Lunch Splurge

Marinated Louisiana Crabmeat Salad with Creole Stuffed Egg and Cherry Tomatoes at One Restaurant & Lounge. At $14.50, the real splurge was the $9 Onetini I had with it. This is one of my favorite restaurants in town. Everything on the menu is delicious. The crabcakes, chargrilled oysters and gnocchi are nothing short of spectacular. And that is just from the starters list. It's also a lovely atmosphere: small with an open kitchen and great lighting. A real favorite of Drew Brees and Tom Benson as well. Don't forget to try the cocktails. Fresh and addictive. Find some real reviews here and here.

Slice

Watch out Reginelli’s, Slice’s new Uptown location is doing it well.  In the name of research, I recently dined here twice. First, as a solo diner at the bar and later in the week on a date with my old man. I did not regret either. For a neighborhood with a serious need for mid-range restaurants, Slice is a much appreciated addition. Yes, it is just a pizza joint, but it’s good pizza in a great setting. Oh, and they have tons of other choices as well.

Whoever designed the interior did a swell job of blending New Orleans rustic with modern clean lines. The colors are soothing while the rich wood tones on the bar and on the walls are warm and cozy. The bar is a nice spot for a solo meal and some delicious NOLA Brewing Co. beers on tap. (Speaking of NOLA, I  heard that they are now selling a draft pack at grocery stores! I am definitely getting one for the game this weekend.) The dining room is divided into separate areas so families can dine in front, friends can get rowdy at a booth in the back, and couples can cozy up in the mini booths near the bar.

On my first visit, I tried the delicious Spinach Salad with a slice of White Pie. This salad is fine dining quality. It is made of organic greens, mushroom, red onion, toasted pine nuts, roasted tomato, pepperoni, bacon, and served with a small gorgonzola crostini. Those crunchy toasted pine nuts really made it. The best part is that you can buy a half or whole salad. The half is a perfect starter portion.

On date night, we tried a few different slices and the antipasto platter which was sort of like a make your own muffaletta tray.  The old man loves a good muff so he was all over this snack.

The restaurant has two big ovens so it is no surprise that the pizza comes out with a nice sear, a prerequisite of good pizza. That is not the only redeeming quality of the large slices served here. The toppings are super fresh; the meats and cheeses are high quality. The basil on the White Pie is strong and sweet, a perfect topping to the olive oil and four cheeses.  Try the Bacon, Basil and Garlic. Garlic breath is sexy, and if anyone tries to tell you otherwise, well just don’t listen.

The service was fine on both occasions. It’s what you expect for this level of dining experience. The place was packed on a Friday night and the waiters looked harried but the wait was not long. We sat at the bar and had only just gotten our first beer when the table was ready. The food came out in good time as well.

I am looking forward to going back to try some more shared plates, specifically the mussels and barbecued shrimp; and the shrimp and andouille pie with caramelized onions, yellow corn, diced tomato, and green onion. My first two trips focused on pizza, barely scratching the surface of what this place offers. The menu includes sandwiches and pastas on top of all the pizza, salads, and shared plates. So, please check it out and let me know what you think.

The Verdict: Ideal place for a high quality beer and slice; nice spot for a date on a budget. Boyfriend approved.

News Flash

Domino's pizza is NOT better than it was before.

I know, I know. What was I thinking? I know they're just trying to sell me something and I still believe their lies! The only consolation is that possibly someone will read this, learn from my mistake, and be saved from the disappointment and pain that is Domino's Pizza. Never again. Don't let those extremely convincing ads trick you.

Instead, get off your tired behind and pick up a slice of this.

A slice of white pizza at Slice's new Uptown location. A steal at $2.50 a slice. Thus, you can afford the $4.50 NOLA Blonde on tap. Stay tuned for a full report on Slice.

Just Another Reason to Go to Green Goddess

They are appreciative. In his most recent blog post, Chef Chris DeBarr takes time to thank the fans:

"Of course, the biggest thanks goes out to all our guests, not just at the NYE Gala, but to those who found us thus far in the remarkable course of connecting our ideas with the dining public in New Orleans. Without our hungry customers coming in and plunking their hard-earned money down for our food & libations, The Green Goddess would've been just an ephemeral notion. Our success is your success, too, and we appreciate all the fun-loving support thus far in our dining adventures at The Green Goddess." 

Find the entire post here at his blog.  I wish I had some money so I could have gone. It sounds like it was a delicious experience. Find reviews of this unique little restaurant here, here, and here. And if you haven't been, make it a priority. And bring lots of money. The food prices are great but you're going to want more than one of their $12 cocktails. The Blood Orange Mimosa with a dollop of strawberry sorbet is "slap whoever you're with" fantastic.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Here it is. Your first "cook by picture." Let's see how this goes. I'm excited!

You will not be sorry you took the time to make these biscuits. They are better than regular biscuits because they have vitamin and fiber rich sweet potatoes! That is my excuse for eating them with every meal, anyway. Make a lot and freeze them. I made one batch last week, gave about 10 to my mom, and only have about 2 left. This recipe makes about 24 if you roll the dough out to a 1/2 inch thick.

1. Put two sticks of unsalted butter in the freezer. Heat oven to 400 F. Bake two medium to large sweet potatoes, wrapped in foil,  in the oven until tender, 1 hour or longer. (I usually do this the night before and stick them in the fridge until the next day when I have time to make the biscuits.)

2. Whisk these 5 ingredients in a bowl and set aside:  4 cups flour, 2 tbs. each of baking powder and sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp. baking soda.

3. In a separate bowl mix together skinned, cooked sweet potatoes, one and a half cups of whole milk, and a pinch or so of salt. I should have mixed mine longer. This is too lumpy.

4. Grate the butter into the flour mixture with a cheese grater. Toss with the dry ingredients until all butter is coated. (check out my new apron; it's sweet).

5. Add milk mixture and mix lightly until you get a shaggy ball.

 

6. Place on a floured surface and knead until it just comes together. Less is more here. Don't over do it.

7. Roll with a floured rolling pin until the dough is about 1/2 inch thick (or thicker if you like bigger biscuits) and use something to cut them into circles.  A wine glass works great. Gather leftover dough, re-roll and re-cut until you run out of dough.

8. Finally, place the ones you want now on a greased baking sheet. Brush heavy cream on the tops if you've got it. Bake until golden, 12-15 minutes. Mine did not rise very much because they were only a 1/2 inch thick. I like smaller biscuits so I can make more and they take less time to bake. Edited to add: If you place the biscuits close to each other, just barely touching, they should help each other rise.

Delicious and nutritious. Perfect with butter and blackberry jam or as the perfect side to a comforting bowl of chicken noodle soup.

To store your unbaked biscuits for easy baking later: place in layers of parchment paper on a baking sheet and freeze.

 

Once frozen, place them in a ziploc. I love being only 12 minutes away from home made biscuits. It's a great feeling.

 

Edited on 2/6/10 to change amount of salt required.