Darrell's

Lake Charles, Louisiana
So... the city of Lake Charles... what is there to do here exactly? I don't have the slightest clue. I tend to use this place as a pit stop that roughly marks the halfway mark between Baton Rouge to Houston. If I feel like gambling, L'auberge du Lac is the casino of choice. But, now I know exactly where to go if I want a great po-boy.

Darrell's is the spot that not only McNeese students know about, but probably known by the entire city of Lake Charles. On the outside, it looks just like any other hole in the wall. The food on the other hand, was way better than I had expected.

If you come here, the one thing that everyone should try out is Darrell's Special with their unique Jalapeno Mayo condiment, that they make themselves. You can pick from the large (which is a foot long) or the small (6 inch). I suggest you get the large, just so you can have some leftovers for later if you don't finish it all.

Well, this big guy comes with three kinds of meat: ham, turkey, and roast beef. It also comes with three types of cheese: American, Swiss, and Provolone. It comes dressed with lettuce, the roast beef gravy and either mustard, mayonnaise or their jalapeno mayo.


When I started eating this sandwich, I immediately noticed how awesome the bread was. It is really unlike any po-boy bread that I've ever had. It was toasty and buttery on the crust and really soft on the inside. The combination of meat was amazing. It's certainly a mouthful and a handful. Because of all the gravy and the jalapeno mayo, it makes it a pretty messy experience, but it's SO worth it. I love a sloppy sandwich, they usually taste better that way (for me anyways). The roast beef stood out more than anything. The meat was tender and the hot gravy had the perfect amount of saltiness. The jalapeno mayo stood out a lot too. It brought in a good amount of heat to the po-boy, which I thought was excellent because it prevents you from using hot sauce.

This po-boy was great, the downside of it for me was the American cheese. I'm really not a huge fan. The flavor of American cheese cuts through the flavor of the others so much that you can't really taste anything else. I didn't know at the time that it came with it on, and I'm not entirely sure if you can ask to have it without it either. What I really wish that this place had were some french fries, but then again they don't fry anything. I didn't complain though. A bag of chips worked out just fine.

If you're ever in the city of Lake Charles or in the need of a pit stop, now you know where to go. Darrell's is the place to be for an amazing po-boy.




Darrell's - 119 W. College Street, Lake Charles, Louisiana

Black Walnut Cafe

Houston, Texas
It's around 9 AM in Rice Village and I'm with three of my friends. We decided to go to Black Walnut Cafe because we heard they have good breakfast. Not only do they just serve breakfast, they serve food for all meals and also carry an award winning gelato. One of the major perks of this place is that they have happy hours. But, unlike any other place I've seen, Black Walnut Cafe has a happy hour in the morning! Yes, the morning. The early bird happy hour runs from 7AM to 10:30AM, and there is an assortment of beer, wine and cocktails that you can choose from.

 

It's never too early for a good mimosa, so we all split a carafe. It filled about 10 flute glasses. Their mimosas consists of fresh squeezed orange juice, sparkling wine, and Grand Marnier. Their mimosas were incredible, I'm sure that the fresh squeezed orange juice had a lot to do with it. This was also the first time I have ever had Grand Marnier in a mimosa. I think it's something I will make sure to include from now on.


Well, here is what I ordered. Texas Cut Brioche French Toast. It's made with English cream batter, and topped with lemon zest, honey whipped butter and New England maple syrup. You could also add thick cut peppered bacon for two dollars, and that's exactly what I did.

The first thing I noticed was the golf ball sized dollop of butter sitting on top my French toast. I have to say that it was a bit of an overkill but you can just put it to the side. The amount that was melted on top was more than enough anyways. Sadly, I couldn't taste that it was honey whipped. What I absolutely enjoyed the most was the lemon zest on top, it added a nice fruity touch aside from the sweetness from the powdered sugar and maple syrup. The bread that was used held its shape through the cooking process and wasn't soggy at all (tends to happen sometimes). The taste was excellent, it wasn't overly sweet and the use of the thick cut brioche made it very filling. The bacon was also a good choice. The peppered bacon also added a savory aspect to my breakfast, I don't know what it is with the sweet and salty combination but it works every time.

Overall, my experience here was better than I expected. I'll be sure to return if I'm ever back in Houston. The mimosa carafe was 18 dollars, and my French toast plus the bacon was $9.50. Not too shabby.

Black Walnut Cafe - 5510 Morningside Drive, Houston, Texas
http://www.blackwalnutcafe.com/rice.html

Juan's Flying Burrito

New Orleans, Louisiana
My legs are hurting, I'm dehydrated, and above everything else, I am hungrier than ever. These were my thoughts right after running the Crescent City Classic. After complaining through traffic for about an hour we finally make it out of City Park all the way uptown to my friend's house. To cure our hunger pains we decided to make the short trip down S. Carrollton Avenue to Juan's Flying Burrito (the mid city location). My first thought about eating Mexican food after a grueling run didn't seem very appealing at first, but I was so hungry that I didn't really care.

It was a gorgeous day, so we decided to sit outside. Well, we started off running through their chips, queso, and salsa like crazy before our entrees arrived. Thankfully, we were so hungry that it didn't hold us back from finishing the rest of our meal. One of my friends decided to tackle a mountain of nachos on his own. He ordered the Kamehameha Nachos which has a bed of chips topped with applewood smoked bacon, pulled pork, grilled mango, pineapple salsa, chipotle sour cream, cilantro, jalapenos, and of course, their white queso. He added guacamole onto it as well just for fun.

This behemoth of a plate gets dropped off at our table and we all decided to grab a few bites. The pulled pork was smoky and tender, and the applewood smoked bacon on top gave it the right amount of saltiness that I like. I mean, who doesn't like bacon? The jalapenos were pretty spicy, but not over the top. But I have to say, the kicker out of these nachos has got to go to the fruit. I would have never thought of putting grilled mangoes or pineapple on my nachos. It complimented the pork so well with its sweetness that I wanted some on every bite. I'll be sure to try to add them on my nachos anywhere I go from now on if the option is available.

What I decided to order were the Blackened Red Fish Tacos. In the three tacos, you get the blackened Red Fish, a creamy cilantro slaw, and salsa fresca (pico de gallo) on grilled flour tortillas. It comes with a side of tartar sauce on the side as well. I took my first bite and it was a match made in heaven. When I heard that we were going to eat Mexican food, I thought about consuming something really heavy that would eventually feel like a brick were in my stomach. These tacos did the exact opposite.

The blackened Red Fish was cooked really well. It had a nice crust on the outside, but very juicy and moist center. The creamy cilantro slaw set it beyond any coleslaw that I've ever had on a fish taco. Generally, you'll just find plain shredded cabbage when ordering them. The slaw that came on these tacos was very light, even though it was creamy. And the touch of cilantro added great flavor to pair the fish. On top of the great taste, it added a crunchy texture component that made you know that it was fresh. Light, airy and fresh, it really doesn't get any better than that.


I will go ahead and say that these fish tacos are hands down, the best I have ever eaten.

The only sad part about my meal was that it had to end. With my hunger level being so high, and the deliciousness of everything that we ordered, made me consume everything so fast that I didn't really sit back enough to enjoy every aspect. I will be back for sure, and hungry for more.

Juan's Flying Burrito - 4724 South Carrollton Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana
                                   2018 Magazine Street, New Orleans, Louisiana
http://juansflyingburrito.com/

Superior Seafood

New Orleans, Louisiana
Superior Seafood has been the talk of the town in New Orleans since they've opened in January. They got prepared in enough time for the Mardi Gras and Lent season and have hit the ground running ever since. With the boom of the film industry in New Orleans, you can spot celebrities here on any given night! I heard the hype of Superior Seafood before it even opened for the general public. And this weekend was my time to experience it, firsthand.

I drove into New Orleans on Friday afternoon in preparation for the Crescent City Classic, and just in time for their happy hour. This entails 2 for 1 frozen mojitos, 1/2 off house win carafes and $2 off their draft beer. I had no intentions of consuming any alcohol the day before a race, but a dear friend of mind that works there suggested that I get their frozen pomegranate mojito. It's made with Castillo rum, fresh mint, fresh lime juice and pomegranate juice. It was very refreshing, and not too sweet or sour.

Now, the problem I ran into was that I had the belief that I was going to return to Superior Seafood after the race the following day (which never happened). So, I held back on what I ordered. I actually had no seafood in my meal on this day. But, my mission now was to see if they are capable of making great food outside of seafood.

I went with their Rich Boy Po-Boy. It consists of braised filet tips in a veal demi glace sauce set on French bread with shredded lettuce, tomato, pickles, mayonnaise and mustard, along with a side of fries.

A demi glace is a rich brown sauce used in French cuisine, and in this case, it was made from veal stock.

Well, here it is. The massive po-boy that I had to consume. The aroma from the meat and veal demi glace sauce had my friends salivating to see what it tasted like. Of course, me being the nice person I am, shared with everyone that wanted to try it. The filet tips were very tender and had a peppery taste to it that made me like it even more than what I hoped. As for the actual po-boy. It met every expectation that I was planning to get. The bread was nice and soft, perfect to soak in the demi glace enough to not make it messy. I think it was dressed perfectly as well. The mustard was actually amazing, it made the po-boy for the better, almost creating a horseradish taste. The clever name for the po-boy certainly made it fitting in more ways than one. Filet tips are hardly ever found in po-boys mainly for the cost and it was actually very rich in taste. I probably wouldn't have been able to finish had I not shared.

The fries were also very good. The problem with having fresh cut french fries is that they're susceptible to get soggy and moist from holding in the grease. These stayed nice and crunchy by the time I finished everything and were tossed in some large grained sea salt.

If it's a nice day out, ask to be seated outside. The scenery on looking the St. Charles and Napoleon Avenues make it entertaining in itself (you never know what you'll see in New Orleans), and it's always good to get some fresh air. The wait staff is very friendly and the food... excellent. If this doesn't tickle your fancy, I have no idea what will.

I definitely have unfinished business here.



Superior Seafood - 4338 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana
http://www.superiorseafoodnola.com/

New Orleans Roadfood Festival

New Orleans
After going to the Oak Street Po Boy Festival last November in New Orleans, I made a personal goal for myself. And, that was to go to as many food festivals as I can. The first came today and it was the New Orleans Roadfood Festival.

Exactly what is Roadfood? Roadfood means great regional meals along highways, in small towns and in city neighborhoods. It's non-franchised food made by cooks who are America's culinary folk artists and almost always informal and inexpensive. So, basically think of the hot spots that the locals always love.


I came prepared this time, more money and more friends for the journey. After making our way down Frenchman Street, we finally get to the French Market. Ironically, the first tent we ran into just happened to be the one thing I was anticipating to eat ever since I heard of this event. Johnson's Boucaniere's (Lafayette, LA) Grilled Cheese Sandwich stuffed with a Fried Boudin Ball.

In all honesty I was pretty disappointed at the first sight... I mean look at it! Wouldn't anyone?! It looked about a hop, skip, and a jump away from a McDonald's cheeseburger. I couldn't get my hopes up on it too quickly though, so I cut the thing down the middle... and confetti fell from the heavens. You really can't go wrong with boudin on anything. The taste was exactly what I had expected... which was exactly the sandwich was called. It was still delicious on all counts, I would've been happier had the cheese been more melted but I'm pretty sure the guys were making these sandwiches by the masses for the crowd.

On to the next one. What I love more than anything is a little innovation with cooking. So we move next door to the Hot Tamale Mama...and More tent. They were serving a Beef Tamale with a side of Cheese Grits. Mexican mixed with Southern cuisine? This I had to taste/see. My friend and I unwrap the corn husk and find this tamale lathered with all kinds of spiced chili sauce, over some fluffy cheesy grits. This tamale actually tasted a whole lot like a beef chili one's dad would make, very comforting. And the grits were also delicious. Definitely worth way more than the three bucks they charged.

Lasyone's Meat Pie Restaurant (Nachitoches, LA) was also in working in full effect, pumping out Meat and Crawfish Pies like crazy. We wanted to try both, and that's exactly what we did. They basically looked like gigantic empanadas instead of the actual pie shape form that I'm used to seeing. Both were pretty good, but I'd have to say the crawfish pie took the cake on this one. The only thing I was slightly peeved on was the lack of filling in the crawfish pie, there was far more fried dough than anything else.

The next stop was my favorite of the festival. Chad's Bistro (Metarie, LA). They offered a few things but it's never good to put all your eggs into one basket. So we went for two things, the Shrimp Balls and the Alligator Etouffee over Grits.

The name Shrimp Balls, didn't really give you much information as to what was in them (except for shrimp of course). Just from looking at them, I thought, "Well, it looks like a boudin ball, smells like a boudin ball... so it must be a boudin ball." I tried my first one without the remoulade sauce, and was pleasantly surprised. This was no boudin ball, or anything like it. This was a play on shrimp and grits, absolutely genius. They balled the shrimp and grits together, tossed it in seasoned breading and deep fried it. And, who doesn't like remoulade sauce? The sauce was a good wing man.

The Alligator Etouffee was the first I've ever had. Just judging by it's color I knew it was going to be pretty good. If you've ever had alligator blackened or fried to where you can actually taste it, you get a mix of chicken and fish in one. Surprisingly, it wasn't very spicy so we added some Crystal hot sauce in it, that made for a quick fix. They also gave you a ton of gator in the serving so that made us very happy. Couldn't complain at all with the grits either. Soft and creamy as it should be.

Eating all of this food in the blazing sun takes a bit of a toll on your body, so what's a better way to cool off than to sip on one of The Tennessee Williams Festival's (New Orleans, LA) Mint Juleps? This thing did have a bit of a kick to it too... check out the tolling effects!
Bourbon, mint leaves, and granulated sugar can do this I suppose.

Well, what goes up, must come down. This is exactly how my feelings went when I strolled up to my next stop. Vaucresson Sausage (New Orleans, LA) was offering a Creole hot sausage po boy and a Crawfish Sausage Po Boy. It's crawfish season, so my choice was pretty obvious. I get my Crawfish Sausage Po Poy and grab it with both hands. And, in that single instant, it nearly killed my experience. The crust of the bread nearly disintegrated in between my fingers while handling it. *Sigh* You can't win them all. On a bright note, the sausage was incredible, bits of crawfish with the taste of the spicy boil explode in your mouth with every bite. Maybe I should have just opted for the sausage on a stick.


Even though I was disappointed with the po boy, I wasn't going to let that keep me down. So I searched for the most appetizing thing that I haven't tried yet. Then I stumbled upon Royal House (New Orleans, LA) and ordered up their Crawfish Cakes with Crawfish Cream Sauce. Why this came with a side of rice, I don't really know. But, the cakes were unbelievable. It was full with crawfish flavor. If you could imagine a crawfish etouffee in a fritter/cake form then this would be it. The cream sauce accentuated the cake very well. The creaminess from the sauce helped bind it all together when the cake broke apart and soothed the palate from the initial punch from the spice. It was very delicious but also very heavy and rich. My stomach definitely felt like a ton of lead after this for sure.





When I thought I couldn't take anymore, this little beauty showed up. Cafe Reconcile (New Orleans, LA) constructed an awesome Bananas Foster Bread Pudding. Not overly sweet and would drive any banana lover, crazy. This was certainly a great ending to a fun festival. Next festival on my list is the French Quarter Festival on April 14th. See all of you there!



New Orleans Roadfood Festival 
http://www.neworleansroadfoodfestival.com/

Parrain's

Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Breaking someone into eating oysters can be one of the hardest things to do. The exterior is far less attractive from a clam or mussel, and the interior can be described something as bad as looking at snot or some kind of alien extremity. Fortunately, my friends and I have been broken into them at a young age, so either slurping them or topping them on top of a cracker with your own cocktail sauce gives us no trouble at all.

At Parrain's, they have a glorious special on Tuesdays where raw oysters are half off their menu price. It brings them to be about roughly 37 cents a piece. It used to be cheaper, but thanks to the oil spill in 2010, the price of seafood from our Gulf has increased.

Tonight, I decided to tackle Parrain's oysters from all angles. I ordered half a dozen raw, half a dozen chargrilled, and an oyster po-boy. My waiter found it to be pretty amusing too and said he's never had anyone order all of that before. Later on he labeled me as the oyster king.

I cleared my raw half dozen first. When I eat oysters at a restaurant, as opposed to shucking them myself, I taste one on its own to see if they're any good. I do this because your oyster's flavor generally gets masked by the cocktail sauce you make. Everyone does theirs differently, and mine usually packs enough punch from horseradish that it burns your nose a little.

Cocktail sauce is basically a condiment when eating some sort of seafood. The standard ingredients are ketchup, prepared horseradish, lemon juice, hot sauce (I only use Tabasco) and worcestershire sauce.

I've been eating these things since I was about 10 years old and I've had my fair share for really bad ones and really good ones. What you're generally trying to find in taste is, the taste of where it came from. So, in this case you're basically trying to find the taste of Gulf of Mexico sea water. As unappetizing as it sounds, they were actually pretty good. I tend to think that shucking iced down oysters on your own taste the best, but you can't really complain with decent flavored ones with no grit on them. Shucking oysters for a crowd is
                                                                                        never fun.

My favorite part of my meal is next. Their chargrilled oysters are the best I've ever eaten. They're so good that I literally don't get them from anywhere else. They're doused with some sort of buttery garlic and parsely mixture then slapped with some parmesan cheese on the grill. It also comes with grilled buttered bread for you to sop up the rest of the left-over juice that remains in the half shell. I would've definitely ordered another six of these bad boys had I not had a po-boy coming on the way. These things are unbelievable.

Well, here is my oyster po-boy with fries, and the one decently lit picture. It came dressed with lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayo on the top piece of bread and ketchup on the lower. Ketchup usually doesn't come on po-boys to my knowledge. According to Anthony Bourdain I think ketchup put on anything aside from fries is a no-no. But, I love ketchup so I didn't mind it at all. The bread was really big, and soft as well. I think it took up a lot of room in my stomach which was why I wasn't able to eat it all. The fried oysters were about average. Decent in size for sure, but I think they could have been fried a little longer or battered more. They were a little bit on the softer side, as opposed to the crispiness I like to go for in fried seafood. Other than that the flavor was great. Each half had about half a dozen oysters on it so I tackled two dozen on the night.

Success!

If you're ever in the mood for oysters at a decent price, hit up either Parrain's or The Chimes on a Tuesday night. (same owners) My overall total was 22.51 without gratuity.

Parrain's Seafood Restaurant - 3225 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
http://www.parrains.com/