On my Mardi Gras trip, I decided to look for something a little different to try in NOLA. There are of course many places I haven’t visited, but Juan’s Flying Burrito was an intriguing (and cheap) option. We stopped by the “Creole Taqueria’s” location on Magazine St. in the Garden District for lunch.

Juan's Flying Burrito: Creole Taqueria

We were seated promptly and had a while (too long, unfortunately) to look around before our server stopped by. The interior is “interesting” (Vortex-like, for ATLiens) with a ton of eclectic art-for-sale lining the walls, much of it featuring skulls or bleeding hearts. Food and drink specials are written on chalkboards around the room, and like any legit New Orleans eatery, they sport a full bar.

Spencer and I deliberated over the menu for about 5 minutes, and then waited another 15 before our waitress came to take our orders. When she returned 10 minutes later asking Spencer, “Oh, your drink hasn’t come out?” we gave each other blank stares because…isn’t that HER job (especially because she had brought my drink 5 minutes earlier)? Sketchy service aside, our food [me: Flying Enchiladas (steak, chicken, and shrimp grilled together, then stuffed inside our cheese enchiladas served with all three sauces, topped with sour cream and guacamole) Spencer: Super Nachos Grande (ground beef and chicken, with black and pinto beans, melted cheese, guacamole, sour cream, salsa and jalapenos)] was good:
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This week’s Lenten fish dish is a flavor-boosted version of one of my least favorite fish. I’ve always found tilapia bland and sometimes dry, but I guess that was the fault of the cooking method and not necessarily the fish itself. This baked tilapia has a yummy Parmesan topping which keeps the fish moist and flaky. I baked some frozen mixed veggies in a foil packet along with the fish to round out the meal:

Baked Tilapia + Veggies

On my recent visit home for Mardi Gras, my brother Spencer and I went cruising around New Orleans the Sunday before Fat Tuesday and ended up on Magazine St. in the Garden District. This is the neighborhood you see in romanticized versions of New Orleans: tree-lined streets, mini-mansions, and old-school architecture. Luckily, because of its location on high ground, most of the post-HK damage here was caused by wind and not water, and the vast majority of the residents have returned to the area. Anyway, on our slow stroll up and down Magazine, I happened to notice a sweets shop and of course had no choice but to stop in.

Sucré touts itself as an emporium of artisan sweets. According to their website, “unlike a traditional bakery, Sucré serves plated desserts with custom garnishes in addition to boxed treats.” As soon as I walked in the door, my eyes became the size of dinner plates. It took me a full 10 minutes to decide what I was going to order, and during that time I snapped a ton of pictures of Sucré’s offerings (not including the storefront below; it is from Sucré’s website):

Sucre

My selections

I finally decided to go with a gelato and 2 macaron flavors suggested by a staff member: lemon and the “Valentine’s special” raspberry & white chocolate.
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It’s Lenten season, and I told myself I would try to do a fish series for any readers looking for ways to spice up their meatless existence. Plus, I need to eat more fish myself. It’s brain food after all! So, I’m going to try to have a new fish recipe up every week. First up, Honey-Balsamic Glazed Salmon:

Honey-Balsamic Glazed Salmon

Typically, I like my salmon pretty naked: simply seasoned and pan-seared in olive oil. But for something to spice up its rotation during the next 40 39 days, this glaze offers a nice change of pace.
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This is a long overdue post on an amazing dinner and wine tasting hosted by Mark Beringer of Artesa Vineyards and Winery at Bone’s Steakhouse. Mr. Beringer is the new VP of Production and Winemaking at Artesa and has been touring the country showing off some of the Spanish-owned company’s products. Bone’s is arguably the best steakhouse in Atlanta, so I was very excited to be treated to a meal there complete with wine pairings: an area I know little about but am interested in learning. I also had the opportunity to meet the ATL bloggers behind Atlanta Restaurant Blog, Amy on Food, and Atlanta Foodies, so you can check out their reviews of the event as well!

Our first course was Bone’s chilled seafood platter, which contained a number of beautifully presented crustaceans:

Chilled Seafood Platter

Artesa Chardonnays

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Oh, Atlanta. Your climate is classified “humid subtropical”. Your summers are unbearably hot and sticky. So why do you insist on remaining well below freezing (this Louisianian considers <50 “freezing”) for weeks at a time?? The only upside to this dismal weather is the hot foods I’m finding to keep me warm. A few weekends ago, I decided to make a warming comfort food: French onion soup.

French Onion Soup

I’ve had to try to convince people before that even if you don’t like onions, you will like this soup. I mean, who could resist such depth of flavor, such heartiness, such…cheesy melty goodness? French onion soup does take a while to make properly, but even for my first attempt (for which I am already plotting improvements), it was well worth the time.
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Before I get started, I must disclose that this meal was comped. Apparently the FTC can now fine me thousands of dollars for not letting my readership know about freebies. Mario and I were invited to Piedmont park-side restaurant The Nook by one of the owners, Adam, to check out new executive chef Michael Gogolin. Gogolin is former Chef de Cuisine at the Marlow’s Tavern franchise (which I hear good things about) and was head chef at the Vinings location. I hear The Nook has not gotten good reviews on its food in the past, but when Mario and I stopped in one drizzly evening, we were not disappointed.

The place was not especially busy when we came in, so we got a good look at the space, which we both liked. The bar area is the room’s focal point, with booths lining the walls for those who want a more “nook”-like experience. The main attraction is likely the large patio, which was available (though enclosed and equipped with heaters) that night, but we only saw one small group braving the cold outside. We decided to start with an app of “Ooh Ooh Bread” (topped with creamy Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic and mayo that is lightly toasted and served with homemade marinara sauce), which I think we chose based on the name alone:

Ooh Ooh Bread