South American Supper: A Private Dinner at Red Stick Spice Co.

by Sophie Spring, intern

Gov't Tacos Chef Aimee Tortorich, Jay Ducote and their culinary team were able to take a break from slinging tacos and focus on the latest Red Stick Spice Company private dinner, South American Supper for 24 lucky guests. The four course meal featured traditional South American foods, with a Bite and Booze twist.

The guests starting arriving around 7, with the tantalizing scent of roasted potatoes filling up the store.

Our first passed course was red snapper ceviche with a crispy fried plantain chip and glasses of bubbly Prosecco. The guests enjoyed this course while perusing the store, allowing them to see all of the delicious oils, vinegars, and spice mixtures Red Stick Spice Co. has to offer.

Photo by: Jordan Hefler Photography

Once the guests were seated it was time for the second course, a seafood paella. Our paella was traditional, using Supreme Rice with saffron, mussels, shrimp, and green peas. The dish was complimented nicely by Jay D’s Blanc du Bois. An added bonus for the guests were the extra prepared mussels that were served family style to each table.

Chef Aimee Tortorich plating the paella. Photo by: Jordan Hefler Photography 

The third course was a real show stopper: Cafeciteaux coffee rubbed tri-tip served over fresh green cilantro chimichurri with a side of creamy paprika roasted potatoes a la plancha. This course was probably the biggest hit of the night. Every plate brought back to the kitchen was licked clean. Our guests enjoyed this course with a glass of robust Malbec.

Photo by: Jordan Hefler Photography

For the dessert course, the culinary team put a spin on traditional tamales, making a dulce de leche tamale served with homemade bananas foster ice cream. The tamales had a subtle sweetness and the bananas foster ice cream melted beautifully over the warm masa. The guests loved this unexpected dessert. Served alongside the tamale was Jay D’s Single Origin Coffee, with a splash of Frangelico hazelnut liqueur and cinnamon whipped cream.

Photo by: Jordan Hefler Photography

The dinner went off seamlessly, thanks to help from Anne and the Red Stick Spice staff there to help us out. After the dinner was over, the team received such great feedback that we were inspired to plan another SOLD OUT Red Stick Dinner, North African Appetite on August 16!

Great Raft Brewing + Restaurant Calla: A Flavorful Balancing Act

by Blair Loup

Southwest Louisiana is the place I call home. I grew up in the small city of Sulphur near what some might call the “main drag,” in this case the street with the most chain restaurants. We had to go across the bridge to Lake Charles to go to a mall or see a movie; you know, the fun stuff.

While it was a great place to grow up, I’ll admit throughout college I didn’t find myself itching to leave Baton Rouge to go home for a visit, but that’s changing.

Lake Charles is booming, and there are some cool people working hard to showcase what the area has to offer. One of those shining stars is Chef David Sorrells at Restaurant Calla.

The relatively new restaurant is one of the first businesses to open in a sparkly new development, Walnut Grove. Chef David has a long history of restaurant experience, but perhaps the most notable is his time at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry.

So what’s he doing in Lake Charles? He’s plating up some of the tastiest and creative bites I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in the region.

Recently, Jay teamed up with Restaurant Calla and Great Raft Brewing to kick off our Louisiana Winter Beer Festival weekend. Great Raft's Chief Brewer Harvey Kenney claimed it was easily the best Great Raft Beer pairing dinner he’s experienced.

Blue Crab Beignet + Southern Drawl Pale Lager

Blue crab beignet, malt vinegar aioli, red pepper confit.

What I imagined would be a bready fritter with a few chunks of crab turned out to be this magical delicately fried ball stuffed to the gills with blue crab. The subtle sweetness of the crab met with a malt vinegar aioli to give it a tinge of acidity that set off the flavors. This lovely, bright but sweet red pepper confit added a necessary savory element. Pair that with a crisp, clean lager and the first course was set.

Red Snapper Ceviche + At Arm’s Length India Pale Lager

Red Snapper ceviche, tropical fruit, coconut cream.

Easily one of the best ceviches I’ve eaten, Chef David’s balance of flavors in this dish was spot on. Ceviche is the art of curing fish or other seafood in citrus juices. The tango of that popping citrus with tropical fruit and a coconut cream set off the hop-forward lager in a way that will stay with me.

Grilled Octopus + Commotion American Pale Ale

Grilled octopus, avocado, chipotle, barley, cilantro, grapefruit, Commotion vinaigrette.

This is not your mom’s grilled octopus dish. Super tender grilled octopus sprinkled with accoutrements like creamy avocado, smoky chipotle, cilantro, barley, and juicy grapefruit tossed in Commotion vinaigrette had my taste buds partying like it was 1999. Those flavors combined with the relaxed hoppy Commotion were money. Commotion is one of those hoppy beers that even even a Coors Light drinker can get behind. It’s easy to drink and refreshing.

Coffee & Cocoa Rubbed Tenderloin + Reasonably Corrupt Black Lager

Coffee and cocoa rubbed tenderloin, creamed yucca, charred leeks, ancho hollandaise.

This dish spoke to me on levels I didn’t know beef tenderloin could speak on. The bitter but savory rub on the beef married with the ancho hollandaise seamlessly. Drag that buttery soft bite through the thick creamed yucca, and it’s on. The toasty notes you get in the Reasonably Corrupt from the roasted paired perfectly with the chocolate-peppery notes in the dish.

Chocolate Short Bread Cookies + Provisions and Traditions Vol. 3 Oak Aged Oktoberfest with Louisiana Cane Syrup

Chocolate short bread cookies, banana sorbet, dulce de leche, peanut butter powder.

Chocolate short bread cookies with a banana sorbet drizzled with dulce de leche and peanut butter powder is never a bad decision. What I love about flavored powders like peanut butter, strawberry, green tea, etc. is that you get the entirety of the flavor full on, but not the substance. It’s a very cool way to accentuate dishes. This Oak Aged Oktoberfest is slightly sweet from the malt with a bittersweet cane syrup taste…now if only dipping the cookies in beer were a good idea!

A Love Letter to Latin American Food

by Sydney Blanchard

I pretty much never tire of Latin American food. In a way, it reminds me a lot of the Cajun soul food I grew up eating – spicy, atypical cuts of meat and some form of fried/bready form of carbohydrates.

With bright colors and bright flavors to boot, Latin American food makes a food blogger's job easy.

Team Bite and Booze would like to formally express our love for Latin cuisine through imagery. Below you'll find some of the most memorable meals we've had.

Scroll, and enjoy.

Dear Latin American Food,

Ceviche at El Xuco Xicana in Houston, TX

We know you sometimes get a bad wrap.

Pollo en Mole at La Reyna in Baton Rouge, La.

But you're too good for this world.

Mexican street corn

You're more than just your bright colors.

Guacamole at Johnny Sanchez in New Orleans, La.

You're more than your bold flavors.

Green mole at Mestizo in Baton Rouge, La.

You've got us wrapped around your little finger.

Barbecue chicken quesadillas with Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce

And we wouldn't have it any other way.

Tacos at The Rum House in Baton Rouge, La.

Thanks for being you.

Red snapper ceviche at The Gulf in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Mojitos, Burgers, and Ceviche...Oh My: Bite and Booze Goes to Work at Orange Beach's The Gulf

The Gulf at Orange Beach

Ordering up some burgers for the ladies!

After a long, hot day aboard the Wild Hearts Dolphin Cruise, team Bite and Booze hopped over to The Gulf. Made out of shipping containers with a gorgeous outdoor seating area, The Gulf is serving up juicy burgers, fresh fish dishes, and other delectable eats. The beach-side restaurant has a nice lawn as well as some lounge furniture on the sand. It's absolutely a funky spot and I would recommend it to anyone.

We had the pleasure of trying their Gulf Red Snapper Ceviche. Citrus juices combined with a bright pico and super fresh Red Snapper on a crisp tortilla chip will set you right after a decent trip on the water... and don't forget the mojito!

Red Snapper Ceviche

The Gulf's burgers presented a simple but tantalizing flurry of flavor. A buttery, toasted brioche bun cradled the juicy patty that bathed in aioli and melted pepper jack cheese. 

The Gulf's Signature Burger

The Gulf provides a really chill spot right on the water in Orange Beach. It's welcoming atmostphere provides a great place to relax and watch all of the boats go by. They have a few special night life activities,  but it's mostly a great lunch spot the whole family can enjoy. Especially with the mojitos. Mojitos for everyone.

Beach-side Dining at The Gulf

Ecuador: Street Food Bite and Booze of the World Cup

It's time for another dish and drink along the street food guide to the FIFA World Cup 2014! Ecuador, located in Northwestern South America is a coastal country. Being located in a coastal state, we know that means there is plenty of seafood to go around! Today we're going to take a look at the art of ceviche and the fruity Chicha de Piña.

Photo Credit: Laylita.com

Ceviche is the method of "cooking" seafood (fish, shellfish, crustaceans, or mussels) in the natural acid of fresh limes. There are many South American coastal countries that do this and each method has it similarities and differences. Ecuadorian ceviche tends to be a little soupier than others because the juices of the limes and oils are served with the ceviche. You can find a fresh cup of ceviche all along the docks! This particular recipe calls for langostino which is Spanish for squat lobster. The squat lobster is not quite a lobster or a prawn. If you can't find any of these feel free to use shrimp, lobster, scallops or whatever fresh seafood you can get your hands on! The tender meat of the seafood married with the acidity of fresh limes is sweetened by olive oil and red onions. The added zest comes from fresh cilantro and garlic with a healthy kick of spicy peppers to make for a great, chilled summer bite! Try it out and let me know what you think.

Photo Credit: Laylita.com

Chicha is an ancient form of beer commonly found in African and South American countries indigenous to their ancestors. As off-putting as it may sound, people chew a specific variety of corn and spit it into a strainer where the liquid is boiled and brewed into a beer. This is a method still used today and has even been recreated by a few hardcore brewers. The founder of Dogfish Head Brewery actually had his entire staff chew pound and pounds of corn just to make an experimental batch to serve in their taproom. Due to jaw fatigue, the staff didn't try this feat for a second time, but it was a fun experiment. Chicha de Piña is not made by chewing anything and spiting it out. It's the simmering  of the skins and core of pineapple with hard brown sugar and spices. This makes for a savory/sweet cocktail not containing saliva.

Mount Gay Rum Dinner at 18 Steak

L'Auberge continues its emergence onto the culinary scene of Baton Rouge in a big way.  A little over a month ago I attended Saint Arnold Beer Dinner at the Stadium Bar and Grill, and just a week ago I got to check out a Mount Gay Rum Dinner at 18 Steak.  I've been to wine, beer, bourbon, and even tequila dinners before, but never rum!

Mount Gay Rum out of Barbados creates some stellar spirits.  This is one of those rum distilleries to look out for if you want a truly exceptional rum and not cheap crap like Bacardi or Captain.  There, I said it.  Rum can actually be quite tasty as a sipping beverage, something I found out at Tales of the Cocktail a couple years ago at a seminar titled "Six rums you'll never drink again in your life."  Those were some damn good rums.

Mount Gay has some damn good rums as well, as fortunately for me, they brought several of them along to the dinner.  Michele and I joined a table with a few members of the L'Auberge staff including Sally who helped out with some of these pictures, and Aimee Abernathy from Louisiana Cookin' Magazine.  For our first course, Chef Troy Deano presented a Flying Fish Ceviche with meyer lemon, sambal, and franklin cane sugar.  The ceviche might have been the best thing I tasted all night, and I don't mean that as a slight to everything else.  It had a sweet flavor and amazing texture while not being overly acidic. I could have eaten an entire bowl and been happy.  The Mount Gay Silver accompanied the ceviche in a rum cocktail with mint, sort of like a play on a mojito.  

Hog Head Cheese, Black-eyed Pea Salad, Coconut, Heirloom Carrot Vinaigrette

Course number two served as the salad course.  That's my kind of salad!  The visually stunning plate came highlighted with hog head cheese and black eyed peas.  The combo worked extremely well together, though overall the dish may have been just slightly on the bland side.  I really felt like a little salt could have helped bring all the flavors together.  The fried okra and coconut added a nice crunch to the dish to give it some texture contrast.  We were served a play on a Manhattan with the Mount Gay Eclipse aged rum instead of bourbon.  Stiff would be an understatement, but I still drank it, because that's what I do!

Michele and Jay

Michele and I enjoyed our rum and dinner so far, but we knew that even more deliciousness awaited us at 18 Steak.  Our next plate had Crusted Mahi with a creative long-noodle macaroni and cheese, an heirloom tomato sauce, and a leaf of fried oregano.  The macaroni noodles were intriguing though delicately plated and I could have definitely gone for more!  The panko crusted mahi fulfilled its duty.  The meaty fish still contained plenty of moisture on the inside. I would have liked a little more of the tomato gazpacho to work as a sauce.  Our excellent servers brought out the Mount Gay Black Barrel rum both straight and in a cocktail that played off the negroni.  The course overall worked quite nicely.  The fish and macaroni and tomato had a very comforting feel while still being refined, and it paired with the rum and cocktail very well.

Rum, Rum, and more Rum

Three Lil Pigs

The fourth course featured a lot of swine.  Chef Troy actually brought in a whole locally raised hog from  Chappapeela Farms, butchered it, and crafted the menu based on meat from that one pig.  On the plate we had a drunken pork sausage, a pork tenderloin cooked in beer, and piece of braised pork belly along with a roasted sweet potato.  The sausage had a delightfully rich spice profile that worked well with the Caribbean notes from the Mount Gay Extra Old rum it came paired with.  Once again we got to try the rum straight and in a Dark and Stormy inspired cocktail with ginger beer, mint, and simple syrup.  The pork tenderloin may have been the highlight of the plate.  The tenderness that Chef Deano achieved showed skill and patience.  The Three Lil Pigs proved to be a hit with everyone at the table.  If you love pork, and why wouldn't you, then this dish would have been for you!

Caribbean Nights with the Mount Gay 1703

18 Steak at L'Auberge capped the evening off with a delicious dessert and the rarest of the rums.  For the dessert, L'Auberge's Pastry Chef Arlety Estévez utilized coconut pudding, exotic fruit compote with pineapples and more, and mango sorbet.  The dessert as a whole impressed me.  Each layer of flavors complimented the next.  The mango sorbet wound up being my favorite aspect of it.  With very faint hints of chili, the sorbet stood out as unique, playful, and a great addition to the arrangement of fruity flavors.  As for the rum, there was no need to fix a cocktail with this nectar.  The 1703 rum is complex with flavors of vanilla, caramel, and some fruitiness.  The rums that go into the 1703 have been barrel aged between 15 and 30 years to create a refined rum that is meant to be sipped and enjoyed.  So I did.  Every last drop.  A great cap to a wonderful dinner.  Next time you see a dinner like this at L'Auberge, make your reservations!

Sundance or Bust

Jay Ducote with Sommer and Chris Wadsworth at the Sundance Film Festival

It wasn't easy, but Chef Chris Wadsworth from Baton Rouge's Restaurant IPO successfully guided our team through dinner impossible at the Sundance Film Festival.  With contributions from Chappapeela Farms (duck, pork belly), Inland Seafood (shrimp, crawfish, oysters, redfish, tasso), and Community Coffee, we arrived in Park City, UT ready to cook up a snow-storm of Louisiana dishes.  Chris and I received and invitation to serve as guest chefs for a party being thrown to promote the Louisiana International Film Festival.  Before we left, Chris and I made a video about what we were bringing to Sundance:

Our team hard at work at the Deer Valley kitchen

Trouble came at 9 AM on the day of the party when Chef Chris, his wife Sommer, and I arrived at Cisero's Ristorante.  Kitchen space that we had been promised suddenly disappeared.  Their kitchen, overwhelmed by private parties along with breakfast, lunch, and dinner services, simply had no capacity for us traveling chefs to make our magic happen.  In addition to needing extra space for the three of us to prepare seven different hors d'oeuvres for 200 people, we also had five culinary students from the area who were willing and ready to help us out.  Fortunately, Lisa, one of our extremely helpful students, had a connection at the Deer Valley ski resort, and was able to book us a couple hours of commercial kitchen space.  There's obviously much more to the story, and it will be told at some point.  But for now, let me just thank Deer Valley for their incredible generosity in opening up their kitchen and pantry to us.  We couldn't have pulled off this culinary feat without them.  The same can also be said for our five helpers.  They saved the day.

Ashley serving Strawberry and Pepper stuffed Bacon wrapped Dates

Upon returning to Cisero's only a couple hours before guests were to arrive, I went off on a wild goose chase for some Sternos, knowing that chafing dishes were our only option for keeping food hot.  Fortunately the chef community at Sundance all felt each other's pain, and I eventually found some heat.  We set up a makeshift assembly line and miraculously began to serve our food on time.  

Adjustments had to be made.  Not every dish was exactly like we would have wanted it, but considering the circumstances, Chef Wadsworth made magic happen, and I'm glad I could be there to help!  It was quite an honor to get to go to Park City and bring Louisiana cuisine to Sundance, and it was a trip that I won't soon forget.  

Jessica serving Louisiana Redfish Ceviche with Avocado Relish

The group celebrates with cocktails after all the food had been served

Jay Ducote, Jeff Dowd, Dan Ireland, and Chris Wadsworth enjoy the red carpet

Bite and Blend: An Argentine Cuisine and Wine Pop-up

On January 29th, I'll have my first pop-up of 2013.  The folks at Blend on Laurel St. in downtown Baton Rouge have graciously opened up their kitchen and bar to me in order to prepare an exciting six-course wine dinner.  Choosing an Argentina theme, all the dishes will be inspired by the South American country, and all the wine will come from there.  For most people, that means beef and Malbec.  Well, you can't go wrong there, so that's what we're doing.  With a twist, of course.  Argentina meets Louisiana for this dinner as local ingredients will be surrounded by Argentine flare.  The wines will feature four fabulous reds and a white, all from the Republic portfolio.  Check the menu below, and make sure to get your tickets quickly through the Eventbrite Page so you don't miss out!

Empanadas: Pork Chorizo with Cilantro Crema and Golden Raisin Beef with Fire Aioli
Vino: Finca Malbec

Picada: Lamb Carpaccio, Duck Prosciutto, Select Cheeses, Olives, Pickled Pears

Locro: Hearty Beef Stew with Gold Potatoes, Yams, Corn, and More
Vino: Aduentus Mediterraneo

Pescador: Cobia, Shrimp, Bay Scallop, and Avocado Ceviche with a Shot of Bloody Mary Gazpacho
Vino: Alamos Torrontes

Vaca: Beef Short Ribs, Chimichurri, Sopa Paraguaya, Grilled Vegetable and Chili Ratatouille
Vino: Alamos Red Blend

Postre: Spiced Flan, Dulce de Leche, Candied Nut Dust, Berry Compote
Vino: Alma Negra Sparkling Malbec

Vending Machine Winery Pop-Up Restaurant at Roux Wine and Spirits

For anybody who has been waiting to eat my food again (or for the first time), you're in luck!  On Thursday, October 25th I'll be cooking a pop-up wine dinner at Roux Wine and Spirits in Prairieville.  Along with Chef Brian Medlin for All-Star Catering and Smokin' Aces Barbecue, we'll cook up my menu inspired by wines from the Vending Machine Winery and vending machines themselves.  Each dish will have some item found in vending machines incorporated into it.  Neil and Monica Gernon from Vending Machine Winery will be there to talk about the wines as well!

Course 3: Ruckus

Course 1: Ballyhoo
Double Shotgun: 50% Petit Verdot, 50% Cabernet Franc

Spinach, Arugula, Pickled Pears, Belle Ecorce Goat Cheese, Forte Grove Brioche Toast, Balsamic Skittles Vinaigrette

Course 2: Hoopla
Loula’s Revenge: 100 % Old Vine Chardonnay

Tuna Tartare with Cucumber served on Zapp’s Original Potato Chips with a Wasabi Aioli

Course 4: Kerfuffle

Cornmeal Dusted Catfish Nugget over Zapp’s Cajun Crawtators with Creole Tartar Sauce
Chili-Lime Shrimp Ceviche atop Zapp’s Hotter ‘n Hot Jalapeno Chips with Cilantro Crema

Course 3: Ruckus 
Crooked Mayor: 100 % Cabernet Sauvignon

Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Mole Braised Beef Short Ribs over Creamed Corn Polenta
 
Course 4: Kerfuffle 
Horror Show: 34% Sousao, 33% Montepulciano, 33% Tannat

Chocolate Panna Cotta topped with Ground Honey Maid Graham Crackers and Marshmallow Foam

To sign up for the event, purchase your tickets through the Roux Wine Eventbrite Page.  There are only 30 seats available, and at least half of them are already sold at the time I'm writing this!

300seats Pop-Up Restaurant with the Edible Event

If you haven't noticed for some reason, culinary events are kind of my thing.  That's why when Manny Valencia and Andrea Fontenot told me that their startup 300seats was going to host a pop-up restaurant in Baton Rouge, I knew I had to be a part of it.  I had the fortune of helping out early in the planning process and then, more importantly, the pleasure of enjoying the opening night dinner!  The Edible Event, a local catering company under the same umbrella as Boudreaux and Thibideaux's and Serrano's Salsa Company, served as chefs for the event.  Fellow food blogger Jeremy Wells joined me for the dinner.

A pop-up restaurant is an emerging trend in the food world.  The premise is to convert a space into a temporary restaurant where a chef can be experimental for a short time period and then move on to their next thing without the risk of a full restaurant startup.  While it certainly isn't the easiest thing to pull off, it is quite an extraordinary dining experience when it all comes together.  

Our meal at the 300seats pop-up restaurant in a vacant restaurant space in Perkins Rowe began with some adult beverages.  I immediately grabbed a can of Tin Roof's Perfect Tin Amber Ale.  Being a Baton Rouge brewery, I was happy to see them help sponsor the beer for the event.  And if you haven't had a Tin Roof beer out of a can yet, I suggest you try it!  Adding to that, each course beautifully paired with a different wine to keep our boozing options varied and plentiful.

The first course from The Edible Event featured a delightful tray of fresh fruits, meats and cheeses.  The sliced pecan plank held Aged Manchango, Drunken Goat, Azores Flores, Goat Cheese Stuffed Piquillo Peppers, Membrillo Jelly, Spanish Chorizo, Serrano Ham, Pears and Champagne Grapes.  The latin-influenced platter warmed up my taste buds.  Of special note were the chorizo, pears and stuffed peppers.

Course two brought out my favorite dish of the night because of the surprising flavors and spices that were bold and delicious.  Sticking with the Latin American theme of the evening, the soup course featured a chilled avocado soup with lobster ceviche.  The intense heat from the ceviche peppers and spices combined with the cool and creamy texture from the pureed avocados worked in harmony in my mouth.  Combine that with the acidic citrus juices which cooked the tender lobster and we had a dish that impressed, pleased and evoked conversation around the dining room.

Our salad also had a scrumptious twist.  The fried softshell buster crab salad boasted chorizo, candied pecans and a spicy buttermilk dressing.  The buttermilk and crab worked very well and the differing textures added extra pizzaz to the dish.  I loved the way the sweetness of the pecans played against the spiciness of the dressing and chorizo.  All in all the salad worked really well and got me ready for the main course.

Portobello and Fontina cheese ravioli topped by a ragu of braised beef cheeks and fire roasted tomatoes covered our entree plate.  The beef cheeks oozed of succulence with every bite as the tender braised meat melted in my mouth.  The ravioli combined the flavors of the pasta, cheese and mushrooms along side the tempranillo wine braising liquid sauce and sauteed spinach.  Each mouthful delighted the guests and we knew that this pop-up restaurant dinner was something special for Baton Rouge and the Edible Event team sure knew how to cook!

The course ended with chocolate-espresso pot de creme with toasted coconut and whipped cream.  While I didn't get even one hint of coconut, the chocolate and espresso were very well pronounced and the dessert's texture was silky on the tongue.  I could eaten three of four if they had let me.  Combined with a nice cup of gourmet coffee from A Coffee Truck, this dessert, and entire meal, wrapped up very nicely.

Congrats to Manny, Andrea and the team on such a successful pop-up restaurant and thanks for brining an event like this to Baton Rouge.  Also congrats to Celeste Landry, Sean Malone and the team at The Edible Event for putting together such an amazing meal for the guests.  I'm pretty sure that everyone left  with full stomachs and smiles on their faces!

El Xuco Xicana en Houston, TX

Summertime in South Louisiana isn't much different than summer in Houston.  Heat.  Humidity.  Afternoon thunderstorms.  Desperation for football season to get here.  The biggest distinction, from best I can tell, is the quality of the Mexican food.  For some reason it seems that authentic, delicious Mexican cuisine has trouble traveling an extra 300 miles to Baton Rouge.  Not one to worry too much, I easily solve the problem by feasting on frijoles whenever I'm in the "Bayou City" of the state to our West.

El Xuco Xicana's Milletes topped with Fried Eggs

A recent trip found me setting up a visit to Chef Jonathan Jones's El Xuco Xicana.  Chef JJ, who came to fame under his Beaver's name, recently took over the kitchen at the establishment formerly known as El Patio.  Wanting to revamp the cuisine to reflect that of authentic interior Mexican superiority with a Texan twist, Chef JJ started massacring the menu and putting his flair all over it.  His "Comida Texano" menu made my mouth water before I could even order the signature blue margarita that reflected back to the El Patio days.

The Famous Blue Curacao Margarita from El Patio

I was joined by an excellent cast of characters for an early afternoon Sunday brunch.  We had my dear friend Amanda, high school pal Chad and his wife Ashley, Alvin and Jason from MasterChef on FOX along with Jason's bad ass lady friend, Sara Jackson and a friend of hers who are working on some food based television productions with kids in the Houston area, and a fella named Jay, who on Twitter goes by @GunsandTacos (clearly fits in well with my @BiteandBooze mentality), with his wife.  We gathered and ordered drinks.  Soon enough, Chef JJ's right hand man at XX, Chef Kenny Pullin, came out to the table to greet our crew and drop off our first round of grub.

Battered Stuffed Toast at El Xuco Xicana

The Milletes made me happy to be alive.  Proclaimed on the menu to be a "REAL Mexican brunch food," the milletes featured bolillo bread toasted and topped with refried black beans, queso Chihuahua and chorizo.  Then I had the option to add a fried egg on each half of the open-faced sandwich.  As you can see, I couldn't resist!  The milletes combined classic flavors into a brunch dish that I'd eat over and over again.  Then came the battered stuffed toast.  Dear Lord.  Heaven.  And Hell.  In every bite.  The dish is constructed by stuffing Texas toast with Dulce de Leche, coating that in a Grand Marnier cinnamon batter, dropping it in a deep fryer, then topping the sandwich with ancho-maple syrup, sauteed apples, and Chantilly cream.  Each bite let me know I was alive while assuredly slowly killing me.  I didn't mind.  I took another bite.  It tasted that damn orgasmic.  

El Xuco Xicana Mojito 

Ceviche at El Xuco Xicana

The beverages at El Xuco Xicana also provided plenty of punch.  Chef JJ warned me about the strong margaritas.  After I began with the blue margarita I noticed the rest of the table drinking amazing mojitos.  I needed to try one for myself.  It did a splendid job of being thirst quenching and intoxicating.  Meanwhile, Chef Pullin brought out the signature ceviche.  One thing that I like about the menu is that it warns the diner that the ceviche changes depending on the freshness of the seafood and availability of produce.  There is no set recipe, but rather a rotating and seasonal ceviche.  Ours had a gulf drum marinated in loads of citrus.  I thought I tasted lime, lemon, and the something a little different like a grapefruit.  It also had jalapenos, watermelon radishes and avocado.  The bottom line is that the concoction used fresh ingredients and tasted equally refreshing on a hot day.  The blending of sweet, sour and spice worked magnificently.

El XX Hot Wangs

The feast concluded for me with the El XX Hot Wangs.  The wings were fried naked then tossed in a special blend that includes Jalisco Chili de Arbol vinegar hot sauce, toasted sesame, cilantro and queso fresco.  They were served with "cucumber and jicima con chili y limon".  The "wangs" were certainly different than a traditional Buffalo style hot wing with celery and bleu cheese.  That being said, I loved them!  I thought the twists were pretty ingenious and I'm a sucker for an inventive wing.  Bravo, El Xuco Xicana.

I essentially got a full meal by sampling an assortment of brunch and appetizer selections.  Truth be told, that is one of my favorite ways to experience a restaurant.  Sometimes the most creative dishes are appetizers and daily specials.  The food at El Xuco Xicano was worthy of any trip to Houston.  I have no doubt that I'll be back when I get a Mexican craving that my local establishments can't handle!