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

Fu's Garden - Houston, TX - Modestly and Mostly Good

Fu's Garden Restaurant

Houston, TX

Dinner

January 21, 2010

The Set-Up - After spending all morning on the road from Baton Rouge to Houston, and all afternoon at Texas Medical Center getting a CT scan (complete with barium contrast fluid), I was ready for a quick meal nearby featuring relatively bland food. McGonigel's Mucky Duck, complete with live music beckoned, but Fu's Garden, several blocks closer, at least two hours quicker (no concert), and $20 per head cheaper (the cover charge for the music) won out. We'd driven past it several times during our trips to Houston and often said that we'd try it someday. Thursday was the day.

The restaurant seemed to be struggling a bit with its marketing. In almost passive-aggressive style, their takeout menu and the plaques on the wall noted Houston Metropolitan Magazine's modest claim - "One of the most popular Hunan restaurants in Houston", while the Houston Press's claim almost screamed in comparison, "Best Chinese Food."

Though Fu's Garden was more than adequate for our Thursday night dinner, I didn't see convincing evidence to support either claim. At 7 p.m, you'd think prime dinner hour with nearby Rice University in session, we were one of just five or six parties seated in a restaurant with a least thirty tables. Maybe it's the bad economy in action. As for the food, I'll get to that right now.

The Meal - We got off to an auspicious start. Both the special won ton soup ($1.75) and the spring rolls (two for $2.60) were excellent. The won tons were served on the side. The soup featured a dumpling along with shrimp and chicken. A bowl of this soup ($5.00) with a spring roll or two would have made a good light meal.


For entrees, Kay ordered the Sauteed Shrimp and Chicken in Pepper Corn Sauce ($11.50), while, looking to avoid a lot of spice, I went with the usually reliable Combination Fried Rice ($7.50).

Kay's food was hot, spicy and yummy. We could have gotten by sharing it. My fried rice was average at best. Trying to hold down the salt and fat content (I guess), Fu's underworked the dish with too little soy sauce and butter. The pork, shrimp and chicken were all fine, but the whole dish was a little too white. The dish also lacked vegetables, which I expected given that it was called "combination."


Drinks - Kay had a glass of wine ($5). I had iced tea. Both were good, but unremarkable.

Ambience - Fu's basically had one large dining room with a smaller room that looked like it could be closed off for private parties. The furnishings were very nice, but not fussy. A substantial mosaic adorned one wall. My photo doesn't do it justice, nor does my other photo of a floral painting. Both were beautiful. Fu's avoided the overdecorated style that hampers some Asian restaurants. Lighting was also adequate. I've eaten in some Chinese restaurants that were just too dark to see the menu. I wished I'd gotten a photo of the two "thrones" in the foyer. They were a unique touch.



Service - As you would expect, service was quietly efficient. Both of the waiters on staff helped us and a third gentleman kept both tea and water glasses full. The waiters did a particularly good job of clearing used plates and bowls without being pushy.

The Check - With tax and tip, the bill for two was less than $40. Very reasonable, particularly since we both left with half a plate of food in a to-go container.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - four (pulled down by the fried rice)

Drinks - four (good but not special)

Ambience - four (a near five - quietly elegant)

Service - five (unspectacularly excellent - the best kind)

Price/Value - four (five possible with better selection off the menu)


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite

Very Good - Except for the fried rice, everything about Fu's met our needs. However, a restaurant that bills itself "Best Chinese Food" should handle a staple dish like fried rice better than Fu's did.

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking

Fu's Garden Restaurant

2539 University Blvd.

Houston, TX 77005

713.520.7422 phone

713.522.6190 fax
713.520.7422 delivery

Yes, Fu's Garden offers free delivery for dinner within a five mile radius.

Leftover Report - The fried rice and spicy chicken and shrimp worked great together heated in the microwave the next day.

Hours:

Monday - Thursday 11:00 am til 10:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am til 10:30 pm
Saturday 11:30 am til 10:30 pm
Sunday 11:30 am til 10:00 pm

http://fus-garden.com

La Mestiza - Baton Rouge, LA - One of Two of a Kind

La Mestiza

Prairieville, LA

Dinner

January 14, 2010

The Set-Up - We met friends for dinner at this relatively new restaurant, but we felt like we knew it already. La Mestiza is the sister restaurant of Mestizo's, a Louisiana-Mexican restaurant in Baton Rouge where we've eaten for years. Mestizo's was born out of Carlo's (now closed) - the original Louisiana-Mex restaurant in Baton Rouge, and perhaps anywhere.

The Meal - True to whatever Mex style, we were greeted with chips and salsa. The chips were thin and fresh and the salsa, according to Kallie, was "better than at the other restaurant." I know I liked it. She's a salsa connoisseur and keeps track of these things.

We had a party of five, so we got to order some different items -mostly enchiladas, which are the house specialty in my book. I was happy to see the Cancun combo on the menu. I can clean my plate no matter what the circumstances of this threesome - a shrimp and crab enchilada, a crawfish and spinach enchilada and a crispy crawfish taco ($13). Knowing she'd eaten a lot of chips, Kallie got a crawfish chimichanga al a carte. I ate most of it for lunch today. Yum!

The others in our party got shrimp and crab enchiladas and cheese enchiladas (with chili con carne). I didn't hear any complaints.

Drinks - We arrived in time for Happy Hour and were able to get margaritas for $5, which didn't seem like much of a bargain to me for a 10 oz. drink. Apparently they used to serve 16 ouncers, but weren't making enough money so they downsized. The drinks were delicious. Sangria also got a high mark.

Ambience - La Mestiza is smaller than its brother. The dark wood furnishings were unimpressive, but adequate. It seemed like more space than necessary was occupied by the bar, but maybe that's Prairieville talking. I could see the bar TV from the dining room, which was handy. The restaurant was not crowded at all at 6:00 p.m. on a Thursday night.

Service - Service was friendly and efficient, but with no special touches. Now if she'd offered those 16-oz. margaritas at the Happy Hour price. . .

The Check - With tax and tip (and three margaritas total) our bill for three came to $66.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - five (the leftover chimichanga was almost as good as the enchiladas)

Drinks - four (five possible with lower margarita prices)

Ambience - four (leaning toward three)

Service - four (solid but unspectacular)

Price/Value - four (prices area little high on the Baton Rouge Mexican restaurant scale - but for the money you get unusual and exceptional food)


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - This was our first trip to La Mestiza, but we've been fans of the very similar Mestizo's for years.

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Navigation Tip - The Prairieville restaurant isn't easy to find from Airline Highway. It's in the Oak Grove Village shopping center. Hebert's Gun Shop in the same strip mall is most prominent from the highway.

If you're in Baton Rouge rather than Prairieville (more likely if you're traveling on I-10) try Mestizo's at the Acadian Thruway exit. (2323 S. Acadian Thruway).

La Mestiza Mexican Bistro

17424 Airline Hwy Suite 10

Prairieville, LA 70769

225.313.4191 phone

225.313.4192 fax

Hours:

Lunch
Mon - Sat 11:00 am til 2:30 pm

Dinner
Mon - Thurs 4:30 pm til 9:30 pm
Fri - Sat 4:30 til 10:30 pm

Closed Sundays

La Mestiza Mexican Bistro

Mestizo Lousiana Mexican Restaurant

Papa's Place - Winnie, TX - A Bit of a Stinker

Papa's Place

Winnie, TX

Lunch

January 5, 2010

The Set-Up - When we left Houston Tuesday morning it was too early to eat lunch so we headed east toward home, planning to stop at Pappadeaux in Beaumont. But being hungry we only made it as far as Winnie, TX, about twenty miles short of Beaumont, where a billboard for Papa's Place, Steaks & Seafood, beckoned us. We should have kept driving.

The Meal - We looked at the sandwiches and plate lunches on the menu, but chose from the dinner side. I got the "delicacy" of fried frog legs, which aren't available at many restaurants. Kay chose her favorite filet mignon. Both were priced at $15.95, reasonable for dinner but pricey for lunch.

Unfortunately, the salads that came out before the meal turned out to be the highlight. As for the frog legs, while there may not have been anything wrong with them, I expected more than black pepper spice in the batter, which was also too thick. I was only able to finish about half. Kay's steak had too much gristle, especially for a cut sold as filet mignon, no matter how reasonable the price.

Drinks - Non-alcoholic drinks are the rule while we're on the road. My iced tea was too strong, but with a glass of ice water and an empty glass for blending, I was able to dilute it to drinkable status.

Ambience - Papa's was an east Texas trip, for sure. The surprises started when the hostess asked whether we wanted smoking or non-smoking, a question we're never asked in Louisiana, and not often in Texas. We of course chose non-smoking, but I had to pass through the smoking area (the bar and a large dining room) to get to the restroom. The wooden structure and furnishing had been soaking up smoke for a long time, as the whole place smelled like an ashtray. Looming above the large dining room were hunting trophies - deer, elk, I'm not sure, but they were huge.


The restroom featured yet another surprise - humorously painted walls. You can get a feel for Papa's sense of humor from just a couple of photos.




Service - Not sterling. The waitress gave me a glass of water with no ice for blending down my iced tea. She asked if that was OK and then corrected the situation. It took two tries to get lemon for the frog legs.

The Check - Our expensive entrees drove the total tab to above $45, expensive for lunch. For about the same money we could have gotten a delicious meal of soft shell crabs at Pappadeaux. We'll know better next time.


The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - two

Drinks - two (no high marks for iced tea that I had to dilute)

Ambience - two (for the smoke; the murals were kind of funny in an idiotic way)

Service - three (better than the food)

Price/Value - one (too much money spent on bad food; maybe cheaper menu choices would have been better, but we'll probably never find out)


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking (Obviously, the locals like this place a lot more than we did, given the size of the building.)


Other Issues - Winnie might be a restaurant wasteland. On a previous trip we ate at Al T's, which was recommended to us by an MD Anderson employee. It was better than Papa's Place, but not good enough for a return visit.


Hours of Operation

Kitchen:

Monday - Friday
11:00 am-10:00 pm

Saturday - Sunday
7:00 am - 10:00 pm

Bar:
Subject to extended hours
Note: No later than 2:00 am

2626 State Highway 124, Winnie, TX‎ -
(409) 296-2240‎

Papa's Place

Lupe Tortilla - Houston, TX - Happy Enchiladas

Lupe Tortilla

Houston, TX

Dinner

January 4, 2010

The Set-Up - Our first trip to this Houston-based restaurant chain came in June 2009 at the suggestion of a hotel clerk, who said it was good, reasonable and close by. Our GPS didn't realize there was more than one location (or maybe we didn't) so we drove around awhile before finding the one nearby. Everything else the man told us was right on and we've returned many times to Lupe Tortilla's downtown Houston location.

This visit came at the end of a five-hour drive from Baton Rouge for a medical appointment the next day.


The Meal - A meal at Lupe Tortilla always begins with their fresh chips and salsa. The chips are hot so they must be baked on site and the salsa is chunky and tasty with lots of cilantro. I've gotten stuck on the combination enchilada plate ($10.50) which includes three enchiladas, beans and rice. Not being a bean person, I asked for extra rice and no beans. Even with three enchiladas to consume, I can usually work my way through most of a double helping of rice. They offer four kinds of sauce to go with the enchiladas. My favorite (I think) is the Ancho chili con carne sauce, which is dark, rich and spicy. Kay got the chicken flautas, which she enjoyed. I'd eaten too much other food to offer a reliable opinion.

Drinks - We stuck with non-alcoholic drinks on this visit, but my recollection is that the margaritas are outstanding. I'll update based on a future visit.


Ambience - The rambling wood structure, though no doubt designed by an architect, gives the homey feeling of having been expanded room by room as the business grew. The sombrero hat lampshades are a comical touch.

Service - Diners are well cared for at Lupe Tortilla. In addition to efficient and friendly waiters, a manager tours the dining room on a regular basis to ask if all your needs are being met. On one trip I told him that my only need that was not being met was for a Lupe Tortilla in Baton Rouge. He replied that they're still working on expanding in Texas (San Antonio in particular).

The Check - With no appetizers, margaritas or dessert, the tab for two came to a slim $28.50 including tax and tip.


The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - five (assuming that everything else is as yummy as the enchiladas)

Drinks - four (could be a five - will have to revisit the margaritas and report back)

Ambience - five (busy, friendly, fun)

Service - five (unobtrusive manager visits are a nice touch)

Price/Value - five (enchiladas are a bargain; other food seems to be priced below Pappasito's, which serves similar food)


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - could be a special occasion place for a large group that likes Tex-Mex food. Not so much for a romantic dinner.

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Other Issues - There are eight Houston-area locations. Make sure your GPS is taking you to the one you want. San Antonio and Austin are in Lupe Tortilla's expansion plans. Maybe Louisiana after that? Or maybe I'll move to Houston.

Hours of Operation
Sunday - Thursday - 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday - Saturday - 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

2414 Southwest Freeway (near Kirby)
Houston, TX 77098
(713) 522-4420

LupeTortilla.com

To Go Menu

Enzo's - Brooklyn, NY - Family Fare

Enzo's Pizzeria and Restaurant

Brooklyn, NY

Dinner

December 26, 2009


The Set-Up - We went to this casual Italian restaurant with our son and his family during our East Coast trip during the summer of 2008. I remembered it as one of my favorites and suggested a return on our recent Christmas visit. A bonus - on a cold, rainy day we rode the subway from Penn Station to within a few feet of the restaurant's front door on Prospect Park Ave. in Brooklyn.

The Meal - Most of Enzo's food is served "family style". Fried calimari and got us started. Our granddaughters love this offering, which you don't see much on the Gulf Coast. We also shared a large salad that was pretty tasty. As an entree, we got a family portion of chicken and pasta dish with a creamy red sauce. The granddaughters split a pizza, which they ate almost none of after filling up on calimari. I added a single order of meat ravioli, which wasn't as good as the chicken dish. My daughter-in-law probably ordered a vegetarian dish, but I don't remember specifics.

Ambience - Enzo's is about what you'd expect for a place that calls itself first a pizzeria and then a restaurant. Nothing fancy. Last summer we sat on the back patio, which seemed more special.

The Check - We fed seven (five adults and two children) for about $125. We paid cash so I don't have an exact amount.


The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - four (ravioli pretty ordinary; calimari pulls the average up)

Drinks - three (beer and wine only; Kay enjoyed her chianti)

Ambience - three (brick walls, familyesque)

Service - four (good, but not special)

Price/Value - four (efficient ordering would help; we probably bought more food than we needed)


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking

My summer 2008 experience was better, but Enzo's is still a good choice for families with small children and large groups who can share the family-sized portions.

Other Issues - This is a relatively new location for Enzo's, whose main restaurant is elsewhere (King's Highway) in Brooklyn.

Enzo's does not accept credit cards.


Travel Tip - The New York Metro's F-train's Prospect Park station is almost at Enzo's door.

217 Prospect Park West
(between 16th St & Windsor Pl)
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 499-3150