Monday, November 21, 2016

WILLIE MAE'S SCOTCH HOUSE (TREME, NEW ORLEANS, LA)

Willie Mae's Scotch House
2401 St. Ann St
New Orleans, LA 70119
Willie Mae's
Tel: 504.822.9503
Cuisine: Southern
$$ ($15-$30)
Mon, 10/31/2016, 11:00am Walk-In
     (5 Piglets)



I love me some good fried chicken. It's so hard to find good fried chicken, especially in Los Angeles (I have yet to try Gus). When a patient of mine suggested I check out Willie Mae's Scotch House, I was a bit skeptical. The name doesn't exactly scream out fried chicken, but I was open to it. He literally said that it would be the best fried chicken I would ever have...and he was right. 

Willie Mae's Scotch House is located in the Treme district of New Orleans. It isn't the best location and probably a huge reason why they close at 5pm. The restaurant is a house revamped into a Southern spot for the best fried chicken around. I mean, if you're there by the time it opens, the wait can be at least two hours (we had no wait cause we got there within an hour of opening). Now I just have to see if it lives up to its reputation...


RED BEANS WITH RICE ($6.50): The red beans were delicious. It was creamy and was part of the meal. It had a bit of a kick to it and definitely worth trying. 

WHITE BEANS WITH RICE ($6.50): Again, this was part of the meal. The white beans had a creamier texture and wasn't as spicy. Both were great but I think its a personal preference. 

MY FAVORITE DISH. AMERICA'S BEST FRIED CHICKEN WITH ONE SIDE ($11.00): This seriously is THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN I'VE EVER HAD. There was a bit of spice under the perfectly fried skin. The chicken was moist, tender and juicy. The best part about it was that it wasn't greasy and it was a bargain! There was so much food for $11.00! 

MACARONI AND CHEESE ($4.25): I thought the mac and cheese was ok. It wasn't the best I've had. Regardless, it was creamy and cheesy. If I had to choose, I would skip the mac and cheese and order the beans. 

The food...

So much food...


Overall, Willie Mae's lived up to its expectations of being rated the best fried chicken by multiple entities. The chicken was perfect and the beans were luscious. It wasn't super expensive and there was plenty of food. The wait can be crazy, so be sure to get there early or expect to wait more than an hour. 

Notable dishes: America's Best Fried Chicken and White/Red Beans

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

CAFE DU MONDE (FRENCH QUARTER, NEW ORLEANS, LA)

Cafe Du Monde
French Market
800 Decatur St
New Orleans, LA 70116
Cafe Du Monde
Tel: 504.525.4544
Cuisine: Dessert
$ (under $15)
Mon, 10/31/2016, 1:00am walk-in
     (4.5 Piglets)



Beignets are these amazingly delicious French style donuts shaped in a square covered with powdered sugar. It is a Southern favorite and a must-have whilst in New Orleans. 

Cafe Du Monde is a cafe serving up these yummy bites 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The original one was established in 1862. It has a menu that consists of beignets, coffee, hot chocolate and milk. Their signature drink, the cafe au lait is served with their signature chicory coffee mixed with half and half and hot milk. 


The patio seating. Seat yourself and a waiter will come to you to take your order
CAFE AU LAIT COFFEE ($2.73 FOR SMALL): The coffee was ok for me. It wasn't too strong and it almost tasted watered down. I guess I've had better cafe au lait's in my life, and this place wasn't my favorite. It did go well with the beignets so you can get one and try for yourself. 
MY FAVORITE DISH. BEIGNETS (ORDER OF 3 FRENCH DOUGHNUTS-$2.73). The beignets were actually really good. It wasn't piping hot when we got them. The exterior was crispy while the interior was light and not too dense. I didn't realize I loved things covered in powdered sugar so much. Definitely try this out! 
A closer look at the interior of the beignet
Top view of all the cafe au laits and beignets
Overall, Cafe Du Monde is pretty legit. The beignets were delicious and I now know why this place is famous. I thoroughly appreciate how it's open 24/7, which helps for those late night munchies. This location is outdoor seating. The bathroom is pretty horrendous. The service is quick and easy, paying at the time of the order. For a quick, easy, delicious breakfast, snack, or dessert, this is a winner. 

Notable Dishes: Beignets

Thursday, November 10, 2016

ACME OYSTER HOUSE (NEW ORLEANS, LA)

Acme Oyster House
French Quarter
724 Iberville St
New Orleans, LA 70130
Acme Oyster
Tel: 504.522.5973
Cuisine: Southern, Seafood
$$ ($15-$30)
Sun, 10/30/2016, 7:00PM walk-in
    (4 Piglets)



For an oyster house, man, this place is freakin popular! Acme Oyster House has a line that goes way out the door and we seriously waited an hour or so to be seated (you actually have to wait in line rather than give your name and wait to have your name called). The place is iconic serving up oysters and Southern flare since 1910. 

On the interior, the restaurant is pretty casual. There's a large bar where people can sit and be served the full menu that includes yummy fresh oysters or chargrilled oysters. Personally, I love their chargrilled oysters, which happens to be their speciality. For those who don't like the texture of oysters, this is the way to go (even my friend who doesn't like oysters thought this was pretty good after I forced her to eat them). 


The line
The kitchen
The bar and interior
FRIED SOFT SHELL CRAB PO-BOY ($16.99): Served with French Fries. I actually didn't like this po-boy. It was my first time having an authentic po-boy and unfortunately, it didn't have a lot of flavor for me. Don't get me wrong, I feel like this could be mighty tasty. Maybe I just didn't love the soft shell crab (although it was fried to a perfectly crisp texture). I loved the bread but I probably should've picked fried shrimp instead. You do need to put a ton of hot sauce to bring out the flavor. 
SIDE OF JAMBALAYA ($3.99): This was actually pretty good. It was packed with Creole spice with a bit of heat. For rice, this packed tons of flavor. I thought it was worth trying. 
MY FAVORITE DISH. CHARGRILLED OYSTERS ($11.99- 1/2 dozen): Sizzing Chargrilled Oysters Saturated in on Herb Butter Sauce, Topped with a Special Blend of Cheese. This was amazing! No wonder peeps wait so long in line for this specialty. It's not slimy like raw oysters or rubbery like how something is cooked. The texture is unique and what you taste most is the blend of butter and cheese and all that yummy goodness. It's served with bread so you can soak up all that butter that the oysters are cooked in. So freakin good! 
NEW ORLEANS BREAD PUDDING ($5.99): With Whiskey Sauce. This was really good and probably my second favorite dish of the night. The pudding was warm and gooey and the ice cream that was served with the pudding cooled off the steam. It was a perfect combination once that whiskey sauce was poured all over this deliciousness. Amazing! 

Overall, I understand why this place is famous. Acme Oyster House has one, if not, the best chargrilled oysters. It is succulent, delicious and packs ton of flavor. I thought the other dishes were ok, with the exception of the bread pudding. The stranger next to me allowed me to try their Boom Boom Shrimp, which was actually really good as well. If you just want oysters, this is the place to go...just be prepared to wait in line! 

Notable Dishes: Chargrilled Oysters and Bread Pudding

Monday, November 7, 2016

COMMANDER'S PALACE (NEW ORLEANS, LA)

Commander's Palace
1403 Washington Ave
New Orleans, LA 70130
Commanders Palace
Tel: 504.899.8221
Cuisine: Southern
$$$ ($30-$45)
Sat, 10/29/2016, 8:00pm reservation
    (3.5 Piglets)


Commander's Palace is an institution in New Orleans. Since 1893, it has been serving up Southern cuisine and winning six James Beard Foundation Awards while doing so. Renowned chefs such as Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme had made their mark at this restaurant. 

The place itself is pretty awesome. Upon entering, you are greeted by the hostess and escorted through the kitchen to your seat. There is an outdoor patio area where you can dine alfresco or opt to seat indoors where beautiful chandeliers and white tablecloths compose the room. It's a fancy restaurant without being overly pretentious mixed in with some Southern hospitality. I ended up ordering a three-course meal that costed $39.00 with a souffle for an additional $3. 

The kitchen
The interior
COURSE ONE: TURTLE SOUP: A Commander's Classic Finished Tableside with Dry Sherry ($8.50). This soup was actually pretty good. The turtle itself reminded me of turkey. I actually preferred it without the dry sherry, but that's a personal preference because I don't particularly like the taste of alcohol in my food if it's not cooked off. 
COURSE TWO: NEW ORLEANS BARBECUED GULF SHRIMP ($39.00): Wild Gulf Shrimp Flambeed with Rosemary, Garlic and Lemon Zest over Chevre Grits with Charred Chilies and New Orleans Barbecue Sauce. The shrimp were nice and big and quite succulent. The grits were good, but a little too thick in my personal opinion. I thought overall the flavor was good but I preferred the shrimp and grits at Cafe de Fleur de Lis over this one. 
CREOLE BREAD PUDDING SOUFFLE ($9.50): All the Richness of Creole Bread Pudding Whipped up into a Light Souffle; Finished tableside with Warm Whiskey Cream. I was actually quite disappointed with this dessert. After traveling to Paris and having the most decadent souffle ever, I was expecting a light and airy dessert. It was a little dense and it wasn't as fluffy as I was hoping. I just needed it to be like this souffle . 
Overall, I loved the ambience and the service was impeccable. It was a tad bit chilly where we were sitting because the air conditioner was blasting at the max. The food was good, but not amazing. For the price, you can probably get something spectacular elsewhere. It's a good place to check out at least once in your life since this place is an institution in itself. And if you get food to-go, they wrap up your food into cute animals made out of foil. 


Notable Dishes: Turtle Soup


Thursday, November 3, 2016

CAFE FLEUR DE LIS (NEW ORLEANS, LA)

Cafe Fleur de Lis
307 Chartres St
New Orleans, LA 70130
Cafe Fleur De Lis
Tel: 504.529.9641
Cuisine: Southern
$$ ($15-$30)
Sat, 10/29/2016, 10:30am walk-in
     (5 Piglets)




It was my first time here in New Orleans and I knew I wanted to eat a traditional Southern breakfast. Here in New Orleans, the food is robust with a "BAM" of flavor (gotta love Emeril). Once we landed and took the quickest nap ever, my friend and I went off in search for the Southern breakfast. 

Located in the heart of the French Quarter, Cafe Fleur de Lis serves up Southern cooking at its best. The place is a quaint, hole-in-the-wall restaurant which I absolutely love. The place is packed with people and if you're smart enough, you can put your name on the "no-wait" app just like we did to avoid the long queue. 

Inside, people are munching on beautiful looking dishes. The decor is pretty simple but who really cares when people are here for the food...

The interior
FRESHLY ROASTED COFFEE ($3.00-REGULAR): Brewed locally, and bottomless. This is some serious coffee. I thought it was good. I needed something strong to keep me awake throughout the day and this did the trick. It's local, which is amazing. Best part, it's bottomless. 
SEAFOOD BENEDICT ($12.95): Our Housemade Biscuit Topped with Crispy Seafood Cakes, Poached Eggs and House-made Hollandaise Sauce. OMG! This dish is absolutely amazing. I couldn't decide if this was my favorite dish, but it definitely was high up there. The crab cakes were fresh and crispy. The biscuit was soft and flaky and went so well with the poached egg, soaking up all that goodness. Seriously, this is a must order if you're a fan of the benedict. 
MY FAVORITE DISH. SHRIMP AND GRITS ($10.95): Fresh Louisiana Gulf Shrimp Sauteed with Garlic, Butter and Shallots Served Over Generous Portion of Cheddar Cheese Grits. I've had grits once before but never like this. The grits was creamy and buttery with so much flavor. It was like a thicker version of Robouchon potatoes but with a little less butter and with an addition of cheese. The shrimp were tender and succulent. Together, the dish was perfect together. It was a match made in heaven. I tried other shrimp and grits at other places in New Orleans, and this was my favorite. 
Overall, for my first Southern dish, Cafe Fleur de Lis delivered on flavor. Everything I had was super delicious and I couldn't get enough of it. The staff had their Southern hospitality game on and I thoroughly appreciated that they used the No Wait app. I would totally recommend this place if you want some good ol' Shrimp and Grits. 

Notable Dishes: Shrimp and Grits and Seafood Benedict