Foodle

When @saffronnola opened it brought something new to the New Orleans dining scene with its worldly, upscale vision of Indian cuisine.

As a second restaurant from its chef, @ashwinvilkhu , slowly took shape just across the street, many regulars surmised it would be a more casual counterpart for Indian flavors.

But @thekingswaynola goes in a much different direction, one that no other restaurant possibly could.

The new restaurant is a contemporary, upscale Asian restaurant with a prix fixe format, and its own take on the tasting menu approach.

Across a four-course menu, some dishes are distinctly Chinese, others are Vietnamese, and some are family creations. It’s more like the food of Singapore, a crossroads of Asian cuisines, than a fusion of them.

The through line is the chef’s own family - a story of hospitality and cuisine over two continents and two generations.

“All of this comes from my memories,” Ashwin told me. “It’s an homage to memory.”

Link in my bio has the story and many more photos by @cgranger , a couple here by me for a glimpse.

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nola #uptownnola #nolafoodie #nolafood #nolalife #magazinestreet #neworleans Less

Escalante’s is bringing the celebration for Cinco de Mayo with limited-time specialty drinks all weekend and live music! 🎉🇲🇽

Escalante’s Fine Tex-Mex & Tequila has been a Houston favorite since 1993, and this year’s festivities are not to be missed! Cinco de Mayo drink specials all weekend include:
🍉 Mint & Watermelon Margarita – 1800 Silver, watermelon liqueur, lime juice, mint syrup, watermelon purée, chamoy-Tajín rim – $15
🌶️ El Cadillac #5 – Herradura Reposado, muddled jalapeño, lime juice, agave nectar, Grand Marnier float, Tajín rim – $16
🍺 Modelo Especial – $6

🎶 Live Music Schedule – May 5, 5:30–7:30 PM
• Woodway – Mariachi
• Meyerland – Mariachi Peregrinos De Houston
• Town & Country – Mariachi Nuevo Amanecer
• Highland Village – Mariachi Fiesta En Jalisco Con Acordeón (5:30–7:30 PM), DJ (7:00–10:00 PM)
• Bay Area – Mariachi Rayos De Houston

Escalante’s is serving up bold flavors and lively vibes this Cinco de Mayo. See you there! 🎶🍹
📍: @escalantestxmex multiple Houston area locations

#houstoncincodemayo #houstonfood #houstoneats #houstonrestaurants #cincodemayohouston Less

It took a few visits, but I finally made it through all the new limited time flavors and specials at @vanleeuwenicecream—and it was worth the trips. Here’s how I’d rank them:

1. 🍓 Vegan Strawberry Sorbet – Sun-ripened Oregon strawberries, a touch of sugar, and lemon juice. So refreshing in the Houston heat—I loved it so much I went back for it.

2. 🥭 Mango Sticky Rice – Alphonso mangoes from India swirled with toasted rice coconut ice cream. Tried it in March and haven’t been able to get it again—it sells out after every restock!

3. 🍰 Turtle Treat Sundae – Praline Butter Cake ice cream topped with salted caramel sauce, honey almond slivers, and dark chocolate curls. I had this for lunch one day. Zero regrets.

4. 🍵 Blue Jasmine Passion Fruit Swirl – Blue jasmine green tea ice cream with swirls of passion fruit jam. This was my husband’s favorite—light, floral, and fruity in the best way.

5. 🍦 White Chocolate Cookie Crunch Sundae – White chocolate raspberry brownie ice cream, cookies & cream crumble, rainbow sprinkles, and whipped cream. The brownie pieces + cookie crumble? So good. But I’m not a fan of raspberry jam—just me?

6. 🍨 White Chocolate Raspberry Brownie – White chocolate ice cream with swirls of raspberry jam and chewy brownie chunks. Same jam issue for me— I love raspberries as a fruit on its own, but not as a jam or mixed with anything else. Is that weird?

Which one would you try first? Go soon before they’re gone!

📍: @vanleeuwenicecream multiple Houston locations

#vlambassador #vanleeuwenicecream #vanleeuwen #houstoneats #houstonicecream #houstonsweets #icecream Less

🎉 Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera Houston is celebrating BIG this month! Part of the Sushi Ginza Onodera brand—recognized for earning 15 Michelin stars—they bring elevated conveyor belt sushi to West Houston (this is their first location in the U.S. mainland and second international location outside Japan).

Two exciting events are coming up at @kaiten_onodera_houston:

📅 Half-Year Anniversary (May 16–18)
Enjoy new dishes + all-day specials up to 30% off:
• Chirashi Don – $18 (reg. $25)
• Roasted Beef Don – $30 (reg. $40)
• Gindara Set – $19 (reg. $25)
• $2.99 Salmon & $3.99 Lean Bluefin Tuna nigiri

🔪 Tuna Breakdown Memorial Weekend (May 23–25)
Watch a whole tuna broken down LIVE by Exec. Chef Sakagami from Japan:
• Sat, May 24 at 3PM
• Sun, May 25 at 2PM

You don’t want to miss this!

📍: @kaiten_onodera_houston @westonwesthtx 12270 Westheimer Rd., Houston, Texas 77077

#houstoneats #sushihouston #houstonrestaurants #conveyorbeltsushi #houstonsushi #idreamofsushi Less

May is National Italian Beef Month!
Time to celebrate with the real deal—now available in Texas at Central Market!

Buona [bow-nuh], the family-owned company behind Chicago’s original Italian beef, has been serving up their iconic slow-roasted beef since 1981. As the largest family-owned Italian beef producer in the U.S., they’ve stayed true to their time-honored methods—no preservatives, just flavor perfected over generations.

Ready in just 7 minutes, you can build your own Buona-style sandwich at home!
📍: @buonabeef available at @central_market

gifted #buonabeef #chicagoeats #centralmarket #texaseats #houstoneats #reallyintofood #italianbeef Less

NEW Ichijiku Sushi in Houston ✨

This sleek, modern sushi bar serves up fresh cuts in a minimalist space. Standouts for us included their light, crisp tempura and their signature Ichijiku Special Maki—a picture-perfect roll packed with tuna, salmon, yellowtail, cucumber & gobo, topped with Hokkaido uni, ikura, and negitoro. A solid new spot for good sushi without breaking the bank.
📍: @ichijikuhouston 9393 Bellaire Blvd, Suite C, Houston TX 77036

#houstonrestaurants #houstoneats #houstonfood #houstonsushi #sushirestaurant #idreamofsushi Less

One of my favorite spots in Houston: Katami never misses. From buttery cuts of fish and premium A5 Wagyu to standout dishes like the Tomato Somen Salad, Tuna Tar Tar, and Mushroom Rice Hot Stone, every plate is a masterclass. We were lucky enough to have Chef Hori-san personally present a rare cut of Masunosuke (king salmon) nigiri — a fish known for its incredible migration from Alaska to Hokkaido and prized for its rich, buttery flavor. It was a small but meaningful moment that speaks to the care behind every dish. Katami makes every dinner feel like a special occasion, and it continues to be one of our go-tos.
📍: @katamihouston 2701 W Dallas St, Houston, TX 77019

#houstonrestaurants #houstoneats #houstonfood #japanesefood #idreamofsushi #japaneserestaurant Less

This is where you should be brunching this weekend. 🍳

@papasannyc just rolled out a delicious new brunch menu that leans confidently into its Peruvian-Japanese identity. The dishes are bold, nicely-executed, and made for sharing. Some of my favorites were the hake tempura, scrambled egg & eel pizza, and Peruvian style rotisserie whole chicken

The space is bright and inviting, the energy laid-back but lively. There’s real thought behind the menu, and it shows. Can’t wait to come back soon to see what the dinner service is all about!

Swipe left to see a bunch of dishes from my recent visit!

1. Highlight reel
2. Seafood ceviche - fluke, squid, octopus, shrimp, rocoto pepper
3. Hake fish tempura - aji amarillo tartar sauce, nori seaweed
4. Hake fish
5. Grilled octopus hand roll - sushi rice, bacon, yuzu kosho dressing
6. Grilled octopus
7. Pink soda - watermelon vinegar, soda water
8. Crab and egg omelette roll - spinach, shiitake mushrooms, soy dipping sauce
9. Spicy tuna tartare gunkan - crispy sushi rice, nori, wasabi tobiko
10. Scrambled egg & eel pizza - sweet soy glaze, mozzarella & pecorino cheese
11. Oh Mary! - ilegal mezcal, haku vodka, tomato juice, mirin, ponzu, bleck pepper, aji panca
12. Burger sando - cucumber pickles, Papa San burger sauce, milk bread
13. Chicken sausage and eggs - Japanese curry, hash browns, milk bread
14. Papa Sour - pisco 1615, green apple, pear, sandalwood, lemon
15. Peruvian style rotisserie whole chicken - potato fries, 3 sauces
16. Matcha crepes - banana, dulce de leche, whipped cream
17. Bar seating area
18. Main dining room
19. Other bar seating area

#papasannyc #peruvianchinese #brunchnyc #hudsonyards #nycbrunch #brunchlover Less

@joomak_newyork continues to prove why it’s one of the most compelling new restaurants of 2025.

The team has just launched a $150 five-course bar tasting menu—distinct from the regular dinner experience, but crafted with the same level of precision, creativity, and technical finesse. The menu evolves with the seasons and ingredients, offering a thoughtful glimpse into the heart of Joomak’s culinary identity.

In even more welcome news, Joomak has lowered the price of its full tasting menu from $285 to $230—an exceptional value considering the pedigree of the kitchen, with talent from The Modern, Per Se, and Le Bernardin behind the scenes.

They’re also gearing up for a special Mother’s Day brunch and will be kicking off a dessert collaboration series with Chef Jiho and some of NYC’s top talent in pastry.

Follow @joomak_newyork for updates, and swipe through to see what’s currently on the delicious bar tasting menu!

1. Bar menu highlights
2. Everything bagel w/ king salmon & cream cheese
3. “Smash burger” w/ otoro and egg yolk gelee
4. A5 Wagyu and Hokkaido uni on black garlic toast
5. Scallop crudo, smoked buttermilk, meyer lemon, English pea vinaigrette
6. Steelhead trout, sourdough Spaetzle, bacon dashi, chrysanthemum
7. American Wagyu Hanger, grilled ramp kimchi and compound butter, pomme paillasson, bone marrow soy
8. Banana pudding w/ butter beer ice cream
9 & 10. Dining room

#Joomak #Joomaknyc #finedining #tastingmenu #westvillage #mothersday Less

This is where you should be brunching this weekend! 🔥

@coqodaq’s new “Brucket List” brunch might be one of the best brunch deals in nyc. For $38, you get seven tasty coqo d’oeuvres, an entree, and two desserts!

The menu has something for everyone and the fried chicken is available as well. If you want to try something fun, delicious, and unique you should definitely check out @coqodaq’s new brunch menu!

Swipe left to see all the dishes we tried - almost the entire menu!!

1. Highlight reel
2. Deviled eggs
3. Chicken consommé
4. French toast soldiers
5. Umma’s kimbap
6. Shrimp salad lettuce cups
7. Hash brown and salmon rilletes
8. Crispy chicken croquettes
9. French toast
10. Hash brown
11. Vitamin C.E.O. - carrot, ginger, turmeric, apple, maple, sea salt
12. Summer Thunder - watermelon, coconut water, sea salt, lime, manuka honey
13. Chicken and waffles
14. Kale Waldorf salad
15. Mandu en brodo
16. Buttermilk pancakes
17. Açai bowl
18. Fried chicken
19. Bounty of fruit
20. Soft serve frozen yogurt w/ passionfruit condensed milk

#coqodaq #coqodaqnyc #brunchnyc #flatiron #friedchicken Less