#chocolate desserts
‘Mulate’s’ in New Orleans
http://mulates.com/menu/Menu-2015.pdf
ORIGINAL PICTURES
REVIEW
General - After experiencing a much higher standard in other establishments throughout New Orleans (reviews to come), this was at best, average. Many locals had recommended this restaurant to us, but we didn’t feel that it lived up to its reputation. This, however, might have been because we went for lunch, and not later in the evening when there is a live band playing Cajun songs. It simply wasn’t particularly lively. It was not bad, but not good either.
Grilled Blackened Alligator - This was a surprisingly tasty treat. The alligator meat was tender and juicy. The blackened seasoning was also very flavorful and complemented the flavor of the meat very well, if overpowering it only slightly. It was also served with a very delicate and delicious Remoulade sauce. The blackened seasoning was balanced perfectly by the creaminess of the sauce. Our favorite dish in the restaurant.
Jambalaya - This version of Jambalaya, out of the many others in New Orleans, was not particularly special. What stood out was the serious lack of sausage in it. I remember we each ended up getting only a fraction of a sausage slice, not even a whole sausage slice for each of us. Disappointing in that manner.
Jumbo Lump Crab Meat au Gratin - This was not an entree. It was a dip which would have been much better served with crackers (as can be seen on the actual plate), but as an appetizer. It was pretty tasty, but there was a serious lack of crab meat in the whole dish. The few scattered shreds of crab were utterly lost in a sea of cheese and cream. It was a very heavy, and a very rich dish. Not bad, exactly, but did not at all live up to its promise of “jumbo lump” crab meat being present either.
Catfish Mulate’s - This was my personal entree. Again, there was nothing particularly bad about it, but it was rather bland. It was yummy, and probably a staple of Cajun comfort food, but compared to the blackened alligator, for instance, there was a distinct lack of flavor. The crawfish sauce on top of the catfish did complement the catfish nicely, but nothing spectacular. The jambalaya which came as a side had much more sausage than the shared appetizer we ordered thankfully.
Grilled Cajun Seafood Platter - Average. There was absolutely nothing outstanding, once again. Compared to the bar set by some of the other restaurants we visited, it was lacking. Not bad, lacking. It simply did not live up to our expectations, especially after the praise it received from the locals.
Entree sides - The twice baked potato was especially good. It was smooth and creamy, and went really nicely with the melted cheese on top. Once the cheese is not smothering any trace of crab on a dish which promises crab, it’s much easier to like. The cole slaw was nothing special, and my Mom could certainly make better.
Chocolate Chunk Brownie - This was a good brownie. It was thick and moist, and came out warm. It had a bit of a more cakey texture, but at the same time there was a lot of melted, gooey chocolate in the center, which made it light and heavy at the same time. The chocolate flavor was also pronounced. There were nuts in the batter, and again, yum yum yum. This was actually one of my favorite desserts in New Orleans (after beignets of course!)
Key Lime Pie - Pretty good pie, word of the day, average. Good enough to take the leftovers back to the hotel though, so not too disappointing either.
*** three stars out of five
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Chocolate Chunk Brownie
‘Mulate’s’ in New Orleans
http://mulates.com/menu/Menu-2015.pdf
ORIGINAL PICTURE
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La Petite Grocery in New Orleans
http://www.lapetitegrocery.com
ORIGINAL PICTURES
GENERAL REVIEW: This was an excellent restaurant and eating experience. The chef here, Justin Devillier, definitely knows what he is doing. We had actually previously seen him as a contestant on Top Chef, but didn’t realize he was the owner and executive chef until months after out visit. Even though in the first picture the restaurant looks as empty as Emeril’s (review posted further down), the quality of food and service was monumentally better (and it’s worth noting that we went in early January which is low season). It was a quietly elegant atmosphere and décor, which was not at all pretentious, but absolutely has the right to be. It is done is traditional New Orleans style. Fabulous place, and one of our favorite dining experiences of the trip.
Clam Gratin REVIEW:
This dish is not on the menu because it was a daily special, but it sounded good, and specials are a good way to tell whether the restaurant is still on its toes and not neglecting the quality of the food it sends out of the kitchen (*cough* *cough* EMERIL’s). This was, like everything else we had, very tasty. It was, however, our least favorite dish, but even so, it was still better than the best dish we had at Emeril’s (we hold a pretty iron clad grudge, can you tell?). I have to be completely honest, although still delicious, this was our least favorite dish, and we can’t remember the subtleties of the flavors as well as the other dishes. It was tasty (we would have remembered if it wasn’t) and quite heavy since it was baked in cream and cheese.
Blue Crab Beignets REVIEW:
Creamy, crispy, yummy. We were intrigued by the idea of a savory beignet, and this appetizer was a great way to sample some. My only negative comment would be that there could have been more crab and less cream within these fried morsels, as crab is a very delicate protein and can be easily overwhelmed by heavier items such as cream. Despite this, there was plenty of crab meat to be found, and the flavors of the malt vinegar aioli provided a needed contrast to the richness of the filling itself. These beignets were hot, crunchy and delicious balls of yumminess (for fans of Schweddy), and we would order them again.
LPG Cheeseburger REVIEW:
Best. Burger. Ever.
Not exaggerating. Not one bit.
Where do I even start. Let’s start from the inside out. The grind, seasoning, and temperature of the beef were all spot on. It just seemed to melt in your mouth. It was so hot and juicy I have to have a white girl moment and say “I can’t even”. The thick slice of Gruyere on top melted into the beef beautifully. The house made pickles were sour and tangy, but not overwhelmingly so (which can sometimes happen when one puts pickles on a burger). The aioli was also fabulous, adding a creaminess and flavor which bound the other flavors together perfectly. The arugula was also a welcome addition, even though both myself and my friend usually don’t care for it. FYI my friend ended glomming half of this burger (even though it was supposed to be my personal entrée, and I’d agreed to hand over no more than a bite when I ordered it). The bun was also freshly baked, being buttery, warm, soft and all around totally scrummy. We have never tasted a better rendition of the traditional burger, and we will be coming back to La Petite Grocery for it without a single doubt.
Thumbs up Justin, it was a win. PS Emeril, suck it, suck it, suck it.
Bittersweet Chocolate Marquise REVIEW:
This was a very satisfying finale to our meal here, despite its minuscule size. It’s about as big as a silver dollar in diameter, so make sure you don’t decide to share it like we did if you like heartier portions of sweets. It is also important to note that it is in fact very rich and delicious, so ordering one for yourself will be just enough (despite its size). The marquise itself was not too sweet since it was bittersweet and not milk chocolate which was used to make it. The mascarpone cream on top provided a welcome relief to the richness of the chocolate, and created a very decadent and elegant dessert. It was also plated very beautifully, which we also love to see despite flavor being the most important factor in any dish (in our opinion). It had the texture of a very dense mouse (like a moist truffle), which added to the heaviness. We assume this is why it is so small, as any larger for one person would become overwhelming. This dessert was very good, and undoubtedly the best dessert we had in New Orleans.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Yum. Definitely worth it and solidly in our top three favorite restaurants in NOLA. Stay tuned for the grande finale.
***** five stars
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Bittersweet Chocolate Marquise at La Petite Grocery in New Orleans
http://www.lapetitegrocery.com
ORIGINAL PICTURE
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