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

Rolling in the Deep...Fryer: Our Power Rankings of the Best LSU Rolls in Baton Rouge

by Sydney Blanchard & Blair Loup

I'm a Baton Rouge native, and if there's one thing I can say about this city, it's that its people are passionate. I theorize that living so close to the state's seat of government rubs off on us. Our opinions, on everything from LSU football to where to find the best sushi, are about as polarizing as our politics.

Thus, an idea was born.

We decided to do some research and find out which local sushi places had football themed rolls. At first, we thought we'd stumble across a few, but after poring over dozens of menus, we discovered that almost every sushi restaurant in town offers some play on an LSU inspired roll.

There are Tiger rolls, Geaux Tiger rolls, Death Valley rolls, LSU Tiger rolls, and of course, a number of LSU rolls.

It would have been nearly impossible to try to write about all of these, so we narrowed our focus on the LSU rolls and got to eating. One pattern emerged: at least one fried element is present in nearly all of these rolls.

Go figure.

Here's our rankings of the best LSU rolls this town has to offer, with photos for reference.

Rock-n-Sake Bar & Sushi

Shrimp, cream cheese, snow crab, red tuna, avocado at Rock-n-Sake (3043 Perkins Rd #A).

Rock-n-Sake's roll was by far the standout. Colorful, inventive, and tasty, we had no problem gobbling down this roll. This interpretation of the LSU roll consisted of battered shrimp and cream cheese in a traditional rice roll and snow crab topped with ruby red tuna and avocado slices.

Sushi Masa

Snowcrab, crawfish tails, cream cheese, and spicy mayo and eel sauce at Sushi Masa (5837 Essen Ln).

Sushi Masa's LSU roll fell in line with some of the other rolls on this list, but we think their interpretation was the best. Snowcrab, crawfish, and cream cheese combine in a rice roll that's battered, fried, and topped with spicy mayonnaise and eel sauce. The crunchy fried shell plays well with the cool cream cheese in the center.

Ichiban Hibachi Grill & Sushi Bar

Fried oyster, snow crab, avocado, asparagus at Ichiban (5741 Essen Lane).

Ichiban's LSU roll confused then pleased our tastebuds. The combination of fried oyster, snow crab, avocado, and asparagus topped with crunchy and purple and gold sweet sauce was uniquely Louisiana. I'm not a huge oyster fan, but the choice to include fried oysters in a roll earned Ichiban some extra points.

Omi Hibachi Grill & Sushi Bar

Snow crab, cream cheese, battered and fried at Omi (7951 One Calais Ave).

It was Blair's and my first time at Omi, and we were excited to see what it was all about. We were pretty disappointed this roll was so similar to Sushi Masa and Koi's LSU roll (snow crab, cream cheese, rice roll, battered and fried), but Omi's choice of batter made this one of our favorites. The texture of the batter reminded us of beignets, and it worked well with the other ingredients.

Drunken Fish

Spicy tuna, cucumber, salmon and eel at Drunken Fish (4410 Highland Road).

Blair and I were impressed with how different Drunken Fish's take on the LSU roll was compared with the others, but for us the flavor just wasn't there. Spicy tuna and cucumber nestle together in a rice roll topped with fresh salmon and barbecue eel. Drunken Fish was my spot in college, but this roll was a miss for me.

Koi Sushi Restaurant

Crawfish, Snow crab, cream cheese, all fried at Koi Sushi (Koi Sushi Restaurant).

Koi's interpretation fell in line with that of Omi and Sushi Masa, but the biggest turnoff for us was the value. This was the most expensive roll we had, and we couldn't figure out why. The components were the same as the LSU roll as Omi and Sushi Masa, but Koi's batter just didn't hold up as well as the others.


Do you agree with our rankings? Did we miss a must-try LSU roll? Let us know in the comments!

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.

Rock-n-Sake Sushi Rolls!

With Baton Rouge Restaurant Week here (use #BRRW on Twitter), I thought I'd show another video clip from a participating restaurant.  Over 30 restaurants are involved in the first ever Baton Rouge Restaurant Week, creating an exciting opportunity for diners to check out new hot spots, return to an old favorite, and spoil themselves if just for a night... or a whole week!  From today, January 14th, until Saturday, January 19th, each participating restaurant will offer three course menus for a fraction of the normal price.  The food may be discounted, but remember, always tip your servers!

Here's a video from Rock-n-Sake in Baton Rouge with Josh making a couple awesome rolls.  Enjoy!

Restaurant Week gives you the opportunity to enjoy the very best restaurants Baton Rouge has to offer at irresistible price points. From $15 - $35 per person, these unique three course menus are sure to tempt your taste buds at unheard of prices.

My "Best of 225" Ballot

I had the privilege of being randomly selected to vote in the Best of 225 poll a couple months back.  Now that the selections have been published, I thought it would be appropriate to reveal my ballot... as it relates to bites and boozes anyway.

First of all, the Best of 225 is nominated and voted upon based on randomly selected individuals who are plugged into the 225 electronic media outlets.  The nomination forms are blank and ask for just that: nominations in each predetermined category.  After the nominations are tallied, the top nominees are then listed on a ballot and sent back out to a random group of readers.  Here were my picks that warrant noting:

Boiled Crawfish:
Randy Montalbano's Seafood and Catering

Tony's crawfish are under seasoned on purpose.  They self-admittedly don't over heat the mudbugs because they boil so many and have such a large, broad market.  I don't blame them, but I also don't think they're the best.  Sammy's is where my friends and I go most often... but I still think the chances of them being fresher and spicier are higher at Montabano's on Florida Blvd.  You can check out my 2010 crawfish tour for more info.



Brunch:
Mason's Grill

Mason's came in second place to The Chimes.  I'm okay with that.  But Mason's has Bloody Masons and bottomless mimosas.  Mason's Grill, FTW.



Burger:
Tramonte's Meat and Seafood

There are plenty of local burger places that deserve to be high on this list.  Plenty.  My choice goes to Tramonte's.  Many people don't even know of this place, but those folks are just missing out.  It is easily the best back yard on the grill style burger in town.  Side by side with Tramonte's I'd have any burger from the Curbside Truck.  I know there was a separate category for food trucks, but Curbside's burgers are no joke!  And what about the Cajun Shrimp Burger at Mason's?? And if I wanted a flat-top burger, I'd certainly pick Dearman's or Roul's Deli over Five Guys.  I'm ashamed at our voters.



Deli:
Anthony's Italian Deli

My pick pretty easily goes to Anthony's Italian Deli.  Their muffaletta is certainly one of the best in town.  And it is just real.  It is a locally owned, tiny, hole in the wall Italian deli and market.  You can't beat that.  I'm a fan of the Maxwell's Market selection in Best of 225 though.  They do a great job.  I imagine that by this time next year the Swine Market at Marcello's will be on my list.  And finally I'd put AM Mart on towards the top of my deli list.  They make a mean Cajun turkey sandwich!



Exotic Pizza:
Pastime

First, define "exotic pizza."  Then, tell me what is more original and unique to our cuisine than the Boudin Pizza at Pastime?  I do LOVE the Around the World at Fleur de Lis, but what makes it exotic?  Anchovies?  And I'd also like to at least mention the Duck and Andouille Sausage Gumbo pizza at Oscar's.  That's pretty exotic in my book.



Frozen Treats:
Latte e Miele

*photo credit to Latte e Miele's facebook page

Easy choice.  Never been?  Fix that, fast!



Meat Lover's:
Doe's Eat Place

Mmmm.... meat!  Some of the best steaks in town.  Locally owned by great people.  Handcut.  Prime.  Cow.  I wrote a whole article about them that you can find on Bite and Booze: Get Your Steak on at Doe's Eat Place.



South Asian:
Rama

This little hole in the wall at the Perkin's Road Overpass is excellent.  Well, I like it anyway.  And yes, I'll count Southeast Asian as "South Asian."



Sushi:
Sushi Yama

If you've never gone into Sushi Yama, sat at the bar, and asked the talented chefs to just make you something unique, then you aren't really experiencing sushi in Baton Rouge.



Sweets:
Strand's Cafe

I feel sorry for anybody who doesn't know about Strand's Cafe downtown.  You want to talk about some amazing sweets?  Well, here you go.  It is gourmet, but it is also expertly crafted by some great people with constantly smiling faces.  The chocolates are delectable.  Go stop in and tell them I said hi!



New Restaurant:
Beausoleil

Beausoleil got robbed by not winning this category in the Best of 225, but rest assured that they got my vote! I've still only been for lunch and brunch, so if anybody would like to join me for dinner some time soon, let me know.  First glass of Smooth Ambler craft distilled whiskey is on me!



Cold Beer:
The Chimes

$2.50.  Tin Roof.  Tuesdays.  Yep, they've still got it.



Happy Hour:
Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar

This pick may seem a bit odd, but I challenge anybody to find a better happy hour.  If you do, please let me know!  What you get at Fleming's for the price tag during their 5-6-7 daily happy hour is the best deal I've found in town.  They have 5 appetizers, 5 glasses of wine, and 5 cocktails for $6 from 5-7 PM.  Plus, their burger is also $6... and it is an incredible burger compared to anything else I've ever found for $6.  It doesn't take much to get me to go to Fleming's for happy hour, so if you're in the mood, just let me know!



Live Music:
Varsity

I saw Willie Nelson at the Varsity within the past year.  I don't need to say anything more than that.



Party/Event Venue:
Roux House

The Roux House has a nice indoor space, a great patio area, and some of the friendliest bar staff around.  Plus it is on Third Street, so it is a great place to have an event and then bar-hop if you're so inclined.



Wine Bar:
Enoteca Marcello's

I like Enoteca Marcello's as a wine bar because of the atmosphere.  The wine list isn't incredibly extensive, but it is really good.  And the place is more my style than other "wine bars" in town.

Agree on some of these?  Disagree?  Have some thoughts of your own?  I'd love to hear them!  Please leave a comment on this post or hit me up on Facebook and Twitter.  These were my picks for 2011, but they've been different in years past and will certainly continue to evolve in the future.  Also, stay tuned this fall because the BRFoodies will be releasing the BRTop100: 100 favorite dishes from 100 original Baton Rouge restaurants!  It'll be posted in groups of 10 on Bite and Booze to count down from 100 to 1!

Japan - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Bites and Boozes

Japan

What would a tour of the world's bites and boozes be without Japan?  Today, as Japan faces Paraguay for one of the final spots in the quarter finals of the World Cup, Bite and Booze will take a look at the rich culinary history of island nation known as the Land of the Rising Sun. Besides rice, seafood is highly consumed in Japan since the country is surrounded by oceans. Seaweed, fish, clams, fish cakes are essential ingredients in Japanese cooking. Dashi soup stock used in Japanese-style meals is made from katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) or konbu (kelp). Other essential ingredients in Japanese cuisine include mushrooms, noodles, beans, ginger, and more. Essential seasonings in Japanese cuisine are soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine), miso (bean paste), sake (rice wine), rice vinegar, and wasabi (Japanese horseradish).

Originally, raw fish was fermented in salt to preserve it and eaten with seasoned rice. In Japanese cuisine, sushi indicates dishes that use sushi rice, which is seasoned with a sweet vinegar mixture. Although you can make sushi without using any fish, many kinds of fish are commonly used in sushi dishes. Most Americans think that going out for sushi means you are going out for raw fish, however that is not actually the case. Sashimi is the Japanese delicacy primarily consisting of very fresh raw seafood, sliced into thin pieces and served with only a dipping sauce (soy sauce withwasabi paste or other condiments such as grated fresh ginger, or ponzu), depending on the fish.  When ordering sushi, you are actually ordering dishes with the specially prepared sushi rice which is complemented by any number or fish, vegetables, and other toppings and condiments, that are then often rolled up into what we know as sushi rolls.

Sake is a clear alcohol drink which is basically made by fermenting steamed rice with koji mold and water. Sake has about 15% alcohol. It's said that good water and rice make good sake. Sake are divided into two kinds: futsu-shu (general sake) and tokutei mesho-shu (special sake). Tokutei meisho-shu are categorized by the degree of rice milling and the use of distilled alcohol like Honjozo-shu and Junmai-shu. Namazake is sake which has not been pasteurized. Any kind of sake can be namazake. Sake is often used in Japanese cooking. Leftover sake is suitable for cooking. Sake can be used for cocktails or other drinks.

For some information on Japanese beer, go to the BR Beer Scene!

Thanks and Credits:
http://japanesefood.about.com/od/holidaytraditionalfood/a/introduction.htm
http://japanesefood.about.com/od/sake/p/sakeprofile.htm
http://animecooking.com/sushi-rolls-maki-style/
http://www.oneinchpunch.net/2008/04/18/japanese-sushi-chef-creates-van-gogh’s-sunflowers-and-pandas/
http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/sacramentoscene/2009/08/sushi_and_saki_take_a_class.html

A Sunday to Remember... if only I actually could.

Sunday was quite an adventure on many levels.  It began with great gathering at Granny's house with lots of family and friends.  She treated us to her famous Pecan Rolls which never disappoint.  Eusebio was able to come with me to the breakfast and had his first taste of the morning treat.  The dough is homemade, spread thin, layered with pecans and cinnamon, then rolled up, sliced, and baked to perfection.  It is a true breakfast of champions that only a Granny can create.

After breakfast at Granny's and story time with the family and friends, Eusebio and I made our way to New Orleans to join Brandon Brown for a day in the Big Easy to watch the Saints play the Jets.  After arriving at Reverend's apartment we quickly made our way to The Bulldog on Magazine Street to grab a table before the crowd showed up.  We started with a pitcher of Abita Andygator, some King's Nachos, and Tex-Mex Egg Rolls.  I am a pretty big fan of Andygator.  It is a Helles Doppelbock style beer with a 8% alcohol content with a delicious, crisp bite to it.  Matt Mediamolle and his buddy Gary joined us at the Bulldog in time for the game.  Throughout the game we proceeded to have pitchers of Nola Brown, Nola Blonde, Abita Purple Haze, and quite a few more.  It was a great time, the Saints won, and everybody was happy.  Oh, and the beautiful Amanda Callais came and joined us as well.  The nachos and egg rolls were typical pub food.  Very satisfying while drinking beer in a bar, but nothing to rave about here.  When we left the Bulldog we went over to see Matt and Gary's apartment, drank a few Champagne of Beers, and then decided it was time for Sushi Brothers on St. Charles... we had heard good things.

Sushi Brothers is cozy a little Japanese restaurant that provides a comfortable atmosphere and spectacular sushi.  We started with a nice squid salad and some salty edamame.  The two appetizers complimented each other very nicely and our meal was already off to a terrific start.

Eusebio, Brandon, and I all ordered some Kirin Ichiban bombers to take care of our thirst as we awaited our first sushi rolls.  Round one included a Louisiana Roll, a Crunchy Dynamite Roll, and an Uptown Roll.

The Louisiana Roll made me a little nervous since one of the key ingredients was pickled okra but after the first bite I quickly got over my fear of all things pickled and realized that the roll was rather flavorful.  The Crunchy Dynamite Roll was a fairly standard version of the always delightful classic.  The Uptown Roll contained yellowtail, snow crab, and avocado, topped with eel sauce.  The flavors meshed very well together and all three rolls were a treat... but they just got us warmed up for what came next.  I present the Tiger Roll, the Rock'N'Roll, the LSU Roll, and the FEMA Roll!

The Rock'N'Roll was a beautiful creation of tempura shrimp, snow crab, avocado, and asparagus with an eel sauce on top.  The LSU Roll also featured tempura shrimp but this time it was paired with cream cheese and some other goodies and topped with fresh tuna and avocado.  The roll had a good taste at first but was soon overpowered by the cream cheese... so much so that I don't remember what else was in it.  The FEMA Roll sported salmon, snowcrab, avocado, and asparagus rolled in rice and soybean paper then topped with spicy tuna, smelt roe, and a special sauce.  The FEMA Roll had a whole lot of flavors that came together to produce something... interesting.  The spicy tuna on the top was rather mushy and definitely belongs inside a roll and not on top.  A lot of the other ingredients were items that we had tasted before and this time it was just too much, and FEMA was an edible disaster compared to the other rolls we ate.

The star of the show was the Tiger Roll.  It started with a delicious dynamite roll as the base and was then topped with tuna, yellowtail, salmon, and barbeque eel.  The fresh fishes that laid atop the Tiger Roll had terrific textures and sensational flavors.  It was a truly delightful sushi roll that I would certainly be willing to go back and eat again.  Overall Sushi Brothers proved to be a great experience, especially after a day of beer drinking and football watching.  The meal was delicious from the first bite to the last.  It had a few rocky parts along the way and there were a couple of the rolls that we tried that I would not order again... but mostly only so that I could try something else instead.  The Tiger Roll was money.  It was really about as good as any sushi roll I've indulged on before.

What a Sunday!  And wait, Monday is the Baton Rouge Culinary Classic!  Stay tuned for that update.

China House

This is the kind of thing that gets me in trouble.  I was walking down the street to Smoothie King for lunch today, trying to be healthy and not be a complete glutton.  It just so happens that to walk from my office to Smoothie King means I pass by several downtown eating establishments, including China House.  I didn't eat anything for breakfast today and was in a meeting until 12:30, so when I stepped out onto Third Street and foolishly attempted to walk to Smoothie King, I was immediately surrounded by the aroma of a Chinese buffet.  The sweet and sour smells of all things cooked in a wok, fried golden brown, or mixed with mixed with sticky white rice filled the street and I was lured in like a large-mouthed bass going after the hooked bait in front of him.  My head was telling me to keep walking and be healthy, but empty stomach and salavating taste buds put on the brakes and I walked into the China House, got a plate, and hit the buffet hard and strong.  I came back to my table with a plate that looked like this:

Jay's Lunch, China House, Third Street, Baton Rouge

Ah yes, the classics.  Buried under the lo mein, eggroll, sweet and sour chicken and shrimp, sesame chicken, and chicken on a stick, were actually some vegetables in the form of beef with broccoli and stir-fried string beans.  It sure was satisfying and delicious, although I did have some lingering thoughts about how this can't possibly help any dieting ideas that I ponder every now and then.  But, when at the China House, do as the Chinese do... I went back to the buffet for round two.  It looked like this:

Jay's Lunch, Plate 2, China House

Yes, a much more conservative plate than the first, but still enough to satisfy my cravings and another taste of my favorite items from round one.  The sweet and sour chicken and shrimp were freshly fried and magnificently crunchy and juicy.  Combined with the classic red sweet and sour sauce, it is always a staple at any good Chinese buffet and China House did it right today.  I also got a second serving of sesame chicken... a decent version of the dish, although not really on par with other sesame chickens from around the city.  I added a couple snow crab rolls and a california roll mostly because I wanted to clear my sinuses with some wasabi.  They were alright, but certainly better can be found at any sushi restaurant.  The egg roll was plenty good enough on my first plate to get another one on the second plate.  That was certainly worth it because they had brought out a fresh batch and the second one was even better than the first!

Final take: not the best Chinese buffet in town, but if you are downtown, it is certainly worth stopping in.  The lunch buffet runs around $9 with a drink so it is definitely a good value for the amount of food! 

Fortune Cookie: "We must become the change we want to see" ... in bed!