Random Acts of Dining

May 2, 2008 

This week there is no rhyme, no reason, no theme to my dining frenzy, just a mess of masticating at casual spots around the metro area, a local ice cream taste-test and of course my Jazz Fest picks.  As always there's plenty to chew on...

Eat to the Beat - At Jazz Fest the food choices are vast but the standouts were fewer and farther between.  I was initially excited about this year's newcomer, Cajun Duck Po-Boy, but alas, it did not live up to the expectations - bland, mushy and gray.  So what did work?  The Shrimp Macque Choux rocked with simple, clean flavors and also a hit was Linda Green's Yaka Mein of salty, spicy beef broth, cooked spaghetti, small bits of beef, boiled egg and a good amount of chopped green onion.  More please.  A friend called Praline Connection's Grilled Chicken Livers with Greens and Rice, Festival Foie Gras.  I agree.  Tender, gently grilled chicken livers, sharp greens, and sweet-hot pepper jelly for balance.  Heaven.  Dark chocolate covered strawberries (near the Acura stage) are a perfect finishing touch or mid-day snack and don't forget the thirst-quenching coolness of rose-mint iced tea. 

Casual Bites - Park on the Andrew Higgins side of Cochon and find right next door a cheeky little grocery store called Nola Grocery.  Order boudin at the miniscule counter inside and then take your food to a picnic table outside (or head back to the office) to eat.  Unfurl the white butcher paper to reveal a smokey, chocolate brown link packed with a well-spiced grind of livery tasting meat and crushed rice.  Return for more boudin (there's smoked, regular and seafood), a smoked Cajun Chicken patty po-boy and a sugary praline.

On the Boulevard - On Veterans, near the International Store (cross street Richland), is a new coffee shop called Bayou Express-O.  Cute.  In this tiny cabin-of-a-place with drive-thru and walk-up window service, there is deep and dark brewed coffee, Latte's, Frappe's, Smoothies and soon, snowballs.  Muffins, scones and quick breads are baked on site - a raspberry scone was cake-like not crumbly dry and tasted nostalgically like a cherry pop-tart. 

Farther up the boulevard, just about to Williams, there are some kitschy joints for casual dining.  Nacho's Cafe & La Cocinita, a Honduran cafe offers staple beef plate lunches and crispy rolled chicken tacos ($1.50 each) topped with a tangy cabbage slaw and red, ranchero-style sauce.  Two is an ample meal.  The nutty, cinnamon spike Horchata is nice to drink with a plate of chewy Carne Asada (marinated beef), plain charro beans, rice, cabbage slaw and rectangles of salty "queso fresco" (fresh cheese similar to ricotta).  Two women run the joint, serve and cook.  They were immensely helpful and generous to those with Spanish that barely covered culinary words.  On the way out our group was given tall cups of ice-cold, fresh squeezed lemonade, on the house.

The sign at Seafood & Po-Boys read "NEW - BBQ pork chop Po-Boy!"  Eating words to me.  Step through  the front door of this humble spot, into a clean-as-a-whistle cafe with a handful of tables and absolutely no charm whatsoever, unless you count the lovely white-haired gentleman who takes orders.  The signs are handwritten or computer generated - "Seafood Gumbo 5.99 a pint;" ok I'll have some.  Out from the kitchen arrives a decent, even spiced okra thickened brew studded with medium-sized shrimp and chunks of tomato, a wee bit of rice.  The draw for me, a bbq'd pork chop po-boy is simple - fried boneless pork chop slid between good French bread and slathered with commercial bbq sauce.  Skip the sauce, get the sandwich dressed all the way, it's much, much better.  The "piece de resistance" is a Root Beer Snow Float where sweet, delicious root beer meets soft-serve ice cream and snow (shaved ice) - genius.     

Ice Cream Scoop - Kleinpeter Dairy recently began making and selling retail, their ice creams.  I decided to check out the Strawberry flavor made with Ponchatoula strawberries from Crescent City Farmers’ Market vendor, Heather Robertson of Johnsdale Farms.  I haven’t yet talked to Heather or Kleinpeter, but I think this ice cream, while nicely textured, tastes more of cherries than strawberries.  I’m always proud and pleased to buy and support local, but I think this flavor needs some work.