Rama Thai Cuisine

Sometimes, well, a lot of the time, I'm in the mood to find authentic hole-in-the-wall restaurants that make Baton Rouge such a great food town.  The Red Stick doesn't get enough credit in the culinary world due to all of the national chain signs that you see while driving down the interstate and New Orleans being only another 60 miles down the road.  However, if you hop off the freeway and hit a side street, you'll find some locally owned eateries with some exceptional flare.  One of these quaint places is Rama Thai Cuisine.  The Perkins Road Overpass area Thai restaurant is one of the forgotten gems in Baton Rouge, and it is time I give it some respect on Bite and Booze.  Eusebio and I dined at Rama a little while back, and we couldn't have left more satisfied!

Rama Thai Cuisine on the Inside and Out

It only felt natural to begin my meal with some Thai beer, so I ordered a Singha and started to get my taste buds ready for some Asian flavor.  Singha is a fairly standard lager with that Asian bite that you'll recognize from other Japanese beers like Kirin Ichiban.  It is pretty tasty, but I'd rather get to the food.

Singha Lager Beer

To wet our appetites a little more, we ordered a couple of appealing appetizers.  First up were the fried wontons.  These were nothing too special but they were fried to a nice crisp and had pretty decent flavor.  We had the shrimp chips for second app.  The chips were light and delicate with a great shrimp taste.  They came served with a delicious peanut sauce to dip the chips in.

Fried Wontons and Shrimp Chips with Peanut Sauce

The next dish to leave the kitchen and make its way in front of me was the lemongrass soup.  This fantastic soup was sweet and spicy with a citrus flavor.  It came loaded with shrimp and mushrooms, and I ate every bite.  I love a good, simple soup like this!

Lemongrass Soup

For an entree I called on the Rama Duck.  This delightful half of a duck was seasoned with Thai herbs and spices, then roasted until fork tender.  Each bite of duck put a smile on my face as the flavors filled my mouth and tickled my tongue.  The duck still tasted like duck meat should, and was only complemented by the sweet and savory Thai seasonings.  Steamed vegetables were served with the duck, and they tasted alright, but the duck certainly highlighted the plate. 

Rama Duck with Steamed Vegetables

For dessert, Eusebio and I couldn't decide between the fried apples with ice cream or the fried bananas with ice cream.  So, we did what any good person should do: we got both!  These fried-fruit desserts each came with three scoops of homemade ice cream.  Rama offered a selection of ice cream flavors, of which we ordered all of them: vanilla, coconut, and durian.  Yes, that's right, that durian! 

Durian Fruit as eaten by Andrew Zimmern in Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel

Eusebio and I were a little nervous to try it as an ice cream flavor, but it was actually quite good.  The vanilla and coconut icecreams tasted pretty standard.  They were not very rich, but still had a smooth texture and the right amount of flavor to provide a condiment to the fried fruit and something sweet to end the meal with.  The durian icecream certainly had a unique flavor but it was nothing offensive.  I actually think I liked it more than the other two, even if it was just for originality alone.  I wouldn't hesitate to order it again next time I go to Rama, that's for sure!

Fried Apples and Banana Topped with Ice Cream, Durian Ice Cream on a Fried Banana

You can also check out the Cuisine Rouge post about Rama to see what they have to say about this little Thai Restaurant!

St. Charles Tavern After the NFC Championship Game

I happened to be in New Orleans this year for both the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl.  Surprisingly, I actually remember both of the games and the good times I had.  I guess I'm growing up... a little.  The atmosphere in New Orleans for the NFC Championship Game against the Minnesota Vikings wasn't just electric; it was like nuclear-powered energy flowing through the entire city.  While I didn't get to actually go to the game, I had an amazing time tailgating on Poydras and enjoying the festivities.

Home Sweet Dome

While the day was spent drinking cheap beer, tailgating, eating jambalaya and fried chicken, and general tomfoolery, things settled down when the game came on.  After intense hours of watching a TV outside with static every time a helicopter flew overhead, the game came down to an overtime field goal by Garrett Hartley, and the city erupted into joyous pandemonium!  Below was the scene on Poydras street, just minutes after the field goal split the uprights.  The Saints were going to the Super Bowl!

Party on Poydras

After many more hours of jubulant celebration and following Megan's pom-pom that led use to Bourbon Street, Brandon, Megan, and I eventually wandered back towards Brandon's apartment where we made a stop at a local 24 hour joint: St. Charles Tavern.

St. Charles Tavern

St. Charles Tavern sits in the Lower Garden District of New Orleans, just minutes away from both uptown and downtown locations.  The Tavern was established in 1917 and has been serving breakfast, burgers, and New Orleans' famous poboys ever since. 

Famous Tavern Hash Breakfast

I glanced rather incoherently at the menu and quickly picked out the Famous Tavern Hash Breakfast.  Hey, if it is famous, I might as well try it, right?  The breakfast came with chicken and andouille hash, scrambled eggs, grits, and a biscuit.  Needless to say, I stuffed every bit of that late night snack right now my pie hole, and it all tasted glorious with one exception.  The biscuit truly disappointed me.  It came out already sliced in half, and with an extreme lack of flakiness that makes biscuits so delicious.  As for the hash, wow!  This mixture of potatoes, sausage, chicken, onions, bell peppers, and more was right on.  The hash made me happy on its own, but after throwing in the grits and eggs, I was in gluttonous heaven.  But hey, it's alright, because the Saints were going to the Super Bowl!  Who Dat?!

Super Bowl at Cooter Brown's in Nola! WHO DAT??

Hey!  Anybody remember when the Saints won the Super Bowl?  Well I sure do, although I was pretty hammered when it happened!  It all started at Brandon's apartment in New Orleans where I had a shot of Wakey Whiskey with him before heading to Cooter Brown's with Brent and Daniel.  We were running a little late as we wanted to be there when the doors opened at 11 A.M., but luckily Andrew and Megan were there already to hold a spot down.  We arrived before noon and promptly began chanting Saints cheers and "Put on the game!"  Did I mention that this was about six hours before kickoff?

Cooter Brown's Tavern and Oyster Bar, New Orleans, La

While Brent dealt with his hangover and Daniel drank his water, Andrew and I began sharing pitchers of delicious brew.  I started things off with a pitcher of NOLA Blonde.  NOLA, which is synonymous with New Orleans, Louisiana, in this case stands for the New Orleans Lager and Ale Brewing Company.  NOLA Blonde is a pretty decent American blonde ale with some nice, citrusy hops.  We drank merrily as we downed the pitcher and went back for Andrew's selection.

NOLA Blonde

Before my beer-induced obnoxiousness got too out of control, I decided it would be a good idea to sample some raw oysters.  After all, Cooter Browns is an oyster bar, and I happened to be in New Orleans.  There isn't much better!  These salty, slick, fresh Gulf oysters made me extremely happy as I continued with my pregame preparations: more drinking, of course!

Raw Oysters at Cooter Brown's Tavern and Oyster Bar

The oysters were a true treat.  I mixed up some ketchup, horse radish, Crystal hot sauce, and worcestershire sauce to dip my oysters in.  After dipping them, I placed the mollusks on saltine crackers and then added a special treat.  I placed a few drops of Crown Royal to the oyster and then plunged the entire collection of flavors and textures into my mouth.  It was like heaven on my tongue!  It turns out that whiskey and horseradish are perfect compliments!  Who knew?!

Coonass Special and Cheese Fries

Needing to soak up a little beer for reasons that will soon be disclosed, I went to the food counter and picked out the most famous sandwich that Cooter Brown's offers: the Coonass Special!  This delightful poboy comes with Mrs. Wheat's meat pies, provolone cheese, and gravy, served on French bread.  Meat pies on a sandwich is a great idea, and gravy adds so much more!  Oh, and what's better than cheese fries to help absorb some liquor?

With a little food, Brent's spirits picked back up and he quickly joined Andrew and I in our inebriation.  The two of them had agreed on a menu of drinks to go through, and being a fan of drink menus, I decided to join in.  On the menu were shots of Jager, Patron, and Timberwolf, a glass of Crown and water, and chugging pints of Abita Andygator.  Rough, yes, to a normal man.

Abita Amber

Sticking with Louisiana beer, I had a pitcher of Abita Amber at some point.  I know that because I have a picture of it.  Also consumed before the Super Bowl was a pitcher of NOLA Hopitoulas.  This IPA is brewed with six malts and six hops, then is polished off with some additional dry hopping.  The name comes from a famous street in New Orleans called Tchoupitoulas, and clearly there is a reference to the amazing hops in the beer.  Hoptastic!  We were joined by Brandon, who had been studying since we left his apartment, Amanda, and Katie in time for more drinks... and then... hours later... THE GAME!

Oh yeah, remember when the Saints won the Super Bowl?!  Somehow I was still conscious for the entire game, and the after party!  Go me!  WHO DAT?!

Saints Superbowl Victory Celebration from Cottage Films on Vimeo.

Things To Do
New Orleans

The 2010 Crawfish Season in the Red Stick

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 2010 Crawfish Season in the Red Stick

By Jay D. Ducote

This year was well on its way to being a banner year for Louisiana crawfish until a hard freeze in early January changed everything.

“The outlook for this crawfish season started out on a very promising note. Any time we get abundant natural rainfall in the late summer and early fall, it bodes well for the survival of crawfish in their burrows,” said Burt Tietje, a crawfish farmer who sits on the board of the Louisiana Crawfish Farmers Association. “I firmly believed that my problem by this point in the season would have been too many crawfish for the early markets and a rapidly dropping wholesale price.”

However, this was not the case at the early part of this season. Burt, who also works for the Jeff Davis Economic Development Office, continued by saying, “This is a true story... so far I have averaged losing $75-100 each time I have run my traps when labor and fuel are figured in. I keep fishing because you never know when the crawfish will turn on and I want to have fresh bait out there when they do.”

In 1997, Southwest Louisiana had very similar wet weather followed by a severe freeze. “I had to break ice out of the traps, but they were full of crawfish and I never missed a lick that season,” Burt exclaimed. “This year is a complete mystery to me and to everyone I talk to. Perhaps the hard freeze came at a time when the young crawfish were particularly vulnerable. I just don't have an explanation.”

What the Louisiana crawfish industry desperately needs now is some sunshine and warmer overnight temperatures to get the crawfish moving. Mudbugs are cold-blooded creatures and the cooler the water; the less biologic activity is taking place in the ponds and basins. It is estimated that for every 10 degrees of water temperature, activity doubles in the ponds.

Even with a cloudy supply of farm-raised crawfish and an uncertainty about when the basin will have water diverted to it, the demand for crawfish in the Capital area is starting to pick up. Mardi Gras has come and gone and spring is near. Warmer temperatures won’t just bring more crawfish; they will also bring more crawfish boils, all-you-can-eat crawfish specials, tail pinchers, and head suckers. Oh yes Baton Rouge, Crawfish Season is here!

Jay Ducote stands with two batches of live crawfish at Tony's Seafood. Each basket holds up to 500 lbs. of crawfish!

I recently took a look at the Baton Rouge crawfish scene to see where I could find exceptional boiled crawfish in the Red Stick. My first stop, which should be no surprise to anybody who knows seafood in Baton Rouge, was at Tony’s Seafood on Plank Road. Tony’s is best described as an institution, and is in fact the largest seafood market in the Gulf South. Started as a produce stand by Tony Pizzolato in 1959, by the early 1980’s Tony’s had transformed into the thriving seafood market that we know it as today.

The fine people at Tony’s gave me a tour of the facility including a chance to stand behind the counter, and a glimpse at their gigantic walk in cooler where they keep live crawfish. Tony’s cooks their crawfish in batches of up to 500 lbs. at a time in giant baskets and boiling pots. On a prime day, Tony’s can boil up to 30 pots, or as much as 15,000 lbs. of crawfish! Tony’s has great crawfish for the average palate. While they are mass-boiled, the flavor is great and extremely edible. However, if you are the kind of crawfish eater that wants their lips to burn eyes to water when eating spicy, red mudbugs, then Tony’s “friendly” spice may not be quite what you are looking for.

A large batch of freshly boiled crawfish at Tony's Seafood is ready to be served.

My next stop occurred down Florida Boulevard at Randy Montalbano’s Seafood and Catering. Randy Montalbano, Jr. greeted me as I walked in to his restaurant and offered a quick tour of his kitchen. Although the scale of Montalbano’s operation is nowhere close to that of Tony’s, their seafood easily rivals that of their larger counterpart. Founded in June of 2006 by Randy and his father, Randy Montalbano, Sr., Montalbano’s specializes in boiled seafood and other Cajun dishes, providing off-site catering and in-store family-friendly dining. During the peak of the season, Montalbano’s averages around 10,000 lbs. of boiled crawfish per week. Randy let me sample some of his crawfish to get a taste of his spice and flavor offering. Let me tell you friends, C’est Bon! Montabano’s crawfish left my lips tingling without feeling overwhelmed by extreme heat. The crawfish had an excellent flavor with a great balance of salt and spice.

Boiled Crawfish at Randy Montalbano's Seafood and Catering... C'est Bon!

While exploring the Red Stick area for crawfish, I also felt like it would be good to head out to the “suburbs” where I came across Jimbo’s Seafood on Jones Creek Road. Teresa Guerin kindly welcomed me and gave a detailed tour of their crawfish business. Like Montalbano’s, Jimbo’s boils farm-raised and basin crawfish to perfection. Jimbo’s has been serving up fresh and boiled seafood in the same location for the past 16 years and has built a loyal clientele. Teresa showed me firsthand how Jimbo’s hand-picks their crawfish and purges them in salt water to make sure their customers get nothing but the best. After watching preparation, Teresa served me a batch of fresh crawfish. Along side the crawdaddies came beautifully boiled corn and potatoes that are always a perfect complement. Jimbo’s batch impressed me just as much as Montalbano’s. I don’t think they had quite the heat, but they had every bit as much flavor. I wouldn’t hesitate ordering from them next time I wanted a few pounds of mudbugs to go!

MJ sorts through the live crawfish at Jimbo's Seafood on Jones Creek as Jay Ducote looks on.

Hopefully some warm weather will bring in a bountiful harvest so that we can all enjoy this Crawfish Season like we’ve come to know and love in South Louisiana. I hope you enjoy it as much as I will!

Jay D. Ducote is the author of the blog Bite and Booze, which chronicles his culinary and indulgent adventures around Baton Rouge, South Louisiana, and the world. It can be found at http://www.biteandbooze.com/. You can also reach him by email at jaydducote@gmail.com.

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

  

Things To Do
Baton Rouge

Good Burger: Riverside Patty

Baton Rouge has a handful of great places to eat fresh burgers so it is a shame whenever somebody thinks that fast food or national chains offer superior patties.  Among the elite burger joints in the Red Stick is Riverside Patty, a staple of the downtown dining scene since 1982. 

Riverside Patty on Third Street

Walking into this place you get the feeling that you're going to eat something good.  The surroundings make even a relatively young man like me nostalgic for the days of old school burger joints with classic milk shakes.  While Riverside Patty doesn't quite deliver on the shakes, they still do a fine job with the burgers!  The place is as casual as can be and could certainly use a renovation, but that's what makes the character so great!

A View of Riverside Patty's Ordering Counter

On one visit to Riverside Patty with Darrell, I ordered the house special.  This combo comes with a half pound burger patty and all the fixin's, fries, and a drink.  I ordered mine on a wheat bun with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and honey mustard.  Just for good measure, I opted for a side of sweet potato fries!  The burger tasted delicious, but it lacked the juiciness that I had previously experienced at Riverside Patty.  The burger seemed overcooked and indeed the patty was well done throughout, without even a hint of pink in the middle.  I was rather disappointed, but still ultimately satisfied.

1/2 Pound Combo Burger with Honey Mustard and Sweet Potato Fries

On a future visit with Dana and Becca I ordered a Bacon Swiss Burger on wheat.  With all the other toppings the same, I found this burger to be slightly better, though still overcooked.  What is it with restaurants these days that make them not want to serve a medium rare or even medium cooked burger?  Well done beef is for the birds!  Again, this burger was tasty, but it could have been so much better with a little grease dripping down my forearms!  Next time I visit Riverside Patty I'm going to make sure to note that I want the burger cooked medium, not well done!

Bacon Swiss Burger