Jay D's Bites: Chicken Biscuit with Molasses Mustard Butter

by Chef Jenn Breithaupt
(original biscuit recipe by Chef Alex Hamman)

Everyone loves the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits from Whataburger, but why not make your own at home?! Chef Alex Hamman from the Louisiana Culinary Institute has the most amazing biscuit recipe (seriously, they call him King Biscuit) that he makes every Friday for faculty.

I asked him if I could utilize it to make a Molasses Mustard butter chicken biscuits and he was all for it. The fluffiness of the biscuit is harmonious with the fried chicken breast and the Molasses Mustard butter sends it over the top. The biscuit dough also does very well in the freezer if you want to make a batch of biscuits and save them for a rainy day breakfast.

Molasses Mustard Butter Chicken Biscuit

Makes 15 biscuits, 3½” 

For the biscuits:
4 cups bread flour
3¾ cups cake flour
3½ Tbs baking powder
1 Tbs + 1 tsp kosher salt
3 Tbs + 1 tsp sugar
3 sticks + ½ Tbs cold unsalted butter, cubed
3¼ cups buttermilk

For the chicken:
6 chicken breast, cut in half, flattened
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 eggs, whisked
Canola oil for frying

For the butter:

¾ cup Jay D’s Louisiana Molasses Mustard
2 sticks unsalted butter

For the biscuits:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Keep all ingredients as cold as possible!

In a medium mixing bowl, combine both bread and cake flour, baking powder, salt and sugar from the biscuit ingredients. Using a pastry blender or your hands, cut cold butter into flour mixture until butter is the size of peas. Add buttermilk and mix with your hands until shaggy. Cover and rest for 20 minutes. Roll out dough on a floured surface and fold once (to create layers). Roll out again to 1-1¼” thick and cut into 3½” circles. When cutting biscuits out, DO NOT TWIST CUTTER. Just simply press down and lift cutter back up. Place biscuits about ½” apart on greased baking sheet and bake until golden brown.

For the chicken:
Heat canola oil to 350°F in a skillet or table-top fryer. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour, place in egg-wash, then dredge back through flour. Fry chicken until golden, brown, and delicious (about 4-5 minutes).

For the butter:
Soften butter and mix in Jay D’s Louisiana Molasses Mustard.

Open biscuit up and slather butter on both halves. Place fried chicken breast on biscuit and put the other half of biscuit on top of chicken and enjoy your chicken biscuit sandwich!

Chuck P's Best Bites of 2017

by Chuck P

Another year has come and gone and now with 2018 here it’s time to reflect back on 2017. It was definitely a busy one here at Bite & Booze headquarters with road trips, pop-ups and private events filling up the calendar on a regular basis. Somehow, in between all of that, we found time to try some delicious dishes both locally and regionally that inspired and satisfied our ever expanding palates.

Here are just a few of my favorite dishes from 2017. I promise it won’t be completely filled with burgers.

The Fried Chicken Biscuit at Willa Jean

If you’ve never eaten at Willa Jean then I highly suggest you change that the next time you’re down in New Orleans. Listed under their “Biscuit Situation” section of the menu, this beast of a meal is a must have. A juicy chicken breast sitting between two warm, flaky biscuits in a pool of Tabasco honey. It’s big enough to share, but I’m not giving up a single delicious bite!

The Brisket at Franklin BBQ

This is absolutely without a doubt THE BEST brisket I’ve ever had. Franklin in Austin, Texas is well known, especially their brisket, and it totally lived up to the hype. 

Juicy, smokey and packed with deliciousness. I think I could have eaten it all by myself. Every time I look at that picture I start trying to figure out when I can get back there for more.

Deep Dish Cheese Pizza from Giordano’s

Unfortunately I didn’t get to travel to Chicago to try this but I was lucky enough to try it thanks to my lead singer Hana who ordered one for our guitar players birthday. Giordano’s ships their pizzas packed on dry ice with sauce packaged separately and cooking instructions as well. This true Chicago deep dish is fantastic. The red sauce was really good and it was packed with cheesy goodness. I’m hoping the next time I get to try one of these it’ll be at the restaurant, but I’ll be happy ordering one online until then.

The Slamburger at Brickyard South

I love the fact that one of my favorite hangout spots also has one of my favorite burgers. Danny Moore and Danny Wilson serve up this classic burger every Friday night at Brickyard South for the insanely low price of $5. A simple burger that’s perfectly seasoned, smashed flat and topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato and Danny Moore’s signature sauce. No gimmicks just a great tasting classic burger.

Jumbo Carrot Cake at BRQ

I’m sure you’re asking yourself why I’m choosing a dessert from a BBQ restaurant. The answer is simple. This is the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. Period. No contest. I mean look at that thing! You can feed four people off of that slice! After having this cake I had dreams about it for like, a week after. IT’S THAT GOOD!

Fried Chicken At Willie Mae’s Scotch House

There’s a reason that Willie Mae’s is famous. Their fried chicken is otherworldly; the flavor of the crust and the juiciness of the chicken is unreal. It’s been a staple in New Orleans since it opened in 1957. Presidents and celebrities have eaten here and Food Network declared it as having America’s Best Fried Chicken. There’s no other fried chicken that comes close to it.

The LIT Pizza Burger At Curbside Burgers

This was a special burger for their ‘Curbside Turns One’ anniversary celebration and although every burger that week was really good (and yes, I had all of them) this was the one that stood out for me. An awesome Italian sausage patty, swiss cheese and gremolata sandwiched between two pepperoni pizza buns. The flavor profile for this thing was off the charts. It was everything you would want out of a pizza burger and so much more. I’m hoping this pops back up on their menu as a special soon.


This was a tough list to put together. There were so many dishes I had this year that were really good but these definitely were the ones I still talk about. I’m hoping that 2018 will be just as delicious.

A Bonut Baker’s Dozen: Batch 13 Biscuits & Bowls

by Paige Johannessen

Before the new Copeland’s concept opened, the Bite and Booze team had the chance to try out Batch 13 Biscuits & Bowls. If you haven't been by to try the fun and inviting bright yellow restaurant, you're missing out. The menu is certainly different than the other restaurants under the Copeland's name, featuring a “Grab-and-Go” wall lined with salads and bowls, as well as a dine-in option for the guests that want to hang out and enjoy the quirky signage and dozens of succulents.



We had the chance to try a few of their signature menu items as well as grab a "bonut" or thirteen. I wasn’t starving when we made the trek over to Batch 13 so I opted for the “It’s All Greek To Me” lunch bowl. The hummus and vegetables were light and delicious, a perfect refresher for a warm summer afternoon. Not exactly filling for those who want a complete lunch, but could definitely serve as a sharing item for a table.

Herbed hummus, cucumber, feta, mixed tomatoes, olives, roasted peppers, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic reduction sauce and sumac, with lavish chips.

The “Wild Wild (South)West Hot Bowl” was my personal favorite. A rice bowl, served with spicy chunks of chicken, veggies and pickled jalapeños...right up my alley.

Spicy chicken cutlets, pickled cabbage, charred corn, pickled onions, roasted red peppers, pickled jalapeños, black beans, cilantro, warm seasoned rice and Southwest Ranch.

The table favorite was definitely the "Spicy Fried Chicken and Andouille Gravy Smothered Biscuit." This classic spoke to the hearts of all of the Popeye’s lovers out there. Fried chicken and a warm buttermilk biscuit, what else could a South Louisianan need? 

Andouille sausage gravy, fried marinate chicken and Copeland's hot sauce on a toasted buttermilk biscuit.

To cap off the meal we tried a handful of Chef Darryl Smith’s signature creation, the “bonuts.” This fusion of a donut and biscuit is something that could get my wallet in trouble if I lived closer to Batch 13. I recommend the apple cinnamon bonut. It's like a gooey apple pie that is meant to be eaten for breakfast. Glorious.

 

From top left going clockwise: Apple Cinnamon, Hot, Choc & Bacon, Cinnamon Sugar and Glazed bonuts.

Batch 13 Biscuit & Bowls is a must lunch spot for those of you who frequent the Essen/Perkins area. It's quick, convenient and darn good! A great fast-casual breakfast and lunch addition for that part of town.

West Coast Vibin’ at The Crack Shack: Where Gov’t Taco Research meets Fried Chicken

by Aimee Tortorich

In January I had the pleasure of heading back to San Diego after over 4 years being away.  The reason? Taco research. With the upcoming opening of Gov’t Taco, I wanted to check out what the West Coast was up to in the food scene. Let me tell you, they still got it going on!

We tried everything from traditional Mexican to modern American tacos, but eating tacos for 16 straight meals gets a little monotonous, so we headed to a few different restaurants for inspiration.

One of the coolest places we went was The Crack Shack, Richard Blais’s new restaurant known for their chicken and eggs. Free-range and local fried chicken and eggs are served in a fast casual restaurant with a true Southern California laid-back vibe. Surrounded by bocce and frequented by any and all, including happy dogs, it was a nice start to a great research trip.

We arrived the morning around 9 am on a weekday, so we never had to wait in line. (Word of caution, if going on the weekend, be prepared to wait for this crack.)
After discussing the menu options, which are located on the wall next to the ordering counter, we decided to try an assortment of delectable offerings.

Chicken Lollipops

Togarashi and Lemon

Perfectly fried and whimsical to the eye, these beauties were laced with a little Japanese spice mixture known as tōgarashi, which added a nice heat and citrus flavor.  Definitely a winner on my list, I would go back for more all day, everyday.

Border Slaw

Papaya, Mango, Jicama, Coconut, Chili, Pineapple

The border slaw was a nice variation of traditional southern slaw. The freshness of the fruit mixed with the textual crunch of the elements didn’t disappoint. Good as a palate cleanser or an option for the health-conscious, this slaw would definitely go great on any seafood taco.

Mini Biscuits

Miso-Maple Butter

These little beauties were top of the line in the biscuit world. Delicate, buttery and served with miso maple butter, I had my fair share and “maybe” overindulged. Chicken and biscuit taco anyone????

Chicken Oysters

Pickle Brine, Meyer Lemon, Mustard Seed Tartar

Any chef will tell you that the best part of a chicken is the chicken oyster. These tiny dark meat jewels come right off the backbone at the thigh and are super tender and juicy.  It’s no surprise that Richard Blais would put these prized bits on the menu. Pickle brined, fried and served with fried kale and mustard seed tartar, these were a great appetizer and made for a great chicken biscuit!


The Condiments

From bottom left to right: Baja Hot Sauce, Cracksup, Kimchi BBQ, Vadouvan Mustard, Chimichurri and Ranch

These house-made sauces were definitely a huge inspiration for Gov’t Taco. Offering 6 different options, these sauces hit all the notes from sweet to spicy to tangy. My favorite was the mustard, which was sweet and had notes of curry. It was a great dipping sauce and would be an interesting component for tacos.

Eating Nashville - A "Research" Trip

by Jay Ducote

These days I am fortunate to get to travel to some pretty awesome culinary destinations. It's the part of my job that I've always loved, and all the more reason that I'm hoping that my pilot for Deep Fried America gets picked up by the Travel Channel. I'm hoping to hear something in the next month or so, but TV takes time, that's for sure!

While I wait for the call, I have plenty of research to do in the mean time and not just in the name of fried foods. In about a year's time, I'll be opening up my first restaurant, a taco stand in Baton Rouge's White Star Market, Gov't Taco.

I can't wait to hit the road to find taco nirvana, but If I'm going to show people where to find the best fried food in America, I need to start eating. Nashville Hot Chicken is one of the most quintessential fried foods out there, so I had to taste it first hand. When I travel, I love to eat and drink locally, so you know beer and some other southern eateries definitely had to be on the menu.

Biscuit Love

I met my friend Tabitha, a food blogger turned culinary marketing mogul, at the Nashville hot spot. They have a rather large "Nashville" that lots of people take their picture with it. So, when in Biscuit Love...

Posing at Biscuit Love in Nashville

One of many great things about Tabitha is that she gets me. I couldn't decide what I wanted to try, other than obviously something with a biscuit, so she ordered nearly everything on the menu. Here's the lineup:

Classic biscuit with jam.

Nashville Hot Chicken biscuit with pickles and mustard.

Bonuts: fried biscuit dough with lemon mascarpone and blueberry compote.

The Lindstrom: shaved Brussels sprouts, hazelnuts, Parmesan, lemon vinaigrette and poached eggs.

Eat Nasty: fried, boneless chicken thigh, aged cheddar and sausage gravy.

One of everything, please! Biscuit Love goes hard.

The Eat Nasty, Biscuit Love's signature dish is as remarkably southern and just as delicious as it sounds; as is the entire menu. I need more on my taste buds, stat!

Hattie B's

Nashville Hot Chicken at Hattie B's

My next hot-spot stop in Nashville was to none other than Hattie B's. I had to get a taste of that famous Nashville Hot Chicken! I'll chalk this up under research for Deep Fried America. I mean, how else would I know if it is worthy for prime time TV, right? 

In case you're wondering- yes, I tried the Shut Da Cluck Up, Hattie B's hottest flavor and yes, I pretty much regret it. A part of me is glad I tried it once, but I'll definitely never do it again. That Hell fire is just not worth the feverish memories. 

The hot chicken, though, which sits in the middle of the spice spectrum, is pretty darn amazing. It has the right heat while still packing plenty of other flavor. The burn is a slightly painful, but in the pleasure to burn kind of way. The idea of hot chicken as a whole is quite crave-able. I know I'll be back. My mouth waters just looking at the picture.

Husk Nashville

Confession: I've never been on a culinary adventure to Charleston, SC. It is a shame, I know. In the last year I've been lucky enough to cross Portland, Austin and Nashville off my bucket list. I'm hoping Charleston and Savannah join that list soon.

I've been itching to get to Husk in Charleston. Chef Sean Brock is the man behind the legendary Charleston restaurant, but now with a location in Nashville I chomped at the chance to grab a taste.

A group of friends and I went for brunch. There were so many stellar options on the brunch menu that I had a difficult time deciding. Our waiter could see it in my eyes, though. He knew what I was thinking: burger time!

The Burger at Husk Nashville

The HUSK Cheeseburger with Bear Creek Farms beef and potato wedges is about as true to the textbook definition of cheeseburger as it gets. Juicy, borderline greasy (in all the right ways) beef patties are layered with cheddar. Everything else is optional. Dress to your liking and dig in. Simple, but magical. 

The party didn't stop there! Some more traditional brunch dishes were ordered, but the show stopper was the "plate of souther vegetables." A symphony of flavor, these seasonal vegetables are dynamite. I don't understand why more restaurants aren't celebrating local produce more.

Southern Veggies at Husk

Jackalope Brewing

My trip to Nashville couldn't be all food, after all, this is Bite and Booze. I met up with my buddy Kurt Strickmaker, owner of local craft beer distributor Bounty Bev. He took me to Jackalope Brewing where we met up with owner Bailey Spaulding and enjoyed a couple beers as she showed us around the microbrewery.

Kurt Strickmaker from Bounty Bev, Bailey Spaulding from Jackalope Brewing and I pose at Jackalope

Jackalope is a pretty rad spot. They use a mobile canning line to come in and can their beer so they don't have to warehouse all the cans or invest in the expensive equipment. The tap room is inviting and the brewery itself is small but efficient. It's definitely worthy of a stop on a beer run through Nashville.

Mas Tacos Por Favor

Having completed my other research obligations, it was time to turn my attention to tacos. Mas Tacos Por Favor in East Nashville provided a perfect place to do some tortilla-wrapped homework. The style of this taco shop is simple, authentic and inspiring. It's straightforward, but well thought out; unique, but not pretentious. They make tacos, and they are damn good.

Mas Tacos, always

I opted for the pulled pork taco braised down with tomatillos topped with cabbage, onions and spicy yogurt. Along side that I got he rotating special: a fried tilapia taco with cabbage, onion and a dill yogurt. Both tacos displayed simple flavors in a way that made them fantastic. They weren't revolutionary or modern, they were just good.


Nashville certainly didn't disappoint me. I found some great food, tasty beers and amazing company. I know I'll be back again to try to find some different spots to conduct my research. Feel free to offer up any suggestions to @jayducote on Twitter!

Five Reasons We Crossed the Road to Celebrate Fried Chicken Day

by Drew Broussard

Let's be honest, given the time, we could come up with an infinite number of reasons to celebrate National Fried Chicken Day. After some deliberation, we rounded up our top five reasons to put on those aprons and get our yardbird on:

1. You can eat it all day

On the blog | We're shaking up your weekend brunch plans! Check the link in our bio for places in and around @visitbatonrouge you may not have considered, including @barcadiabr's brunch! What are your favorite brunch spots in Louisiana? Let us know!

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Apr 22, 2016 at 9:33am PDT

Fried chicken can be eaten at any time of the day. Don't believe me? Let’s start with chicken and syrup (with waffles or pancakes), a southern breakfast staple. The saltiness and spice of the battered chicken compliments those syrupy delights in a way that is stomach-lining and soul-pleasing.

Come lunch time, the chicken sandwich stakes its claim as another mainstay. The golden brown bird sits comfortably between two slices of bread with a couple of dill pickles to top it off. 

When dinner time rolls around, fried chicken remains a dominant presence as a family-style meal. Whether you prefer the drumsticks, breasts, or thighs, there's surely a part to please. Served along side some greens, beans, potatoes or biscuits, this crispy-skinned bird begs to be eaten. 

So really, is there a bad time of the day to eat fried chicken? Trick question, sometimes I make myself laugh.

2. It's versatile in flavor:

The real deal #nashville hot chicken from @hattiebs. I ordered the 1/2 bird hot with a "shut da cluck up" wing on the side. Video to come about that wing. But the hot: magical. "It was a pleasure to burn." - Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@jayducote) on Mar 21, 2016 at 7:35pm PDT

 

Despite having the same base ingredients, fried chicken can take on a myriad of different favors. Spicy or mild, sweet or sour, you name it and you can have it. 

While southern fried chicken is most popular, you can find an inspired take on the dish no matter what cultural background you find yourself eating from. Whether it's Nashville hot or garlicky Korean, this dish knows no bounds. There's hardly a menu I know of that doesn't have some kind of fried chicken variant.

3. At home or on the go, it's a win:

Four, "Two Piece Tuesdays" from Chicken Shack in Baton Rouge

It doesn't matter where you are, you can almost always find good fried chicken. That's part of its magic. On the road, you are never too far away from a Popeyes. While this classic Louisiana-born chain is considered fast food, it is hard to beat in the fried chicken department. They have a tried and true method that results in a greasy goodness which ranks high on my scale of life-shortening foods.

We are blessed with plenty of  fried food restaurants in Louisiana, such as the Chicken Shack in Baton Rouge or Willie Mae's in New Orleans. Both of these places are sure to please and are great to stop by for a filling, local dish.

While on-the go chicken restaurants rank up there on the "greatest thing since sliced bread," list, homemade fried chicken is one of the finest culinary treats bestowed upon humanity. It's hard to top the nostalgic experience of grandma quartering the chicken, the drenching of buttermilk, and the sound of oil popping from the dutch oven. When it's all said in done, that home cooked delicacy is out of this world! For every year that it takes off your life expectancy, it adds to your soul. Don't be ashamed, eat up.

4. It brings people together:

Sometimes @biteandbooze #officehouse leftovers is exactly what you need! Pollo frito con frijoles rojos does the trick! Okay, fried chicken and red beans, but the beans were Dominican inspired!

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@jayducote) on Apr 26, 2016 at 6:06pm PDT

 

Let's start by picturing a corny thought. Think about the American dinner table. Families talk about their day, how work and school was as they pass around that white and red striped bucket with an old man's face on it. What do they pull from this cardboard vessel? A golden brown drumstick that lands on their plate right next to the baked potatoes, green beans and gravy.

The colonel might not be pulling rank here in Louisiana, but I can recall many after church lunches that my family picked up from Popeyes. Substitute mashed potatoes for a biscuit, green beans for their red brethren, and you are talking a family dinner, Louisiana style. It's communal, cultural, and one of the tastiest ways of catching up. I immediately feel closer to someone after we've shared fried chicken; it's science.

5. It's just darn good:

Nothing on this earth like homemade fried chicken. 🙏🏻 What are y'all having for dinner tonight? 🍗#friedchicken #frythatchicken #yummy #southernfood

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Apr 25, 2016 at 3:28pm PDT

Chicken is the most popular protein out there. Every menu that you come across has some kind of chicken dish. Baked, grilled or roasted, fried chicken beats them all. It just doesn't get old. It has been around since the birth of this country, and with Independence Day having just passed, there's more than enough reason to keep the celebration going.

10 of Our Favorite Deep Fried Dishes

by Intern Drew Broussard

It should come as no surprise that we have a deep, oily, sizzling passion for fried foods. Heck, Jay is hosting his own show about just that on Travel Channel! With Deep Fried America set to premier tomorrow, we found ourselves reflecting on our favorite fried treats we’ve eaten over the past few years. But then we realized, why reminisce whenever you can make a list of them? Here are some of the best fried memories laid out for your mouth-watering enjoyment.

Fried Pork Chop at Salt New American Table

Now this is a pork chop. Compart Duloc pig with the loin, rib, fat and crispy skin over a huitlacoche tamale and corn relish. @larrydelgadorgv knows what's up at @saltnewamericantable in @visitmcallen! #visitmcallen #happylarrydelgadoday #texas #foodporn #pork

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@jayducote) on Feb 24, 2016 at 7:54pm PST

Fried Boudin Balls all over Baton Rouge

Deep fried boudin balls from different restaurants in Baton Rouge

Jay's Fried Chicken

Deep Fried Burger at Phil's Grill

This deep fried burger from Phil's Grill in New Orleans is noteworthy

Beignets at Coffee Call

Chicken Fried Ribeye at Horseshoe Bay Resort

Um so this is a chicken fried ribeye with a fried egg and one helluva biscuit. @jayducote is in heaven at @hsbresort! #foodpics #texas #texas because #texas

A photo posted by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Nov 21, 2015 at 6:37pm PST

Fried Rabbit at Hot Tails

Chefs Sam and Cody Carroll kill it at Hot Tails

Deep Fried LSU Rolls from all over Baton Rouge

Fried Cheese Curds at Barcadia

Whole Fried Fish at La Salvadoreña

Moving Up in Mid City: Our First Impressions of Gouter Restaurant in Baton Rouge

by Chuck P

Chef Chris Wadsworth and I go back. I've known him and his wife Sommer for around five years, ever since Jay and I used to record the Me & My Big Mouth podcast at Restaurant IPO downtown when Chris was the Executive Chef there.

Since leaving IPO I’ve patiently waited for Chris to get back in the kitchen, and it’s finally happened with Gouter Restaurant, his new venture into the ever-growing Baton Rouge culinary scene.

Before you ask, it's pronounced "goo-tay," and it's the French verb for "to taste." It's an unusual name for a restaurant, but Chris Wadsworth isn't a usual kind of chef.

Not interested in following culinary trends, Chris marches to the beat of his own drum. Gouter's menu represents his love for everything outdoors. If you can hunt it, trap it, catch it, or fish it, there's a good chance he'll be serving it up at Gouter.

I've had the chance to visit his new place a few times during the soft opening phase, and each time, I've been impressed with the interior and overall vibe. Hungry patrons sit at hand-cut wooden tables built by Chris waiting for their lunches to arrive (dinner service will begin within a few weeks). Corrugated tin lines the walls. The open kitchen allows restaurant goers to catch a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes action. Near the open kitchen is a six-top Chef's Table where Chris plans to serve special dishes and chat with customers.

Duck 3 Ways at Gouter

Looking over the menu, there's something for everyone (even me with my shell fish allergy). One of my favorite small plates so far is the Duck 3 Ways, three boiled duck eggs filled with a duck bacon mixture and topped with duck cracklin. The three textures play well together, making for one tasty and balanced bite. 

Fried redfish poboy with house made chips at @gouterrestaurant. I'm not upset about this decision! #gobr #tastelouisiana @laseafoodboard @eatgulfseafood

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@jayducote) on Mar 16, 2016 at 10:50am PDT

I've also tried the Fried Redfish Poboy served with house made chips. This big poboy is packed with crispy fried strips of redfish and dressed with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. The chips were also surprisingly noteworthy. It's rare for me to get excited about a house made chip, but Chris' are perfectly crunchy and salty, some of the best I've ever had.

#nofilter necessary for the Crawaffle at @gouterrestaurant! Still dreaming of the #yummy lunch we had there today. Looking forward to trying out their dinner menu soon! Have y'all been to Goûter yet? #yummy #crawfish #waffle #crawaffle #foodpics #foodblogger #gobr

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@biteandbooze) on Mar 16, 2016 at 2:14pm PDT

When in doubt, go for the Crawaffle. A spicy crawfish tail mixture tops a soft, warm waffle drizzled with sweet syrup. It's a Louisiana plan on the traditional chicken and waffles, and it works surprisingly well. Both Sydney and Blair have ordered the Crawaffle as a meal, and they refuse to share even a bite.

Fried chicken and red beans and rice at Gouter

One of the best things I've eaten at Gouter so far has been the Red Beans & Rice plate lunch with Fried Chicken. Don't think Blue Runner red beans from a can, folks. These are full of flavor with just enough of a spicy kick. The Tempura battered chicken is extra crispy on the outside yet juicy on the inside.

I'm sure Chris still has plenty of kinks to work out before Gouter begins dinner service, but if the lunch menu is any indication of what's to come for dinner, I couldn't be more excited for this new addition to Mid City.

P.S. Chris has been getting creative in the kitchen playing with using our Louisiana Molasses Mustard and Barbecue Sauce on his menu, so stay tuned for that!

Hymel's Classic Cajun Fare

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

I'm obsessed with type, and Hymel's retro signage makes me so happy

If you're anything like me, and you grew up in South Louisiana, it can be hard to drum up enthusiasm for a Cajun seafood restaurant. All fried seafood platters seem to meld into one in my mind, each pile of brown crunchiness indistinguishable from the last. In fact, writer Brett Anderson recently penned a column for Nola.com which insisted that fried seafood platters should get the hook.

Recently, Team Bite and Booze had the opportunity to eat at the famous Hymel's in Convent, La., where beverages are served in gigantic fishbowls and seafood is served fried and in heaping quantities.

Just about everything we ordered was fried.

Gigantic fishbowl of Abita Amber

We started with hush puppies and fried crab fingers as an appetizer. The hush puppies were some of the best I'd ever had (Blair insists Jay's from his legendary tailgating days are the best), and the crab claws were huge.

Jay and Blair split the largest fried seafood platter I'd ever seen. Piled high on the plate were fried oysters, fried shrimp, fried catfish, and a fried soft-shell crab. Served with coleslaw, white toast, and french fries, this platter could arguably feed a small army.

The soft-shell crab was fantastic. It was my first time eating soft-shell crab, and as strange as it was to literally eat the fried shell of the crab, it was incredibly tasty. Fried to a crisp, the fresh crab was a table favorite.

Seafood platter with soft-shell crab, fried oysters, fried shrimp

I made out like a bandit. For about $10 I wound up with a huge plate of fried chicken. And y'all, I love my grandma, but this fried chicken blew hers out of the water. It blew Chicken Shack out of the water. It changed my life. I have formed a religion around it.

There is no god, only Hymel's fried chicken.

The crispy corn meal crust had a distinct pork flavor to it, leading me to believe it may have been fried in...wait for it...actual lard.

The result was a crust that tasted like cracklins. Heaven help us all.

Some of the best fried chicken I've ever had

If you ever find yourself near the river in Convent, hit up Hymel's. It's worthwhile.

Goin' Up on a Tuesday: Best Tuesday Eats in Baton Rouge

by Sydney"Brown Nose" Blanchard

If you're like me, weekends can be as busy and stress-inducing as any weekday. Washing and folding laundry, grocery shopping for the week and running errands sometimes leaves me and my squad no time to party on the weekend.

The only solution, then, is to go up on a Tuesday.

Certainly, ILOVEMAKONNEN and Drake feel me on this.

If goin' up on a Tuesday sounds like something you want to make a weekly tradition, you're in luck. These Baton Rouge eateries and watering holes have Tuesday specials that will make Tuesdays your new favorite night of the week.

After all, Goin' Up on a Tuesday > Thirsty Thursday. 

The Rum House

Beer, lamb and veggie tacos at Rum House

It seems like every restaurant that serves tacos does some form of Taco Tuesday, which is ideal. Tacos were made for Tuesdays. At Rum House, Taco Tuesdays mean $2 draft beer and $2 tacos. Throw in a side of fried plantains if you're feeling crazy because, hey, you deserve it.

The Chimes (both locations) & Parrain's

The Chimes & Parrain's are owned by the same company, and they get one thing right: half off raw oysters on Tuesday... ALL DAY. Usually, a dozen costs about $10, and every day besides Tuesday, they're half off only between the hours of 4 and 7 p.m. That's what makes Tuesdays so magical. You can get your raw oyster on at your leisure. 

Chicken Shack

Golden fried chicken at Chicken Shack

Everyone who's anyone in Baton Rouge knows about Chicken Shack. And if you're pining for fried chicken on a Tuesday, you can't beat their two-piece Tuesday deal: a fried chicken leg and thigh for $1.45. Once you try Chicken Shack, no other fried chicken will do.

Olive or Twist

Whether or not it's National Burger Month, a $5 hamburger always gets my mouth watering. Olive or Twist offers a $5 burger each Tuesday. While you're chowing down, grab a cocktail or wash down your burger with a cold beer. 

Tin Roof Tap Room

Yoga on the brewery floor at Tin Roof

Okay, this isn't really "eats," but Tuesdays at Tin Roof combine two of my favorite activities: drinking beer and contorting my body in ways that are unnatural. Both are great ways to relax the mind, body, and spirit. Every other Tuesday from 6 to 7 Tin Roof and Purusa yoga team up to make the ~good vibes~ and beer flow. After a little downward dog and child's pose, grab a $3 half-pint of Turnrow from 7 to 10 p.m.

Pat's Seafood & Cajun Deli

Pat's is new to Baton Rouge but well-respected in Cajun country. On Tuesday, Pat's might just have the best deal on boiled crawfish in town: $3/pound! Plus, for $15 they'll give you a bucket of beer to wash down the spicy tails. Crawfish needn't be relegated to weekend-only fare.

Lucy's Retired Surfer Bar

Battered fish tacos at Lucy's Retired Surfer Bar in downtown Baton Rouge

Lucy's Retired Surfer Bar's Taco Tuesday goes down from 4 to 11 p.m. They do $1 beef and veggie tacos, $2 chicken tacos, and $3 fish tacos. Plus, they offer a two-for-one special on $6 margaritas and specialty draft beers. The best way to do this is to get an assortment of the tacos and share them with friends.

Rock-n-Sake

LSU roll at Rock-n-Sake

This is the deal of the century. Rock-n-Sake's LSU roll, normally about $14 a pop, is only $5 on Tuesdays. And the roll is everything I love in a sushi roll: tempura shrimp and cream cheese rolled with layers of snow crab crab topped with tuna and avocado and drizzled in Rock-n-Sake's housemade eel sauce.

Jazz Feast: The Food Festival within a Festival

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

Squeal BBQ's Smoky Bacon Greens and Jazz Fest favorite Fried Green Tomatoes

Though the Jazz Fest line-up changes every year, there are a couple of things that typically remain consistent: the crowds and the food vendors. It’s been a long-running joke that a food vendor has to die before another new vendor gets the chance to dish out grub to hungry music fans.

Blair Loup and her brother Jake at Jazz Fest waiting to see Hozier play.

As it turns out, this year a handful of food vendors chose to retire, bringing a few new bites to the food market. I dragged my older brother Jake to the festival opening day to help me eat…and to see the devastatingly beautiful Hozier play.

We enjoyed some of the classics: fried green tomatoes, cochon de lait po-boy, sweet potato turnover, etc. But the smoky bacon greens from new food vendor Squeal landed at the top of our list.

There are a lot of classic Jazz Fest foods, and while we didn’t get the chance to eat all of them, I finally tried one of the most famous of Jazz Fest bites for the first time. I have been a fest goer for a little over half a decade and had never tried crawfish bread. After one bite, I’d be willing to get a heart tattooed on my shoulder with crawfish bread inscribed at its center. Below are a handful of the foods and beverages I saw and had the pleasure of ingesting:

Rose mint tea at Jazz Fest is one of those things I can't live without. It's herbaceous and sweetened with local honey. It's the bee knees, and if you haven't tried it you need to reevaluate your life choices.

Rose Mint Tea

While fried chicken and jambalaya aren't hard to come by in Louisiana, there are a lot of festival attendees from out of state. While we take it for granted, the food at Jazz Fest is an all new discovery for those who come from all over the country. I saw people chomping down on this crispy fried chicken all day and smiling ear to ear.

Classic Fried Chicken and Jambalaya

The cochon de lait po-boy is a must-have at Jazz Fest. This hefty fellow is packed with succulent pork that's perfect if you're planning on indulging in a few beers or daiquiris between shows...or throughout the day.

Cochon de Lait Po-Boy

Thanks to the festival gods, we find ourselves in the midst of crawfish season during Jazz Fest. There's no smell as tantalizing as a fresh pot of boiled crawfish. It's not a five pound tray of crawfish, but it's enough to get a taste. As previously mentioned, boiled crawfish is a delicacy to all, but curiously pursued by those who travel to the fest... hopefully with elastic in their waistbands. 

Boiled Crawfish

I noticed a man walking by with what looked like the ultimate trio of deliciousness. A crispy fried oyster po-boy accompanied by fluffy, savory crawfish beignets drowned in a cream sauce would be a sin to enjoy even if you stopped there. However, to also wash them down with a sweet blackberry cobbler... I love Louisiana.

From left to right: Fried Oyster Po-Boy, Blackberry Cobbler, and Crawfish Beignets

Squeal BBQ stepped up to the plate to replace a former BBQ vendor at the fest. The line outside their booth seemed constant throughout the day. Hopefully they'll be back next year slinging more of their tasty 'que to fest goers!

BBQ Chicken Sandwich (left) and BBQ Brisket Sandwich (right) from Squeal BBQ

Finally, after 24 years of searching, I found love. I don't know what I expected, but the crawfish bread at Jazz Fest lived up to every bit of hype I've ever heard. A religious experience within itself, crawfish bread is cheesy, spicy, buttery, and all I want until the end of time.

Crawfish Bread

Bite and Booze Bonus: Don't skip on the sweets. Most of the bands I go to see at Jazz Fest perform on the Gentily Stage. Along the way, a small booth laid tucked away from the crowd serving up some of the most delicious Macaroons I've tasted. Also, on your way to the market (heading from the Acura Stage to the Gentily Stage side) stop and grab a sweet potato turnover!