Foodle

Ahead of @defenddecatur this Sunday , I’ve been on sort of a practice march version, bopping around bars and visiting restaurants afflicted by the fence.

I’ve turned up some new-to-me finds that should be on your list.

At @zhangbistro (1141 Decatur St.), where I swooned for the salt and pepper shrimp.

It’s a Chinese dish I’ve been chasing around town ever since the demise of Kim Son in Gretna in 2018 (where it was dubbed “salt baked”).

At Zhang, a light coating barely clings to the shrimp, with wok-charred onions and chiles piled over the top adding layers of flavor.

Another standout here is the dry red chile chicken (a.k.a. laziji), pulsing with lightly-numbing Szechuan peppercorns.

In some Decatur dining rooms and bars I’ve visited, a handful of customers could change the trajectory of the day - so don’t think a visit won’t make an impact.

Link in my bio has the full read on and more fun stops along Decatur

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #defenddecatur #frenchquarter #nolaeats Less

New Orleans style hot tamales by the plate or pressed into a po-boy.

A hot sausage po-boy made extra, extra hot with chili and jalapenos.

Fried chicken that’s served lickety split quick but is still crisp and crunchy.

Boudin balls for a road snack and Bunny Bread and milk jugs for the neighbors.

What is this place? It’s @guillorysdeli , a one-time grocery long ago turned into an old school lunch counter well hidden on a residential stretch of Metairie — a suitably old-fashioned place to rediscover the increasingly rare regional variety of New Orleans style hot tamales.

It’s run by three brothers. Their dad’s hot tamale recipe was once a bar snack at a pool hall down the street. Then it made it to the deli menu and into a po-boy.

Link in my bio has the full read

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #metairie #neworleansfood #nolaeats Less

Cute Pink Hotel & Restaurant in Indian Wells 💖🌴

The cutest place to grab a bite in the desert 💖 This is your sign to check out The Pink Cabana inside @sandshotelspa the next time you’re in Indian Wells!

We ordered:
🥂Rosé & Chenin Blanc
🥩Steak Frites
🍗Harissa Chicken
🍫Complimentary Chocolate Tart

#indianwells #indianwellscalifornia #palmsprings #palmspringscalifornia #sandshotel Less

More on Decatur….superlative chicken shawarma - generously packed into a tortilla-thin flat bread, with pickle spears and lots of toum (the heavenly, fluffy garlic sauce), grilled on a press.

This one from @lebanongrillnola , which keeps a low profile, but opens to a dining room done like a Middle Eastern bazaar with a pizza oven for kafta pizzas (and a full bar).

It’s another find ahead of @defenddecatur this coming Sunday (May 24).

Defend Decatur is a self-guided day out to bring some business to a string of shops, restaurants and bars that really need it — those contending with the slow going infrastructure work that has blocked off their streets — but not their doors.

It should be a nice, very New Orleans sidewalk only block party.!

In some Decatur dining rooms and bars I’ve visited, a handful of customers could change the trajectory of the day - so don’t think a visit won’t make an impact.

Link in my bio has the full read on and more fun stops along Decatur

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #defenddecatur #frenchquarter #nolaeats Less

Here’s a first look at @thecrustaceanclubnola , new in the French Quarter.

It gives two different approaches.

One room is called the Oyster Bar, a walk-in proposition for raw oysters, cocktails and snacks.

The main act is in the Club Room, a 22-seat, reservation-only dining space serving a chef’s tasting menu exclusively, with multiple courses and plenty of surprises all changing around the local catch.

“We have a lot more to say about what you can do with Gulf seafood,” co-chef Brenna Sanders told me.

Link in my bio has the full read. Here’s a first look around

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #frenchquarter #nolaeats #neworleansfood Less

Dog-Friendly Restaurant in Palm Springs 🐩🌴

If you bring your dog to Palm Springs, add @boozehoundsps to your list! They have a dog menu so your pup can enjoy a fun meal out with you 🦴

We ordered:
🌿Hugo Spritz
🍹Aperol Spritz
🐾Beef & Spinach Bites
🍔Smash Burger
🍗Karaage Chicken Sandwich

#palmsprings #palmspringslife #palmspringscalifornia #dogfriendly #dogfriendlytravel Less

Bottomless tapas at @plates.nola

They call it San Sebastián Nights … tables of pintxos and tapas and wines from the porron (hello Txakolina, my perennial summer friend….)

This was a fun first trial run. The next edition is Wednesday, May 27, and they’re planning to do it the last Wednesday of each month through the summer and maybe beyond.

Me? I’m hoping they make it weekly.

Check out Plates for tickets

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafood #nolafoodie Less