New Orleans to Go

New Orleans to Go is my new favorite restaurant. It has it all, great food, amazing atmosphere and the best customer service. I have been there back to back weeks now, they usually come downtown Wednesday-Friday every week. You can follow them on twitter or facebook to know exactly where they are or where they will be on any given day. I saw one tweet saying that they will soon be going to Eden Park on Sunday's for brunch, I can't wait to try that out with my family.

The first time I went I got a fry and gravy with debris (shredded pot roast) with a bbq glaze and lettuce, tomato and mayo poboy. Even though I am a picky eater, I still ate it as is and it was very good. Some of the flavors threw me off since I simply don't usually get them or like them all that much, like the mayo. The BBQ glaze also had some mustard taste to it or something that threw my taste buds off. All in all it was a good sandwich and the flavors were different with each bite.



I got stuck under the truck that day because it started to pour down rain as soon as I put my order in. But it ended up being a good thing because I got to talk to some of the nicest people while I ate the food they cooked for me. I also kept getting fed more and more food that they wanted me to try, including the fried shrimp with a honey glaze (which they bottle and sell) that was so good. I asked to buy some today to take on my upcoming vacation, but they didn't have any in the truck, but they promised me some when I returned.  By far the fried shrimp with that honey glaze is my favorite thing that I have had from the truck so far. They also fed me some more of the debris with just the gravy which was very good on its own without all the other flavors getting in the way.



I also lucked out that day because it was Fireside Pizza's last day there and with a purchase of $5 or more from any food truck you got to take home a freshly made pizza out of their fire brick oven. I had to try a piece while I waited for my poboy to be made and it was very good. I actually served the rest of it and my other half of the poboy to my family for dinner that night and they all loved it and ate it all up.  I hope to go back for some other styles of pizza they sell at local farmers markets around town.  You can also follow them on facebook and twitter to catch them out and about.

Since my first experience was so good, I had to take my co-workers back for our Thursday lunch. This time I knew to get it without all the fixins and just get it with what I wanted.



This time I chose to get a half buffalo chicken half honey glazed fried shrimp with bacon poboy and cheese fries. It is now my new favorite thing. It was so good and right on the money. They also gave me some fried shrimp on the side to share with my co-workers. The buffalo sauce had a good kick to it, definitely the spiciest of the sauces (had me sweating), then the honey glaze (my favorite) has the best flavor and still a little bite to it and then the BBQ sauce which is my least favorite because of the mustard flavor I thought I tasted the first time I went (yet I was told it had no mustard in it).



They also sell things like jambalaya and catfish etouffee and basically anything you would find down in New Orleans. Did I mention that they get everything shipping in straight from New Orleans?

I have never been to New Orleans but every time I go to this food truck, I desperately want to go for a trip. From everything I have seen on TV or heard about, it reminds me of an adult Disney World. It just seems so happy and upbeat. I would be shocked to see people not having a good time or people not being friendly down there. The music alone puts me in a good mood. I asked them what the music was that plays outside their truck and they told me it was a Pandora station called Rockin' Sidney. Take a listen to what you might hear when you go there for some food (and you MUST go).



I have never seen or tasted anything like what they are doing at New Orleans to Go and it is hard to put into words (I hope I painted a pretty good picture). So you just have to go and check it out for yourself and let me know what you think!

New Orleans to Go Ratings

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Nada

I have been to Nada twice now. At first I thought I would never go there since I heard how fancy and expensive it was. Once I went, I was pleasantly surprised on the pricing and the atmosphere. It was still more upscale than I am use to, but for a date night with the wife, it is perfect! I figure it is cheaper than the boat house and about the same as going to an outback or olive garden, but so much better.

The first trip there was with a co-worker for lunch where I got the chicken tacos, chips, guac and salsa. Everything was very good. The chicken tacos were probably the best chicken tacos I have ever eaten. Most chicken tacos I get have dry chicken, but theirs were very juicy and tender. The cheese they paired it with was also amazing. I had never heard of the cheese, but it is called chihuahua cheese. The guac and homemade chips were also very good and fresh. I love that put their guac on almost every one of their tacos. The only negative thing I can take away from that trip was the dessert we got. I believe we got some sort of chocolate cream type dessert (I can't think of the name for it, but I could have done without it). They also let us try something fried (I believe it was a fried churro) which didn't do anything for me either. It was decent, but almost like eating nothing.

The second time I went was with my wife. I was told to get the fish tacos, which I had never had anywhere before. So my wife got the fish tacos while I got the carnitas tacos and we would just share. I have to admit, I am addicted to the fish tacos now and I want to try them everywhere to see if it is just Nada's or fish tacos in general that I love. The carnitas I could have done without. Out of the 3 different kinds of tacos I have had there, the carnitas are by far the worst, but not bad. When I go back I will probably do some sort of mix between the fish and chicken tacos.

WHEN I go back I will have to take some more pictures since I only have the one of my carnitas from the last time I went.

Nada Ratings

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BagPipes

BagPipes just recently closed down on 7th street, which seems to be pretty common with new restaurants downtown, especially on the corner of 7th and Race. I wanted to still write a review because I truly felt like I was their #1 customer.

The reason I went so much was for one reason only, their fish sandwich special on Friday. On Friday they would have a fish sandwich, fries and ANY draft beer you wanted for only $8. For downtown, that is a GREAT price! Most good drafts would cost you around $4 or $5 and a fish sandwich meal would be easily over $6. So getting them both for only $8, it was a no-brainer for me.

Luckily for me, my friends enjoyed meeting me down there every Friday for this deal. And it wasn't just because it was cheap, the fish wasn't that bad. We never left wanting more food, that's for sure. The sandwich was very large and the fries were good too. The only thing I would say bad about the fish is that it didn't seem too fresh and a lot of the time I would take a bite and would come up with just breading and no fish. I was also happy that they would let me swap my tartar sauce for some BBQ sauce for the fish, but mainly for my fries.

The biggest downfall for this place, I think, would have to be the service. I was probably there around 7 or 8 times during the 2 month stand and it never seemed like the waiters knew what they were doing. When we finally did get one that had a clue, she was apologizing for everyone else. Getting our food quickly was never a problem because I don't think they ever stopped making the fish on Fridays since it seemed like everyone who went there that day was going for the special. The one thing that drove me crazy about the place was that they APPEARED to have so many beers on tap, but it would take me 10 minutes to choose my beer because I would settle on one to find out that it was not being served at that time or "just ran out." If you have 20 draft beers on your menu and 20 taps on the bar, you should really try and keep them in stock or at least have half for sale. It was pretty amazing going through 5 or 6 different beers to find them all out at that moment.

In the end, I will still miss the $8 fish special, but I am sure I will find something to replace it. I actually went to Washington Platform last Friday and the fish was much better and if you go with a friend you can always do the buy one fish get the second for only $1! I think you will be seeing a new blog post soon with my new Friday fish place.

It is pretty amazing that I went there so many times and never took a picture of the fish, I only took a picture of my first visit which was a not so good burger. It was way over cooked and literally burnt on the outside. This might have been the only burger I have not finished due to taste in my life.

BagPipes Ratings

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Ludlow-Bromley Yacht Club

Over the weekend I took my wife to see a movie on the levee and then we headed to Ludlow-Bromley Yacht Club which is ON the River. When I think of a place on the river, I think of a place like the cabana bar or hooters, but neither of those places are LITERALLY on the river. It took some time getting use to sitting at our table while waves would take us up and down and up and down. I didn't know if I could handle the movement, but I soon got use to it. It was strange because I never get motion sick and I love being on a boat. I think it was because I didn't expect it and possibly because I was very hungry.



We ordered up an appetizer and a bucket of beers. We got Potato "Chips" instead of skins, loaded with cheese and bacon. They were so good and hit the spot. They were thinner cut than potato skins which I thought was better because it was less potato and more cheese and bacon. Next time I could probably just get some of those and their onions straws and drink some beers and call it a night.



I got a beer battered cod while my wife got the grilled grouper (which I should have gotten, I was even told by our waiter to order the grouper). Mine was good, pretty basic, but I couldn't complain. I got the chips that come with the sandwich and my wife got the onion straws knowing that we would share both. The chips were just your basic lays potato chips, nothing fancy, but the onion straws were delicious. I am yet to have bad onions straws though. These weren't as stringy as the boathouse's onion straws and they weren't as thick as white castle's onions pedals. They were more like french fries and they were very good.




We got there around 7PM and we sat ourselves pretty close to the river. Live music starts at 9PM and they are open till 2AM every night. I would love to go back with a group of friends to just sit out by the river and drink some beers and order up some appetizers. I don't know if I would ever really go there just for their food, but the whole experience is awesome. Can't get much better of a view and it is very calming (once you get use to the movement of course). We didn't stay for the music, so I am not sure what kind it would have been. I do know that you need to bring cash or you will be stuck with a $3 ATM fee to get some cash out. But even with the $3 fee and tip, we left with only spending $43 for the two of us.

I am excited to have a new place to go to that is outside with a view and I am glad the prices are a lot cheaper than the cabana bar. We will be sure to be back and next time it will be later in the evening so I'll let you know how the music is.

Le's Cafe

Today I had lunch with a co-worker who introduced me to Le's Cafe. Don't try looking for them on the street or even finding them on the web because they aren't there. The only way you will find them is if you are hungry for knowledge and want to read some books in the library downtown. I have been in the Downtown library maybe ... three time (yes it's sad) and I have never seen this place. They are tucked away as soon as you walk in the main entrance to the left up the little ramp. It is just a little L-shaped counter and then some tables. It is nothing special, but it has some pretty good food for a great price!



I got their fish sandwich special with chips, a can of Dr. Pepper and a cookie, all for $4! They also had some Asian dishes including egg rolls for $1 and everything else was just as affordable.



The fish sandwich wasn't very big and the breading on the edges was a little tough, but is was a pretty typical "fast food" style fish sandwich. Next time I will see if they have some cheese to put on the sandwich. The BBQ Grippos and Dr. Pepper were obviously delicious and the chocolate chip cookie was very soft and very good with big chunks of chips in it.



I will be going back there quite often since the prices are amazing and they have a pretty good selection and always offering up different specials. Maybe next time I'll stop by the actual library and pick up a book... who am I kidding, if anything it would be a DVD.