Jacques-Imo's Cafe - New Orleans, LA - Funky Town

Jacques-Imo's Cafe

New Orleans, LA

Dinner

June 1, 2010

The Set-Up - We had some specific requirements for my birthday dinner out. Given that we had tickets for a baseball game starting at 7:00 p.m. we needed a place that was open early and relatively near Zephyr Field, along with being special enough for a birthday dinner. Having been in the neighborhood, but never actually eating there, we took a chance on Jacques-Imo's Cafe, which got great notices on the Internet for everything but being crowded and noisy. We hoped that showing up at 5:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night would negate both problems.

The Meal - As for appetizers, the girls chose more wisely than I did. They picked mussels in tomato basil sauce, which were served sitting atop a bed of mashed potatoes. They loved every bite and I enjoyed my one sample. I picked garlic snails atop trofie pasta, which was not the best choice for my slightly unsettled stomach. Still, I ate all the snails, while sampling the pasta. Kay and Kallie also shared an entree - stuffed catfish. I soloed on grilled grouper with crabmeat imperial. They raved over the catfish. My fish was perfectly cooked, but my stomach was not quite up to the rich sauce. Entrees came with two side dishes. My mashed sweet potatoes were the highlight of my meal.

We didn't have time for a birthday dessert, but I expect they could have delivered, complete with singing.

Drinks -We didn't challenge the bartender. Kay had a glass of pinot noir while Kallie and I stuck with Coke and iced tea respectively. They did have an extensive wine list and an assortment of specialty mixed drinks.


Ambience - While Jacques-Imo's menu could be described as at least imaginative, their decorating scheme is definitely funky. Highlights are murals of swamp scenes painted on all the walls and clocks made out of old vinyl records, which are for sale. A multi-colored truck and a sign promising "bad food and poor service since 1996" greet prospective diners walking in from streetside parking. Diners sitting in the back room must walk through the kitchen to reach their table - seemingly more of an issue for the wait staff than for the diners.

Service -Service met our needs on all counts. Despite arriving 15 minutes behind our target time of 5:30 and the restaurant already being almost full (it opened at 5 rather than at 5:30 as shown on the website), we were fed and on our way to Zephyr Field by 6:40.

The Check - Sharing appetizers and entrees kept the bill to about $100 with tax and tip. Entrees were mostly in the $23-$30 range.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - Four with prospects for five

Drinks - Four - no wine specials

Ambience - Four - come ready for an fun assault on the senses

Service - Four - competent but not special. Based on the website, we expected to see the chef in his shorts and sandals.

Price/Value - Four - similar food can be had for less money at less funky restaurants


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite

Very Good - Hard to bestow "Favorite" honors based on one visit. Jacques-Imo's has the potential to be upgraded.

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


8324 Oak Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
504-861-0886

Hours:

Lunch - closed

Dinner - 5 to 10, Mon thru Thurs; 5 to 10:30 Fri and Sat

Closed on Sunday

www.jacquesimoscafe.com

Carmine's Italian and Seafood Grille, Metairie, LA - New Favorite?

Carmine's Italian Seafood Grille

Metairie, LA

Dinner

March 28, 2010

The Set-Up - My family picked me up at the New Orleans Airport in suburban Kenner after I returned from a trip to Florida. Too hungry and tired to make it back to Baton Rouge without dinner, I suggested we eat sooner rather than later. We ventured up Veterans Boulevard without a target in mind. To our good fortune, after just a couple of miles we found Carmine's Italian Seafood Grille in Metairie, LA.

The Meal - Kallie was undecided between angel hair pasta with meat sauce or meatballs. I told her to get the former with a side of meatballs. We ended up with four delicious meals - one for Kallie in the restaurant and three helpings of leftovers at home of the best restaurant spaghetti I've ever eaten. I also enjoyed my order - grilled tilapia with a crawfish cream sauce. Kay had lasagna with hamburger, sausage and spinach. The salads were fresh with a very nice Italian dressing. No one left either hungry or disappointed. My only complaint was that the bread came out late and in small crispy pieces. I would have preferred it earlier and softer.

Drinks - The standard assortment of iced tea, Coke and red wine. I may have had to dilute the tea, or that might have been at a different restaurant. Memory fails me now.


Ambience - The decorations at the entrance are a bit off-putting - almost bizarre, but the dining area is more traditional, except perhaps for the paintings of various European scenes on the tabletops. Our table featured the Arc D'Triomph, or an unknown Italian monument that greatly resembles it.

Service - As I remember, the service was quite good, once we understood the menu. Our waitress made the excellent suggestion of getting the fish broiled or grilled rather than pan sauteed. I was just trying to avoid deep fried.

The Check - I'm working from memory again. About $65 with tax and tip for three, including two glasses of wine at $7.50 each. Not bad, especially given the high quality of the food and the excellent leftovers.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - 4.5 - marked down just slightly for the bread

Drinks - 3.5 - the wine seemed a little pricey

Ambience - 3.5 - maybe a little too distracting

Service - 4 - competent but not memorable

Price/Value - 4.5 - worth an intentional trip someday


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite

Very Good - with the possibility of becoming a favorite; at least when we're in the neighborhood.

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Other Info

4101 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie, LA 70002
(504) 455-7904

Hours:

Closed Monday
Tues - Thurs 11 to 9
Fri - Sat - 11 to 10
Sun 11 to 8

http://www.carminesonline.com/

Pappasito's Cantina - Best of Tex-Mex

Pappasito's Cantina

Houston, TX

Lunch

March 19, 2010

The Set-Up - Heading back to Baton Rouge from a medical appointment in Houston, we stopped at one of our favorite Tex-Mex places, knowing they'd have tasty food and TVs on which we could watch the some March Madness action. We sat in the bar for the latter.

The Meal - We made a great menu choice - the mixed grill. For $16.95 we got a skewer of beef, chicken, shrimp and vegetables along with side orders of rice and pineapple pico de gallo. Fabulous! We probably could have eaten two orders, but we stopped at one. Fresh chips and salsa and drinks - a margarita for Kay and iced tea for me made for an outstanding lunch. The food looked even better hanging on its skewer, but I was too hungry to remember to take a picture. Maybe next time.

Drinks - Pappasito's margaritas have been delicious for all 25 years I've been drinking them, but on this day I had to drink iced tea and get back on the road.

Ambience - With one large room, Pappasito's is busy and noisy, but in a good-spirited way.

Service - Efficient, friendly and accurate.

The Check - With tax and tip, just $33.


The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - Five - today's food was typical. Nobody grills it better than Pappasito's

Drinks - Four - margaritas are good, but a little pricey


Ambience - Four - Probably better for a larger group, but being able to sit at tables in the bar to watch basketball was a big plus.

Service - Five - Excellent. For such a large restaurant, Pappasito's always manages to provide personal service.

Price/Value - Five for this meal. Four to five for most of our meals there.


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - We've eaten at least ten lunches and dinners at one or another Pappasito's (there are 13 locations in the Houston area) over the years. I don't think we've ever been disappointed.

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Other Info -

11831 I-10 East
Houston, TX 77029
(713) 455-8378

Hours:

Sun.- Thurs. 11:00 am-10:00 pm
Fri. & Sat. 11:00 am-11:00 pm


Pappasito's Cantina

Cafe Americain - Baton Rouge, LA - Soup du Jour

Cafe Americain

Baton Rouge, LA

Lunch

March 10, 2010

The Set-Up - With just a few minutes to spare in between a church meeting and a doctor's appointment we slipped into nearby Cafe Americain for a quick lunch. I've probably eaten at least one meal in this restaurant in every one of the 23 years I've lived in Baton Rouge.


The Meal - Cafe Americain makes some of the best soups in Baton Rouge. Among my favorites is their crab and broccoli. I ordered a bowl ($9) though I probably could have gotten by with a cup ($5). I finished the bowl. Kay ordered the soup (crab and corn) and salad. The picture looks a little gruelish, but trust me, it's delicious.

The crab and broccoli is a cream-based soup. Crab and corn, at least here today, starts with a roux. Both were delicious. Kay loves her salads, and Cafe Americain didn't disappoint.

The rest of Cafe Americain's menu features American cuisine with a Louisiana flair.

Cafe Americain also makes great desserts. We were tempted sorely by the Bailey's Irish Creme bread pudding, but our time shortage caused us to postpone it for another day, which might come soon.

Drinks - Kay had a nice glass of white wine. I had my usual iced tea. Both were just fine.

Ambience - Cafe Americain has expanded piecemeal over the years, so dining is now spread across three rooms. The atmosphere is casual without being barlike; friendly without being overly noisy. Overall, perfect for a casual lunch.

Service - No problems. Lunch was efficiently and pleasantly served, eaten and paid for well within our timetable.

The Check -Even with a glass of wine our bill with tax and tip came to just $36.00.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - Five for what we ate. Cafe Americain's overall menu would be closer to four.

Drinks - Four. Wine for less than $7.50 a glass would help.

Ambience - Four

Service - Five for meeting our timetable without being asked.

Price/Value - A solid four


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - Cafe Americain isn't enough of a favorite of ours that we make special trips, but its handy locations (one near church; one near home (though a trip for Bailey's Bread Pudding may be in the offing), tasty food (especially soups), and reasonable prices cause us to eat their fairly often.

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Other Info -

7521 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA
924-9841, 927-1626 (fax)

Also at 15255 George O'Neal Road

Hours:


Monday thru Thursday - 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday - 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Sunday - 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (brunch menu and drink specials)


Cafe Americain

Coyote Blues - Baton Rouge, LA - Spice of Life

Coyote Blues

Baton Rouge, LA

Lunch

March 5, 2010


The Set-Up - This restaurant opened recently on the site of the former Lone Star Steakhouse. The peanut-strewn home of tough steak won't be missed as diners enjoy a new source of Tex-Mex food with a Louisiana flair. The original Coyote Blues restaurant is in Lafayette, LA.

We'd thought about trying the new restaurant for awhile, then learned that a son of our friends worked there as a waiter, which heightened our interest.

On a recent Friday we met friends for lunch, taking care to stay ahead of the noon rush, which arrived both early and noisily.


The Meal - Coyote Blues offers a lunch menu, but we ordered a couple of their specialty items off the dinner menu. I picked the Grilled Tilapia Tacos ($12.79), which I hoped would resemble my grilled fish taco favorites from Cafe Adobe in Houston. Kay got the Nuevo Crab Enchiladas ($16.29), which the waiter recommended, and which had the promising of matching our favorite crab enchiladas from Mestizo's.

With a little readjusting, my dish was spectacular. It came with far too many jalapenos, but was spectacular when I swept all but one or two aside. Kay didn't think the Nuevo Crab quite measured up to Mestizo's, though I was very impressed with the leftovers I ate for lunch today. The poblano rice that came with the tacos proved a special treat - the call it verde (green) rice at Serrano's, which I can eat by the shovelful.

Our friends got beef fajitas and cheese enchiladas respectively. The enchiladas came with cheese corn grits, which were creamy and delicious. On my next trip I'll probably go with poblano rice and cheese grits as side orders.

Drinks - It was a non-drinking day for me, but Kay enjoyed a margarita. No problems with my iced tea.

Ambience - Decor at Coyote Blues is understated. Noise levels are not. As the big restaurant filled with customers, so did the air with assembled chatter and clatter.

Service - The Coyote Blues staff seemed to have the kinks worked out. Our meal came off without a hitch.

The Check - Two plates and two margaritas with tax and tip came to about $55. A little pricey for lunch, but reasonable for dinner.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - Four with prospects to go to five

Drinks - Four, since Kay didn't rave about the margaritas, and they weren't happy hour price

Ambience - Four, spacious, attractive and comfortable, but a little noisy.

Service - Four, could have been five if Kay had liked the crab better.

Price/Value - 3-1/2, lunch portions of the crab and fish dishes would be welcome; definitely four for dinner.


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite
Very Good - One visit can't qualify for Favorite status, but a promotion is very likely.

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Address - 2450 South Acadian Thruway, Baton Rouge
Phone - 225-361-0676

Also at 5741 Johnston Street, Lafayette, LA
Phone - 337-988-3668


Hours of Operation

Sunday and Monday - 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday thru Thursday - 11 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Friday and Saturday - 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Lunch Menu available - 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.


Website - coyotebluesrest.com

Cafe Adobe - Houston, TX - Great Tex-Mex With Ex-tras

Cafe Adobe

Location - Houston, TX

Meal - Dinner

Date - February 15, 2010

The Set-Up - We found Cafe Adobe early on our trips to Houston and return often for a quick, tasty and inexpensive Tex-Mex meal. Upon arriving in Houston on February 15, we had just enough time for dinner before heading to the nearby McGonigel's Mucky Duck for a 9:30 show.

The Meal - Kay went with the reliable Tacos al Carbon. I'm glad I ventured from my usual order pattern as the Fish Tacos were wonderful. The broiled tilapia pieces were marinated in chipotle cilantro and garlic butter sauce. The tacos were the soft kind and filled with red cabbage, so I had to deconstruct the dish to eat it, but no problem. They offer a plate of the same fish, Tilapia Cozumel, which I'll definitely consider next time.


Drinks - It was margarita time. We inquired about happy hour and to our happiness, the half-priced drink special was still on. More later on this part of the meal, but drinks were delicious.

Ambience - We like the area nearest the door for a number of reasons. Less walking in a big restaurant, near the rest rooms, and the area seems a little more open and brighter than the back of the restaurant.

Service - Always cheerful and efficient. The staff was especially helpful when our bill came with the margaritas at full price. We pointed this out and instead of correcting the price, which would have saved us $6.25, they gave me my fish tacos for free ($8.99 value), saying that it was too difficult in their system to correct the drink price.

The Check - With the credit, we got out of Cafe Adobe full of food and drink for an amazing $30, including tax and a nice tip.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - Five - I think I found a new favorite dish.

Drinks - Five - Hard to beat frozen margaritas in a good Tex-Mex place.

Ambience - Four - Our preferred seating area also includes the stairs to the club on the second floor.

Service - Five - Three cheers for their makeup on the mispriced drinks.

Price/Value - A big Five on this occasion - pretty close every time out.


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - Definitely merits Favorite status with its combination of tasty food and drinks, reasonable prices and extended happy hour. We'll be back!

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Other Info -

2111 Westheimer, Houston, Texas 77098 ... Phone: 713.528.1468 ... Fax: 713.528.5127

There are three other Cafe Adobe locations in the Houston area (Sugar Land, Spring Branch and The Woodlands) and one opening soon in Clear Lake.

Hours:

Call for hours. I know they're open Monday through Saturday for both lunch and dinner. They're probably open Sunday as well.

Cafe Adobe

Gary's Cafe - Orange, TX - If Only Man Could Live on Chocolate Pie Alone

Gary's Cafe and Family Restaurant

Location - Orange, TX

Meal - Lunch

Date - February 15, 2010

The Set-Up - On our most recent trip to Houston, we stopped at Steamboat Bill's in Lake Charles, hoping (at least me) to eat some boiled crawfish. At about 3 p.m. we saw their sign, "Boiled Crawfish at 5 p.m, and got back in the car. Next stop was Orange, TX, where we'd heard about Gary's Cafe.

The Meal - Kay got her fill of vegetables, which she enjoyed. I went for the fried catfish plate with Gary's signature batter. I've eaten better, both fish and batterwise in many catfish restaurants in Louisiana and elsewhere. We agreed that the chocolate meringue pie (just $2.25) was by far the highlight of the meal.

Drinks - Iced tea and Diet Coke. I had to get a side glass of water to dilute the tea, but that may just be my taste.


Ambience - Diner-style, reminiscent of House of Pies in Houston, or Catfish Campus (as yet unreviewed) in Columbia, TN based on the advertisements embossed on the table.

Service -My memory is sketchy. I don't remember it being either special or inadequate.

The Check - A bargain at about $25, including tax and tip.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - Three, with the pie bringing it up to acceptable overall

Drinks - Three, as the iced tea was just adequate

Ambience - Two. I'm really not into advertising on the tables.

Service - Four.

Price/Value - Three. Even though Gary's was cheap, I can't go higher for a restaurant whose best food is chocolate pie.


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


2650 Interstate 10 West, Orange, TX 77632.
(409) 886 - 5850

There are other Gary's locations in both Orange and nearby Vidor, TX.

Hours:

Call for hours. I couldn't find a website.

Ruffino's - Baton Rouge, LA - Valentine's Lifesaver

Ruffino's Italian Restaurant

Location - Baton Rouge, LA

Meal - Dinner

Date - February 14, 2010

The Set-Up - As it has before on other holidays, Ruffino's came through for us on Valentine's Day by being open all afternoon and evening on Sunday. Without a reservation, we showed up at about 3:00 p.m., avoiding both the lunch and dinner crowds, which our waiter said would add up to the restaurant's busiest day of the year, and cap their busiest weekend.

Ruffino's is owned by Baton Rouge restauranteur T.J. Moran. Former LSU football star Ruffin Rodrigue donates his name to what Moran previously called Highland House and DiNardo's (after two LSU head football coaches ago - Gerry DiNardo). Moran, Rodrigue and Chef Peter Scalfani bill Ruffino's fare as Italian-Creole fusion - unique in Baton Rouge.


The Meal - Due to the high volume of diners, Ruffino's offered a limited Valentine's menu, but still with plenty of good choices. We took it easy, ordering just an appetizer, one entree to share and a bottle of wine. The crab ravioli was as good as advertised. Having eaten a lot of steak recently, we opted for the Pork Tchoupitoulas (there's a bit of a pun there) - two large pork chops topped with New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp. We also enjoyed bread and olive oil, though the olive oil part could have been at another recent restaurant meal.

Drinks - We washed it all down with a lovely Estancia Pinot Grigio from California.


Ambience - In between rush periods, Ruffino's was quiet and romantic, albeit a bit dark upon first entry. As with many restaurants operated by celebrities or near-celebrities, they like to hang pictures of their clientele posing with restaurant management. Fortunately, the displays are focused in the foyer and other non-dining areas.

Service - Top notch. Our 20-year veteran waiter answered all our questions about the menu (noting that the pork came with steamed asparagus, making it unnecessary for us to order a side of veggies), made recommendations, refilled our wine glasses and followed up for other needs.

The Check - The receipt has moved from my wallet, but I remember the total being about $100 with tax and tip. The pork entree was about $30, the appetizer about $13 and the wine another $30 or so

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - 4.5 - Ravioli was a five; the pork a little lower as the meat could have been more tender.

Drinks - 4 - very nice wine, but I've had pinot grigio just as good for about $10 less.

Ambience - 5 - perfect for the occasion, once I found our table in the relative darkness.

Service - 5 - what you'd expect and hope for at a high-end restaurant. Kudos also for the expanded Valentine's Day hours.

Price/Value - I'll call it 4.5. Going with the filet mignon might have provided better value, though the barbecue shrimp were a treat.


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - Ruffino's isn't my first choice among Baton Rouge special occasion restaurants, but its overall quality and availability make it a more than adequate backup and a family favorite.

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


18811 Highland Rd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
225-753-3458

Hours:

Open daily at 4:30pm
Sunday 11:00am - 9:00pm

Ruffino's Italian Restaurant

DeAngelo's - Baton Rouge, LA - Pizza of My Heart

Restaurant - DeAngelo's Pizzeria

Location - Baton Rouge, LA

Meal - Lunch

Date - February 9, 2010

The Set-Up - More often than not, a mid-morning medical appointment at the Oschner Clinic on Bluebonnet Blvd is followed by lunch at DeAngelo's Pizzeria about a mile down the street. From a humble start in a small space in a strip mall, DeAngelo's has grown over the last twenty years into one of Baton Rouge's most popular restaurant chains. Founder Louis DeAngelo, then about twenty years old, borrowed money from his family and brought their recipe for New York-style pizza to Baton Rouge, a market where Pizza Hut was still the best choice if you didn't want to eat pizza in a bar.

Today, there are four DeAngelo's restaurants in Baton Rouge proper, two in nearby Denham Springs and Prairieville, LA and two more across the state in Lake Charles, LA. I've been a loyal fan of DeAngelo's pizzas and pastas (not to mention salad and garlic bread) for the whole run.


The Meal - I know what I like, and that's what I eat. On this day I got my standard 10" pizza on regular crust with pepperoni, anchovies and roasted red peppers. Kay went with soup and salad - probably the Isabella, which features Asiago cheese and a wonderful shallot vinaigrette dressing. It's probably my favorite salad anywhere. Kay often gets pizza with a whole wheat crust. Kallie, though not with us on this trip, is a fan of the crawfish diavolo. I also enjoy the Little Italy Foccaccia-Latta - Italian meats and vegetables on wrapped flat bread.

Drinks - Along with making the best salad in Baton Rouge, DeAngelo's serves the best iced tea. At dinner we usually choose from the wine list, which is a very nice one for a restaurant that started as a pizzeria.


Ambience - DeAngelo's has upgraded their restaurants over the years to the point that they about the nicest pizzerias you're likely to find. Despite the sign at the Bluebonnet restaurant, they're trying to move away from the pizzeria tag to be known as Louis DeAngelo's Casual Italian Dining.

Service - DeAngelo's uses the team approach as well as any restaurant in Baton Rouge. Essentially any member of their staff, including managers and hostesses, will help with any request.

The Check - Our bargain lunch (one small pizza; one soup and salad; two soft drinks) came in at less than $30, including tax and tip. Ordering entrees and wine can push the bill up, but at any meal DeAngelo's provides good value.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - Five - The best pizza and salad in Baton Rouge.

Drinks - Five - If iced tea can be a five, DeAngelo's qualifies.

Ambience - Five - Many DeAngelo's restaurants feature works by local artists.

Service - Five

Price/Value - Five - As you can probably tell, I really like DeAngelo's.


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - The menu isn't quite special occasion worthy, but based on the dozens of meals I've eaten at DeAngelo's over the years, favorite definitely describes our relationship.

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Other Info -

7550 Bluebonnet Blvd. (Bluebonnet Village Ctr)
Baton Rouge , LA 70810
Phone: 225-761-4465

Other Baton Rouge locations are on Jefferson Highway, Coursey Blvd (at Hickory Ridge) and Lee Drive (at Burbank).

Hours:

Monday 11am to 9pm
Tuesday to Saturday 11am to 10pm
Sunday 11am to 9pm


Louis DeAngelo's Casual Italian Dining

The Chimes East - Baton Rouge, LA - Updated Version of an Old Favorite

Restaurant - The Chimes East

Location - Baton Rouge, LA

Meal - Lunch

Date - February 8, 2010

The Set-Up - Kay and I both had 1 p.m. medical appointments so we decided to go to lunch at one of our favorite local restaurants along the way. The Chimes East is a second location of the popular restaurant/bar, The Chimes, at the north gate of the LSU campus. I first ate at the original Chimes in 1987 when I first came to Baton Rouge. Whereas The Chimes still feels like a restaurant that has grown up around a bar, The Chimes East is clearly a restaurant first. Like all Louisiana restaurants, both locations are non-smoking, though Chimes East does offer a patio where smoking is allowed.


The Meal - Kay got her usual Caesar salad with blackened chicken, but with the house dressing. Monday is usually Catfish Jacques (fried catfish with crawfish sauce over egg noodles) day for me, but I've never felt that Chimes East measured up to The Chimes on that dish. My second choice would have been the blackened salmon sandwich with tomato basil crab soup that I had on my last visit, but the soup wasn't on the menu, so I went with a Chimes club with blackened chicken, a sandwich I'd enjoyed on at least one other occasion. At $7.50, this huge sandwich that also includes bacon, ham and swiss cheese, is a real bargain.

Kay was a little delayed eating her food as the wait staff struggled to bring the "to go" box that she asked for. She likes to put half of the large salad in the box to eat at home, but needs to make the split before she puts the dressing on the salad. After two requests and a followup, the box arrived and lunch proceeded. Kay claims that the salad is the best in Baton Rouge. I know that the side salads that I get with various plate lunches are outstanding. The freshness of the vegetables and the tasty house vinaigrette dressing a great combo. DeAngelos' Italian restaurants are the only places that compete in this category.

Drinks - Usually it's diet Coke and iced tea at The Chimes, but Kay went with the pomegranate martini. I had one sip, which was delicious. I'm not sure how people handle that much alcohol in one drink. Chimes iced tea, at either location, is always great, and usually refilled promptly, though on this day I got through the entire meal before being offered seconds on tea.

Both locations feature an extensive selection of beers from around the world. A major feature at The Chimes (lesser at Chimes East) is earning "Round the World" status by drinking beers from a wide variety of countries. I think the target is 30 in a period of six months. Drinkers who accomplish this are memorialized on a plaque. The walls at The Chimes are almost literally covered with such plaques. Some drinkers have been "around the world" dozens of times. Surprisingly, I never made it even once. I have my favorite beers and I stick with them.


Ambience - The Chimes East was designed and built from the ground up on an open site, so the layout and ambience are essentially perfect for this style of restaurants. TVs arrayed high in the corners let you keep up on the latest sports events and news. The booth they originally seated us in was pretty cramped, even for two, but we moved to a table without getting any feedback. Both Chimes locations are generally pretty noisy. There are better choices for a quiet, romantic meal or a lunch or dinner where you want to get some business done.

Service - The veteran waiters at the original Chimes do a somewhat better job than at The Chimes East. Between the go box and the iced tea, this was not their best day.

The Check - We usually can get lunch for two for about $30. Today the martini pushed the tab to $35.65 with tax and tip.


The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - Five - There isn't much that they don't do well.

Drinks - Five - The pomegranate martini was a new treat. Chimes iced tea is always perfect.

Ambience - Five - Our table by the window allowed enough light for me to take pictures without a flash!

Service - Three - They usually do a bit better than this - at least a four.

Price/Value - Four - The salad is a little pricey, but makes two meals.


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - In twenty-plus years I've eaten innumerable meals at either The Chimes or Chimes East. They rarely disappoint.

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


The Chimes East
10870 Coursey Blvd.
Baton Rouge La. 70816
Phone: 225.296.4981

The Chimes
3357 Highland Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
Phone: 225.383.1754

Hours:

Monday - Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Sundays 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

The Chimes East

The Chimes

Middendorf's - Akers, LA on Lake Maurepas - Worth the Detour

Middendorf's

Akers, LA on Lake Maurepas

Lunch

February 5, 2010


The Set-Up - We stopped at Middendorf's for lunch on the way home from the New Orleans airport. We've been going to this out-of-the-way seafood restaurant for years. Sitting on the bank of Lake Maurepas, the restaurant has been damaged by several hurricanes, most recently Hurricane Ike in 2008. The site has side-by-side restaurants with the second one opening on the weekends to handle overflow business. The second restaurant also came in handy when the first one was flooded. It opened just a few days after the storm, while the original restaurant took about a year to restore.


The Meal - I usually eat a bowl of the world's best oyster stew and a plate of fried catfish, but for some reason I knew I wasn't hungry enough for both. I settled for the thin fried catfish plate (small - $10.50), which is the restaurant's signature dish. The small portion is huge. Be VERY hungry before you order the large portion. Ultra-thin strips fried in cornmeal batter are a unique offering in the area. Kay got one fried softshell crab ($15.75; two for $22.50). She usually gets broiled softshell crabs, but Middendorf's only offers fried.

The meals are preceded by a loaf of warm bread (yummy but filling, beware), hush puppies (fried cornmeal with jalapeno seasoning) and cole slaw, which is a bit too dilly for my tastes.

Drinks - Iced tea for both. I was happy to see that they'd switched from small to large glasses, eliminating the need for at least one refill.


Ambience - Similar to Steamboat Bill's in Lake Charles, Middendorf's has an ultra-casual roadhouse feel, but in this case without a lot of decoration. In Carnival season, they had a few Mardi Gras beads.

Service - Friendly and efficient. We had a surprisingly young waitress. During past visits, we've seen the same veteran waitresses over and over.

The Check - Lunch for two (no alcoholic drinks or dessert) came to $37 with tax and tip.


The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - Five in the category of fried seafood. As mentioned, the oyster stew is always terrific - big juicy oysters and loads of butter.

Drinks - Four - No problems with the iced tea, but I don't think their beer menu is extensive if you go that way. They do have Abita, which is a good local brew.

Ambience - Four - Clean and unpretentious.

Service - Five - Checked often for our needs and filled them promptly.

Price/Value - Four - $15.75 seemed high for just one softshell crab. Catfish and iced tea ($1.50) are more reasonable.


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - Many times we've detoured from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and stopped at Middendorf's for either lunch or dinner.

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Travel Tip - If you're heading from New Orleans to Baton Rouge or further west on I-10, take the I-55 North exit toward Hammond. Drive north about 15 miles to Exit 15 (Manchac). Turn right onto Manchac Way. Middendorf's is less than half a mile on the left (the second building being the main restaurant). Afterwards you can continue on I-55 North to I-12 West, meeting back up with I-10 in Baton Rouge.

Restaurant Address and Hours of Operation

75 Manchac Way • Akers, LA 70421
985.386.6666985.386.6668-Fax

Open Wed thru Sun 10:30AM - 9:00PM

Middendorf's

Not Middendorf's - this is Reno's Seafood just up the road. I don't think they have table service, but I'm tempted to stop and get some of their specialty meats.

The Chimes, Baton Rouge, LA - Tomato Basil Crab Soup

Menu Note - Just a short post to note the deliciousness of Tomato Basil Crab Soup at The Chimes East Restaurant on Coursey Blvd. in Baton Rouge. Had a bowl today along with my usual Blackened Salmon Sandwich. Both were yummy, but the soup was a new great taste.

A bowl and the warm roll that comes with it would make a good lunch by themselves.

Pictures and a full report after another trip to one of our favorite Baton Rouge restaurants.

The Chimes East

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen - Beaumont, TX - One (and perhaps the only) Good Reason to Stop in Beaumont

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

Beaumont, TX

Early Dinner

January 22, 2010

The Set-Up - We were on our way home from Houston and determined to correct our mistake of stopping to eat in Winnie, TX. We persevered the additional twenty miles to I-10 Exit 848 (Walden Road) for an early dinner (3 p.m.) at an old favorite, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen on the west side of Beaumont, TX.

The Meal - Pappadeaux has an extensive menu of primarily seafood items, but our game plan was simple. Eat soft shell crabs and get back on the road. Kay likes hers broiled; I prefer fried. Either way, two large crabs go for $17.95. Just two more dollars gets the third crab, which I usually order, but on a medicine day I knew I couldn't finish three.

The broiled plate usually comes with dirty rice, but Kay substituted and enjoyed spaghetti squash, which is hard to describe. The stringy meat is carved out of the shell, al a acorn squash, rather than the squash being cut up or julienned and served whole, like yellow squash or zucchini. Kay said she liked it, but she concentrated on the crabs. As usual, the fried crabs came with a two-pound (estimated weight) mound of french fries. They're good, but I was concentrating on crabs and reducing sodium intake, so I only ate a few.

The crabs were so good that I forgot to mention one of the highlights of a meal at Pappadeaux. In New Orleans style, the meal starts with a loaf of warm, soft French bread wrapped in a towel. You have to limit yourself to one piece by reminding yourself that a large plate of delicious food is coming soon.

Pappadeaus fries their crabs in a spicy batter. I ate at a sister restaurant, Pappas Seafood House in on I-10 in Houston, where they didn't add any spice to the batter. The crabs weren't nearly as good. Pappas Seafood House (Lil Pap) in downtown Houston uses the same preparation as Pappadeaux.

I can't speak from experience about the broiled crabs, but Kay always raves about them and eats every bite. Over the years we've kept tabs on which Gulf Coast restaurant serves the best soft shell crabs. Pappadeaux is the new leader. Gaido's in Galveston, TX has comparable (albeit more expensive) food, but is 50 miles out of the way for the Houston-bound traveler.

Drinks - Since we were on the road, we stuck with iced tea, which was delicious.

Ambience - Pappas restaurants are always delightfully decorated without going overboard, ala the similarly-themed Joe's Crab Shack from the Darden chain. My photos should give you a good feel for the place. Pappadeaux is a big restaurant and can be noisy on weekends.

Service - Friendly and efficient, although our waiter was a little slow to bring both our bread and our check. Maybe we devoured our food faster than he expected.

The Check - Early dinner (without alcohol) for two with tax and tip came to $53.


The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - five (albeit based on limited sampling of the menu)

Drinks - four (iced tea can't exceed four unless it's good and free)

Ambience - five (typical first-class Pappas establishment - surprisingly so for a chain)

Service - four (just a little out of synch)

Price/Value - five (for dinner - probably four for lunch, assuming you ate soft shell crabs. They have a lunch menu, but no lower-priced crab offering on it.)


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - I'm not sure that any restaurant in Beaumont can receive Special Occasion status. The similar Gaido's in Galveston would probably rate in that category.

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Other Info - If you're in the Houston area, there are two Pappadeaux restaurants - one at 13080 Highway 290 (northwest of Houston) and the other at 10499 Katy Freeway (westside). Also try Pappas Seafood House (Lil Pap) at 3001 S. Shepherd in downtown Houston for similar fare. Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen also has locations around the US - Arlington Heights, IL, Westminster, CO, Alpharetta and Marietta, GA and Phoenix, AZ.

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
4040 I-10 South
Beaumont, TX 77705
(409) 842-1339

Hours:

Monday thru Thursday - 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday - 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Sunday - 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.


Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen