dani

(Next week, my hubs and I are taking a mini-vacay to my home-state of Oregon, and in celebration, I'm going to tell you about some awesome beers. You're welcome.)

Oregonians are not strident state-lovers like Texans or Californians. Part of it is because our state flag isn't particularly awesome, and partly because there are relatively few native Oregonians--most people come to Oregon in search of a place to hang their Tibetan prayer flags and drink Campajujujuju tea in peace. (I kid, I kid.)

Oregon is a quirky place--part unabashed redneck country, part self-aware hipster, part hand-wringingly evironmentally-concious and part-the-Earth-is-our-playground joyful.

One place that captures all the sides of Oregon (and one of my personal favorite destinations) is Deschutes Brewery. It has the kind of food one expects from the Northwest (gluten-free and vegetarian options abound) while still maintaining a lumber-jack-ish, manly quality to many of its offerings. (Pear, goat cheese and arugula pizza shares menu space with wild boar sausage, for instance).

The restaurant location in Bend, Oregon is pure perfection, located in the heart of downtown (close to the Deschutes River, natch) and complete with the kind of easy-going, loud atmosphere that any good brewpub should have. (There's also a brewery tour, complete with free beers, apparently, which WHY have we not done that yet? Next week, I'll try it for y'all, and report back, like the selfless tester I am.)

But I haven't even gotten to the best part yet, which is obvious: THE BEER. Oh you guys, the beer.

It's flavorful without feeling kitschy, handmade without being overly fussy.

My hubby, a stout-lover, likes the Black Butte Porter, a creamy dark beer with a nutty chocolate flavor. It's considered the "flagship beer" for Deschutes Brewery, so that means (lucky you!) that it's available at most BevMos, even if other flavors aren't.

Being more of a heffeweizen girl myself, my personal favorite is the seasonal summer ale, Twilight.

It's only available May-September (boo!) and is harder to find out-of-state, although I have found it in California on occasion. It's less citrus-y than many summer ales, and has a dangerously drinkable quality - I'm pretty sure I could burn through a six-pack on my own pretty easily.

Really, though, these are just our personal faves. I've never had a bad beer from Deschutes Brewery, so you just need to go taste some and decide for yourself.

"The meek shall inherit, well, some pretty dull beers." -Deschutes Brewery