Best Bites of 2016: Blair's Picks

by Blair Loup

I had the best of intentions for 2016. Full of existential expectations in my 25th year, I dubbed this the “Year of Blair." Well, if you know me, you know how that turned out. The year was filled with peaks and valleys, but I feel very fortunate to say that the majority of the peaks came from the opportunities afforded to me as a member of the Bite and Booze team.

On top of taking an epic road trip of a lifetime to the James Beard House in New York and their Chefs & Champagne event in the Hamptons, I took a lovely solo vacation to Georgia and we’re getting amped up for the opening of Gov’t Taco in the summer of 2017.

As per usual at this fantastic place of work, I did plenty of traveling this year and consequently ate a ton of amazing things. While this year-end post is one of my favorites to write, it’s also the most torturous. Here are the best things I ate this year:

Smoked Tomato Soup with Basil Oil

Pop-up at Tin Roof Brewing in Baton Rouge, LA

Smoked Tomato Soup with Basil Oil

I know…surprising that something as simple as a bowl of soup can make the list, but on this chilly January night at Tin Roof, this soup was ON TIME. Executive Chef at soon-to-be open Kahlurah St. Grill Kelley McCann and Masterchef Season 6 contestant and owner of Robear Ln. opening in White Star Market, Jesse Romero stole my heart with this one.

The soup’s consistency blew me away. It wasn’t too creamy, but just super velvety. The smoke flavor peeked through at all the right moments and the basil oil set it over the edge. It was a damn good bowl of soup.

Orange Zest and Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

Lunchbox on 10th in McCallen, TX

Orange Zest and Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

I’m not one for sweets unless there’s chocolate involved, but this Panna Cotta had me dumbfounded. I had and still haven’t had another Panna Cotta this perfect in my life. Oftentimes I find them to be too firm or so loose they’re breaking on the plate into a pile of mush, but this one retained its structure and melted in my mouth.

Aside form the exquisite technical execution, the flavors were bright and perfectly balanced.

Chargrilled Oysters

Sac-a-Lait in New Orleans, LA

Chargrilled Oysters with a Green Garlic House-Pickled Jalapeño and Bacon Butter

I feel like almost all chargrilled oysters are delicious, but these were different somehow. I will jump at any chance to dine at the beautiful, always stellar Sac-a-Lait. I have an enormous respect for Chefs Sam & Cody Carroll as friends and the utmost regard for them as some of the best chefs in the south. If you have not been, you must go, like, now.

Instead of the traditional garlic butter, the cook their oysters with a green garlic house-pickled jalapeño and bacon butter. I think the street name for it is crack.

Plated in a terra cotta plant saucer and river stones, the presentation fits the restaurant like a glove. Doing everything right always, that’s Sac-a-Lait.

Beet Sorbet

SALT New American Table in McAllen, TX

Beet Sorbet

I love beets. They are so precious to me. I don’t know where it came from, but they are hands down my number one favorite. Having that said, I’ve had beets in about as many ways Bubba says you can cook shrimp, but it wasn’t until this year that I tasted a beet sorbet.

Several who read this will automatically turn your nose up at thinking about beets as a dessert, but you’re wrong.

This sorbet was a beet swan song. A gracious balance of sweetness while maintaining the full flavor characteristics of the beet is tricky, but they did it!

Som Tam Paa

Alfie’s in Washington, D.C.

Papaya Salad with Fried Chilis and Lime

We had the pleasure of stopping by to visit Jay’s Food Network Star cast mate Alex McCoy at his pop-up restaurant, Alfie’s. As you might recall, Alex has an affinity for Asian and, more specifically, Thai cuisine. 

After mingling with the staff for a bit, Alex piled the dishes on one after one. It’s always special to be able to taste the love, and in Alex’s case, the authenticity and honor in his food. I could tell that he could back up every bit of his passion with dishes that showcase a culture.

Being the heat freak I am, this papaya salad rocked my world. Tart, refreshing and spicy as all Hell, this textural wonderland keeps you coming back for more heat every three seconds.

Open-Faced Tamale

Araña in New Orleans, LA

Open-Faced Tamale

Araña is easily one of my favorite places to eat in New Orleans. Chef Richard is a magician with sauces and plates up some creative, re-imagined classics while still holding down the fort of some Mexican favorites.

This open–faced tamale is a fried rectangular prism of grits (instead of traditional tamale masa) dredged in a mildly spicy, insanely flavorful sauce and topped with tender chicken tinga, brightly pickled onions and queso fresco. Boom baby!

A shot of whiskey soaking with the fat of a 2 year cured ham, a drop of Poirier Cane Syrup and a bite of 2 year ham

Acre in Auburn, AL

2 Year Ham, Whiskey soaked with 2 Year Ham Fat and Poirier Cane Syrup

With a constant rain of accolades, Acre has become one of the top farm-to-table restaurants in the country.

Chef David Bancroft grows a lot of produce on site and throughout the parking lot of Acre. We were happy to stop by on our way back from New York for an incredible meal. Chef David wanted to “bring us back home” with some southern decadence and they took care of us big time.

While everything we had blew us away, I know Chef David’s charcuterie is a passion project of his. He treated us to some of his 2 year cured ham and brought out a special mason jar of whiskey that had been soaking with the trimmings of that ham. A shot of pig fat whiskey, a drop of Poirier Can Syrup and a bite of ham and we felt right at home.

Chilled Spicy Noodles

Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York City, NY

Chilled Spicy Noodles with Thai Basil, Cashews, and Sichuan Sausage

David Chang means a lot to me. When I first got the job at Bite and Booze, I had no clue what I was in for. Like most freshly graduated 22 years olds, I knew that I had a job, but didn’t exactly know what I was doing with myself. I immediately started watching every beer and food related shows on Netflix imaginable (which in 2013 wasn’t many). I stumbled across season 1 of ‘Mind of a Chef’ and my world turned upside down. David Chang was the point person for most of that season and drove me to submerse myself in the culinary world.

Jay brought me to Momofuku Noodle Bar when we went to NYC for Sam & Cody Carroll’s James Beard Dinner a year ago, but we went back for a full on Momofuku day this summer when we were in town for our own James Beard Dinner.

This will probably always be one of the best days of my life, mostly because I decided to order differently than everyone at the table and go for these famously spicy noodles.

The entire bowl covered in these candied, crunchy cashews holds electric green, sweet, but spicy noodles. It’s the kind of good heat that you can’t put down. Bite after bite my love grew deeper and deeper. The rich basil flavor complimented by a crispy, savory Sichuan sausage peppered with the sweet, crunchy cashews still haunts my memory.

I legitimately think of these noodles every day. Every day. Still.

Check out Chuck P's Best Bites of 2016 (Burger Edition)

Jay D's Bites: Smoked CreoleTomato Soup

by Blair Loup

This is not a drill! Chef Aimee Tortorich has concocted the most delicious tomato soup to have ever graced my taste buds. Still processing the loss of the spicy tomato soup at Chelsea's, I have finally found a stand in.

It's spicy, it's smokey and it's everything your grilled cheese sandwich is looking for. If you've got some wood chips and a grill or smoker followed by a few pulses of a blender you're in business! You could also turn your stove top into a smoker if you really wanted. All of these beautiful ingredients can be purchased and sources locally through Indie Plate, a local farm-to doorstep delivery service. Get to ordering and get your soup on!

Smoked Creole Tomato Soup:

Smoked Creole Tomato Soup garnished with Purple Basil

Serves 4-6

2 lbs whole Creole tomatoes
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp purple basil, chopped
Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet BBQ Rub to taste
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Light the smoker and adjust temperature to 250F. Season whole tomatoes with one tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper. Smoke until soft (about 30-40 minutes). While tomatoes are smoking, chop onions and garlic. Sauté in olive oil until soft. Season with red pepper flakes, Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet BBQ Rub and dried oregano. Add tomatoes with seasonings and simmer for 15 minutes. Purée in a blender until soft. Finish with purple basil.

A Night at the Taproom: A Local Pair & Their Local Pairings

by Blair Loup

Tin Roof Brewing Company can always give you something tasty to sip on, but if you pop by the brewery every now and then, you might find yourself in the middle of a good time.

Since the opening of their taproom, Tin Roof has played host to pop-up dinners, home brew competitions, yoga classes, crawfish boils and more.

Recently, I enjoyed a five-course beer dinner prepared by Chef Kelley McCann of Galatoire’s Bistro and Jesse Romero of MasterChef Season 6 at the taproom. Pro tip: keep up with Tin Roof on their social media channels to hear about local chefs cooking up seriously delicious stuff.

The dishes were well thought out and paired deliciously.

Whether it’s a five-course beer dinner or Jesse serving greens out of a cast iron cauldron on the loading dock, you won’t want to miss it.

First Course: Oyster Mignonette with the Blonde Ale

Gulf Oysters with Satsuma Mignonette

I’ve had a lot of raw Gulf oysters and some good mignonettes, but this Satsuma mignonette with fresh parsley had me feeling incredibly Louisiana. It’s a really good feeling.

Jesse and Kelley mixed in some gelatin to firm up the mignonette so it would stay on the oyster and not get lost in the oyster juices that eventually spill out of the shell. I really appreciated that little flex of technique.

Second Course: Citrus Poached Louisiana Shrimp with Turnrow Harvest Ale

Citrus Poached Louisiana Shrimp with Turnrow Beurre Blanc

Who knew a single succulent Louisiana shrimp could be so exciting? The Turnrow beurre blanc really set this dish off. Tin Roof’s Turnrow, originally intended to be a seasonal brew, became so popular they now brew it year round. It is hands down my favorite Tin Roof beer.

The coriander in the Turnrow came through beautifully in the beurre blanc, and incorporating the beer into a beurre blanc is one of the most delicious ways I’ve experienced it.

Third Course: Geaux Local Soup with the House Series English Brown Ale

Smoky Tomato Soup with Basil Oil

This dish, named after one of the brewery’s commonly used hashtags, gave me the feeling the mean food critic in Ratatouille got when he first tasted the mouse’s ratatouille.

Cold-smoked tomato soup with the slightest creaminess drizzled with basil oil may rival that of Chelsea’s. As a longtime lover of soup, it’s hard for me to get wowed by a tomato soup, but it had the most perfect (and I don’t say that lightly) consistency and balance of flavor.

The new House Series English Brown brought some roasty notes to the table to compliment the smoky soup.

Fourth Course: Lamb Two Ways with Rougarou

Seared Lamb Lollipop, Lamb & Risotto Cake and Greens

A mash up of Kelley’s fine dining background and Jesse’s Louisiana sportsman flare, this dish proved to be a true collaboration. I would have been happy with the savory greens and seared lamb lollipop, but the fried risotto and lamb “boudin ball” was the star of the dish.

Creamy risotto, bits of lamb all fried into a ball? It’s like someone slipped a tuxedo onto a boudin ball: genius. The pairing of the Rougarou, an Imperial Black Ale, was a bold choice. I find the Rougarou to be very rich, roasty, toasty, and smoky with a hint of hops, but it worked out nicely and added a little jolt to the creaminess of the risotto.

Fifth Course: Parade Mousse with the Parade Ground Coffee Porter

Parade Ground Coffee Porter Mouse, Candied Bacon and Port Cherries

Chocolate mousse topped with port cherries and candied bacon? Yes. This dessert speaks for itself. Decadent chocolate and candied bacon with a side of Tin Roof’s coveted coffee porter sounds like the best decision anyone could ever make.

Baton Rouge is kind of having a moment right now. With Jay’s success on Food Network Star, Jesse receiving national attention on MasterChef, and Avery Kyle nearly snagging the MasterChef Junior title, I think Louisiana, and more importantly Baton Rouge, has a lot to be proud of.

(You can catch all three of these cool cats this weekend downtown at the Red Stick Roux Rally! Jay will be one of the judges for the gumbo competition, and Jesse and Avery will teaming up to take all the stellar gumbos out there! Stop by, give them a high five, and snap a picture because these folks are bound for great things!)

Chelsea's Cafe

Chelsea's Cafe is one of Baton Rouge's favorite establishments, and for good reason.  The new version of Chelsea's opened after the original was closed down due to the demolition of the shopping center that it was in at the North Gates of LSU.  Now situated underneath the Perkins Road overpass, Chelsea's has brought new life to the food and entertainment scene in the area.  Chelsea's is known for their food, live music, good drinks, and relaxed atmosphere in a setting that is unique, original, and locally owned.  It is a place that is 100% Baton Rouge, and towards the top of places to go to for any visitor coming to town.

Today I found myself at Chelsea's for lunch.  I met the two lovely ladies from the Voodoo BBQ post, Natalie and Laura, as well as my brother Eric, CMac, and Corey.  The six of us got situated at a booth and ordered a couple of apps for us to munch on as we chatted about life, work, and our LSU Tigers.

Hummus at Chelsea's Cafe

Spinach and Artichoke Dip at Chelsea's Cafe

The hummus at Chelsea's Cafe continues to be some of my favorite hummus in town.  There are a plethora of Greek and Mediterranean restaurants around town that do an excellent hummus, but Chelsea's is really something special.  They take the crushed chick peas and oil and place it on a plate with fresh, ripe Roma tomatoes, a large wedge of fantastic feta cheese, and finish it off with some great Greek olives and garnish.  The hot pita bread that is served with hummus is also delicious and is another one of those perfect vehicles for delivering a quality dip to your mouth.

Our other appetizer was the spinach and artichoke dip.  Served with same pita bread as the hummus, this dip was equally as tasty.  Chelsea's uses large pieces of fresh artichoke in their dip, which sets it apart from some of the other SpinArt dips in town.  It has that great balance of spinach, artichoke, cream, and cheese which makes spinach and artichoke dip a wonderful dish.  My only complaint is that the pita bread, while just as good, does not accompany the spinach and artichoke dip like it does for the hummus.  I would prefer a different dipping and eating method such as a homemade crispy chip or toasted crouton.  I feel like a little crunch would go a long way in making this one of the better appetizers on the menu.

For my main lunch course I ordered one of my favorite sandwiches in town, the Fried Calamari and Parmesan Poboy.

         

The Calamari Poboy is simple and delightful.  It contains golden brown calamari and parmesan cheese served on a soft, chewy, buttery poboy bread.  It is served with french fries and a side of Chelsea's famous spicy tomato basil soup.  The poboy itself was great.  The calamari had the right proportion of chewiness and crunchiness and the bread was wonderfully baked.  The tomato basil soup was as good as always and certainly towards the top of my list of best soups in town, but you do have to like a little kick.  The french fries were average at best.  They were a little soggy, but still tasted fine with a little Heinz.

The trip to Chelsea's was a great way to spend my lunch break on a Friday afternoon.  We had a great group of friends, good conversation, delicious food, and all for an affordable price!  Chelsea's used to be one of my more frequented hang outs.  I'm not sure why that stopped because the food and the atmosphere are still as good as always.