North African Appetite: A Private Dinner at Red Stick Spice Co.

by Paige Johannessen

Jay Ducote along with Commander in Chef of Gov't Taco, Aimee Tortorich, hosted another sold out four course dinner at Red Stick Spice Company in August. Using Red Stick Co.'s high quality spices and oils, they took guests on a culinary adventure through North African cuisine.

The room was set up beautifully, including a gorgeous display of spices laid out for the guests to fawn at. Now that we have had a few repeat customers to our pop up dinners at Red Stick Spice Co. they know the drill and are arriving before we can even pour the first glass of wine. This gives them time to shop around the store and watch as Chef Aimee Tortorich put the finishing touches on a few of her dishes. 

photo by Red Stick Spice Co.

To start the evening off we had plates of warm lamb meatballs served over a delicate but full flavored mint yogurt dipping sauce. The lamb was soft and juicy and the flavors set off by the mint prepared the guests for a savory evening. To compliment this earthy appetizer were glasses of Jay D's Blanc Du Bois for our guests to sip on. 

Once everyone had a chance to try the lamb and grab a glass of wine or two, it was time to be seated. Jay started off the dinner service with a brief introduction  and then the plates starting rolling out! For the first course, a procession of carrots roasted with oranges and dates, garnished with chickpeas and crumbled pistachios came marching out to the guests. This warm and robust dish paired nicely with a spicy glass of Pinot Noir.

photo by Red Stick Spice Co.

Next, for the main course was the beef short rib tagine. This crowd favorite was visibly tender and the aroma of ginger and fig wafted from the plates. The short rib was served with a delicate scoop of couscous, and garnished with peanuts. To compliment the subtle fruit notes of this dish was a full glass of Syrah for all to enjoy.

Last but certainly not least came the most artistic and sweet dish of the night. Chef arranged small sculptures of milk bastilla, a thin cinnamon dusted pastry layered into stacks and drizzled with a custard like cream. Hidden between the layers of crunchy pastry were cloves and apricots, and crunchy pine nuts were sprinkled on top to finish it off. 

Blair prepared a warm rougaroux spiked cocoa with homemade marshmallows from Counter Space BR to be served with this decadent dessert. 

photo by Red Stick Spice Co.

Once again, we were thrilled to see a room full of empty plates and satisfied taste buds. We can not wait to be back at Red Stick Spice Co. this month for a special TWO night seating of our Modern Italian Mangia four course dinner on September 26th and 27th. Join us before it sells out!

Barbecue Worth Killen For

by Chuck P

Texas and BBQ are a classic duo like peanut butter and jelly or cereal and milk. No matter what city you're in, it won't be hard to find a tangy rack of ribs, smoked chicken or juicy brisket. Recently, the whole Bite & Booze team had the lucky opportunity to try some some legendary BBQ when we visited Killen’s BBQ in Pearland, Texas.

Established in 2013 by Ronnie Killen, a local pitmaster, Killen’s has made a name for itself as one the best BBQ spots in the Pearland/Houston area with lunch lines on the weekends stretching out as long as the lines you'd see at Austin’s famous Franklin Barbecue. On a recent trip to Franklin, I'd proclaimed their brisket to be the best ever (which it is), I found the rest of their choices to be just average; at Killen’s this is not the case.

All the meats at Killen's BBQ in Pearland, TX

After a few moments of trying to decide what to pick from the menu, Jay made the choice of just ordering everything: brisket, beef and pork ribs, and smoked turkey along with sides of mac n cheese, baked beans and what was definitely the best creamed corn I'd ever had.

The Pork Ribs

Every piece of juicy meat on our tray was absolutely delicious. The pork ribs may go down as my favorite, but the brisket and turkey were seriously vying for second place. I don't remember ever having a full plate of such amazing BBQ selections and not really having a bad choice in the bunch. And I'm telling you that creamed corn…it changes a person.

We did our best to take down as much as we could and then made our way inside for some of their famous bread pudding.

Everyone knows I love burgers and beer, but the simple pleasure of bread pudding can tempt me like no other.

This was not just any regular ole bread pudding; this one was made with croissants. The airiness of the croissants was a nice change to the normal denseness of a classic bread pudding.

If you find yourself in the charming town of Pearland, Texas stop and visit Killen’s BBQ for a true Texas treat, order extra creamed corn and you can thank me later.

Taking a Bite Out of Chicago

by Hannah Wilson, intern

Eating your way through any city can be an intimidating challenge, especially in one of the biggest cities in the United States. However, being a Chicago native, I’ve spent almost 22 years eating my way through this city. Although I don’t think I could ever eat everything the city has to offer, I can assure you that these culinary inventions of Chicago are worth tracking down.

Chicago Style Hot Dog

A true Chicago classic, an all-beef wiener on a poppy seed bun. You can find these bad boys topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear tomato wedges and a sprinkle of celery salt but never, ever ketchup.

Gene & Jude’s, in the Chicagoland area, is said to have the number one hot dog in America since 1945. They don’t even supply Ketchup in their store.

The Twinkie

In 1930, James Dewar invented this spongy, indestructible treat. In 1980, about a billion Twinkies were sold each year.

Italian Beef

Photo credit: followmefoodie.com

Thin slices of seasoned roast beef on a thick, Italian-style roll are the base of an Italian Beef. Chicago natives often order it juicy, which means it’s dipped into the juices that the beef is cooked in, and smother it in sweet and/or hot peppers. This is a Chicago dish that dates back to the 1930’s.

Chicago Mix Popcorn

Photo credit: blogspot.com

An unlikely pair of cheese and caramel flavored popcorn is literal heaven in your mouth. I don’t know where it came from, or who thought of it, but bless your soul. This Chicago staple can be found all throughout the city, almost on every block like Starbucks. You definitely shouldn’t leave without trying it!

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Photo credit: unbirthdayparty

I can best describe this as a pie; it is baked in a deep, steel pan with large amounts of cheese and chunky tomato sauce. Toppings that would usually go on top of a pizza before being baked are actually baked within the pizza, in-between the cheese and sauce. A native knows that tackling this tasty tradition requires a fork and knife.

There can never be a unanimous “best deep dish” restaurant because everyone has their own opinions, there are different style of deep dish and each one holds special place in my heart. 

The possibilities are endless when deciding what to eat in Chicago, but leaving without trying what the city is known for, would just be a shame.

Acre: Humble, Southern and Inspired

by Aimee Tortorich

After an epic road trip to New York cooking at the James Beard House & Chefs and Champagne and eating at some of the best restaurants in NYC, Team Bite and Booze had one more important stop to make. Jay had been talking about having dinner at Acre in Auburn, Alabama for over a week. I didn’t think it would live up to the amazing dishes we had in New York, but Chef David Bancroft blew me away.

Acre in Auburn, Alabama

Nestled only two blocks from the historic Toomer’s Corner in Auburn lies one of the South’s hottest new restaurants. Acre is a restaurant that passionately follows the farm to table concept. Surrounded by an acre of fruits, vegetables and herbs, Chef David has fresh ingredients fueling his creativity a few steps away. A self-proclaimed “country boy” and a master culinary magician in my eyes, Chef David welcomed us with true southern hospitality. Seating us at the Chef’s table he immediately began offering up simple, but flavor packed, inspired dishes. 

Chef David picked watermelon from the front yard of the restaurant for a snack and a cocktail!

As a chef, it’s a dream of mine to build a career focused on the harvest of southern, seasonal ingredients. Raised to live off the land, I’ve always had a passion for this kind of cooking.

The first dish that hit our table was the Chicken Fried Bacon. Two strips of house-made smoked bacon were gently fried in a pepper batter and served with silky white sawmill gravy, Vermont maple syrup and garnished with local pecans. We were fighting over the last bite because it was that good!

Chicken Fried House-Made Bacon, sawmill gravy, Vermont maple syrup, local pecans

These tender Gulf shrimp swimming in an Asian-inspired sweet and spicy BBQ butter sauce almost knocked me out. We were only on our second course and a single bite of the crispy sweet corn donuts dredged in the flavored butter had me feeling feelings. 

 

Peel & Eat Shrimp-“Top secret” BBQ Butter, Sweet Corn Donuts

This was easily one of my favorite dishes of the night. If curry is on the menu, I’m all over it and this dish didn’t disappoint! The balance of heat and sweetness around the tender oyster was absolutely addicting.

Chargrilled Oysters-Curry Butter, house-made hot sauce

The beef tartare with stone ground mustard was the perfect balance of umami and tang. The creaminess of the tender beef with the acidic, spicy mustard was a perfect bite on a charred bread.

 

Wagyu Beef tartare-stone ground mustard, grilled bread

The smoky flavors of the salmon balanced well with the acidity of the mustard and pickled veggies. I could ping pong back and forth between this dish and the beef tartar any day.

Smoked salmon rillettes-mustard, pickled veggies, grilled bread

The flavorings of the sausage were far from traditional. Chef de Cuisine, Caleb Fischer added bright Asian flavors to the sausage, which balanced out the fattiness of the pork. The house-made waffles had a nice crunch, but tender on the inside, while the huitlacoche purée brought the whole dish together with nice, earthy notes. 

Sausage and Waffles-house-made sausage, house-made waffles, Huitlacoche (corn smut) sauce

  

As our bellies began to get full, Chef David slowed the pace down with a nice and refreshing intermezzo. A fresh picked watermelon from the garden graced our table garnished with torn basil, Gulf of Mexico salt from our friends at Cellar Salt Co. and a slight drizzle of Georgia olive oil.

Sliced watermelon, torn basil, Cellar Sea Salt, Georgia olive oil

Chef David brought out his magician skills with the highlight of the evening, a two-year aged ham. Beautiful in color and thinly sliced, the ham melted in my mouth. Following boucherie-style tradition, we shared a shot of whiskey with a Bancroft twist. First, you place a drop of Poirier cane syrup on your tongue and let it sit. Then, we took a sip out of a mason jar filled with skins/fat from the ham soaking in Woodford Reserve and finished it all off with a bite of that heavenly ham. 

 

2 year aged ham, Poirier cane syrup, 2 year old ham skins/fat in Woodford Reserve

The cream poached sweet corn with sweet corn donuts was a simple, yet flavor packed dish. It came as no surprise that Chef David picked the corn from the restaurant garden. He described the Silver Queen variety as the “cream of the crop.” Super tender, extremely sweet, and a perfect welcome back to the South.

Cream poached Silver Queen corn with corn donuts

We closed out our amazing dining experience with a humble but tasty dessert, fig cinnamon rolls. It was especially touching for Jay because we had just served his Granny’s famous cinnamon pecan rolls earlier that week at the James Beard House. They were warm, fluffy and drenched in icing; job well done Chef Caleb Fischer!

Chef Caleb Fischer's cast iron fig cinnamon rolls

After dinner, we took a tour around the property where Chef explained the significance and importance of living off the land. Every crop in the garden and protein used inspired the kitchen to create dishes that were not only well thought out but executed with a humble touch. I hope to return to Acre sooner rather than later to see what Chef David is cooking up!

Sitting Fat and Happy: A Trip to Fat Cow

by Drew Broussard

After a crazy weekend including preview dinners for the James Beard House and viewing parties for Deep Fried America, team Bite and Booze decided that it was high time to for a "treat yo self" lunch filled with one of our favorite foods: burgers!

Following a little bit of deliberation, we decided that we would take our hungry stomachs over to Fat Cow on Highland Road in order to indulge on our beefy cravings. When I walked into Fat Cow, I couldn’t help but be impressed by their huge selection of burgers and burger styles. First off, you can choose a beef, chicken, mushroom, or salmon patty to be the base of your burger. Secondly, the sheer amount of specialty toppings and combinations you can top off your burger with is deliciously staggering. All in all, there are hundreds of flavor combinations that you could come up with.

Fat Cow on Highland Road.

While a good sandwich is the fundamental pillar for a burger joint, it always helps to be supported by some tasty side items. So, for the sake of food research, we got an order of parmesan duck fat fries, onion straws, and a “Banana Stand,” shake (Arrested Development, anyone?) to go with our meals.

Onion Straws go great on or with your burger!

When we got our food, we wasted little time enjoying our burgers’ juicy goodness. My Baja Burger was topped with pepper jack, salsa, avocado, banana peppers, lettuce and a smoked poblano pepper sour cream. The toppings were light and fresh enough to be perfect compliments to the patty. The acidity from the peppers really stood out, and my mouth was never scorched thanks to the sour cream spread. It's a great summertime burger.

Baja Burger is the perfect summertime grub.

Jay’s Wentworth burger took on a completely different flavor profile. His patty was topped with ham, brie, apples and a red onion marmalade. Those are some bold flavors to put on a burger, but the risk seemed to pay off. The melted brie and the sweetness of the apple made this burger so unique that you’d be hard pressed to find something similar to it in the area.

The Wentworth Burger will take you from the Mississippi to the Seine.

Chuck P., our Product Czar and Saucer of Sales, enjoyed the 120 Burger. This sandwich was strong with flavors, as it had gruyere, bacon, caramelized onions and a horseradish mayonnaise. Chuck seemed to really dig the mayo because it packed a punch! Combining that flavor with the gruyere helped transport this burger to the specialty category.

The 120 Burger brings it with Horseradish Mayo.

While all of these sandwiches have been pretty adventurous in the toppings department, Fat Cow still delivered with a classic burger staple. Chef Aimee Tortorich got a Smoke Stack Burger that she said nailed all of the key components. It had a good barbecue sauce, succulent bacon and crispy fried onions that did a great job of adding texture.

And while we all chowed down on the greasy goodness that was in front of us, Blair, our Chief Confusion Coordinator, took the lighter route as she enjoyed the Catahoula Cobb salad with grilled salmon on top. This is a bleu cheese-lovers dream, having both crumbles and a vinaigrette with bleu mixed in. Blair made note of how well the salmon was cooked, and that all of the flavors really complimented each other.

The Catahoula Cobb with Grilled Salmon is a bleu cheese lover's dream.

And of course we didn't forget about those sides! Fat Cow’s renowned duck fat and Parmesan fries did not disappoint. They were cheesy, savory, and just crispy enough. These guys were truly some top-notch fries. I'm getting hungry again just thinking about them. The onion straws were a great side as well. I found them incredibly addicting, as they were so thinly cut that you could keep on eating away at them. They were also a great little additional topping to my burger. The Banana Stand shake was another hit. While I didn't have much room left to sample a milkshake, Jay took the sacrifice and said that it was a solid summer dessert. It's hard to go wrong with a chocolate, cream and banana trifecta.

Parmesan Duck Fat Fries, need we say more?

It didn't take long for the fries became sparse, the sips turned slurps and we were reaching the end of our lunchtime burger-fest. After a few moments of silent digestion reflection, we all came away incredibly satisfied.

Regardless of toppings, we all commended the beef patty we had on our burgers. It was very juicy and had a steak like flavor that isn't present in your average burger. We also gave a nod to the bun, which we found to be slightly sweet and buttery enough to keep the sandwich from ever drying out. It might take about a week before I feel the rumbling pangs of hunger in my stomach, but I know that it won’t be long before I return to Fat Cow.

One more for good measure!

Red, White and 'Cue: A Look Back on Barbecue Bites Past

by Drew Broussard

Oh barbecue, where do we start? At Bite and Booze, our appreciation for barbecue runs deep. Three of our products were thoughtfully considered and concocted with the beauty of this "low and slow" cooking method in mind. Whether he's competing or simply taste-testing for the betterment of mankind, Jay has eaten his share of barbecue over the years. 

While spring time in Louisiana may be dominated by seafood, people pivot to pork, chicken and beef when the summer rolls around. Now that July 4th is upon us and we are itching to hit the grill, let's take a look back at some of our favorite barbecued dishes that we've enjoyed over the past few years!

The Best Brisket from Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas

Brisket from @franklinbbq. @jayducote braved the line yesterday, but of course he turned it into a tailgate party. #bbq #nofilter #atx #foodporn #nomnom #seriously #beef #brisket

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Nov 14, 2015 at 8:03am PST

Big Basket from La Barbecue in Austin, Texas

Doing things for real at @la_barbecue in #atx! Check out that colossal beef rib! #bbq #texas #foodpics #foodporn #barbecue

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Nov 18, 2015 at 12:06pm PST

Spare Ribs at Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City

Brisket from the GnarBQ 2015

St. Louis Style Ribs from Pimanyoli's

Smoked Sausages from Johnson's Boucanière in Lafayette

Sausages smoking at @johnsonsboucaniere. There aren't many prettier sights. @eatlafayette #lafayette

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jan 12, 2016 at 12:44pm PST

Sampler Platter from Nola Smokehouse

Say hello to the sampler platter at @nolasmokehouse. Ribs, pulled pork, brisket, burnt ends, smoked sausage, boudin, and sides! #bbq #nola #chefrob #eeeeeats #satisfeed #instayum #instafood #foodprnshare #foodporn #instagood #foodgasm #nom #nomnom #nomnomnom #foodpic #fdlmoment 

photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jul 10, 2015 at 9:49am PDT

Team Bacon Rouge's Pig from Hogs for the Cause

We can hardly wait for this year's @hogsforthecause!Team @baconrouge is ready to rock and roll. Make sure to grab your tickets! #hogsforthecause #pork #citypork #yummy #wholehog

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Mar 22, 2016 at 10:11am PDT

BBQ Plate from Mitchell's Bar-B-Q in Cheyenne, WY

Doing some #BBQ research at Mitchell's Bar-B-Q in downtown Cheyenne, WY. #thestruggle

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Jun 23, 2014 at 1:00pm PDT

Jay D's Barbecue Venison Pizza

When @jayducote found out @indieplate carries fresh #pizza dough and @chuckp23 stocked us with venison, the @hugjayd Louisiana Barbecue Venison pizza was born!

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Mar 2, 2016 at 12:11pm PST

Red Hot Ember: Dining at L'Auberge Lake Charles' Steakhouse

I've really come to appreciate Lake Charles through my recent travels to their corner of Louisiana. There's way more going on amid the rice and crawfish ponds than even the natives give themselves credit for. And with a thriving casino industry bringing folks in from Texas as well as some huge industrial developments, I can only imagine that the next couple years will really see Lake Charles shine. I've had the pleasure of staying at the L'Auberge Casino and Resort quite a few times, and I'm no rookie at dining at their steakhouse, either. The Ember Grille & Wine Bar helmed by Chef Mark Chapman routinely puts out some amazing food. This past August I attended the Travel Media Showcase in Lake Charles which brought food bloggers and travel destinations from across the country to Southwest Louisiana. It's essentially a place to get to know fellow travel journalists and mingle with destination marketers, possibly planning out some future culinary adventures. If they are anywhere close to being as tasty as this one, I'll be delighted!

The Ember Prime "Tomahawk": 40 oz. Ribeye Carved Table-side

The night before the Showcase began we were treated to dinner at Ember, which once again has never failed to impress. Here's a collection of the evening's dishes. I went ahead and started this blog post with their signature steak, the 40oz prime tomahawk ribeye, carved tableside. Many other dishes follow below, each providing their own signature styles and flavors. I'd try to pick a favorite, but that's nearly impossible. I'll give you a hint though, one of the dishes made the list of the 10 best things I ate in 2014! That isn't meant to take away from the rest of these plates of beauty, though!

American Kobe Beef Carpaccio: Fried Capers, Scallions, Mustard Oil, Creamy Horseradish, Shaved Reggiano Parmesan

Quail & Waffle: Herb and Roasted Garlic Savory Waffle,
Tahitian Vanilla Infused Maples Syrup

BBQ Pecan-Bacon Wrapped Shrimp: Aged Smoked Cheddar Grits,
Candied Onion Shoot

Lamb Lollichops: Tzatziki Dipping Sauce, Gremolata Vinaigrette

Ember Salad Trio

Stuffed Rabbit Loin: Pancetta Wrapped, Potato Purée, Natural Jus

Japanese Kobe Strip Loin

Photos by Dan Jones with tommysTV.

Pho-Get About It: 7 spots to eat Pho in Baton Rouge

Pho (pronounced fuh) is a beautiful thing. There's something magical about it. Of all the wonderful qualities to love about this Vietnamese classic, its simplicity is what I respect the most. A broth based soup accentuated with sweet Thai basil, earthy bean sprouts, a spritz of lime, and the delectable fruit of a fresh jalapeño, pho is the meat and potatoes of Vietnamese cuisine. I fed my pho craving quite a few times to bring you what I believe are the best places to get a bowl of pho in Baton Rouge. Here's the list of seven places to grab a bowl, ranked lowest to highest:

7. Dream Berrie Café: 3851 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd.

Dream Berrie is extremely popular. It may be because of the funky, bright interior or the fact that you can fill up on Vietnamese cuisine and get frozen yogurt all under one roof. I certainly indulged in a heaping cup of fro-yo after my spicy bowl of pho. While I enjoyed Dream Berrie, I give it the lowest ranking because the flavor left a lot to be desired. After adding copious amounts of basil, fresh jalapeños and chili oil, I took it down. The truth of the matter is, each bowl of pho should be delicious on it's own before you put your personal spin on it.

Dream Berrie Café's Pho Tai Chin: Rare Eye Round & Well Done Brisket $7.99

6. Viet Garden: 11990 Florida Blvd.

Viet Garden is a fairly large space (in comparison to other Vietnamese restaurants in Baton Rouge) and had quite a few diners, which is always a good sign. The broth packed more flavor than Dream Berrie, and I liked the plethora of protein choices.

Viet Garden's Pho Dac Biet: Eye Round Steak, Well-Done Flank, Fat Brisket, Soft Tendon, & Meatballs $7.99

5. Drunken Fish: 4410 Highland Rd.

It's nice to have a place to get pho so close to...anything. Baton Rouge has superb ethnic food, but most of it lives out on Florida Boulevard near Sherwood Forest. While the parking lot for Drunken Fish may be a nightmare at times, it's definitely closer to the city center. Tasty, convenient location, sold.

Drunken Fish's Eye Round Pho $8

4. Little Saigon: 11224 Florida Blvd.

Little Saigon has a menu similar to most Vietnamese restaurants with choices ranging from spring rolls and stir fry to Vermicelli and Banh Mi. The atmosphere lacks much of an identity, but it presents a clean black and white feel with seemingly new tables and chairs. The pho itself is quite onion-y and salty compared to many others, though delightful in its own right. After slurping down a few noodles I decided to doctor it up with a little chili oil, basil, and jalapeño. It's solid, but if I'm in that area, I'm going to one of the next few on the list.

Little Saigon's Combination Pho: Beef Eye Round, Brisket, and Beef Meatball $8.95

3. Sa Dec: 1124 Marque Anne Dr.

A hidden gem located right off of Florida Blvd., Sa Dec is a no frills, authentic Vietnamese shop. A menu that only spans the length of two pages offers up steamed bun dishes, a few pho combinations, and very little else. You can get a pretty decent bowl of pho here, but be warned that they only accept cash. 

Sa Dec's Pho Tai Bo Vien: Rare Beef & Beef Ball Noodle Soup $8

2. Saigon Noodles: 1295 N. Sherwood Forest Blvd.

Not to be confused with Little Saigon around the corner, Saigon Noodles boasts a more sophisticated interior. Unlike most "hole in the wall" ethic eateries in Baton Rouge, Saigon feels, in the words of the unadventurous, "safe." They play coffee shop covers of popular pop songs, but make no mistake, their food is legitimate. The Autumn Rolls were a fresh beginning, and the pho did not disappoint. Saigon Noodles had an array of protein combinations to choose from. I chose to try something I didn't find at any of the other Vietnamese restaurants in town: oxtail. Tender and slightly fatty with porous bones, ox tail brings something special to a bowl of pho.

Saigon Noodles' PO26: Beef Ox Tail, Thinly Sliced Eye Round Steak,
Well Done Beef Flank, Beef Meat Ball and Beef Tendon $9.75

1. Dang's Vietnamese Restaurant: 12385 Florida Blvd.

My Chief Confusion Coordinator, Blair, used to be a Saigon Noodles loyalist. She had one sip of the pho at Dang's and has been converted. We started out with some roasted duck drizzled lightly with hoisin sauce accompanied by fluffy, pillow-like steam buns. From there I ordered the combination pho, and Blair decided to try their special that day, chicken curry. While not traditionally Vietnamese, this lemon grassy curry with flares of coconut milk essentially came as a pho-sized bowl of chicken curry with noodles. The pho at Dang's is bursting with flavor on a level far above the rest. It needed no accouterments to bring on the rich flavor that every broth strives for. While the restaurant itself might not be anything special, the cuisine at Dang's exemplifies the amazing food that the Red Stick has to offer.

Dang's Dac Biet: Eye Round Steak, Brisket, Tendon, Tripe, and Meatballs $8.25