A downtown sports bar is evolving. Mike Labat, co-owner of Puncher's, says the bar will transform into a new concept called Third Street Pub and will be open by next week. Labat says the change came because he wants to keep up with the new dynamic and atmosphere of downtown. "In the coming years, we're going to see some new residential developments," Labat says. "The previous bar was successful and had its time. We're trying to create an environment that's going to have a more Louisiana, warmer feeling and more revenue stream than just 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights." The bar's schedule will be Thursdays-Saturdays, 5 p.m.-2 a.m., to start. As residential development ratchets up along with football season, the bar will be open on other days. Labat says there's even a chance they could add small sandwiches to the menu.—Matthew Sigur
With 20 years of restaurant industry experience under his belt, Baton Rouge native Chef Blake Abadie will show off his dishes at a new venue—Le Bon Temps Bar and Grill (Map it!). The restaurant and bar hosted its grand opening last week and it's no surprise the response has been electric. Abadie says the menu encompasses all Louisiana cooking styles, not just the Cajun and Creole influences. "Saying Louisiana food is just Cajun is like a curse word to me," he says. "To me, Louisiana cuisine is the Irish and Italian influences, the French and German … I try to encapsulate all of that." Click here to read the full story.
On a corner within Perkins Rowe, surrounded by retail establishments, sits Bin 77. A respite from the frenzy of the shopping masses, Bin 77 is a small plates wine bar with an inviting patio and softly lit interior. There is an ample bar in the center of the space and a wall of retail bottles displayed at the back should you particularly enjoy that Pinot Noir you had with your meal. The interior color theme is weighted heavily with purple, so much so that it might make doves cry and Prince proud, yet it all works. In the June issue of 225, our secret reviewer D.J. Beuticia tries it all at Bin 77. Read the full review here.
Ruffino's will give patrons a taste of Louisiana with new bar menu items and summertime cocktails starting today. The menu, dubbed "Taste Louisiana," features local ingredients and new dishes such as shrimp corn dogs and braised pork belly sliders. The latter item features pork belly from Chappapeela Farms in Amite. The food items will be available 4:30 p.m.-7 p.m. On the cocktail side, Ruffino's is now offering the Ruston Peach Julep, the Criollo, and a Cajun Tea made with Community iced tea and Old New Orleans silver rum. For more information, call 753-3458 or visit ruffinosrestaurant.com.
A Chicago chain restaurant will open in the former Bravo! Cucina (Map it!) spot near the Mall of Louisiana in mid-June. Bar Louie, a restaurant specializing in signature cocktails, martinis and a range of dishes, will open June 11. Marketing Manager Ashley Kouns says the location is perfect for Bar Louie, citing the "thriving local economy," "strong student population," and how the area is a "mecca for young savvy business professionals needing a place like Bar Louie to unwind." Both the drink and food menus are thorough. The martini list alone is stacked with 16 different takes on the drink. Among the food items are small plates, salads, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, and large plates such as fish and chips and meatball pasta. The full menu will be served 11 a.m.-2 a.m., seven days a week, Kouns...
Brian Medlin knew that opening a barbeque restaurant in Baton Rouge that both locals and travelers would love would be a challenge. Medlin is the owner of Smokin' Aces BBQ (Map it!), and since opening last October, the "shack"-style joint has maintained a loyal customer base. The crowd favorite is undoubtedly the spare ribs, slow-cooked with the stop's blend of spices and extra brown sugar. The recipe has been passed through Medlin's family for years. To get a quick look at the other items Smokin' Aces offers and more information, check out Jay Ducote's article from the May issue of 225here.
Ruffino's on the River opened this week in Lafayette. The new upscale restaurant is in the former Cochon Lafayette building, located in the River Ranch development on the Vermilion River. Co-owner Ruffin Rodrigue told Baton Rouge Business Report that the new restaurant's menu will fare better than its former tenant. Like its Baton Rouge location, Ruffino's on the River focuses on steaks, seafood and Italian dishes, and not Cajun fare "that people in Lafayette cook themselves," Rodrigue says. For a full look at Ruffino's on the River's menu and more, visit ruffinoslafayette.com.
A popular Baton Rouge food truck will be out of commission temporarily after it was struck by an alleged drunk driver. Bogdan Mocanu's Wood Fired Pizza truck was hit Tuesday night around 8:30 p.m. Mocanu says the incident occurred after a successful food truck event at Pecan Grove Elementary School in Gonzales. The Gonzales Police Department confirms the accident and states the driver hit the food truck trailer as well as another vehicle. Officers say the driver has been charged with a DUI and reckless operation of a vehicle. Mocanu says his trailer is destroyed. On Wednesday afternoon, Mocanu was in poor spirits. Though he wants to begin serving customers again as soon as possible, he doesn't see that as a possibility right now.
Right under the Perkins Road overpass, Chelsea's Café is known for its live music in the evenings and home cookin'. But on Saturday mornings, the local hotspot has been preparing an off-the-menu brunch item for those who might have had too much fun the night before—chicken and biscuits. The dish is a heaping helping of golden fried chicken breasts atop a flaky biscuit, served in white onion gravy with a side of green beans. The dish is served starting at 9 a.m. until it’s sold out. To check out Chelsea's Café's full menu, click here.
Portico is tucked away on Coursey Boulevard. Blink and you could miss the rustic building with a large, open, breezy patio. Ambiance aside, Portico's large menu has a range of dishes. The carnivore in you will want to try the filet with broccoli and purple onion rings; while the health enthusiast in you might try a salad. In this month's 225, our food critic D.J. Beauticia looks at the pros and cons of Portico. Read the full review online.
In celebration of Earth Day and National Recycling Month, Rotolo's collected customers' plastic Rotolo's cups in exchange for free pizza as a part of a "cup buyback program." Those cups will be repurposed as environmentally friendly Mother's Day gifts for south Louisiana moms.
Sunday is Cinco de Mayo, a United States celebration of Mexican heritage and culture that tends to draw crowds to many local Mexican restaurants. Several such restaurants are marking the occasion with drink specials and live music.
Kono Winery's 2011 Sauvignon Blanc is a clean, bright wine that works well with springtime pairings. It doesn't have the overpowering grapefruit notes that define so many New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs today; rather, it features gentle notes of citrus and enough acidity to stand up to a range of dishes from grilled seafood to a cheese plate. Get some tips on what types of cheese pair well with this white here.
This weekend's 27th Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette will draw world music lovers from the region and around the country for an annual celebration of the French, African, Caribbean and Hispanic influences that shaped Louisiana. Along with great musicians like The Wailers, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Sergent Garcia, Red Baarat and others, the festival offers plenty of hospitable eats.
Chef and 225 blogger Jay Ducote took a drive over to Le Creolé, a seafood and Creole restaurant on East Petroleum Drive, to try a top-selling item—the crab cake.
Named for Louisiana's status as the 18th state in the Union, 18 Steak is a fine dining restaurant in the new L'Auberge Casino & Hotel. Chef Troy Deano is in charge, cooking up a slew of eye-catching and mouth-watering dishes. The young chef has quite the pedigree, including stints at John Besh's restaurants La Provence and Restaurant August. One look at 18 Steak's menu confirms this chef is a rising star.
Mansurs on the Boulevard will host a wine and food pairing next Wednesday, April 10, coupling fine dishes with selections from the Whitehall Lane vineyard. The menu items on tap for next week's dinner are a butter-poached diver scallop, crepes stuffed with cinnamon-marinated duck breast, espresso-braised short ribs paired with lamb lollipops, and panna cotta for dessert. Tickets are $100 per person. To make your reservation, call 923-3366.
After more than 50 years serving Mexican food on Airline Highway, the Karides family plans to close the doors of La Fonda for good Saturday. Mary Ann Bolger's 76-year-old mother, Panagiota Karides, has been working at La Fonda for more than three decades and is the sole family member left at the restaurant. Bolger says other members of the Karides family, which is of Greek descent, have tried to help with the business from a distance.
Many of the shops at Acadian Shopping Center are scheduled to open this fall, and the spaces are filling up quickly. Among the many tenants planned is La Divina Italian Café, a new restaurant that specializes in local ingredients and Italian-inspired dishes, gelato, sorbet, salads and soups. La Divina Gelateria started in 2007 in New Orleans on Magazine Street with a focus on lunch items, gelato and coffees. Since opening, La Divina has expanded with two more locations in New Orleans. The Baton Rouge café will be the fourth overall for the Louisiana business. Co-owner/co-founder Katrina Turillo says the café could be open between October and November. Though Turillo and her team haven't decided the hours and dishes for the new spot, she will bring a mission of sustainability with her. "For us, it goes back to the Italian tradition," she says. "Italian recipes in general are rather simple and rely a lot on the flavor of the individual ingredient. Usually, what will taste best is what...
If everything goes smoothly, Josh Priola could have his Baton Rouge Street Breads location open as early as next Friday. But Priola says that's optimism talking. "We have to make sure we execute well," he says. "That's the biggest thing. As of now, I'd say we're 99 percent there." The new sandwich shop will open up in the former Loft 3H space in the Perkins Road overpass area. Street Breads specializes in almost 20 sandwiches and other items built from scratch each day with flavors stretching across the culinary map—Argentina, Italy and Latin America to name a few. But rather than concentrate on the meat of the sandwich, Street Breads is focusing on what's around it. "Our diamond is let's go to the baker who does the best job and buy that bread," Priola says. "It's not this mass-produced bread. It's something done in smaller quantities." The business originated in Priola's hometown of Lake Charles. There, he "worked out the kinks." But the Street Breads concept was meant for a...
The Baton Rouge Symphony League will host its closing night dinner tonight, 5 p.m.-7 p.m., at Stroubes Seafood and Steaks, 107 Third St. The three-course-meal includes starters such as duck and andouille eggrolls or fried green tomatoes, entrees such as Louisiana redfish or beef tenderloin, and a dessert of white chocolate bread pudding with bananas foster sauce. Tickets are $45 per person. Tea, soft drinks and coffee are included in the ticket price. Reservations are required. Contact the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra at 383-0500, ext. 105, to make you reservation. The orchestra's closing night of the Masterworks Series will also be Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. at the River Center and feature pianist Christopher O'Riley. For more information, check out 225 Weekender here.
A mother-daughter team will open an organic bakery next month near the intersection of Bluebonnet Boulevard and Jefferson Highway. Reanna Townsend and her mother, Denise, are shooting for a mid-April opening for Room for Dessert.
Chef Peter Sclafani and the Ruffino's team will head to New York City to prepare dishes at the prestigious James Beard House in April. Local patrons can be a part of the festivities in a special weekend trip package. The trip starts Friday, April 5, and features sightseeing, tickets to the Tony Award-winning musical Jersey Boys, and a dinner menu that includes five hors d'oeuvres, four main course items and a dessert. Among the dishes are shrimp corn dogs, corn and crab shooters, grits and grillades, crab cheesecake, braised Mississippi rabbit and head-to-toe pork. Trip tickets cost $1,650 per person. To make reservations, call 753-3458.
The Melting Pot is now offering a customizable menu where items are broken down into separate portions for the diverse palates at your table. Assistant general manager Michael Kearley says the menu will also offer new feature cheeses, salads, chocolates and an a la carte selection that switches every couple of months. Also new is the "Fondue by You" where you can choose from an array of proteins, including sirloin, duck, chicken pot-stickers and more. You can even customize your experience online before you step foot in the restaurant. For more information, visit meltingpot.com.
With many excellent restaurants in town, folks may think twice about driving to nearby Sunshine for lunch or dinner. But those who have dined at Roberto's River Road Restaurant know that a few extra minutes of drive time off the beaten path is definitely worth the trip.
Open a little more than two weeks, Frankie Marcello's Restaurant is aiming to establish itself on consistency and made-from-scratch dishes. Owner Frank Marcello is a Baton Rouge native whose parents own The Bread Basket on Florida Boulevard. Marcello has done some franchising in Mandeville, but once he found the Perkins Road location, he made his return to Italian and Creole food with this new restaurant. At Frankie Marcello's (no relation to the former, now closed Enoteca Marcello), managing partner Paul Nelson says patrons can expect a mix of traditional Italian and Southern flavors.
“Many of you may or may not know, but I own the FreshJunkie restaurant,” writes 225 blogger Patrick Fellows, “and though I won't refer to myself as a chef, technically I guess I am one. Really, I consider myself more of a cook. Semantics I suppose, but chef or not, many people have asked me what gadgets, utensils and other items they absolutely need to have for their kitchen.” Click here for Pat's list of must-haves for your home chef experimentation.
Over the course of your life, you might have experienced a hangover, but have you ever mulled over its cultural implications? As part of its continuing mission to educate us on all things food and drink, the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (SOFAB) in New Orleans is hosting The Atlantic magazine contributing editor and “Drinks” columnist Wayne Curtis, author of And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails, who will discuss that pesky demon, the hangover. “Paying the Piper: Your Hangover and You” explores what really causes hangovers and the myriad remedies throughout history thought to exorcise them. A few greasy, classic hangover cures—along with curative cocktails—will be served. The event takes place Monday, March 5, at SoBou in the French Quarter. Tickets are $35, but SOFAB members receive a discount. Seating is limited. For more information, visit
Once again, the dismal weather forecast has forced a closure of the Thursday Red Stick Farmers Market at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. The Saturday Farmers Market will be open rain or shine at 501 Main St. downtown from 8 a.m. to noon and features a bounty of cool crops, including several varieties of cauliflower from white to green broccoflower and purple Romanesco. The Saturday market also features a 10 a.m. cooking demonstration, this week conducted by Chef Richard Markert of Taste Restaurant in the Main Street Market. Markert will prepare Shrimp Bang Bang Grit Cakes. Another Main Street Market vendor, GoYaYa's creperie, introduces new specialty coffees this weekend.—Maggie Heyn Richardson
We talk to Ryan Nizzo, Baton Rouge chapter president of the Louisiana Restaurant Association and manager of Walk-ons/Burbank. 225: It seems like new restaurants are opening all the time in Baton Rouge. How much growth are we really seeing? RN: The Greater Baton Rouge market in particular is growing exponentially. There has been a 10% to 15% growth in restaurants over the last couple of years here. We're seeing new concepts open and we're also seeing more Baton Rouge-based restaurants open new locations in Livingston, Ascension and Zachary. 225: What are some of the big trends you're seeing among local eateries? RN: One of the things that's become more important is how restaurants can capture the family market. Parents are taking their kids to dinner more, so you want to create opportunities for families to find things on your menu whose price points are appealing.
Regular 225 contributor Monique Evans wowed the chefs and owners at Beausoleil in their latest cocktail competition. Her concoction, the Bitter Berry Martini, won them over with its innovative use of delicious local Louisiana berries. You can pop by Beausoleil this month to have one of these tasty tipples whipped up for you by the bartenders, or use the recipe to have a go at making it yourself.
Among the many Louisianans heading to the nation’s capital this weekend for the influential Washington Mardi Gras will be Ruffino’s Executive Chef and co-owner Peter Sclafani. The Baton Rouge-based chef will prepare Louisiana crawfish cheesecake for more than 3,000 attendees at the “Louisiana Alive” kick-off event tonight at the Washington Hilton. Sclafani will also spread the word about his forthcoming cookbook, The Seasons of Louisiana, expected to be released at the end of the year. Sclafani and Ruffino’s owner Ruffin Rodrigue will also serve Sclafani’s dishes at the “Let the World be Your Oyster” event to promote Louisiana seafood. Sclafani will prepare butter poached Gulf oysters with crème fraiche, pickled red onion and cucumber caviar made by the molecular gastronomy technique known as spherification, a favorite method of Sclafani’s. The chef will also distribute a limited run of the first chapter of his cookbook and will...
Whether you made a New Year’s pledge to eat paleo, joined Weight Watchers or just have to avoid ingredients like gluten or lactose, HealthyOut is a great app to have in your back pocket. Find healthy restaurants or prepared grocery meals with a few taps of your finger—filtering by calorie count, carb count, high protein, lactose-free, gluten-free and more. It even offers a “not a salad” filter for those who are sick of only eating leafy greens, and lets you narrow by cuisine and ingredients if you’re looking to satisfy a particular craving without breaking your resolutions. Free in the iTunes store.
Excessive rainfall throughout the state has forced another closure of the Thursday Red Stick Farmers Market, but the market will open as normal on Saturday, 8 a.m.-noon, at Fifth and Main streets downtown. Last week’s weather included average rainfall across the state of 5.72 inches—4.37 inches above normal this time of year. Three tornados touched down throughout South Louisiana, according to the State Office of Climatology. This week, farmers continued to face rain, making harvesting in time for a Thursday market difficult. “The Saturday Market will operate on our usual schedule, rain or shine,” says Copper Alvarez, executive director of Big River Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance (BREADA). “Sunshine for the following week should give farmers time to get in the fields again for next Thursday, Jan. 24.” —Maggie Heyn Richardson
Excessive rains this week forced a cancellation of the Thursday Red Stick Farmers Market, but the Saturday market will still take place, says Big River Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance (BREADA) Executive Director Copper Alvarez. The Thursday market, held on the grounds of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center on Perkins Road, has no cover for inclement weather, but the Saturday market at Fifth and Main Streets does; vendors move inside the adjacent Galvez Building garage. Alvarez acknowledges the rain has interrupted operations for some regional farmers. “Winter is a bit difficult for growing and the torrential rains are not helping, but we'll take that week by week,” Alvarez says. “There should be a good selection of produce available in limited quantity at the Saturday market.” The good news for shoppers is that the market has increased its value-added goods and fresh breads, meats, seafood and dairy products, which should be in good supply...
Louisiana's nearly year-round growing season means there's no rest for backyard gardeners. According to the LSU AgCenter, January is a busy time for home growers who have the green light on planting first or second crops of turnips, radishes, potatoes, spinach, English peas, peppers and other vegetables. The AgCenter's trustworthy Louisiana Vegetable Planting Guide is available through the AgCenter website.
If you’re headed to Atlanta to watch the Tigers face down those other Tigers in the Chick-fil-A Bowl this weekend, for once, we at 225 recommend stopping by a drive-thru—or rather, a drive-in. The Varsity in downtown Atlanta is the world’s largest drive-thru restaurant, accommodating 600 cars and more than 800 people inside, and can sell more than 2,500 pounds of potatoes, 300 gallons of chili, two miles of hot dogs and a ton of onion rings daily. It’s so large that even if it’s packed, you won’t have long to wait before getting your meal. The scale of the place alone is worth a visit—and the from-scratch food is definitely a better alternative than yet another trip to McDonald’s or Burger King. Check out their website by clicking here.
The holiday frenzy is officially here and it’s a great time to stash some back-pocket recipes that will ease the burden and fill the belly. Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs are a great place to start. They’re my favorite part of the bird because of their rich flavor, versatility and reliable juiciness. Lately, I’ve been using my cast iron skillet to brown and finish the thighs—a fast, foolproof way to produce a main course in 30 minutes. Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Season both sides of the thighs with kosher salt, ground pepper and dried thyme. Coat the bottom of the skillet with your favorite oil and heat to medium high so that the chicken sizzles audibly when added. Brown for about 3-5 minutes on each side, turning the heat down if the thighs brown too quickly. Move the skillet to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with couscous with cranberries and almonds, green beans with almonds or a simple salad. —Maggie Heyn...
Christmas hasn’t yet come and gone, but Mardi Gras happens early this year, and it’s already time to start thinking about the next season’s treats. If you’re looking to add an unusual twist to your party pastries, consider the king cakes now being doled out at Cochon Butcher—the casual offshoot of Chef Donald Link’s popular Cochon. Pastry Chef Rhonda Ruckman fills the cake with local flavors like apple and Creole cream cheese, or lemon doberge—and as her signature, the cakes contain a petite pink pig in lieu of the traditional baby. If you find your Mardi Gras needs a little punching up, these unusual cakes might just be the thing. Find out more at cochonbutcher.com.
Since it was fully restored in 2005, Houmas House Plantation in Darrow has attracted scores of Baton Rougeans to its Greek Revival architecture, lush 38-acre grounds and notable fine dining restaurant, Latil's Landing. Chef Jeremy Langlois' dishes have earned widespread acclaim and have been featured in Esquire and other national publications. Now Houmas House owner Kevin Kelly is adding something fans of the plantation have longed for: overnight accommodations. Six cottages are underway at Houmas House, along with a new restaurant that will serve breakfast, lunch and brunch. Langlois is currently designing the menu, and says it will include reinterpreted traditional favorites, including Bloody Mary shrimp cocktail and Community Coffee-spiced sliders with cane syrup hickory mayonnaise and heirloom tomato chutney. The new restaurant, yet to be named, will be the third eatery on the property. Café Burnside also offers lunch daily,11 a.m.-2 p.m.. Construction on the cottages and...
Productive shopping is the backbone of any holiday meal—making sure you’re not facing down a pantry full of canned pumpkin and no piecrust, for example. The new Anylist app lets you quickly and simply create detailed shopping lists—and share them with friends, family or roommates—either by e-mail or by updating their own app. Common grocery store items are sorted by category, and the app saves time by suggesting common items as you type. Can’t decide what to make? The app can suggest—and sort—recipes from dozens of the web’s top recipe publishers, from Martha Stewart to Food Network. Free in the iTunes store.
Still at a loss for your Thanksgiving meal plans? The popular step-by-step cooking app, Appetites, is on sale this week for 99 cents—including a new pack of Thanksgiving recipes that'll walk you through how to create an entire turkey-day dinner from scratch. Each recipe is broken down into bite-sized videos that teach you new skills even as you learn to make the dish, helping you wow friends and family with your newfound culinary skills. In addition to Thanksgiving recipes, the 99-cent download also includes a starter pack of 30 recipes ranging from pumpkin bread to beer-braised short ribs. Make your holidays less daunting and snag this highly praised app while it's on sale. Click here for more information.
When I arrive at a new establishment, it's important to me that a good tone is set. When we entered Blend, my date's favorite artist was playing at a reasonable volume. This was a positive sign. More foreshadowing of a pleasant night: patrons having a conspicuously good time. With excellent music and happy clientele, I thought, “Laissez les bons vins rouler.”
If you missed your chance to celebrate Oktoberfest this year, New Orleans is giving you another chance to have a deliciously good time in the fine fall weather with the New Orleans On Tap festival this Saturday. You can sample a menu of more than 200 beers while relaxing under oak trees in New Orleans’ City Park and listening to music by Alexis & The Samurai and Flow Tribe. Shade, food and non-beer drinks (like sodas and margaritas) will also be provided. Best of all, all proceeds go toward helping the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Attendees must be 21 or older. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 the day of the event. Click here for more information.
No game this season has been more anticipated by LSU fans than this Saturday's LSU-Alabama face-off, and tailgaters have spent several weeks preparing elaborate menus to set the mood this weekend. The CBT tailgate, a well-established gathering of alums near Lockett Hall and the College of Design, is cooking up an elephant-centric menu that will feed 300 or more anticipated guests. Chad Cole, one of the group's organizers, says the stars have aligned for an electric day at Tiger Stadium fueled by the intense rivalry, the need for redemption after last year's National Championship debacle, and the fact that the rematch takes place at home, and most important, at night.
Americans have broadened their wine palates considerably in the last few decades, and today, they’re ordering and purchasing more selections than ever before. But wine merchants say it remains challenging to convince customers to step out of their comfort zones. Many prefer to return to reliable domestic bottles with flavor profiles they know and enjoy, rather than roll the dice on something unfamiliar, says Martin Wine Cellar Manager Ian McCaffery. It’s particularly true with European and other international wines whose labels can seem cryptic.
Following the Tigers on the road doesn't have to mean drive-thrus. Whether you travel with family, a significant other or a group of fun-loving friends, each destination on LSU's schedule offers something worth experiencing. Here's 225's list of places to grab a bite while you're waiting to cheer in the stadium: Part steakhouse, part craft brewery, The Republic (therepublic1836.com) in Aggieland is a popular date-night hot spot for serious foodies with a lively bar open 'til midnight. Looking like it was airlifted, tables and all, out of Austin's South Congress district, Veritas Wine & Bistro (veritaswineandbistro.com) offers its visually inventive, upscale steak and seafood cuisine as a “full sensory experience.”
Some of the best game-day libations reveal a fan’s love for the Bayou Bengals with every sip. 225 endorses The Purple Prowler, a sweet-tart blend from Southern Living’s new SEC Tailgating Cookbook, a 256-page tome with cuisine specialties from each of the 14 conference schools.
Following the Tigers on the road doesn't have to mean drive-thrus. Whether you travel with family, a significant other or a group of fun-loving friends, each destination on LSU's schedule offers something worth experiencing. Here's 225's list of places to grab a bite while you're waiting to cheer in the stadium: A little vintage, a little hipster, a lot of delicious, The Top (352-337-1188) offers a fun martini bar and photo booth with classic comfort foods and plenty of vegetarian and vegan dishes, too. For traditional Latin fare with a Gulf Coast twist, try Flaco's Cuban Bakery (website), a locally owned hotspot that prides itself on its Cuban coffee and media noche.
If you've got a folder full of recipes you've printed or bookmarked from various epicurean websites, recipes you've been dying to try but can never remember to put on your grocery list, Paprika Recipe Manager is the app for you. With its Pinterest-like system, this app lets you “clip” recipes from websites and sync them to your various devices—from tablets to phones to desktop computers—for easy access to your recipe list anywhere. You can then plan your week's meals around the new, exciting dishes you want to try, and Paprika will automatically generate a grocery list for you. It even divides the list by aisle, so there's no wasted time walking back and forth. With easy meal planning, nutritional information and even a feature that allows you to adjust the number of servings of the meal you want to make, adding some spice to your dinner table is as easy as a flick of the finger. $4.99 in the iTunes store and Android Marketplace.
Following the Tigers to Auburn this weekend? Enjoy this list of recommended dining spots in and around the area: A popular game-day restaurant near campus since 1991, Amsterdam Café offers a seasonal, Southern-inspired farm-to-table menu (left) and impressive cocktail and wine lists. Zazu Gastropub blends a traditional English-style eatery with a fresh seafood-focused menu that includes Cornbread Waffles and Shrimp, Cedar Planked Salmon and a range of grilled burgers. Crepe Myrtle Cafe at Blooming Colors offers savory crepes, egg scrambles and fresh-baked muffins and scones for a quaint breakfast near campus.
Nashville's trendy M Street district is home to many bars and restaurants, but one name tends to shine. Whiskey Kitchen on 12th Avenue offers upscale atmosphere with a down-home menu that features plenty of Southern classics, as well as pizza and classic pub food. Order an appetizer of Wisconsin cheddar cheese curds and a fried green tomato BLT, then wash it down with a snifter from their truly impressive whiskey menu. If you're in a sharing mood, split a chili dog pizza and share a pitcher of whiskey sours. This pub is popular, so be prepared to wait—but if you're in the mood for a leisurely meal, you're in for a treat. Click here for the restaurant's website.
It's a well-known fact that I enjoy whiskey. Or bourbon. Or scotch. Whatever you call it, it's all delicious to me. And while I'm partial to a whiskey neat, as a Southern woman raised right, I appreciate a handsome whiskey cocktail. It's always nice to find an artfully made Old Fashioned, but when I discovered The Cove had no fewer than five on their cocktail menu, I had to do some in-depth whiskey whistle wetting.
During a storm, access to the fridge and freezer has to be carefully rationed, as does ice—so what to prepare when you can't have a cold drink, and a beer from the ice chest just won't do? Many New Orleans bartenders swear by what are called “flask cocktails,” a mixed drink that's tasty at room temperature, or even warm. Some tips to make your cocktails taste extra-delicious: use good-quality liquor, which tastes better at room temperature, and opt for high-proof spirits to keep the cocktail potent.
If you’ve ever watched an episode of one of Food Network’s hit shows like Man Vs. Food or Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and thought, “Man, I want to eat there!” this is the app for you. Whether you’re planning one last road trip before summer ends, or just want a cool place to check out when you’re in town for an LSU game, you’ll be able to find an amazing spot with just a few taps of your finger. Is there a chef whose specialties you favor? Get recommendations and dining tips from stars like Fieri and Flay, or just search by your favorite show to see if there’s a place nearby that they’ve featured. Free in the iTunes store.
There’s no end to what you can do with fresh peaches—from pies to tarts to jams and glazes, it’s a versatile fruit that serves well with many a summer dish. Of course, they’re a classic ingredient in many cocktails as well, and with good reason—their sweet but mild flavor mixes well with almost any alcohol. This recipe for the classic peach-flavored cocktail the Bellini makes good use of the fresh peaches at your disposal this time of year, and also adds a woodsy note of rosemary to give it a distinctive twist.
If you’re looking for the ultimate app to keep your sommelier senses tingling, Drync may be the cream of the crop. With more than a million wines listed in its database, and hundreds of thousands of tasting notes on each, this is your pocket guide to becoming an overnight wine expert. This app—hailed as the best wine app by The New York Times, Macworld, and Mashable—allows you to log which wines you’ve tried in a virtual wine cellar, with photos, tasting notes and ratings. Browsing at the store, you can look up a wine, read expert reviews and even check current market prices to make sure you’re getting the best deal. You can share your favorites with friends via the built-in Facebook and Twitter messaging, and even snag cool discounts with the Vinpass feature. You can also track your wine purchases through GPS, so you always remember where you scored that dry shiraz or that fruity zin. Drync comes in a free form—ad-supported with...
The time for summer entertaining is upon us, but your liquor cabinet is depleted. What's a busy host to do? An iPhone app from Digital Outcrop might just have the solution. Mixology's "liquor cabinet" tab lets you enter every mixer and liquor you have on hand, and automatically generates all the recipes you're able to make from the ingredients you've got. The phone-based drink and bartending guide contains more than 7,900 recipes, including cocktails, hot drinks, punches—even non-alcoholic drinks for the teetotalers at the party. You can even pick recipes based on what kind of glass you have on hand. Best part? It's free—at least, if you don't mind putting up with some paid advertisements on the screen. The full version, Mixologist, is 99 cents—not a bad investment if you want take advantage of the paid features, such as being able to enter your custom recipes, and sharing drink ideas with other people. Available in the iTunes store.
Whether you’re taking a trip to Napa Valley this summer, or simply enjoying a staycation in your backyard, the Cor.kz Wine Info app will ensure that you have the perfect vintage to sip. Browse or search more than 1.2 million wines in its massive database, scan barcodes to find reviews for the wine you’re browsing, compare wines virtually side-by-side, and make a wish list for wines you want to try. You can even see if you’re getting a steal with the pricing data, and improve your sommelier vocabulary with an included reference guide. $2.99 in the iTunes store.
Are you a cupcake addict? Do you stare longingly at pictures of gorgeous cupcakes on Pinterest and decorator blogs and just know you were meant to make adorable fondant butterflies and icing penguins? The Hello Cupcake! App is here to help you achieve your dreams of cupcake-decorating supremacy with simple, step-by-step instructions, beautiful photos, videos and audio clips that will have you making magazine-worthy cakes in no time. You and your kids can make it a summer afternoon project. Providing hours of entertainment and plenty of professional tips, it’s a steal at $2.99.
The older I get, the more I find myself drawn to strong, robust cocktails. I usually like my drinks dark, brown and boozy. But with the temperatures rising, along with hemlines, sometimes a gal needs something a little less heavy-handed—something bubbly with a touch of sweetness. An effervescent drink that's not too frou-frou. A tasty adult beverage served stylishly in a dainty vessel with an artfully arranged citrus garnish. In the immortal words of Ms. Christina Aguilera, what a girl wants, what a girl needs is a French 75. And nowhere in Baton Rouge, or anywhere else I've tried, serves up a finer French 75 than the bar at Hotel Indigo downtown (Map it!).
225 readers prove they are in the know about what makes a great Bloody Mary, as Best of 225: Bloody Mary category winner Mason's Grill (Map it!) also took top honors at this year's Burden Garden Festival Bloody Mary Contest. Expert judges from Bite and Booze's Jay Ducote to Paul Arrigo, President & CEO of Visit Baton Rouge, scored each drink on presentation, flavor, spice and overall originality. Seven Baton Rouge restaurants entered the contest, but Mason's Grill's take on the classic cocktail went home with the title. The "Meaty Mason" includes a stick of crisp bacon and a beef jerky straw, the better to slurp up the spicy tomato cocktail with. It is one of the more popular of Mason's mix-and-match Bloody Mary...
Left date night plans to the last minute? No idea where you can snag a table at this late our? OpenTable can help you make reservations without having to call a dozen places just to check—its software lets you know immediately when and where an open table at a fine dining establishment can be found, and lets you put your name on it. This well-documented app has been the darling of the eating-out crowd since it made its debut, but only recently have Baton Rouge restaurants started really making this app their own. Red Stick diners can now let their fingers find a table everywhere from old favorites like Mestizo and Mansurs to relative newcomers like Tallulah. Although only about 20 local restaurants make use of the app, it's enough to give you a good range of places to go. You can also use the app to make reservations and send reminders to your phone so you don't miss an all-important night out. Free in the iTunes store and Android Market.
Tired of tossing out perfectly good food you simply forgot you had? The Fresh Pantry app will help you put an end to waste by letting you know what's in your kitchen and how long you have left to use it. No more forgetting about that tub of sour cream or those three organic onions from Whole Foods—now you can be reminded that their expiration date is approaching and it's time to use those suckers in a delicious meal before it's too late! Unlike most apps, this app does one thing and does it well—simply snap a photo of your food, set an expiration date, and save. Fresh Pantry takes care of the rest, with photos of your food organized by date so you know what you have to use next. No muss, no fuss. And at a mere .99 cents in the iTunes store, it'll pay for itself with the first gallon of milk or bag of potatoes.—Rachael Upton
Third Street Pub replaces Puncher's downtown
A downtown sports bar is evolving. Mike Labat, co-owner of Puncher's, says the bar will transform into a new concept called Third Street Pub and will be open by next week. Labat says the change came because he wants to keep up with the new dynamic and atmosphere of downtown. "In the coming years, we're going to see some new residential developments," Labat says. "The previous bar was successful and had its time. We're trying to create an environment that's going to have a more Louisiana, warmer feeling and more revenue stream than just 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights." The bar's schedule will be Thursdays-Saturdays, 5 p.m.-2 a.m., to start. As residential development ratchets up along with football season, the bar will be open on other days. Labat says there's even a chance they could add small sandwiches to the menu.—Matthew Sigur
Le Bon Temps Bar and Grill now open
With 20 years of restaurant industry experience under his belt, Baton Rouge native Chef Blake Abadie will show off his dishes at a new venue—Le Bon Temps Bar and Grill (Map it!). The restaurant and bar hosted its grand opening last week and it's no surprise the response has been electric. Abadie says the menu encompasses all Louisiana cooking styles, not just the Cajun and Creole influences.
"Saying Louisiana food is just Cajun is like a curse word to me," he says. "To me, Louisiana cuisine is the Irish and Italian influences, the French and German … I try to encapsulate all of that." Click here to read the full story.
From 225: Bin 77 review
On a corner within Perkins Rowe, surrounded by retail establishments, sits Bin 77. A respite from the frenzy of the shopping masses, Bin 77 is a small plates wine bar with an inviting patio and softly lit interior. There is an ample bar in the center of the space and a wall of retail bottles displayed at the back should you particularly enjoy that Pinot Noir you had with your meal. The interior color theme is weighted heavily with purple, so much so that it might make doves cry and Prince proud, yet it all works. In the June issue of 225, our secret reviewer D.J. Beuticia tries it all at Bin 77. Read the full review here.
Ruffino's launches "Taste Louisiana" bar menu
Ruffino's will give patrons a taste of Louisiana with new bar menu items and summertime cocktails starting today. The menu, dubbed "Taste Louisiana," features local ingredients and new dishes such as shrimp corn dogs and braised pork belly sliders. The latter item features pork belly from Chappapeela Farms in Amite. The food items will be available 4:30 p.m.-7 p.m. On the cocktail side, Ruffino's is now offering the Ruston Peach Julep, the Criollo, and a Cajun Tea made with Community iced tea and Old New Orleans silver rum. For more information, call 753-3458 or visit ruffinosrestaurant.com.
Bar Louie to open June 11
A Chicago chain restaurant will open in the former Bravo! Cucina (Map it!) spot near the Mall of Louisiana in mid-June. Bar Louie, a restaurant specializing in signature cocktails, martinis and a range of dishes, will open June 11. Marketing Manager Ashley Kouns says the location is perfect for Bar Louie, citing the "thriving local economy," "strong student population," and how the area is a "mecca for young savvy business professionals needing a place like Bar Louie to unwind." Both the drink and food menus are thorough. The martini list alone is stacked with 16 different takes on the drink. Among the food items are small plates, salads, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, and large plates such as fish and chips and meatball pasta. The full menu will be served 11 a.m.-2 a.m., seven days a week, Kouns...
From 225: 'Cue done right
Brian Medlin knew that opening a barbeque restaurant in Baton Rouge that both locals and travelers would love would be a challenge. Medlin is the owner of Smokin' Aces BBQ (Map it!), and since opening last October, the "shack"-style joint has maintained a loyal customer base. The crowd favorite is undoubtedly the spare ribs, slow-cooked with the stop's blend of spices and extra brown sugar. The recipe has been passed through Medlin's family for years. To get a quick look at the other items Smokin' Aces offers and more information, check out Jay Ducote's article from the May issue of 225 here.
Ruffino's opens Lafayette location
Ruffino's on the River opened this week in Lafayette. The new upscale restaurant is in the former Cochon Lafayette building, located in the River Ranch development on the Vermilion River. Co-owner Ruffin Rodrigue told Baton Rouge Business Report that the new restaurant's menu will fare better than its former tenant. Like its Baton Rouge location, Ruffino's on the River focuses on steaks, seafood and Italian dishes, and not Cajun fare "that people in Lafayette cook themselves," Rodrigue says. For a full look at Ruffino's on the River's menu and more, visit ruffinoslafayette.com.
Wood Fired Pizza food truck involved in accident
A popular Baton Rouge food truck will be out of commission temporarily after it was struck by an alleged drunk driver. Bogdan Mocanu's Wood Fired Pizza truck was hit Tuesday night around 8:30 p.m. Mocanu says the incident occurred after a successful food truck event at Pecan Grove Elementary School in Gonzales.
The Gonzales Police Department confirms the accident and states the driver hit the food truck trailer as well as another vehicle. Officers say the driver has been charged with a DUI and reckless operation of a vehicle.
Mocanu says his trailer is destroyed. On Wednesday afternoon, Mocanu was in poor spirits. Though he wants to begin serving customers again as soon as possible, he doesn't see that as a possibility right now.
Chicken and biscuits at Chelsea's on Saturdays
Right under the Perkins Road overpass, Chelsea's Café is known for its live music in the evenings and home cookin'. But on Saturday mornings, the local hotspot has been preparing an off-the-menu brunch item for those who might have had too much fun the night before—chicken and biscuits.
The dish is a heaping helping of golden fried chicken breasts atop a flaky biscuit, served in white onion gravy with a side of green beans. The dish is served starting at 9 a.m. until it’s sold out.
To check out Chelsea's Café's full menu, click here.
From 225: Portico review
Portico is tucked away on Coursey Boulevard. Blink and you could miss the rustic building with a large, open, breezy patio. Ambiance aside, Portico's large menu has a range of dishes. The carnivore in you will want to try the filet with broccoli and purple onion rings; while the health enthusiast in you might try a salad.
In this month's 225, our food critic D.J. Beauticia looks at the pros and cons of Portico. Read the full review online.
Rotolo's teams up with local schools for Mother's Day tomato plants
In celebration of Earth Day and National Recycling Month, Rotolo's collected customers' plastic Rotolo's cups in exchange for free pizza as a part of a "cup buyback program." Those cups will be repurposed as environmentally friendly Mother's Day gifts for south Louisiana moms.
Firehouse Subs opens Friday
The Red Stick will have another sandwich shop by the end of this week.
Cinco de Mayo specials
Sunday is Cinco de Mayo, a United States celebration of Mexican heritage and culture that tends to draw crowds to many local Mexican restaurants. Several such restaurants are marking the occasion with drink specials and live music.
Spatula Diaries: Perfect for cheese pairings
Kono Winery's 2011 Sauvignon Blanc is a clean, bright wine that works well with springtime pairings. It doesn't have the overpowering grapefruit notes that define so many New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs today; rather, it features gentle notes of citrus and enough acidity to stand up to a range of dishes from grilled seafood to a cheese plate. Get some tips on what types of cheese pair well with this white here.
Poo-Yie Fries and more at Festival International in Lafayette
This weekend's 27th Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette will draw world music lovers from the region and around the country for an annual celebration of the French, African, Caribbean and Hispanic influences that shaped Louisiana. Along with great musicians like The Wailers, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Sergent Garcia, Red Baarat and others, the festival offers plenty of hospitable eats.
From 225: Jay Ducote on Le Creolé's crab cakes
Chef and 225 blogger Jay Ducote took a drive over to Le Creolé, a seafood and Creole restaurant on East Petroleum Drive, to try a top-selling item—the crab cake.
Happy's Irish Pub expected to replace Zee Zee Gardens
Zee Zee Gardens, a well-known neighborhood watering hole under the Perkins Road overpass, will likely close its doors for good later this spring.
From 225: A look at 18 Steak
Named for Louisiana's status as the 18th state in the Union, 18 Steak is a fine dining restaurant in the new L'Auberge Casino & Hotel. Chef Troy Deano is in charge, cooking up a slew of eye-catching and mouth-watering dishes. The young chef has quite the pedigree, including stints at John Besh's restaurants La Provence and Restaurant August. One look at 18 Steak's menu confirms this chef is a rising star.
Mansurs hosts wine and food pairing next week
Mansurs on the Boulevard will host a wine and food pairing next Wednesday, April 10, coupling fine dishes with selections from the Whitehall Lane vineyard. The menu items on tap for next week's dinner are a butter-poached diver scallop, crepes stuffed with cinnamon-marinated duck breast, espresso-braised short ribs paired with lamb lollipops, and panna cotta for dessert. Tickets are $100 per person. To make your reservation, call 923-3366.
La Fonda to close its doors Saturday
After more than 50 years serving Mexican food on Airline Highway, the Karides family plans to close the doors of La Fonda for good Saturday. Mary Ann Bolger's 76-year-old mother, Panagiota Karides, has been working at La Fonda for more than three decades and is the sole family member left at the restaurant. Bolger says other members of the Karides family, which is of Greek descent, have tried to help with the business from a distance.
La Divina Italian Café to open this fall
Many of the shops at Acadian Shopping Center are scheduled to open this fall, and the spaces are filling up quickly. Among the many tenants planned is La Divina Italian Café, a new restaurant that specializes in local ingredients and Italian-inspired dishes, gelato, sorbet, salads and soups. La Divina Gelateria started in 2007 in New Orleans on Magazine Street with a focus on lunch items, gelato and coffees. Since opening, La Divina has expanded with two more locations in New Orleans. The Baton Rouge café will be the fourth overall for the Louisiana business. Co-owner/co-founder Katrina Turillo says the café could be open between October and November. Though Turillo and her team haven't decided the hours and dishes for the new spot, she will bring a mission of sustainability with her. "For us, it goes back to the Italian tradition," she says. "Italian recipes in general are rather simple and rely a lot on the flavor of the individual ingredient. Usually, what will taste best is what...
Street Breads on schedule to open soon
If everything goes smoothly, Josh Priola could have his Baton Rouge Street Breads location open as early as next Friday. But Priola says that's optimism talking. "We have to make sure we execute well," he says. "That's the biggest thing. As of now, I'd say we're 99 percent there." The new sandwich shop will open up in the former Loft 3H space in the Perkins Road overpass area. Street Breads specializes in almost 20 sandwiches and other items built from scratch each day with flavors stretching across the culinary map—Argentina, Italy and Latin America to name a few. But rather than concentrate on the meat of the sandwich, Street Breads is focusing on what's around it. "Our diamond is let's go to the baker who does the best job and buy that bread," Priola says. "It's not this mass-produced bread. It's something done in smaller quantities." The business originated in Priola's hometown of Lake Charles. There, he "worked out the kinks." But the Street Breads concept was meant for a...
Steaks and seafood at Stroubes for Baton Rouge Symphony League
The Baton Rouge Symphony League will host its closing night dinner tonight, 5 p.m.-7 p.m., at Stroubes Seafood and Steaks, 107 Third St. The three-course-meal includes starters such as duck and andouille eggrolls or fried green tomatoes, entrees such as Louisiana redfish or beef tenderloin, and a dessert of white chocolate bread pudding with bananas foster sauce. Tickets are $45 per person. Tea, soft drinks and coffee are included in the ticket price. Reservations are required. Contact the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra at 383-0500, ext. 105, to make you reservation. The orchestra's closing night of the Masterworks Series will also be Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. at the River Center and feature pianist Christopher O'Riley. For more information, check out 225 Weekender here.
Room for Dessert looking for mid-April opening
A mother-daughter team will open an organic bakery next month near the intersection of Bluebonnet Boulevard and Jefferson Highway. Reanna Townsend and her mother, Denise, are shooting for a mid-April opening for Room for Dessert.
Ruffino's chef headed to New York in April
Chef Peter Sclafani and the Ruffino's team will head to New York City to prepare dishes at the prestigious James Beard House in April. Local patrons can be a part of the festivities in a special weekend trip package. The trip starts Friday, April 5, and features sightseeing, tickets to the Tony Award-winning musical Jersey Boys, and a dinner menu that includes five hors d'oeuvres, four main course items and a dessert. Among the dishes are shrimp corn dogs, corn and crab shooters, grits and grillades, crab cheesecake, braised Mississippi rabbit and head-to-toe pork. Trip tickets cost $1,650 per person. To make reservations, call 753-3458.
Customizable menu now available at Melting Pot
The Melting Pot is now offering a customizable menu where items are broken down into separate portions for the diverse palates at your table. Assistant general manager Michael Kearley says the menu will also offer new feature cheeses, salads, chocolates and an a la carte selection that switches every couple of months. Also new is the "Fondue by You" where you can choose from an array of proteins, including sirloin, duck, chicken pot-stickers and more. You can even customize your experience online before you step foot in the restaurant. For more information, visit meltingpot.com.
Last chance for gumbo
With many excellent restaurants in town, folks may think twice about driving to nearby Sunshine for lunch or dinner. But those who have dined at Roberto's River Road Restaurant know that a few extra minutes of drive time off the beaten path is definitely worth the trip.
Frankie Marcello's revels in consistency
Open a little more than two weeks, Frankie Marcello's Restaurant is aiming to establish itself on consistency and made-from-scratch dishes. Owner Frank Marcello is a Baton Rouge native whose parents own The Bread Basket on Florida Boulevard. Marcello has done some franchising in Mandeville, but once he found the Perkins Road location, he made his return to Italian and Creole food with this new restaurant. At Frankie Marcello's (no relation to the former, now closed Enoteca Marcello), managing partner Paul Nelson says patrons can expect a mix of traditional Italian and Southern flavors.
Live Through This: 13 must-have kitchen gadgets and utensils
“Many of you may or may not know, but I own the FreshJunkie restaurant,” writes 225 blogger Patrick Fellows, “and though I won't refer to myself as a chef, technically I guess I am one. Really, I consider myself more of a cook. Semantics I suppose, but chef or not, many people have asked me what gadgets, utensils and other items they absolutely need to have for their kitchen.” Click here for Pat's list of must-haves for your home chef experimentation.
Your hangover and you
Over the course of your life, you might have experienced a hangover, but have you ever mulled over its cultural implications? As part of its continuing mission to educate us on all things food and drink, the Southern Food and Beverage Museum (SOFAB) in New Orleans is hosting The Atlantic magazine contributing editor and “Drinks” columnist Wayne Curtis, author of And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails, who will discuss that pesky demon, the hangover. “Paying the Piper: Your Hangover and You” explores what really causes hangovers and the myriad remedies throughout history thought to exorcise them. A few greasy, classic hangover cures—along with curative cocktails—will be served. The event takes place Monday, March 5, at SoBou in the French Quarter. Tickets are $35, but SOFAB members receive a discount. Seating is limited. For more information, visit
Thursday market shuttered again for rain
Once again, the dismal weather forecast has forced a closure of the Thursday Red Stick Farmers Market at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. The Saturday Farmers Market will be open rain or shine at 501 Main St. downtown from 8 a.m. to noon and features a bounty of cool crops, including several varieties of cauliflower from white to green broccoflower and purple Romanesco. The Saturday market also features a 10 a.m. cooking demonstration, this week conducted by Chef Richard Markert of Taste Restaurant in the Main Street Market. Markert will prepare Shrimp Bang Bang Grit Cakes. Another Main Street Market vendor, GoYaYa's creperie, introduces new specialty coffees this weekend.—Maggie Heyn Richardson
A few minutes with Ryan Nizzo
We talk to Ryan Nizzo, Baton Rouge chapter president of the Louisiana Restaurant Association and manager of Walk-ons/Burbank.
225: It seems like new restaurants are opening all the time in Baton Rouge. How much growth are we really seeing?
RN: The Greater Baton Rouge market in particular is growing exponentially. There has been a 10% to 15% growth in restaurants over the last couple of years here. We're seeing new concepts open and we're also seeing more Baton Rouge-based restaurants open new locations in Livingston, Ascension and Zachary.
225: What are some of the big trends you're seeing among local eateries?
RN: One of the things that's become more important is how restaurants can capture the family market. Parents are taking their kids to dinner more, so you want to create opportunities for families to find things on your menu whose price points are appealing.
Bitter Berry Martini
Regular 225 contributor Monique Evans wowed the chefs and owners at Beausoleil in their latest cocktail competition. Her concoction, the Bitter Berry Martini, won them over with its innovative use of delicious local Louisiana berries. You can pop by Beausoleil this month to have one of these tasty tipples whipped up for you by the bartenders, or use the recipe to have a go at making it yourself.
Ruffino’s chef headed to Washington Mardi Gras
Among the many Louisianans heading to the nation’s capital this weekend for the influential Washington Mardi Gras will be Ruffino’s Executive Chef and co-owner Peter Sclafani. The Baton Rouge-based chef will prepare Louisiana crawfish cheesecake for more than 3,000 attendees at the “Louisiana Alive” kick-off event tonight at the Washington Hilton. Sclafani will also spread the word about his forthcoming cookbook, The Seasons of Louisiana, expected to be released at the end of the year. Sclafani and Ruffino’s owner Ruffin Rodrigue will also serve Sclafani’s dishes at the “Let the World be Your Oyster” event to promote Louisiana seafood. Sclafani will prepare butter poached Gulf oysters with crème fraiche, pickled red onion and cucumber caviar made by the molecular gastronomy technique known as spherification, a favorite method of Sclafani’s. The chef will also distribute a limited run of the first chapter of his cookbook and will...
HealthyOut app makes healthy choices easier
Whether you made a New Year’s pledge to eat paleo, joined Weight Watchers or just have to avoid ingredients like gluten or lactose, HealthyOut is a great app to have in your back pocket. Find healthy restaurants or prepared grocery meals with a few taps of your finger—filtering by calorie count, carb count, high protein, lactose-free, gluten-free and more. It even offers a “not a salad” filter for those who are sick of only eating leafy greens, and lets you narrow by cuisine and ingredients if you’re looking to satisfy a particular craving without breaking your resolutions. Free in the iTunes store.
Red Stick Farmers Market closed again today; open Saturday
Excessive rainfall throughout the state has forced another closure of the Thursday Red Stick Farmers Market, but the market will open as normal on Saturday, 8 a.m.-noon, at Fifth and Main streets downtown. Last week’s weather included average rainfall across the state of 5.72 inches—4.37 inches above normal this time of year. Three tornados touched down throughout South Louisiana, according to the State Office of Climatology. This week, farmers continued to face rain, making harvesting in time for a Thursday market difficult. “The Saturday Market will operate on our usual schedule, rain or shine,” says Copper Alvarez, executive director of Big River Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance (BREADA). “Sunshine for the following week should give farmers time to get in the fields again for next Thursday, Jan. 24.” —Maggie Heyn Richardson
Rain cancels Thursday Farmers Market, but Saturday is still a go
Excessive rains this week forced a cancellation of the Thursday Red Stick Farmers Market, but the Saturday market will still take place, says Big River Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance (BREADA) Executive Director Copper Alvarez. The Thursday market, held on the grounds of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center on Perkins Road, has no cover for inclement weather, but the Saturday market at Fifth and Main Streets does; vendors move inside the adjacent Galvez Building garage. Alvarez acknowledges the rain has interrupted operations for some regional farmers. “Winter is a bit difficult for growing and the torrential rains are not helping, but we'll take that week by week,” Alvarez says. “There should be a good selection of produce available in limited quantity at the Saturday market.” The good news for shoppers is that the market has increased its value-added goods and fresh breads, meats, seafood and dairy products, which should be in good supply...
Plan your spring garden now
Louisiana's nearly year-round growing season means there's no rest for backyard gardeners. According to the LSU AgCenter, January is a busy time for home growers who have the green light on planting first or second crops of turnips, radishes, potatoes, spinach, English peas, peppers and other vegetables. The AgCenter's trustworthy Louisiana Vegetable Planting Guide is available through the AgCenter website.
The Varsity in Atlanta
If you’re headed to Atlanta to watch the Tigers face down those other Tigers in the Chick-fil-A Bowl this weekend, for once, we at 225 recommend stopping by a drive-thru—or rather, a drive-in. The Varsity in downtown Atlanta is the world’s largest drive-thru restaurant, accommodating 600 cars and more than 800 people inside, and can sell more than 2,500 pounds of potatoes, 300 gallons of chili, two miles of hot dogs and a ton of onion rings daily. It’s so large that even if it’s packed, you won’t have long to wait before getting your meal. The scale of the place alone is worth a visit—and the from-scratch food is definitely a better alternative than yet another trip to McDonald’s or Burger King. Check out their website by clicking here.
Classic holiday dishes
The holiday frenzy is officially here and it’s a great time to stash some back-pocket recipes that will ease the burden and fill the belly. Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs are a great place to start. They’re my favorite part of the bird because of their rich flavor, versatility and reliable juiciness. Lately, I’ve been using my cast iron skillet to brown and finish the thighs—a fast, foolproof way to produce a main course in 30 minutes. Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. Season both sides of the thighs with kosher salt, ground pepper and dried thyme. Coat the bottom of the skillet with your favorite oil and heat to medium high so that the chicken sizzles audibly when added. Brown for about 3-5 minutes on each side, turning the heat down if the thighs brown too quickly. Move the skillet to the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Serve with couscous with cranberries and almonds, green beans with almonds or a simple salad. —Maggie Heyn...
Cochon Butcher serving up king cakes
Christmas hasn’t yet come and gone, but Mardi Gras happens early this year, and it’s already time to start thinking about the next season’s treats. If you’re looking to add an unusual twist to your party pastries, consider the king cakes now being doled out at Cochon Butcher—the casual offshoot of Chef Donald Link’s popular Cochon. Pastry Chef Rhonda Ruckman fills the cake with local flavors like apple and Creole cream cheese, or lemon doberge—and as her signature, the cakes contain a petite pink pig in lieu of the traditional baby. If you find your Mardi Gras needs a little punching up, these unusual cakes might just be the thing. Find out more at cochonbutcher.com.
Overnight cottages and new restaurant coming next year to Houmas House
Since it was fully restored in 2005, Houmas House Plantation in Darrow has attracted scores of Baton Rougeans to its Greek Revival architecture, lush 38-acre grounds and notable fine dining restaurant, Latil's Landing. Chef Jeremy Langlois' dishes have earned widespread acclaim and have been featured in Esquire and other national publications. Now Houmas House owner Kevin Kelly is adding something fans of the plantation have longed for: overnight accommodations. Six cottages are underway at Houmas House, along with a new restaurant that will serve breakfast, lunch and brunch. Langlois is currently designing the menu, and says it will include reinterpreted traditional favorites, including Bloody Mary shrimp cocktail and Community Coffee-spiced sliders with cane syrup hickory mayonnaise and heirloom tomato chutney. The new restaurant, yet to be named, will be the third eatery on the property. Café Burnside also offers lunch daily,11 a.m.-2 p.m.. Construction on the cottages and...
Anylist app simplifies holiday planning
Productive shopping is the backbone of any holiday meal—making sure you’re not facing down a pantry full of canned pumpkin and no piecrust, for example. The new Anylist app lets you quickly and simply create detailed shopping lists—and share them with friends, family or roommates—either by e-mail or by updating their own app. Common grocery store items are sorted by category, and the app saves time by suggesting common items as you type. Can’t decide what to make? The app can suggest—and sort—recipes from dozens of the web’s top recipe publishers, from Martha Stewart to Food Network. Free in the iTunes store.
Appetites app makes Thanksgiving a breeze
Still at a loss for your Thanksgiving meal plans? The popular step-by-step cooking app, Appetites, is on sale this week for 99 cents—including a new pack of Thanksgiving recipes that'll walk you through how to create an entire turkey-day dinner from scratch. Each recipe is broken down into bite-sized videos that teach you new skills even as you learn to make the dish, helping you wow friends and family with your newfound culinary skills. In addition to Thanksgiving recipes, the 99-cent download also includes a starter pack of 30 recipes ranging from pumpkin bread to beer-braised short ribs. Make your holidays less daunting and snag this highly praised app while it's on sale. Click here for more information.
Restaurant review: Blend
When I arrive at a new establishment, it's important to me that a good tone is set. When we entered Blend, my date's favorite artist was playing at a reasonable volume. This was a positive sign. More foreshadowing of a pleasant night: patrons having a conspicuously good time. With excellent music and happy clientele, I thought, “Laissez les bons vins rouler.”
New Orleans On Tap
If you missed your chance to celebrate Oktoberfest this year, New Orleans is giving you another chance to have a deliciously good time in the fine fall weather with the New Orleans On Tap festival this Saturday. You can sample a menu of more than 200 beers while relaxing under oak trees in New Orleans’ City Park and listening to music by Alexis & The Samurai and Flow Tribe. Shade, food and non-beer drinks (like sodas and margaritas) will also be provided. Best of all, all proceeds go toward helping the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Attendees must be 21 or older. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 the day of the event. Click here for more information.
From Dumbo Gumbo to Elephant Trunk Po'Boys
No game this season has been more anticipated by LSU fans than this Saturday's LSU-Alabama face-off, and tailgaters have spent several weeks preparing elaborate menus to set the mood this weekend. The CBT tailgate, a well-established gathering of alums near Lockett Hall and the College of Design, is cooking up an elephant-centric menu that will feed 300 or more anticipated guests. Chad Cole, one of the group's organizers, says the stars have aligned for an electric day at Tiger Stadium fueled by the intense rivalry, the need for redemption after last year's National Championship debacle, and the fact that the rematch takes place at home, and most important, at night.
Pairing regional wines and food
Americans have broadened their wine palates considerably in the last few decades, and today, they’re ordering and purchasing more selections than ever before. But wine merchants say it remains challenging to convince customers to step out of their comfort zones. Many prefer to return to reliable domestic bottles with flavor profiles they know and enjoy, rather than roll the dice on something unfamiliar, says Martin Wine Cellar Manager Ian McCaffery. It’s particularly true with European and other international wines whose labels can seem cryptic.
Dining out in College Station/Houston
Following the Tigers on the road doesn't have to mean drive-thrus. Whether you travel with family, a significant other or a group of fun-loving friends, each destination on LSU's schedule offers something worth experiencing. Here's 225's list of places to grab a bite while you're waiting to cheer in the stadium:
Part steakhouse, part craft brewery, The Republic (therepublic1836.com) in Aggieland is a popular date-night hot spot for serious foodies with a lively bar open 'til midnight.
Looking like it was airlifted, tables and all, out of Austin's South Congress district, Veritas Wine & Bistro (veritaswineandbistro.com) offers its visually inventive, upscale steak and seafood cuisine as a “full sensory experience.”
That’s the spirit
Some of the best game-day libations reveal a fan’s love for the Bayou Bengals with every sip. 225 endorses The Purple Prowler, a sweet-tart blend from Southern Living’s new SEC Tailgating Cookbook, a 256-page tome with cuisine specialties from each of the 14 conference schools.
Where to eat in Gainesville
Following the Tigers on the road doesn't have to mean drive-thrus. Whether you travel with family, a significant other or a group of fun-loving friends, each destination on LSU's schedule offers something worth experiencing. Here's 225's list of places to grab a bite while you're waiting to cheer in the stadium:
A little vintage, a little hipster, a lot of delicious, The Top (352-337-1188) offers a fun martini bar and photo booth with classic comfort foods and plenty of vegetarian and vegan dishes, too.
For traditional Latin fare with a Gulf Coast twist, try Flaco's Cuban Bakery (website), a locally owned hotspot that prides itself on its Cuban coffee and media noche.
Paprika Recipe Manager is Pinterest for foodies
If you've got a folder full of recipes you've printed or bookmarked from various epicurean websites, recipes you've been dying to try but can never remember to put on your grocery list, Paprika Recipe Manager is the app for you. With its Pinterest-like system, this app lets you “clip” recipes from websites and sync them to your various devices—from tablets to phones to desktop computers—for easy access to your recipe list anywhere. You can then plan your week's meals around the new, exciting dishes you want to try, and Paprika will automatically generate a grocery list for you. It even divides the list by aisle, so there's no wasted time walking back and forth. With easy meal planning, nutritional information and even a feature that allows you to adjust the number of servings of the meal you want to make, adding some spice to your dinner table is as easy as a flick of the finger. $4.99 in the iTunes store and Android Marketplace.
Eating out in Auburn
Following the Tigers to Auburn this weekend? Enjoy this list of recommended dining spots in and around the area:
A popular game-day restaurant near campus since 1991, Amsterdam Café offers a seasonal, Southern-inspired farm-to-table menu (left) and impressive cocktail and wine lists.
Zazu Gastropub blends a traditional English-style eatery with a fresh seafood-focused menu that includes Cornbread Waffles and Shrimp, Cedar Planked Salmon and a range of grilled burgers.
Crepe Myrtle Cafe at Blooming Colors offers savory crepes, egg scrambles and fresh-baked muffins and scones for a quaint breakfast near campus.
Whiskey Kitchen in Nashville
Nashville's trendy M Street district is home to many bars and restaurants, but one name tends to shine. Whiskey Kitchen on 12th Avenue offers upscale atmosphere with a down-home menu that features plenty of Southern classics, as well as pizza and classic pub food. Order an appetizer of Wisconsin cheddar cheese curds and a fried green tomato BLT, then wash it down with a snifter from their truly impressive whiskey menu. If you're in a sharing mood, split a chili dog pizza and share a pitcher of whiskey sours. This pub is popular, so be prepared to wait—but if you're in the mood for a leisurely meal, you're in for a treat. Click here for the restaurant's website.
Not so Old-Fashioned
It's a well-known fact that I enjoy whiskey. Or bourbon. Or scotch. Whatever you call it, it's all delicious to me. And while I'm partial to a whiskey neat, as a Southern woman raised right, I appreciate a handsome whiskey cocktail. It's always nice to find an artfully made Old Fashioned, but when I discovered The Cove had no fewer than five on their cocktail menu, I had to do some in-depth whiskey whistle wetting.
Flask cocktails for powerless days
During a storm, access to the fridge and freezer has to be carefully rationed, as does ice—so what to prepare when you can't have a cold drink, and a beer from the ice chest just won't do? Many New Orleans bartenders swear by what are called “flask cocktails,” a mixed drink that's tasty at room temperature, or even warm. Some tips to make your cocktails taste extra-delicious: use good-quality liquor, which tastes better at room temperature, and opt for high-proof spirits to keep the cocktail potent.
Food Network on the Road
If you’ve ever watched an episode of one of Food Network’s hit shows like Man Vs. Food or Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and thought, “Man, I want to eat there!” this is the app for you. Whether you’re planning one last road trip before summer ends, or just want a cool place to check out when you’re in town for an LSU game, you’ll be able to find an amazing spot with just a few taps of your finger. Is there a chef whose specialties you favor? Get recommendations and dining tips from stars like Fieri and Flay, or just search by your favorite show to see if there’s a place nearby that they’ve featured. Free in the iTunes store.
Sparkling rosemary-peach Bellini
There’s no end to what you can do with fresh peaches—from pies to tarts to jams and glazes, it’s a versatile fruit that serves well with many a summer dish. Of course, they’re a classic ingredient in many cocktails as well, and with good reason—their sweet but mild flavor mixes well with almost any alcohol. This recipe for the classic peach-flavored cocktail the Bellini makes good use of the fresh peaches at your disposal this time of year, and also adds a woodsy note of rosemary to give it a distinctive twist.
Drync
If you’re looking for the ultimate app to keep your sommelier senses tingling, Drync may be the cream of the crop. With more than a million wines listed in its database, and hundreds of thousands of tasting notes on each, this is your pocket guide to becoming an overnight wine expert. This app—hailed as the best wine app by The New York Times, Macworld, and Mashable—allows you to log which wines you’ve tried in a virtual wine cellar, with photos, tasting notes and ratings. Browsing at the store, you can look up a wine, read expert reviews and even check current market prices to make sure you’re getting the best deal. You can share your favorites with friends via the built-in Facebook and Twitter messaging, and even snag cool discounts with the Vinpass feature. You can also track your wine purchases through GPS, so you always remember where you scored that dry shiraz or that fruity zin. Drync comes in a free form—ad-supported with...
Mixology Drink Recipes
The time for summer entertaining is upon us, but your liquor cabinet is depleted. What's a busy host to do? An iPhone app from Digital Outcrop might just have the solution. Mixology's "liquor cabinet" tab lets you enter every mixer and liquor you have on hand, and automatically generates all the recipes you're able to make from the ingredients you've got. The phone-based drink and bartending guide contains more than 7,900 recipes, including cocktails, hot drinks, punches—even non-alcoholic drinks for the teetotalers at the party. You can even pick recipes based on what kind of glass you have on hand. Best part? It's free—at least, if you don't mind putting up with some paid advertisements on the screen. The full version, Mixologist, is 99 cents—not a bad investment if you want take advantage of the paid features, such as being able to enter your custom recipes, and sharing drink ideas with other people. Available in the iTunes store.
Cor.kz Wine Info
Whether you’re taking a trip to Napa Valley this summer, or simply enjoying a staycation in your backyard, the Cor.kz Wine Info app will ensure that you have the perfect vintage to sip. Browse or search more than 1.2 million wines in its massive database, scan barcodes to find reviews for the wine you’re browsing, compare wines virtually side-by-side, and make a wish list for wines you want to try. You can even see if you’re getting a steal with the pricing data, and improve your sommelier vocabulary with an included reference guide. $2.99 in the iTunes store.
Hello Cupcake! app
Are you a cupcake addict? Do you stare longingly at pictures of gorgeous cupcakes on Pinterest and decorator blogs and just know you were meant to make adorable fondant butterflies and icing penguins? The Hello Cupcake! App is here to help you achieve your dreams of cupcake-decorating supremacy with simple, step-by-step instructions, beautiful photos, videos and audio clips that will have you making magazine-worthy cakes in no time. You and your kids can make it a summer afternoon project. Providing hours of entertainment and plenty of professional tips, it’s a steal at $2.99.
Sips: Bubbly and Stylish
The older I get, the more I find myself drawn to strong, robust cocktails. I usually like my drinks dark, brown and boozy. But with the temperatures rising, along with hemlines, sometimes a gal needs something a little less heavy-handed—something bubbly with a touch of sweetness. An effervescent drink that's not too frou-frou. A tasty adult beverage served stylishly in a dainty vessel with an artfully arranged citrus garnish. In the immortal words of Ms. Christina Aguilera, what a girl wants, what a girl needs is a French 75. And nowhere in Baton Rouge, or anywhere else I've tried, serves up a finer French 75 than the bar at Hotel Indigo downtown (Map it!).
Meaty Mason takes top honors at Burden Fest
225 readers prove they are in the know about what makes a great Bloody Mary, as Best of 225: Bloody Mary category winner Mason's Grill (Map it!) also took top honors at this year's Burden Garden Festival Bloody Mary Contest. Expert judges from Bite and Booze's Jay Ducote to Paul Arrigo, President & CEO of Visit Baton Rouge, scored each drink on presentation, flavor, spice and overall originality. Seven Baton Rouge restaurants entered the contest, but Mason's Grill's take on the classic cocktail went home with the title. The "Meaty Mason" includes a stick of crisp bacon and a beef jerky straw, the better to slurp up the spicy tomato cocktail with. It is one of the more popular of Mason's mix-and-match Bloody Mary...
OpenTable
Left date night plans to the last minute? No idea where you can snag a table at this late our? OpenTable can help you make reservations without having to call a dozen places just to check—its software lets you know immediately when and where an open table at a fine dining establishment can be found, and lets you put your name on it. This well-documented app has been the darling of the eating-out crowd since it made its debut, but only recently have Baton Rouge restaurants started really making this app their own. Red Stick diners can now let their fingers find a table everywhere from old favorites like Mestizo and Mansurs to relative newcomers like Tallulah. Although only about 20 local restaurants make use of the app, it's enough to give you a good range of places to go. You can also use the app to make reservations and send reminders to your phone so you don't miss an all-important night out. Free in the iTunes store and Android Market.
Fresh Pantry
Tired of tossing out perfectly good food you simply forgot you had? The Fresh Pantry app will help you put an end to waste by letting you know what's in your kitchen and how long you have left to use it. No more forgetting about that tub of sour cream or those three organic onions from Whole Foods—now you can be reminded that their expiration date is approaching and it's time to use those suckers in a delicious meal before it's too late! Unlike most apps, this app does one thing and does it well—simply snap a photo of your food, set an expiration date, and save. Fresh Pantry takes care of the rest, with photos of your food organized by date so you know what you have to use next. No muss, no fuss. And at a mere .99 cents in the iTunes store, it'll pay for itself with the first gallon of milk or bag of potatoes.—Rachael Upton