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.

The Happiest of Happy Hours at Johnny Sánchez

– Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

A couple of weeks ago, Blair and I took a little road trip to New Orleans to interview the Headmistress of Hops herself, Nora McGunnigle. We made it to the city sooner than expected, and to kill some time we figured we'd stop in somewhere and take advantage of some Happy Hour deals.

That's when we stumbled upon Johnny Sánchez. The restaurant, situated in the CBD, resulted from the combined efforts of Chefs Aarón Sánchez and John Besh. Together, the two established a Mexican-style taqueria utilizing the amazing local ingredients available in New Orleans. 

Johnny Sánchez has a super cool interior. Find them at 930 Poydras Street in New Orleans. 

With a focus on local ingredients and the super cool atmosphere, it's no surprise it was a hit with us. 

The moment we were seated, we were brought a green, chunky salsa and a dark red, thinner salsa. For optimum dipping, we were brought tortilla and plantain chips. I'd never tried dipping plantain chips into anything, and after that fateful day, my eyes have been opened. Blair and I couldn't agree on which of the salsas we preferred. Luckily, our waitress kept bringing us refills of each as we decided on our drinks.

Johnny Sánchez has crazy Happy Hour deals. From Sunday to Friday between 3 pm and 6 pm, draft beer, house wine and well mixed drinks are half off. Their house made margarita pitchers are half off. And their street tacos are only five bucks.

Blair and I opted for the 'ritas, made with Agavales blanco, lime, triple sec, and agave and rimmed with salt.

Before we decided on a more substantial meal, we got hit with the best guacamole either of us had ever had. It was made with avocado, pico de gallo, lime and cilantro, which is pretty standard, but it was topped with radish shavings. We couldn't get enough. 

Can't get enough of this guac. 

As for the street tacos, we ordered one of each. You know, for science. 

The Pork Carnitas taco is filled with slow-cooked pork, chipotle, and raw onion. As a pork fan, this was one of my favorites. The combination of the pork flavors with crunchy onion does me in every time. 

The Pork Carnitas street taco

The Al Pastor, with chargrilled pork, achiote, and grilled pineapple was a close second. I'll put grilled pineapple on anything. The acidity of the grilled pineapple complemented the pork really well. 

The Al Pastor street taco

The Papas con Rajas were a happy surprise. I didn't have much faith in a taco filled with Yukon gold potatoes, grilled poblano peppers and onions, and chihuahua, but I clearly underestimated my love for carb-based tacos.

The Papas con Rajas street taco

It has been well-documented that Blair loves beef tongue. The Lengua was right up her alley: slow-cooked beef tongue, Valentina hot sauce, and white onion. It's almost like this taco was made with Blair in mind. Valentina is her hot sauce of choice at home. 

The Lengua street taco

Last, but definitely not least, the Chorizo y Camote, with Mexican chorizo, crispy sweet potatoes, and pickled red onion. These might have been my favorite. They reminded me of the authentic street tacos I had in Austin. Once you try the pink pickled onion, there's no going back. I have dreams about these tacos. 

The Chorizo y Camote street taco

By this point, we'd finished our 'ritas. Blair ordered a beer, and I ordered a wine, and we continued munching and talking happily until we left the CBD to meet Nora at Avenue Pub on St. Charles.

If you want to get in on one of the happiest hours I've experienced, check out Johnny Sánchez.

Palo Rojo: 7 Places to get Your South of the Border Fix in the Red Stick

Baton Rouge is home to an extremely varied population. Surrounded by destination food cities that embody Cajun and Creole cuisine, I find that the many faces of that Capital City's culinary landscape to be one of the best parts of our food culture. Most culinary regions share the same influence, but Baton Rouge is home to quite a few cultures that each present their own extraordinary cuisine. We have a strong presence of Cajun, Creole, Southern, Latin American, Western European, Greek and Mediterranean, and East Asian influences. Having that said, in no particular order, these are some of the best, authentic Latin American joints in town. If you're tired of finding that Baton Rouge is slacking on the Mexican Cuisine front only to be stuck in the same rut of casual "Mexican" eateries, then it is time to think again. Don't see your favorite here? Leave me a comment and tell me where you like to grab your favorite south of the border bite or leave me a note on the Bite and Booze Facebook Page!

Lengua Gordita

Taco n Sabor: 3151 College Drive

Fairly new on the scene, Taco n Sabor is tucked away in the small College Creek shopping center. You may have passed it up because you've been caught up in the horrendous College Dr. traffic. I'll let it slide this time, but just know that this place has developed quite the buzz around town and is worth every bit of praise received. Not used to the different kinds of meats and spices behind the counter? No problem!--the staff is very nice and will offer samples upon request or quizzical expression.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Try the Ellotes Preparados. The Mexican Street Corn is cheesy, spicy, and delicious!

Pollo en Mole

La Reyna: 13213 Perkins Rd.

It is time to check out this hole in the wall Honduran place on Perkins near Siegen. One of my top dishes to get at La Reyna is the Pollo en Mole, chicken meat braised down in a spicy chocolate sauce. It is absolutely the best mole I've had in Baton Rouge! The flavors of the sauce balance nicely with the rice and beans while a side of fried plantains supplies a nice crunchy textural contrast. La Reyna definitely represents more of the Central America region rather than straight up Mexican, which is just fine by me.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Don't shy away from one of their tropical fruit drinks. The Tamarindo offers a nice sweetness to compliment the spices in their dishes.

Torta Carnitas

La Tiendita: 6031 Siegen Ln.

While every eatery in this post represents authentic Latin American cuisine, La Tiendita is my go to Mexican craving fix. The tacos are superbly simple yet phenomenal and their other menu items shine too. I highly suggest a torta, which is close to the Mexican equivalent of a poboy. If you're looking for a bold and zesty authentic Mexican menu, you'll want to check out La Tiendita for sure!

Bite and Booze Bonus: Try the Queso Fundido... the not skillet of molten cheese brings right the right flavor to the warm tortilla chips.

Pork with Cactus

La Michoacana:103 W. Jeansonne St., Gonzales, LA 70737

Half restaurant, half Latin American Market, La Michoacana proved worthy of the drive for me. Who doesn't love a place where you can get authentic Latin American cuisine, a Mexican Coke, some cowboy boots, and blocks of queso fresco? I skipped past the fajitas and enchiladas and headed straight for the lengua burrito and tacos. A friend of mine had their special of the day, pork and stewed cactus. I would recommend this tangy, spicy, and savory pork lovers out there. My dishes were excellent as well. I'm a big fan of lengua because it's tender, juicy and goes well with some crumbled queso fresco and cilantro. With impeccable service and a delightfully fresh, mild salsa, La Michocana is worth the stop if you're in the neighborhood.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Shop through the store on your way out, they have good looking tortillas, hard to find ingredients and produce available.

La Morinita: 7981 Florida Blvd.

If you cook a lot of Mexican food at home or like to try new recipes that call for specialized Latin American ingredients, skip hopping around to 2-3 different grocery stores and check out La Morinita. It's a huge market full of everything from specialized beverages, a fresh meat market, and tons of produce and dry goods. They have an array of spices, some of which I haven't even heard of, so chances are you'll be able to find what you're looking for. It's easy to get hungry while shopping so La Morinita has a great little in-store Taqueria to cure your fix. I had a couple of carnitas tacos and made my way through the store.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Go here to buy your Mexican Coke. I always keep my office stocked with it and they sell it in 24 bottle flats at La Morinita.

El Rio Grande: 8334 Airline Hwy.

The Rio Grande is the river that forms the border between Mexico and Texas, thus, making a great name for a quality Tex-Mex restaurant. While this post is mostly about authentic Latin American restaurants, there is such a thing as authentic Tex-Mex. It's nice to have to have a place where tamales, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and guacamole reign supreme...and did I mention margaritas? In addition to their slammin' chips, salsa, and queso, El Rio Grande has fantastic drinks and house infused tequilas. They have kind of a funky atmosphere going on, and their dishes represent what you would mostly expect to see in a Tex-Mex restaurant, but they do it right.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Don't skip on the guacamole...it's some of the best I've had in town.

Beef Quesadillas with Grilled Onions

El Paste Durado Panaderia Bakery: 6166 Florida Blvd.

The store part of this eatery is rather small. What's more unique is their bakery. Behind a little wall you can find cases of baked Latin American pastries which looked mighty tasty! I sat down to a crunchy basket of chips and fresh salsa. I had the Carne Asada while my Chief Confusion Coordinator, Blair, had the Beef Quesadillas with grilled onions at the recommendation of our server. The creaminess of the cheese contrasted the slight crunch of the grilled onions and crispy tortilla. Blair told me that is easily one of the most delightful quesadillas she's found.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Ask your server for the "Hot Sauce." It's essentially a salsa verde, but this one has a ton of jalapeño... spicy, but more flavorful than anything.

The Baton Rouge BuRger Scene

This article has been published in Town Favorites Magazine. You can visit the Town Favorites website at http://www.townfavorites.com/, follow them on Twitter @TownFavorites, and find their magazines at over 150 restaurants and businesses around Baton Rouge! Pick up a copy today!

The Baton Rouge BuRger Scene

by Jay D. Ducote

It’s not very difficult to find a great burger in Baton Rouge if you know where to look. While George’s and Brewbacher’s are staples of the Baton Rouge burger market, there are plenty of alternatives that keep the mouths of Red Stick carnivores salivating. With April being here, Lent being over, and Spring in full swing, when could there ever be a better time to dine on deliciously grilled beef?

I recently went on a mission to find the best burgers in Baton Rouge. My first stop brought me to Mason’s Grill on Jefferson at Tiger Bend. In 2009, Food Network Magazine named the top burger in all 50 states and the Cajun Shrimp Burger at Mason’s took home the prize from Louisiana. I knew I had to give this burger a try if I really wanted to experience Baton Rouge burgers, so I walked in to Mason’s where owner Mike Alfandre greeted me. Mike and his wife Shirley opened up The Daily Grind in 1998 but quickly outgrew the cozy location. The couple changed the name to Mason’s Grill and moved to their new location about six years ago, and the rest is history.

The Cajun Shrimp Burger at Mason's Grill was named the best burger in Louisiana by the Food Network Magazine!

The Cajun Shrimp Burger itself is 8 ounces of fresh ground beef made to order into a jalapeño-stuffed patty. The burger is then flame-grilled to desired temperature while shrimp are sautéed with more jalapeños. When the shrimp are almost ready, the chef will add a cup and a half of jack cheese in with the crustaceans and peppers and let it all melt together. The cheesy mixture is then scooped up and piled high on the beef patty which is resting patiently on a sweet sourdough bun that is made specially for Mason’s Grill. This burger is absolutely incredible as the spices and flavors all mix together in one sensational bite after another. Mike told me that on a typical day he will go through about 50 Cajun Shrimp Burgers and well over 100 pounds of beef. If that doesn’t tell you how good they are, then I’m not sure what will!

Another classic stop on a Baton Rouge burger tour is Dearman’s on Jefferson at Corporate. Dearman’s is a classic burger and shake joint in mold of the old tradition. They claim to be “the original” place to get burgers, fries, and shakes in BR, and the place lives up to its hype. While the claim that they have the “best burger in Baton Rouge for over fifty years” doesn’t quite meet expectations, the overall vibe of the diner and quality of the burgers is worth noting. Dearman’s cooks up batches of fresh beef patties, grilling them all on a flattop. The burger is ready quickly after you order it, comes out dressed how you like it, and is certainly juicy and messy. I had mine with American cheese, grilled onions, and some other toppings, and at the least I will say that it was a pretty decent burger that is certainly a huge step up from fast food or frozen patties.

Fresh Beef Patties on the Grill at Dearman's

My eyes and stomach focused on downtown for my next stop on the BuRger tour. Downtown offers delightful burgers at places like Riverside Patty, Downtown Seafood and Grill, and Capital City Grill. I’ve had those before and can recommend any of them, but this adventure took me to some place a little newer: Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar and Restaurant, where I’d take on a Juicy Lucy! I met the Executive Chef of Lucy’s, Michael Domenick, and asked him about the signature sandwich before placing my order. According to Chef Domenick, the Juicy Lucy has been on the menu for quite some time at the New Orleans restaurant which has now spread to Baton Rouge. He claimed that the opportunity came along to make the burger even juicier, so he worked on creating a half-pound burger patty which features 100% certified Angus chuck and a special spice blend. He told me that he wasn’t just going to make a good burger, be he “wants to make the best burger in Baton Rouge.” Chef Domenick went on to say that his goal is “not just to make a good burger, but change the way people in Baton Rouge eat burgers.” Needless to say, my excitement level peaked in anticipation.

Jay Ducote digs into a Juicy Lucy Burger

The Juicy Lucy has numerous topping options that fit the theme of the restaurant. Anything from sautéed portabellas to sprouts and guacamole to bacon can be added to the burger, as well as a selection of cheeses and a special sauce. The burger is served on an artisanal bun that is glazed with egg whites on the top to give it a shiny finish. I ordered my burger medium with Swiss cheese and guacamole. While it may not have been my absolute favorite burger of the journey, the Juicy Lucy left the largest trail of juice dripping down my forearm! Each and every bite tasted delicious and unique. By the time I polished off the burger my stomach was full and my appetite was satisfied, so this burger definitely gets my approval.

Seth Maggio flips giant burgers at Tramonte's Meat and Seafood Market

My final stop came back on Jefferson just on the other side of Airline. I received a tip that Tramonte’s Meat and Seafood Market just may have the best burger in town, so I had to go have a taste. The market and restaurant has been open for around 8 years, and while they specialize in raw meats and seafood for customers to take home and cook themselves, Tramonte’s also has a few specialties up their sleeves. I ordered a regular cheeseburger, but this giant patty is far from ordinary. Tramonte’s uses a full pound of ground sirloin mixed with top secret ingredients and fresh vegetables and then formed into an enormous patty and flame-grilled to perfection. I asked for bacon-cheddar burger and owner Mike Tramonte obliged by throwing a patty on the grill and then chatting with me about his burgers. I couldn’t get him to tell me his secret ingredients, but the massive burger had a superb flavor throughout the patty and combined magnificently with the sesame seed bun on which it was served. This burger blew me away as I had never even heard of Tramonte’s before, but now that I have, I know for sure that I’ll be back!

The Bacon Cheeseburger at Tramonte's. Mmmm... bacon cheeseburger... aghghagh!

The Baton Rouge BuRger Scene is alive and kicking. Restaurants all over town are cooking up delightful burgers that will tickle your taste buds. You can find a delicious burger at restaurants like Louie’s Café, home of the Big Cheesy Lou, which William Winters, a former employee, describes as “everything you love about cheeseburgers: meat and cheese, abundantly.” Delicious burgers can also be found at burger joints like Roul’s Deli, casual restaurants such as Bistro Byronz, and the Northshore-based Times Grill. Anywhere you look in this city you can find a tasty burger, so go ahead, Baton Rouge, dig in and enjoy!

Eric Ducote took all the pictures for this article. Thanks to Hunter Brown for the graphic design of the restaurant sign collage.

Things To Do
Baton Rouge

San Francisco Part I: Taqueria La Cumbre

This past weekend Eusebio and I took to the friendly skies courtesy of our dear friend Amanda who happens to work for Southwest Airlines.  Amanda has graciously flown me all over the country for the past several years and I am very thankful to her.  We headed West to the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival in San Francisco, CA.  Immediately upon arriving in Oakland, Eusebio and I took the BART across the bay to San Fran and walked a couple blocks, past Union Square, to our hotel.  We stayed at the Grand Hyatt which was an interesting place to be for the weekend because all of their housekeeping and food service staff were on strike!  Good old California labor union strikes.  We walked up to a hotel that was being picketed by its own employees right outside of the front door with rhythmic drum beating and constant chanting of "Don't check in, just check out!"  Having already made reservations and paid for the room, and thinking that the fact that we just walked up on a real-life labor strike was hilarious, we proceeded to check in, throw our stuff down, and go grab some lunch before our festival activities started at 5:00 p.m.

Our San Francisco culinary journey got started with a ride on a classic street car trolley and a trip to the Mission district. The Mission neighborhood exists as an incredibly impressive international melting pot of residents and restaurants. From sushi to Salvadoran, pizza to Pakistani, eating well should be easy to do in Mission for everyone who walks its streets. We had heard of Taqueria La Cumbre as the innovator of the authentic overstuffed mission-style Mexican burrito. For those of you who know about Freebird's or Izzo's, that is what I'm talking about... but way better!

Taqueria La Cumbre, Mission District, San Francisco

The Taqueria has a lot more to enjoy than just the burritos.  They offer many different Platos Mexicanos for the frequenters to consume, but it is pretty obvious that their mission-style burritos are what they are famous for.  Meat filling for the burritos comes in the form of carne asada (steak beef), pulled pork, chicken, several flavored versions of beef, pork, and chicken, and beef tongue.  I didn't look over the menu long before ordering my "super" burrito.

Menu Board at Taqueria La Cumbre

I ordered the carne asada super burrito which came with grilled steak meat that was chopped right in front of me, Mexican rice, black beans, fresh guacamole, sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, and hot sauce which was all stuffed inside a giant flour tortilla.  The meal came with corn tortilla chips and a selection of salsas.  I added a Mexican beer, Negra Modelo, to the feast just to top it off properly and help wash all of the spicy goodness that I was about to consume down.

Super Burrito, Chips, Salsa, and a Negro Modelo at Taqueria La Cumbre

The completely stuffed burrito fillings exploded both figuratively with flavor and literally out of the thinly pressed tortilla. Rice and black beans created the bulk of the subsistence but the seasoned beef and guacamole were still the flavor highlights.  Fresh ingredients all around gave the burrito the taste that made it famous.

The Stuffing of My Super Burrito

While there might be rival burritos out there in other parts of the country and world, I certainly can not get anything this good in Baton Rouge.  I love how the restaurant has maintained its original, classic, casual atmosphere with friendly service.  The Mission district as a whole was an area of San Francisco that I could spend a lot more time in.  There were unique restaurants and shops at every corner, each with its own culture that it contributed to the overall diverse cultural center that is San Francisco.

In San Francisco Part II, I will write about the adventures that we had on Friday night at the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival Street Vendor "Fare"!  Stay tuned!

Things To Do
San Francisco

Casa Maria (College Dr.)

Friday evening after work I went to visit one of my former students, Fahim, to talk about life and see what he was up to. Fahim works at Casa Maria on College Drive along with Alba, another one of my former students that I have stayed in touch with. Because of it's close proximity to Lee High, Brent and I would often go there for happy hour drinks or  for after baseball practice dinner. Other teachers would also come in fairly often, and I really think that Fahim and Alba enjoyed seeing their teachers in a setting that was outside the classroom.

Steak Quesadilla at Casa Maria

The food at Casa Maria is pretty standard Tex-Mex style cuisine.  There is nothing on the menu that really jumps out at me, but nothing that I've ever ordered has been bad either.  Like most "Mexican" restaurants, Casa Maria serves free chips and salsa, and their version is pretty tasty, though nothing unique.  The steak quesadilla that I had was loaded with steak fajita meat and cheese and served with sour cream, guacamole, and jalapenos.  Like everything else, it is great for a quick, cheap meal or snack, but nothing that makes my mouth water.  When I go to Casa Maria it is always way more about the staff, the friends, and the drink specials.  Some decent food is usually an after thought and after 6 to 8 Dos Equis and three baskets of chips and salsa, the entree usually doesn't matter that much.  I'll keep going back as long as Fahim and Alba are there, and I'll keep eating, but I won't have my hopes up that I'm going to get a real culinary treat, just some pretty good Mexican food at a pretty fair price.