Gourmand - The Hungry Nomad

La Boulangerie (New Orleans)

December 20, 2010 1 Comment

La Boulangerie: For those of us nostalgic for the days spent in Paris and knowing that walking the cobble streets and stopping for a frequent cafe, vin et cigarrette are no longer possible, La Boulangerie can help fill the void. Not only do you get to taste delicious delights that resemble most bakeries in Paris but what you also get is the Parisian attitude. Lack of service and an air of arrogance can be found at La Boulangerie along with delicious pain au chocolat, croissant et le parisien.

But back to what is really the heart of the matter: the food. Despite the service the bread, pastries and quiches are delicious and keep the customers going back for more. Try getting there early so that you can taste the freshness of the croissants that melt in your mouth. They often run out by mid-day.

Delicious Cherry Danish

Puffy, light, perfect raspberry croissant

La Boulangerie is located at: 4600 Magazine St, New Orleans, Louisiana – (504) 269-3777

Gourmand, New Orleans, Oysters

Acme Oyster House (New Orleans)

November 30, 2010 2 Comments

Looking for great Chargrilled oysters in the French Quarter? Then look no further. Acme Oyster House on Iberville street offers a delicious variety of oysters (raw and chargrilled), gumbo soup, jambalaya, soft shell crab, etc. The atmosphere is also great. There is usually a line up outside to be seated since the restaurant is on the smaller side; however, it really doesn’t take long to get seated. Plus its all part of the fun. If you are in the french quarter then definitely stop over at Acme’s for some oysters.

Acme Oyster House: 724 Iberville St, New Orleans

Gourmand, New Orleans

Rock ‘n’ Sake- A Sushi Joint (New Orleans)

November 28, 2010 No Comments

Rock-n-Sake: Is a sushi bar and restaurant in the Warehouse district of New Orleans. With the loud music, dim lights and interesting art on the walls- its as hip as you can get in New Orleans. No wonder it is usually packed on the weekends with the young ‘hip’ crowd. It is a fun place to eat. The sushi is good as well. When it comes to sushi I am a bit of a snob…having grown up in Vancouver BC where 1 out of 2 restaurants is a sushi joint. However, I have also had the opportunity to try various sushi restaurants in New Orleans (there aren’t that many to choose from) and this is on the top of my list (in New Orleans). There are some interesting creations including rice paper sushi rolls where instead of seaweed the rolls are made with rice paper served in delicious ponzu sauce. The rolls are on the expensive side (14-16 dollar rolls). However, that is pretty much the price of sushi in New Orleans. They also serve other Japanese dishes including udon noodle soups, beef/tuna tatakis, etc. If you are looking for a fun way to spend the evening (that is if a crowded restaurant with loud music is your definition of fun) then you should definitely check out this hip warehouse district sushi bar.

823 Fulton St., New Orleans, LA 70130 /Tel: (504) 581-7253

Rebel rice paper roll

Gourmand, New Orleans, Oysters

Charbroiled Oysters at Dragos (New Orleans)

November 25, 2010 1 Comment

Dragos Restaurant: If you want to try charbroiled oysters or raw oysters this is the place for it. Although there are several other restaurants that specialize in charbroiled oysters, Dragos is the largest. Other dishes on the menu include charbroiled lobsters , grilled fish and Po’boys. But our tradition is to go in for the oysters and their perfectly flavored bloody mary. But we only have the oysters… it is the best thing on the menu.

2 Poydras Street, New Orleans, LA / 3232 N Arnoult Road Metairie, LA

Cup of delicious seafood gumbo

Bloody Mary

Charbroiled Oysters

Drago's Seafood Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Romantic Vacation
New Orleans

Gourmand, New Orleans

Real Italian Cuisine at the Domenica (New Orleans)

November 24, 2010 1 Comment

Domenica: I have had a lot of ‘Italian’ food in New Orleans. Most times its really not Italian at all but American version of ‘Italian’ and if that wasn’t bad, in New Orleans over time they have added their own southern Cajun touch to Italian food…which in the end means if you are expecting real Italian food you are in for a real surprise. However, I can confidently say that Domenica serves real Italian dishes. This is another John Besh restaurant. For those of you who don’t know that name, he is a pretty big deal down here: a local celebrity chef with several amazing restaurants and cookbooks. Domenica is his latest project located in the beautiful Roosevelt hotel. The decor of the restaurant is very elegant, trendy and sophisticated. There is also an elevated CHEESE bar. That’s right you read correctly : a cheese bar. I only dream of having my very own cheese and charcuterie bar one day in my home. What else can you ask for? All cheeses and charcuterie are cut/sliced fresh and ready to serve with the most delicious puffy bread like pastries. I would go back just for those little heavenly delights.

As soon as you are seated you will stare down at your menu as the place-mats are paper menus. The choice on the menu ranges from delicious real italian style pizzas, to the salumi and formaggi list. To of course the antipasti, primi, secondi and controri. I have tried several of the pizzas including the prosciutto and the calabrese (both delicious). Along with the gnocchi and rissotto. Had no complaints there either. All I can say is that the dishes tasted no different than what you would expect in a small village in Tuscany. Ah yes that reminds me, the wine list has a great variety of wines from different regions of Italy. So if you are a wine connoisseurs and love your Italian wine you will be in for a treat.

Spinach and Ricotta Gnocchi

Pizza Calabrese

Gourmand, New Orleans, Sweets

Café du Monde (New Orleans)

November 21, 2010 2 Comments

Café du Monde:

You can’t come to New Orleans and not make a trip to Café du Monde in the French Quarter. It is a New Orleans tradition. Located on Decatur street Café du Monde serves only one thing: Beignets: a French pâte à choux pastry (think of the pastry part of an eclair ), fried, with a crunchy outside and a soft, tender inside. I like to think of it as a french name for a doughnut. Although anything french just tastes better. And this is no exception: the doughnut has nothing on a french beignet soaked in powdered sugar. They come in a serving of 3-6 and go best with a cup of café au lait, hot chocolate or coffee. I personally like to dip my beignets in the café du lait. Also- for your convenience and due to popularity this café is open 24/7. Enjoy.

1039 Decatur Street New Orleans, LA 70116

Beignets and cafe du lait

Gourmand, New Orleans

I Eat Like a Cochon (New Orleans)

November 17, 2010 1 Comment

Cochon Restaurant: Trendy, hip and delicious food all in one place. One of the first places I discovered upon moving to New Orleans. For the vegetarians…you might want to stay away. As the name of the restaurant pretty much gives you an idea of the type of food you’ll be getting- a variety of pork delights. From pork belly, fried pig ears and bacon, Cochon specializes in southern Cajun cooking with a modern twist. Fear not my friends who don’t enjoy eating pork. I myself am not a big pork fan, however, there were plenty of other choices on the menu including fried alligator with chili garlic (yum), oven-roasted gulf fish (double yum) and smoked beef brisket.

Chef Link and co-owner Chef Stephen Stryjewski, embracing the old style traditions receive whole pigs and oversee an in-house Boucherie, creating boudin, andouille, smoked bacon, and head cheese. The menu also features handmade crawfish pies, rabbit & dumplings, and spoon bread with okra & tomatoes. Cochon offers specialties from the wood-burning oven such as roasted oysters, suckling pig, and beef brisket. Seafood from local waters round out the offerings with Chef Link’s signature roasted gulf fish “fishermen” style.

If you want to try some good southern cajun cooking in a modern yet casual atmosphere then be sure to make your way to Cochon.


930 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans, (504) 588-2123

Gourmand, Los Angeles, Travel

Iranian Cuisine at Shahrzad in Tehrangeles- Westwood (Los Angeles)

November 17, 2010 No Comments

Arriving in Los Angeles…first thing is first: I MUST get my kabob-fix. And not any kind of regular kabob but only the best kind- the ‘Persian’ kind. Where can you get Persian kabob’s in LA you ask? Well look no further than the unofficial ‘Iran-Village’ better known as Westwood. Westwood blvd is filled with Persian restaurants, book shops, grocery stores, art shops and last but definitely not less important on the Persian menu: waxing and threading shops. My personal favorite is Shahrzad. The ambiance is casual, the food is delicious and the price is not over the roof. PLUS they have their own ‘tanoor’ which is a brick oven where they make their own bread which goes really well with the long list of dips: my personal favorites: kashkeh badenjoon (eggplant dip with a Persian wonder known as kashk– In modern Iran, kashk is a thick whitish liquid similar to whey (a dairy product) similar to sour cream, used in traditional Persian/Iranian cooking) and another eggplant dip called Mirza Ghasemi (eggplants, tomatoes and lots of garlic). This is to be followed by the main course: a large plate of basmati rice topped with safron soaked rice and long skewer of any type of kabob you can wish for. The food was so delicious I managed to go back twice in a matter of three days. That’s some serious commitment to Kabobs.

kashk-eh badenjoon (eggplant dip)

Gourmand, Los Angeles, Sweets, Travel, USA

A Little of Bit of Pain Quotidien in Los Angeles (Los Angeles)

November 11, 2010 1 Comment

I was so pleasantly surprised to have literally stumbled into my favorite organic pastry/ brunch spot all the way here in Los Angeles. Turns out Pain Quotidien has locations all over the States and the world. Therefore- there goes my assumptions that Pain Quotidien was exclusively a European luxury. This was my weekly hangout in Paris and Geneva and well nothing could make me happier to learn that I don’t have to travel to Europe to enjoy some of PQ’s yummy delights. Beautiful and impeccably arranged pastries, breads and tarts wait behind glass cases, and it takes a considerable amount of self control not to order one of each.

This communal table, according to the restaurant’s website, has been a consistent and important feature of all Le Pain Quotidien sites since the first store opened in Brussels in 1990. Since then, it has “encouraged sharing of time and space” and has helped bring people together over food. An excuse to be brought together over food. I’m okay with that!!!

PQ- to me means one thing: delicious organic breads and a wide selection of spreads. Of course they offer so much more than that including wonderful tartines, salads, soups, etc. My personal favorite on a lazy Sunday morning is the basket of bread (including the croissant) and their to-die-for Belgian Praline spread. I wish I could put in words the amazingness of this praline spread but I don’t know how to describe it. I guess it can be compared to Nutella- except better. I know , I know, you’re thinking what can be better than Nutella? Well- come try this spread for yourself. In fact I am on my way to buy some to take home with me.

8607 Melrose Avenue, Melrose, West Hollywood/1st St and Beverly Blvd, 113 North Larchmont Boulevard/320 South Robertson Boulevard, Los Angeles

Gourmand, New Orleans, Sweets

Sucré – A Sweet Tooth’s Paradise (New Orleans, USA)

November 8, 2010 1 Comment

Sucré~ Most people from New Orleans are familiar with Sucre. It’s every sweet tooth’s paradise. For those visiting New Orleans and wanting to experience more than the French Quarter- I hope you make your way over to Magazine street- a long stretch of road filled with restaurants, boutiques, galleries, art shops, and gelaterias. If you are in the mood for sweets then I highly recommend you take the time to experience Sucré. Last night, as I wrote about La Duree Macaroons in Paris, I suddenly got a craving for Macaroons and within 30 minutes found myself indulging in sweets from Sucré. There is so many different deserts to choose from that it’s hard to choose one. Luckily there were 4 of us so we ended up with a variety of different sweets and macaroons to share amongst us. Sucré also has a large variety of gelatos which are amazingly delicious in the heat of the New Orleans summer.