Jay D's Bites: Barbecue Buddha Bowl

by Liz Courville

Are you trying to reduce your meat consumption? Looking for some meal ideas that aren’t salad or just super bland? Well you are in luck. Because this Barbecue Buddha Bowl is probably one of the most satisfying meals!

The combination of complex carbohydrates from the rice and sweet potato, the high protein content of tofu, plus the vitamins and minerals coming from the leafy greens and tahini dressing creates a well-balanced meal that isn’t a compromise on flavor! Jay D’s Louisiana Barbecue Sauce adds that sweet and salty barbecue coat over the tofu, you won’t even miss the meat! Try this out on your next “Meatless Monday,” or make it like, every day… it’s just that good!

Barbecue Buddha Bowl

serves 2
(Vegan, Gluten-free)

Ingredients:
1 (14 oz.) pack of extra firm tofu
½ cup Jay D’s Louisiana Barbecue Sauce
2 cups brown Supreme Rice, cooked
½ ripe avocado
1 cup kale or spinach
½ cup tahini
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup sweet potato, cubed
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp sea salt

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Press tofu for 15-20 minutes to remove excess liquid.

Place tofu into a medium sized bowl and add in ¾ cup Jay D’s Barbecue Sauce. set some aside for drizzling over baked tofu once finished. Mix together gently. (Marinate over night for best results.)

Place tofu on a flat pan lined with parchment paper and do the same for the sweet potato cubes.

Once oven is preheated, place tofu and sweet potatoes in the oven. (Tofu should take 20-25 minutes, sweet potato cubes should take 15 minutes.)

While the tofu and potatoes are baking, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, water and sea salt to create a dressing for the greens.

After tofu and potatoes are finished, scoop out 1 cup of cooked brown rice into 2 separate bowls. Slice the ½ of an avocado into ¼ into cubes or thin slices.

On top of rice, scoop out ½ of the baked BBQ tofu, ½ of the baked sweet potato, ½ cup of greens drizzled with ½ of the dressing, ¼ of an avocado - into each bowl for a completely satisfying meal!

Boil ‘Em, Mash ‘Em, Stick ‘Em in a Stew: A National Tater Day Celebration

by Intern Daniel Harris

If there's anything we love at Bite and Booze, it's celebrating seemingly arbitrary national food and beverage holidays. And today, we will celebrate the humble potato, everyone's favorite starch.

“What’s Taters, Precious?” you may ask.





This little root vegetable can be sweet, red, sliced, diced, and cooked any way imaginable. While almost always serving as a side or addition to a meal, we believe potatoes should have their day in the sun.

Here are some of the Bite and Booze Crew’s favorite tater moments.

Portland Tots

Tots on tots on tots on tots. @chuckp23 @ericjducote #PDX #tots

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@jayducote) on Jun 25, 2015 at 2:07pm PDT

Horseshoe Bay Resort Mashed Taters

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 Jay Ducote (@biteandbooze) on Nov 21, 2015 at 6:37pm PST

Street Breads Tater Salad

Grubbing it up at @streetbreads with @chuckp23! The new Miami: grilled chicken, bacon, chipotle, spinach, and banana peopers. Do yourself a favor and don't skip out on the feta potato salad. #foodie #picoftheday #foodporn #foodgasm #nom #nomnomnom #foodpicsbruh #food #foodbaby #yummy #hungry #gobr #overpass

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@biteandbooze) on Feb 9, 2015 at 11:31am PST

City Pork Brasserie and Bar Tater Soup

Today's lunch at City Pork Brasserie & Bar included a grilled cheese and potato soup from Chef Ryan Andre'. I'll gladly take another!
Posted by Bite and Booze on Friday, January 30, 2015

Doe's Eat Place French Fried Taters

Sometimes, you just need a steak from Doe's Eat Place. #gobr #ribeye #beef

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@biteandbooze) on Oct 20, 2015 at 4:59pm PDT

Tater Gnocci

Potato gnocchi, lamb bolognese, mint, pecorino. Delightful.
Posted by Bite and Booze on Friday, April 11, 2014

Recap: Great Raft Beer Dinner at Restaurant Cotton

Great Raft and Restaurant Cotton made a dangerous combination

In honor of Louisiana Craft Brewers Week I felt it would be a good idea to post about a beer dinner featuring a brewery that couldn't make it to New Orleans for Wednesday's Louisiana Brewers Bash. Great Raft Brewing out of Shreveport, Louisiana recently announced their southward movement into the New Orleans market set for this November with Baton Rouge to follow in 2015. However, they are currently only available in north Louisiana, and during this past May's American Craft Beer Week, I had the opportunity to attend a Great Raft beer dinner at Restaurant Cotton, home kitchen of Chef Cory Bahr. With a six course tasting menu expertly paired with six unique brews, it easily proved to be worth the drive to Monroe for the bite and booze spectacle. I arrived early so as to have a couple extra brews at the bar and chat with a few people before we dined, then I headed upstairs to claim my spot at the table. Restaurant Cotton is a can't miss in the Monroe dining landscape. The food represents the region but with a unique contemporary twist. The old building has been beautifully redesigned into an open seating area and bar on the bottom floor with private dining and banquet space on the second floor.

Grilled Watermelon, Radish, Cress, Lime, Pink Pepper

Our dinner started boldly with the Make Believer Session IPA accompanied by grilled watermelon in a salad with thinly sliced radish, leaves of cress, a squeeze of lime juice, and crushed pink peppercorns. The compressed watermelon presented a unique texture while its inherent sweetness matched the acidity of the lime juice and the potency of the pink pepper. The mildly hoped and very drinkable IPA added some fruit and floral notes of its own to create a beautiful medley in my mouth.

Ipswich Scallop, Turnip, Vanilla, Grapefruit, Salsa Verde

The second course of the evening featured succulent seared scallops with turnips, vanilla grapefruit foam, and salsa verde partnered with the Commotion Pale Ale. The modern technique in the foam matched the precision in the textbook seared scallops. The flavors were interesting and resounding, creating a lasting flavor that somehow worked despite their perceived contradiction.

Pecan Smoked Pork Belly, Pickled Chioggia Beets,
Sweet Potato Puree, Root Beer Syrup

The third plate presented pecan smoked pork belly. Nothing else would be necessary. Still, Chef Bahr decided to partner that with house pickled beets, sweet potato puree, and a root beer syrup then pair the course with Great Raft's Disaster Proof. The earthy flavors highlighted each bite as the pork belly melted in my mouth and melded with the sugary and acidic notes of the accouterments. The Disaster Proof, a special release rye lager with floral New Zealand hops worked marvelously well as the beer cut through the fat of the belly while playing with the subtle herbaceous of the root beer syrup.

Venison Schnitzel, Stewed White Beans, Fried Carrots,
Bacon Beer Mustard Jus

Next up came the dish I most eagerly anticipated. Pounded out, battered, and fried venison rested atop a slathering of white beans with fried carrots and a jus teeming with bacon, beer, and mustard. The rustic and hearty dish put a smile on my face as it elevated my childhood deer camp memories to a new level. Paired with Nobody's Darling, an imperial Schwarzbier brewed in collaboration with Bluejacket, the schnitzel popped even more. The beer, a generously hopped black lager, contained all of the right flavors to both pair with roastiness and toastiness as well as contrast with the appropriately delicate bitterness.

Braised Rabbit, Sweet Peas, Gnocchi, Smoked Mushrooms, Parmesan

Our final entree course brought another rustic yet still incredibly contemporary dish. Chef Bahr went back to the game with braised rabbit served in a medley of gnocchi, sweet peas, smoked mushrooms and a little shaved parmesan. It is a hard to argue with a dish like this. Impeccable execution of every element on the plate made it hard to put the fork down even to get a swallow of the Southern Drawl beer from Great Raft which accompanied the course.

LA Strawberry Gelato, Cured LA Strawberries, Torn Lemon Cake,
Buttermilk Crumbs, Basil Seeds, Dill

All good meals end with something sweet. In this case, diners enjoyed a strawberry delight served alongside one of Great Raft's flagship brews. Reasonably Corrupt, the dark lager with a malty sweetness and notes of coffee and chocolate, provided the necessary counter balance to the fruity sweetness in the dessert. Strawberry gelato accompanied cured Louisiana strawberries, lemon cake, buttermilk crumbs, basil seeds, and a garnish of fresh dill. The deconstructed strawberry shortcake set my stomach right to end the evening in a magical way. Content with pure gastronomic glee, all I could do was tip my cap to Chef Bahr and to the great folks at Great Raft.

Bite and Booze Radio Show: The Fountain Lounge at the Roosevelt

I had the pleasure of staying in the historic Roosevelt Hotel when the Bite and Booze Radio Show last hit New Orleans. More famously known for it's lobby that is frozen in time and the legendary Sazerac Bar, the Roosevelt is also the home to the Fountain Lounge. Chef Mark Majorie set us up with some of their Happy Hour bites and libations, which are only $6 on Tuesday-Sunday 4-6pm. This is a perfect bite to grab if you're in the neighborhood and there's free parking parking anytime you're dining in the Fountain Lounge! Take a listen to the show and check out the pictures of the food below:


A classic play of sweet and savory, these sweet potato bacon beignets hit the spot. The beignets themselves have a subtle sweetness and are like light puffy pillows. The crunch of the bacon adds a nice layer of textures and the pecan aioli ties everything together. There's no need for dessert when you can share this dish!

Sweet Potato Bacon Beignets over a Natchitoches Pecan Aioli

Brussels sprouts, radish, almonds, and more at the Fountain Lounge

The beauty of The Fountain Lounge's summer Happy Hour is that you can stroll around the hot streets of New Orleans and pop in at the Fountain lounge and have a beverage as you do in New Orleans and also have a light and refreshing dish (for an affordable price). This tuna tartar was crisp and fresh with the perfect acidity and texture layers. The fermented red pepper paste brings the dish a little flare that rounds out the flavors. There are some seriously tasty dishes coming out of Chef Majorie's kitchen.

Ahi Tuna Charred and Tartar'd over a Fermented Red Pepper Paste with Pickled Ruston Peaches and Grilled Scallions

This dish is such a fun combination of flavors! I know it's weird to think of eating pork belly and fresh watermelon in the same bite, but think of it as the salt some sprinkle on their watermelon wedges in the summer. The saltiness of the tender pork belly really harmonizes with the fresh watermelon. I will definitely be back to have this dish again!

Star Anise Pork Belly with Fresh Watermelon, Local Radish, and Ponzu Dressing

Bite and Booze Radio Show: Louisiana Sweet Potatoes and the Sweet Rewards Recipe Contest

This week's Bite and Booze Radio Show episode featured a flurry of folks to talk about the Sweet Rewards Recipe Contest going on right now with the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission and Louisiana Cookin' Magazine.  Holly Clegg, cookbook author and spokesperson for the Commission joined me in studio as well as Rene Simon, the Commission's Executive Director, Dana, who won last year's dessert recipe, and Daniel Schumaker, editor of Louisiana Cookin' Magazine. You have until the end May to enter the contest at either SweetPotato.org or LouisianaCookin.com!

Podcast Powered By Podbean

The Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket airs on Saturdays at 5 PM on Talk 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge.  It is also available on iTunes.  The show's sponsors include Calandro's Supermarket, Visit Baton Rouge, Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning, Louisiana Cookin' Magazine, Juban's Restaurant, the Tin Roof Brewing Company, and the Louisiana Culinary Institute.

I visit Chef Ryan Andre at Le Creole to get ready for Baton Rouge Restaurant Week

Le Creole is one of over 25 restaurants participating in the upcoming Baton Rouge Restaurant Week from January 14-19.  I had a chance to hang out in the kitchen with chef Ryan Andre to help him put together a new steak dish: filet mignon over a bed of sweet potato hash with melted BONE MARROW BUTTER and fried leeks.  Take a look for yourself at the deliciousness that ensued!

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.

New Dining: The Club at LSU Union Square

The Club at LSU Union Square

Back when I attended LSU (don't I sound old now?), I dined somewhat regularly at the Faculty Club.  Most students didn't realize that they could eat there on their lunch breaks between class, so it wasn't too difficult to find a table and eat some decent food as opposed to the fast-food-court at the Union.  I've also attended several wedding receptions at the Faculty Club, so the place holds a special spot in my heart.  Recently, the Faculty Club underwent a face lift and is now re-branded as The Club at LSU Union Square.  I received an invite to come check it out for myself, so of course, I accepted!  The new menu shows off features some pretty stellar dishes and a reasonable wine list... something that I don't recall seeing before.  The menu began with some rotating specials.  I opted for the Seafood Amuse Trio with a stuffed oyster, cucumber crab shooter, and chili glazed fried shrimp on a green tomato puree.  The shrimp stole the show as my favorite of the three, but they were all tantalizing treats to get the meal started.  

Club Scallops

After a couple satisfying salads including a blue cheese wedge and a caprese, it was off to the main courses.  I went for the Club Scallops.  The plate could use some work with its color, but ultimately the dish fared pretty well.  The seared scallops sat atop caramelized onion and fennel.  Off to one side a pile of sweet potato puree graced the plate.  The other side came highlighted with a pool of saffron beurre blanc.  All but one of the scallops had a nice golden sear.  I don't know what happened to the lone fella.  They did all manage to have a great flavor.  The onions and fennel paired very well with the buttery wine sauce and the sweetness of the delicacy from the sea.  The sweet potato puree, while quite tasty, didn't quite seem to fit.  A little green vegetable could have helped with both the plating and tying the dish together.

Counting Sheep

Michele spied the Counting Sheep entree on the menu before I did so I generously let her place the order for it.  The duo of double bone curry dusted  lamb chops crowned separate helpings of mango chutney.  Sweet potato puree also came with the lamb, though the menu called for a Yukon Gold mash.  That being said, the sweet potatoes went nicely with the mango chutney and the gaminess of the lamb.  The little garnish of micro-greens helped the plating as well.  And the best part: the lamb had an excellent sear and a beautiful medium-rare finish.  They pleased the palate with the curry spices and rich flavor.  Unfortunately we ran out of time for dessert because we had to get downtown, but I'm not sure my stomach could have... well, it could have... should have taken much more.  In the end we had a very nice meal right on LSU's campus, and I would most definitely consider returning to The Club at LSU Union Square before events on LSU's campus in the Union, Swine Palace, or any other venue.

Restaurant IPO Coffee Dinner and National Coffee Day

Good Morning

Chef Chris Wadsworth took on a new challenge with the attitude of an expert who had been there before.  Actually, he had.  In 2010, while serving as the Executive Chef at Nottoway Plantation, Chef Wadsworth won the annual WYES Cooking with Community Coffee contest.  He created a five course meal using ten different Community Coffee roasts.  Invited to cook again in 2012, Chef Wadsworth, who now runs the kitchen at Baton Rouge's latest smash hit, Restaurant IPO, decided to one up himself.  Or maybe two up.  He created a seven course tasting menu utilizing fourteen different Community Coffee roasts.  Since tomorrow, September 29th, is National Coffee Day, I thought I'd share the meal with you.  Chris decided to title the meal "A Day at the Office" in reference to The Office Bar that sits upstairs as well as the incessant need for coffee during a routine day at the office.  The dinner also came paired very well with wines from Republic National.  All of the pairings were fantastic despite me not really getting into them here.  

Warm Up

Cleverly naming his seven courses by activities in one's daily grind, we began with the Good Morning: creamy Louisiana grits accented with Breakfast Blend roasted grillades and garnished with a sunny side up quail egg and French Roast drizzle.  These may have honestly been the best grits and grillades I've ever had.  The pork had plenty of flavor and bolstered the grits with its fork tender form.  The use of the coffees came in huge as the drizzle had an elegant bittersweet combination that played well off the richness of the egg.  After this course, I couldn't wait to see what would come next.   Course two quickly came to be known as the warm up.  It featured a soup of garden carrots pureed in a blend of mirepoux and local honey laced with Cinnamon Roll Roast and highlighted by a Colombian Roast infused oil.  The soup brought about a sweetness from the carrots and honey in a refreshingly clean and palate pleasing way.  After the richness of the first course, this soup definitely warmed us up for what was still to come.

Getting Dressed

During any day, one of the first things we do is get dressed.  The Getting Dressed course rightly had a unique salad dressing of its own.  The dish featured baby mixed greens with baked Hazelnut goat cheese and pears tossed in an Almond Amaretto dressing.  The coffee balance had to be very delicate with the salad an Chef certainly pulled that off.  The goat cheese was crusted in ground up coffee that actually worked extremely well to deliver a unique flavor while not being overpowering.  The pears and greens worked very well with the dressing that had just a hint of the nutty sweet coffee roast.

Off to Work

After getting dressed it was off to work for the patrons at the WYES Cooking with Community dinner.  Our fourth course consisted of Pecan Praline smoked duck breast accompanied by a Medium Roast berry compote and crispy duck cracklins.  While the duck had been cooked past the ideal medium rare stage, it didn't present a problem with this dish because of the smoked flavors.  The duck didn't dry out and combined with the berry compote, made one heck of a dish.  Not to mention any time you have duck skin cracklins, you can't complain one lick!

Lunch Time

Lunch time came during the day at the office, and it most definitely did not disappoint.  This course tied with the grits and grillades as my two favorites, and it's not hard to see why.  The plate had a prime beef medallion rubbed with Cafe Special and topped with a 5-Star Hotel Blend demi.  It came served over a sweet potato hash and garlic braised spinach.  The steak's magnificent medium rare center cut apart with a butter knife.  The charred coffee rub on the outside lit up the steak with flavor while the sweet potato hash, cooked up with bacon, and the spinach were excellent choices with which to surround such a prize piece of beef.  I could eat this every day.

Break!!!

Our break came with a little play on a palate cleansing sorbet.  The Chocolate Almondine popsicle was one of Chef Wadsworth's more daring creations, but it certainly worked.  It had plenty of chocolate and coffee flavors in a frozen treat.  I only wish it would have served in between the duck and the steak courses to further accentuate the play on a sorbet rather than as a second dessert.  While it may not have cleansed the palate like a smooth fruity sorbet would have, it also would have broken up the two protein rich courses and the two sweet desserts.  Despite that, the popsicle worked brilliantly as a risky play to serve at a seven course wine dinner, and I applaud the chef for pulling it off!

The Drive Home

The meal ended with the way a day at the office ends: the drive home.  The Chicory and chocolate molten lava cake overflowed with Vanilla Nut ganache and came topped with Irish Cream ice cream scooped table side.  The cake had a moist brownie batter type center with chocolate and vanilla flavors, but the real highlight was the ice cream.  

The entire dinner seemed like a huge hit for everyone in attendance.  Chef Chris Wadsworth made a bold and daring dinner with seven courses and fourteen coffee roasts.  His attitude is refreshing for a chef that is new to Baton Rouge but really trying to make an impression.  He ended the dinner by saying he didn't cook this dinner to win the Cooking with Community contest.  He cooked this dinner to win it again.  After eating it, I'd be surprised if he doesn't. 

Three Gluttonous Sins Class: Bacon

Seared Sea Scallops, Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Maple Bacon Relish, Balsamic Reduction

As part of the recent cooking class I taught at Fresina's Pasta Company in Baton Rouge, I incorporated bacon into a dish as my second gluttonous food sin.  Bacon is fondly known to me as the candy of all meats.  It can be sweet, smokey, spicy, salty, savory, and more.  It is great for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.  It pairs with beer, wine, whiskey, vodka, or anything else.

Had long been conjuring up a dish similar to this with sweet potatoes and seas scallops when I saw a post from fellow Master Chef contestant David Mathie Bersch that included a maple bacon relish over sea scallops with sweet potato gnocchi and a balsamic reduction.  Inspired, I decided to do my own version.  The following recipe is adapted from David's recipe, so I can't take all the credit... or I'm at least willing to share the credit with him!

Course 2: Seared Sea Scallops, Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Maple Bacon Relish, Balsamic Reduction

(Inspired by my fellow MasterChef contestant David Mathie Bersch)

SCALLOPS:

20 U10 Sea Scallops
Bacon Fat Reserved from Relish (below)
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Italian Parsley (or Oregano as pictured above) for Garnish

SWEET POTATO GNOCCHI:

5 Medium Sweet Potatoes
1 Cup Grated Romano Cheese
2 Eggs
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Cup Unbleached AP Flour plus more for Rolling
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

MAPLE BACON RELISH:

8 Strips of Bacon, Chopped
1 Yellow Onion, Finely Diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, Julienned
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, Julienned
2 Serrano Peppers, Stemmed, Seeded, and Diced
8 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1/2 Cup Fresina’s Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 Cup Maple Sugar
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

BALSAMIC REDUCTION:

1/3 Cup Fresina’s Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper

Preheat oven to 425.  Wrap sweet potatoes in foil.  Roast for about an hour or until sweet potatoes are fork tender.

Seared Sea Scallops, Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Maple Bacon Relish, Balsamic Reduction

While potatoes are roasting, place a large sauté pans over medium high heat.  Render the bacon 3/4 of the way cooked.  Remove the bacon from the pan and transfer to a bowl, leaving as much bacon fat in the pan as possible.  Transfer half the bacon fat to another pan and reserve for the scallops.  In the first pan with the other half of the fat, add the onions and fry them until translucent.  Add all the peppers and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes until the peppers soften.  Add the garlic and the reserved bacon back to the pan, cooking for another 2 minutes.  Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar and reduce.  While reducing, add the maple sugar and season with salt and pepper.  Set the relish aside until needed.

When the sweet potatoes are fork tender, take off the skins and let cool to the touch.  Place the potatoes in a mixing bowl and mash them extremely well.  Fold in the Romano cheese, then season with salt, pepper, and cinnamon.  Add eggs, and then add the flour a little at a time while mixing until it forms nice dough that’s not too sticky but just right.  Roll the dough into a ball.  Cut into quarters.  Dust a board or table with flour and roll the dough into snakes followed by cutting the snakes into one inch pieces.  Make indentions in the gnocchi with the prongs of a fork or roll them on a gnocchi board.

Place balsamic, sugar, and cayenne in small sauce pan over medium heat.  Allow to simmer and reduce by half until it has a syrupy consistency.

Boil the gnocchi for about two to four minutes till they float.  Remove from water.  Re-season with salt pepper. Reheat relish and place the reserved pan with bacon fat over high heat.  Dry scallops, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sear in batches for about two minutes on each side or until a golden brown crust develops on the outside.  Add more reserved bacon fat for additional batches or use canola oil.

Place three scallops on a plate in a triangle.  Add a handful of gnocchi to the middle of the triangle.  Top each scallop with maple bacon relish.  Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the gnocchi and around the scallops.  Garnish with Italian parsley or oregano.

Surf and Turf Poboy at NOLA's Parkway Bakery

An ode to a great sandwich... and I do love sandwiches!

There are classics and then there are, well, true classics.  Some people say the roast beef  and ham poboy with "debris" at Mother's is a New Orleans classic.  In some senses, maybe it is.  However, for my mouth and money, I won't go there.  I'll go to the Parkway Bakery in Mid City.  My good buddy Brandon Brown had been telling me about Parkway for years but I hadn't taken the journey over to Bayou St. John to check it out.  But then I did.  And I ate.  And I told my soul that I'd be back.

The order at Parkway Bakery is simple: Large Surf and Turf Poboy and a side of sweet potato fries.  The New Orleans sandwich features classic French bread, slow cooked roast beef, golden fried shrimp, and Parkway's roast beef gravy.  Obviously you don't order a poboy in New Orleans without lettuce, tomato and mayo as well.  I haven't ever been told to get anything else at Parkway... though I think more than 10 people have indepently suggested the Surf and Turf.  There were only a few variations.  Andrew Rose said to get an extra side of the roast beef gravy for dipping.  Noted, sir.  Matthew Colosino of LunchBoxFab likes to get his Surf and Turf as a shrimp poboy with the gravy on the side.  Close enough.  I suppose.

I went to Parkway, finally, with Jeremy Wells and his family.  It was after we competed in the New Orleans Food Experiment, yet we still found a way to be hungry.  It's a good thing.  That sandwich, the Large Surf and Turf Poboy at Parkway Bakery, is what dreams are made of.  Beef.  Shrimp.  Gravy.  Sandwich.  Simple.  Messy.  Amazing.  I need another.  My stomach grumbles at the thought of it.  My soul yearns for another bite.  I polished off the whole thing.  I could have eaten more... and been miserable.  The most amazingly awesome miserable imaginable.  The crunch of the French bread made with New Orleans water.  The textures and flavors of melted beef and fried shrimp smothered in gravy.  The lettuce and tomato and mayo to make the sandwich complete.  I'll have another.  Very soon.

And yes, the sweet potato fries were good.  Get them.  Some of the best I've ever had.  Hands down.