Mike's on the Avenue

We went out for Dining Out for Life which is a NOAIDS fundraiser that they do every year…25% of your bill goes to the NOAIDS Taskforce. A great cause and great excuse to try a new restaurant or pop into an old fav. We’d never been to Mike's and had been wanting to try it out for a while so we were very excited. It’s an Asian fusion restaurant with a cool modern décor and I’d peeked in the windows several times wanting to check it out. It seems like every city we visit has got 2 or 3 Asian fusion restaurants and it’s a category I definitely felt like we needed here in NOLA.

I guess we picked the most awful night to try this place out. The staff was very friendly but they seemed overwhelmed from the start. After being told our table would be ready shortly, we went to the bar to grab a drink and were never acknowledged by any of the staff. We waited a bit at the bar and the host let us know that our table was ready…no harm, no foul so far. It was a busy night and we were happy to have a table. One major design flaw of the restaurant was noise control. We couldn’t hear each other sitting right next to each other…although there were carpet tiles on the floor in a stylish gray squares, I looked up to find nothing above to help muffle the sound. I’ve seen places that put up banners, lighting fixtures, all kinds of interesting remedies. My pet peeve is going to a noisy place and to look up and see no noise mufflers. I really thought I was going to have to text Cory for the rest of the night. Our waiter came by to take drink orders and let us know what was sold out. The wine list was dismal and it took a long while to get our drinks. We felt like we were on a sinking ship…it looked like a lot of chaos was happening, with food going to the wrong tables and stressed out staff. Had it not been for the fundraiser, we probably would have just had a drink and asked for the check. Most of what we wanted was sold out so we skipped the apps and just got entrees. We were annoyed but hopeful when the food arrived. That hope was quickly shattered when we took our first bite. It tasted like frozen food…frozen food that hadn’t been prepared very well to boot. I looked at Cory and we decided he should go see if we can get in at Herbsaint while I pay the bill. Again, our waiter was very friendly, but explained that the computer was down and I had to give my phone number and sign the bill rather than the credit card slip. I felt bad, as I could tell there were a lot of problems that were noone’s fault, but it all added up to a really bad dining experience…except for the food. We can put up with a lot, but if the food is bad, what’s the point. It's too bad, that space seems to have trouble keeping anything in there for very long...that place seems cursed.

Herbsaint was amazing…they weren’t a participating restaurant but we’d already paid for one meal so we didn’t feel guilty. Don’t think we’ll be back to Mike's.

Mike's on the Avenue
628 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130
504.523.7600

Baru

If you ever get bored of the New Orleans Cajun/Creole scene and feel like a trip to the Caribbean; look no further than Magazine Street! Baru is easily one of my favorite restaurants in the city for a number of reasons: a) Flavorful, simple, straight-forward preparations b) You can get an entrée or mix it up with the tapas menu so no matter the size of your appetite there’s always a perfect fit c) the owners’ and staff are crazy friendly (props to David and Jordana) d) It’s one of, if not the best value restaurants in the city e) It’s quaint outdoor seating and décor makes me feel like I’m visiting Old San Juan d) I’ve gotta mention the food again…it really is fantastic!

All right, for those of you who live Uptown and haven’t been to Baru…SHAME ON YOU! Anyone visiting town or from another neighborhood, here’s the scoop. Baru is a charming, latin/caribbean tapas bistro on Magazine St. that combines authentic flavors and neighborhood allure like no other. They have a simple two-sided menu, one side Tapas and the other entrées as well as deserts and hand crafted teas (no liquor license so bring your fav bottle with you, they offer an $8 corkage fee which also cuts down on the bill…you’re gonna make out like a bandit…this place is D-lish and affordable!).

As far as the menu goes, my favs are the warm tapas menu. Right now they have chicken, skirt steak, shrimp, and mixed veggies all of which are served kabob style spiced and grilled to perfection on a wooden stick. Cory’s fav is the langostinos which is a cold tapas of boiled shrimp in a pink sauce and served with crackers…he can’t get enough…especially of the pink sauce…he puts it on everything. They always have a great Cevice as well as some other surprises you don’t see everywhere like conch. Our fav appetizer is the ostras…fried oysters with a cilantro aioli and caramelized onions on top…freakin yum. The entrees are all fab too! Lechon cubano is a slow-roasted Berkshire pork shoulder w/black beans and chorizo, maduros and pickled red onion…totally to die for. Sometimes I’ll grab the parrillada criolla and treat it like tapas…but that’s the way to do it with everything here…share with the table and have a great night! At any rate, the parrillada is a mixed grill of chicken, chorizo & skirt steak with a cilantro aioli and chimichurri on the side for dipping…the chorizo is a new preparation right now and it’s pretty great…it’s a house-made shredded pork sausage and it’s crazy yum.

If you haven’t stuffed yourself, like we did last time, they have a great tres leches; which is a white cake with a crème icing and condensed milk and pineapple on top. So good! I can’t say enough about this place, we go all the time! It’s great! Go eat there now! They are open for lunch and dinner starting at 11 AM.

Baru
3700 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70115-2637
(504) 895-2225

Scissor Sisters-Night Work

Scissor Sisters are back! They are on tour in Europe, have the #2 album in the UK, and are enjoying the best reviews from the press and fans of their career. If you’re a fan, you downloaded it the day it came out so there’s not much point at me going much further. But, because we live in the U.S., I know a lot of you STILL haven’t heard of them so I decided to throw this up to help out our side of the pond. Here’s a little Sisters 101:

For starters, they are my fav band EVER, and they are HUGE in Europe, especially the UK! They are a disco/funk/honkey-tonk/rock/electronica/glam/dance band from NY, and after their first b-side (a remake of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb”) started getting radio play in the UK, they got a record deal and exploded onto the international music scene. Their debut, “Scissor Sisters”, is tied with Purple Rain as my all-time favorite album. The first 4 songs are immediate classics the first time you hear them and the entire album is pretty amazing. It’s a fantastic blend of 70’s and 80’s ballads, dance, pop, funk fabulousness that feels like a greatest hits collaboration of all your favorite music thrown into one album. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that this is a retro or glorified cover band though because every song stands on it own. Their most popular song in the US was “Take Your Mama” and the club fav “Filthy Gorgeous”, but the rest of the world got to hear “Laura”, “Comfortably Numb”, and “Mary” in heavy rotation. They won 3 “Brit” awards (UK equivalent of the Grammy’s) and plenty of other awards and recognition from the International scene but never took off here in the States.

Their sophomore album, “TA-DAH” was an artistic journey in the land of cabaret, honky-tonk, and 70’s funk that was far less commercial but tons of fun and huge step forward musically. They collaborated with Elton John and Paul Williams and the first single, “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’” was a huge hit abroad and got a decent amount of airplay here, even if only in the clubs. “Land of a Thousand Words”, “Kiss You Off’ and “She’s My Man” were the other singles off of this album.

Night Work, their latest, is all about dancing, fun, sex and excess. It was 4 years in the making and evidently a whole album was scrapped during the process but I’m sure you’ll agree, totally worth the wait. The cover art is from the Mapplethorpe collection and sets the tone for this slightly dark, sleazy, ultra-sexual magic carpet ride of a dance album. Already a huge hit in Europe, their 1st single “Fire With Fire” is making it’s way through the club scene here and every fan I’ve spoken with is more than thrilled with their album and long-awaited return. It’s the most cohesive, fun, and party pleasing work to date and is everything that they do in their best form. My fav song is “Any Which Way” followed by “Invisible Light” but the whole album is great and needs to be thrown on in its entirety at you next party. It’s in constant rotation in my car and on my iPod and I find myself liking it more with every listen. Stop reading this and go buy it NOW!

Luke

Two words for ya…John Besh. The guy is famous for a reason, and what blows me away the most, is how different each restaurant he has in terms of price, specialty region, atmosphere and vibe. Luke is a French and German inspired restaurant with hints of local flavor thrown in for good measure and it’s turning into one of my fav spots for a swank lunch. The atmosphere has a mix of new and old with ‘20’s Deco, French posters, warm chocolate wood throughout and a gorgeous display of what’s on the Raw Bar as you walk in. It’s immediately comfortable and familiar while supplying plenty of surprises along the way. This place has something for everybody.

Let me start off by telling you that this is the home of the most amazing burger on the planet (I’ve never ordered one but have sampled, and believe me, I’m not overstating), but please don’t dumb this restaurant down to an upscale burger joint. We’ll start with drinks, they have both of my fav French whites by the glass – Bordeaux and Sancerre served in water glasses, which caught me off guard but I found kinda fun. No complaints with the wine list, they’ve got you covered. The cocktail list perfectly projects the flavors you’ll find on the menu. There are local stars like the Sazerac and Mint Julep as well as two Absinthe cocktails and two Champagne mixtures. I don’t want to type out the whole menu but you’ve got amazing choices from the Raw Bar, meats, pate, foie gras, salads, soups, sandwiches and entrees. Some of the unique sides include spatzle, gratin dauphinoise, and housemade choucroute. I had trouble making a choice.

I ordered off the Express Menu with the Specialty of the day for Tuesday: whole roast “cochon de lait” with cherry mustard and stewed greens. Freakin Yum! And a great deal..I got a cup of soup with the entrée of the day for $15. I had a cup of the crawfish bisque which was so amazingly buttery and warmly spiced…I was very happy from the start. The couchon de lait was served in an iron oval skillet with sweet cornbread stuffing under the greens. The pork had been formed into a perfect cube that fell apart with a nudge of a fork to reveal chunks of onion and spices and amazing pulled pork that had taken over 24 hours to cook (my waiter informed me)…really delicious! My friend had the shrimp farci – with blood orange hollandaise, crabmeat and shrimp. This was a stuffed shrimp, deep fried and a hollandaise on the side that was so thick and yum I could have had a glass and been happy as I felt my arteries clog shut. Totally worth the blood clot or stroke!

Bottom line: this is a fab, reasonably priced, John Besh gem that you must check out. There are surprises around every corner, and it’s probably safe to say that it’s the only French/German/Creole restaurant in existence…that alone is worth the trip. They are open all day and start serving breakfast from 7-11, lunch from 11-4 and dinner from 4-11 while take out is available all day. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

Lüke www.lukeneworleans.com
333 St. Charles Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-378-2840

GW FINS

I went out to eat at an amazing restaurant last night. It absolutely ranks with the best in New Orleans but it’s one that I always forget to suggest and take people to from out of town…that needs to change. I’ve been to G.W. Fins many times over the years and always leave happy and wanting more. They have amazing food, an impressive wine list with every region and price point, friendly attentive staff and a welcoming contemporary décor. You literally could feel at home walking in dressed in summer tourist attire or in a tuxedo. They have local flavor and ingredients as well as fresh (flown in daily, as a matter of fact) fish from all over the world. It’s one of those rare places that is a perfect fit for every occasion. It’s refined without being stuffy. “Understated Elegance” is how I feel best describes this restaurant, with the food being the most important element…as it should be, of course.

We have to start with the staple that most people rave about…the biscuits. They really represent what this restaurant does best and that is making the ordinary extraordinary. Anyone doing Atikins or South Beach should avoid these at all costs because they are addictive and will destroy your attempts at “saying no” to carbs. These little delicacies are perfectly golden brown on the outside and melt in your mouth soft on the inside. Basted with butter to flavor and sprinkled with sugar, you really feel like a new word needs to be created because these are not merely biscuits…my mouth is watering as I’m typing this, by the way.

The wine list is fab! All but a handful of the wines are available by the glass…the best selection I’ve ever seen at any restaurant. They made a lot of smart selections, too so whatever you’re in the mood for, they’ve got you covered without reading through a 14-page book. I started with a Sancerre. After looking over the menu Cory and I decided on a bottle of white Bordeaux (at an amazing price point I might add…$36 and it was fantastic). They literally have choices from around the world (Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia) with plenty of domestic as well…a very balanced list that spans every taste and region and, again, every price point.

They are running a special at the moment called the Fins Feast. For $35 you get a 3-course dinner and $5 of that goes to the LA Coastal Response. Great deal and you have 3 app, 3 entrees, and 3 desert choices. I wasn’t up for desert so I ordered off the menu starting with the Crispy Fried Split Maine Lobster Tail (with Remoulade slaw and side of melted butter)…AMAZING! So moist and tender with a perfect crispy batter…yum indeed! Cory did the Fins Feast and started off with the Calamari with Spicy Asian glaze, it was great too. His second course was the Blackened Tripletail with Chili hollandaise, red pepper coulis, Creole tomato and okra. I only had a bite but it was to die for. My second course was Wood Grilled Butterfish with Pineapple basil glaze, sweet potato hash, crispy plantains, and roasted corn butter. The Butterfish had a great seasoned sear on the outside and was so moist throughout and had a light smokey flavor. It really didn’t need the sauce because the fish was prepared and smoked to perfection but the sauce really added a whole new spectrum of flavor and sent it off the charts. My favorite thing about eating at a great restaurant is when they can combine so many elements and balance them without one overpowering another…that’s exactly what was going on with this entrée…really amazing.

Cory’s came with a desert but we were so full and satisfied that we asked them not to bring it…I should have had a bite just to let you know about it but I promise you, there aren’t any flops on this menu. I didn’t try this because they were sold out but listen to how yum this sounds…Sautéed Artic Char with Foie gras, Yukon Gold potatoes, spinach, and Merlot sauce…I think I’m gonna have to go back for that one.

So, if you’ve never been or haven’t been in a while, it’s time to hit GW FINS! The only word of caution is that it is a seafood restaurant…they offer a Center Cut Filet and a Prime Ribeye but most of the selections are seafood…I don’t get it, but some people aren’t seafood lovers, but there truly is something for everyone here. Definitely a world-class restaurant and one of NOLA’s finest.

They are located at 808 Bienville Street and their phone number is (504) 581-FINS (3467)

HRC 2010 Gala Dinner

Wow! Let there be no doubt, HRC knows how to throw a party! Cory and I attended the 2010 Gala Dinner last night at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and had an amazing time. The black tie event began with a silent auction and drinks in the lobby with an impressive array of items throughout the 3^rd floor lobby. Once the chimes rang we made our way in to the dinner table, which was tastefully decorated with a bundle of roses surrounded by handmade variations of the HRC symbol (blue square with yellow equal symbol inside). There was one for every place setting and each one was a unique take-home memento of the evening, a “Fun Little” made by New Orleans artist Sarah Dunn.

The food was unexpectedly fantastic. HRC did a great job of choosing top quality beer and wine, which was included with admission and mixed drinks were available by purchasing tickets. Bottles of Kendall Jackson Chardonnay and Cabernet were at every table. The meal began with a cucumber wrapped bunch of spinach with strawberries, blue cheese, and spiced pecans finished with a balsamic dressing. The main course was filet mignon with caramelized onions surrounded by a sweet potato puree. No steak knife necessary, the medium rare medallion could be cut with a butter knife or fork. Fantastic! I normally have pretty low expectations for any type of mass seating event like this. Even though it was at the Ritz, I wasn’t expecting restaurant quality, but this was amazing. The friendly staff took great care of us and looked the part in jackets and white gloves. For a large seating, no one does it better than the Ritz. (If you’ve never been to Easter or Mother’s Day brunch there, you’re truly missing out). To finish it all off we had a beautiful sticky toffee pudding topped with a wafer thin cookie and crowned with a sliver of combo dark and white chocolate. Yum indeed!

HRC members presenting were from all over the country and in addition to the speakers (who shared some poignant personal stories), they recognized work, outreach, and issues. The most pressing of which is the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT). I was especially impressed to hear of the community outreach programs that they’ve been implementing nationwide. I learned a lot about the organization and the work that they do.

Then, of course, was the night’s headliner, Wanda Sykes. One of my favorite comedians, she gave a hilarious performance and definitely didn’t disappoint. Along with some of the amazing material from her recent HBO special, we were treated to some New Orleans centric humor and new comedy. My face literally hurt from smiling and laughing. If you have never seen her live, you absolutely have to check out her HBO special. She is without a doubt one of the best.

The end of the show wasn’t the end of the evening, as there was a DJ in the lobby as well as several drink stations. A fantastic time was had by all and Kudos to all of the volunteers and staff of HRC. Special thanks to Jody for helping us with last minute tickets, and Gina for taking such good care of us. Everyone involved should be very proud of such a successful event and I will most definitely be there next year. Hope to see you there.

The Real Housewives of New York

As this is my first entry I’ll let you know right off the bat, I’m addicted to trashy TV… more specifically, reality TV. I was on vacation last year and stumbled upon the Real Housewives of New York marathon of season 2. I’d complained to friends that I wouldn’t waste my time watching a bunch of middle-aged women trying to get their 15 minutes of fame prancing around the city. As nothing was worth watching on a Saturday afternoon, I watched and about ¾ of the way into the first episode, I was hooked. I loved the little digs and flare-ups and the parties and lunches…sign me up, indeed!

Needless to say, I TiVoed the whole season and went back and watched season 1…LOVED IT! Couldn’t wait for season 3…wow what roller coaster this season has been. Bethenny and Jill were my favs from the get-go…Bethenny had this great sense of humor and Jill had this likeable the-world-revolves-around-me attitude and they were hilarious together! Well, this season started off with the two of them fighting and my panties were in a bunch from the first episode. I felt like I was in the middle of a high school friendship break-up and have been OBSESSED…reading their blogs and looking for sound-clips on the internet and watching all the sneak peeks on BravoTV.com and watching “What Happens Live” to get any outside info I could…a total crazy stalker freakazoid!!! I really am embarrassed for myself because I know I’ve gone totally overboard but I seriously can’t get enough!

Gotta say though, Jill went from my fav to “hated her” immediately and at no point this season did she redeem herself. She’s the kind of person who’ll give you the shirt off her back as long as you give her all the praise and never upstage her. She created drama over nothing, made herself the victim when she was attacking others, and would never allow others to apologize when they were in the wrong. The woman really has no clue and it’s downright sad to watch. I’ve been cracking up at the fact that every time I find another housewife fan and I ask which “team” their on…if they say Jill I rip them a new one on the spot and ask them to justify her actions…they can’t, they just say that they like her and can’t explain why. What’s even sadder is why I care…I’ve never met these people and never will but I’ve allowed them to suck me into their everyday personal drama…not to mention they turned into my first blog entry.

I guess all I can say is GOD BLESS AMERICA ‘cause nowhere else can you indulge in high calorie, sugar coated, no-good-for-you TV that even the dumbest can relate to and enjoy! I ain’t scurred! LOVE IT! If you’re a fan and have missed this season, the reunion show is next Thursday June 10 and it’s gonna be insane! The finale was Bravo’s highest rated show ever with 2.64 million viewers and the reunion will probably get even more. Set your TiVo to record the marathon so you know what’s going down before the fireworks start. Coo Koo Kelly is sure to have a breakdown and the gloves come off with Bethenny and Jill and I’m dying to see what Alex and Sonja have to say. They taped for 9 grueling hours. Jill walked off the set at one point. Gonna be great. Evidently Bethenny isn’t coming back for season 4 and I read that Jill is “debating” which means she’s trying to get more money…she needs more money ‘cause she made a fool a herself this season…fa true!

Thanks for reading my first entry! This was my first stream-of-conscious kind of entry...had to let it flow:-) I’m gonna have all kinds of entries in the future…restaurant reviews, wine picks and info, style rants, vacation/destination, local events and parties, TV…it’s gonna be fun! Thanks to my fantastic friend Robert for suggesting and setting everything up…this was all his idea and he’s the bestest! Thanks Robert!

Going to see Wanda Sykes at HRC Gala tonight so I’ll have something to say about it I’m sure. ADORE HER!!! Blog atcha soon!