Loving Up on Chocolate
A local chef who studied in the world capital of chocolate confections offers up divine treats in time for Valentine's Day.
- story by Lisa Monti, photography by Julie Ragusa
Ragusa took advantage of being in the middle of that chocolate-rich culture as part of her professional development. “I learned everything I could about chocolate,” she said, including making a vegan, organic version. She formed her own small chocolate company and hosted parties, pairing chocolates with wine and champagne, and taught classes on chocolate-making with dairy alternatives.
Now, she’s about to branch out into truffle-making as a side enterprise. The truffles come in two rich parts: a chocolate ganache center and a coating of high quality chocolate that gives it a crunchy shell. Then the truffle is topped with nuts, coconut or sea salt, taking it to another eye-rolling level.
“I’m so excited about working with chocolate,” she said. “I love coming up with new flavors.”
For Valentine’s Day, the Mockingbird will have red velvet cake, heart-shaped King cakes and a double chocolate cake topped with chocolate truffles. Chef Ragusa personally will be making and selling handmade chocolate truffles in an assortment of flavors for purchase through her Facebook page or via Mockingbird Cafe. Look for prices and varieties to be posted soon.
Julie's truffles are available in packages of 8 (2 of each flavor below) for $15 (plus tax). Order one day in advance (before Feb. 12 for Valentine's Day pick-up) on Chef Julie Ragusa's Facebook page or at the Mockingbird Café, 110 S. Second Street. Orders can be picked up at the Mockingbird Café.
Buttermilk Ganache (semi- sweet) Cafe Olé (milk chocolate) Darkest Hour (60% dark) Black and White (white chocolate ganache with 60% dark shell) New Year's in the Bay Lights Up
Locals will have a new option when it comes to welcoming in 2017 on New Year's Eve: a grand gala at the Bay St. Louis Community Hall.
- story by Lisa Monti
The Gala Menu
Patrons can choose from several food stations, including a sushi bar presented by Fatsumo’s in Pass Christian, a grits bar serving the Southern staple along with barbecued shrimp and grillades, and a slider bar with roast beef and barbecued pork among the tasty fillings. There will also be a fresh bar with veggies and fruits (chocolate is optional), and a dessert bar.
Organizers are working on other food stations, including one that involves a make-your-own waffle. There will be a cash bar with a complimentary midnight toast and live music starting at 8 p.m., and a lighted starfish will be dropped by boom at the stroke of midnight. “It will be an eclectic mix of food, subject to change,” said Fillhart of the ongoing preparations. But it will be fitting for a year-end celebration. “It’s the ‘end of year and my diet starts tomorrow’ kind of mix.”
About that auction. Fillhart said instead of the usual items to bid on, this one will offer all services, including lawn care, hair care, and the services of an architect, a beekeeper, and a fishing guide. Starfish Cafe is donating a five-course private party for 10 at the cafe.
“It’s a unique way to raise money and it connects the community,” she said. The winning bidders may become regular customers and make new friends they might not otherwise have met, she said. The gala will be at the Bay St. Louis Community Center on Blaize Avenue. Tickets are $50 each and only 400 will be sold. Everything will be eco-friendly right down to the compostable plates and glasses. Dress is “casual bling.” Like Cheers, But With Red Gravy
Trapani's Eatery
116 North Beach Blvd. Bay St. Louis, MS 228.467.8570 Now Open 7 Days a Week!
If it tastes like home cooking, maybe that's because it is - for some folks in Bay St. Louis anyway!
- story by Lisa Monti, photographs by Ellis Anderson
The recipes were perfected over decades and everything she turned out, from a pot of file gumbo and platter of stuffed crabs to divinity fudge and tart lemon merengue pies, was comforting and delicious, even to a picky kid’s palate.
Luckily, Emma’s gift for cooking lives on, at least in some of us.
So whenever I’m in the mood for some tried-and-true dishes, I make it over to Tony’s, as we relatives tend to call the restaurant.
Not surprising, with coastal decor and a bar named Blue Marlin, seafood plays a big role in Trapani’s kitchen. Starters include the popular crab cakes, rich gumbo and sesame ahi tuna. A longtime favorite is the fried green tomatoes topped with crabmeat and hollandaise. Not to put too fine a point on the seafood connection here, but every Trapani’s entree salad comes with a seafood option, and the salad packed with crawfish will totally satisfy your craving for them. Among the got-to-try entrees, Eggplant Delacroix is a stand out - eggplant slices breaded with Progresso crumbs, just like Emma used, and topped with sauteed Gulf shrimp, onions bell peppers and mushrooms then finished with hollandaise and parmesan. I know. The kitchen also offers great steaks, fish, ample sandwiches and homemade desserts. If you try just one, get the divine Dinwiddie Delight. I believe it’s been on the menu since Day One, so if you’re a regular, its likely you’ve already gone over the calorie cliff already.
Sometimes only hot wings will do, and the ones at Trapani’s are addictive. The wings are naked, not battered, fried to glorious crunchiness and coated with a spicy sauce. Wings (with plenty of napkins) and a glass of Chardonnay have become my Second Saturday tradition.
Sitting on the Blue Marlin balcony, overlooking the harbor, is a most pleasant way to cap off the monthly art walk. And when there’s live music on the balcony, well, a good thing gets even better. Trapani’s restaurant and Blue Marlin bar are must-try destinations for Coast tourists, and for locals, both upstairs and downstairs are great spots for socializing with friends, old and new. If you live on the coast, not everybody at Trapani's will know your name, but chances are lots of folks will. Claiborne Hill Grocery
The grocery store you'll want to go to when you're hungry: chow down on a great selection of fresh deli menu items and then do your shopping!
- story by Lisa Monti, photos by Ellis Anderson
“Breakfast is a huge part of our business in the deli,” said Elizabeth Acquistapace, who oversees the kitchen at the family-owned store. The Acquistapace family also has a supermarket in Picayune. All five of the Acquistapace siblings, including her husband, Ethan, are involved in the stores, from the building design to the day-to-day operation.
After the breakfast rush, the staff starts preparing the daily hot lunch specials, which also bring in a hungry crowd. On a recent Saturday, the choices were barbecue ribs, pork sausage, brisket and red beans along with sides including fried okra, smothered cabbage and sweet potato casserole with praline topping. The red beans, made from the Acquistapace family recipe, are flavored with store-smoked sausage, bacon, and ham hocks. Sandwiches (including muffulettas) are popular. Construction workers favor the hamburger combo with cheese and a side of fries. If you want a generously stuffed poboy—served hot or cold—you can choose from oysters, shrimp, catfish or roast beef. Elizabeth said the roast beef with rich gravy has a big following. “It’s a whole fresh eye of round roast that simmers for hours. It’s truly a homemade roast beef,” she said. The French bread for the poboys is baked in the store but here’s a tip: if you’re a fan of crispy Leidenheimer bread, just ask for it.
A variety of pasta dishes provide an alternative to fried foods. “We’re making our own fresh pasta with free range eggs and fresh semolina,” Elizabeth said. The family patriarch bought the three pasta machines in Italy. The pasta is served with sautéed zucchini, Italian sausage and homemade pesto.
Everything sold is made in the store, and there’s enough variety that the menu stays basically the same, though sometimes you’ll find meatloaf or chicken and dumplings. The variety gets smaller in the evening but you can still get a satisfying supper up until 8 p.m. or so. A recent summertime lunch treat tells a lot about the deli’s use of seasonal fare. “We had a short Creole tomato season but we had some pretty hot house tomatoes,” said Elizabeth. “So who can pass up a tomato sandwich on white bread with mayo, salt and pepper?” Even though the price of ingredients fluctuates, one thing is steady at the deli: the prices. The 6-inch roast beef poboy is $5.99. A breakfast plate is $2.49. The lunch plates start at $5.99. “We try to keep it as reasonable as we can to give our customers good value,” she said. There are healthy options too, with a full salad bar in the back of the store (by the seafood counter). For $4.99 a pound you can make a meal-sized salad with fresh fixings - including chicken and on occasion, boiled shrimp. Breakfast and lunch is prepared seven days a week. You can call ahead (228-466-2610) to see what’s cooking and enjoy your meal at the counter in the front of the store where there’s complimentary Community Coffee. And check out the freezer section next to the deli for chicken and Andouille gumbo, bisques, soups, and casseroles. Harbor House Steamer
The menu covers all the bases, and as its waterfront location suggests, seafood prevails in salads, pasta, sandwiches, appetizers and the namesake categories on the menu: By Sea and Steamed Goods.
By Sea (as opposed to the pork and beef that star in the By Land entrees) showcases whole flounder, Asian ahi tuna, trout almondine and stuffed crab, along with the always-popular shrimp and oyster platters. Steamed Goods include some over-the-top offerings for a crowd. The Admiral’s Steamer generously serves at least 10 diners with five pounds of steamed Alaskan King crab, Royal Red shrimp, snow crab and Dungeness crab with charbroiled oysters along with drawn butter, though it doesn’t say how much butter it takes to go with all that seafood. The price is an eye-popping $499.95 and yes, a couple have been ordered, Marotta said. Couples, rather than crowds, go for the signature steamed seafood. “We have sold quite of bit of steamers for two ($110),” he said. “It’s a good deal. You get a lot of seafood.” Portions are generous across the board at Harbor House. Fourteen large gulf shrimp, lightly dusted and fried, practically filled the large lunch plate that was rounded out by the side of fresh broccoli and carrot.
“Anything fried is hand breaded, even the kids’ chicken tenders,” he said. For that reason, the restaurant sells loads of seafood poboys and platters.
The number one best seller, though, is the Scarlet Red Snapper, deliciously pan fried and topped with sweet crabmeat and hollandaise sauce. It was the “I’m getting that next time” item at our table. Besides lunch and dinner service, Harbor House hosts lots of parties in the open area downstairs that can accommodate up to 300 guests like one party last month. “We get a lot of people celebrating here,” Marotta said. Harbor House seats about 185 in the dining room, deck, and bar. They’re warming up the big screen TVs for fans of college and pro football to come enjoy the game with food and drinks. And the restaurant just kicked off a Thursday night special: kids eat free with the purchase of a dinner entree. Whether you come by boat or by car, whatever you do, come with an appetite. We All Scream For Ice Cream
Join us as we visit five local establishment serving frozen desserts, sampling homemade gelatos, sorbets and ice creams in gourmet flavors, as well as frozen yogurt, root beer floats Dipping Dots. But hurry, before it melts.
- story and photos by Lisa Monti, additional photos, Ellis Anderson
“I just use all natural ingredients, basically cream, sugar and fruit or cheese,” Moynan said, making something so delicious sound so simple.
No matter the temperature or season, customers happily end their meals with an ice cream or a sorbet for dessert. “Sometimes we’ll sell ice cream like crazy in the winter months. It doesn’t have to be a special time year. It’s just a special treat,” she said. At Sycamore House Restaurant (210 Main St.), the homemade ice cream is billed as fresh flavors of the moment and the offerings are generously varied: creole cream cheese, mint chocolate chip, coffee, blueberry, roasted marshmallow, peach buttermilk, salted caramel. One scoop or two? A taste test of all the flavors didn’t bring on brain freeze, but did set off an avalanche of adjectives. Tart buttermilk peach. Salty-sweet caramel. Richly satisfying cream cheese. Robust coffee. One taste and it becomes your favorite. Until the next taste. And the next. Pick any one of these treats and you can’t go wrong. Sycamore House customers too full after their meal are known to come back just for something sweet. Enjoy a bowl on the porch, in the dining room, or at the small bar if there’s room.
When a restaurant calls itself a creperie, you know it’s serious about dessert. And for a small place (25 seats), Cannella International Creperie & More (1113 U.S. 90) packs a lot into the menu, including four gelato and four sorbet flavors.
“The gelato and sorbet we make ourselves,” said Roberto Zito, who owns Cannella with wife Toni. You can order either with the made-fresh crepes or alongside the baked apple dessert, but Roberto said, “the gelato is so good, most people enjoy it by itself.” The current gelato menu lists espresso, pistachio honey ricotta (just-right richness and chunky), cioccolato, bourbon creme brûlée with the right amount of sweetness and espresso gelato. Sorbet flavors are blood orange ginger, a refreshingly tart limoncello, mango lime chile with a spicy kick and tasty red berry Prosecco. Order one, two and three scoops served in a cup or in a large waffle cone. The flavors change periodically because customers and the owners like the variety. “We eat it, too!” said Toni.
Cypress Cafe (300 South Second St.) is the place to get the futuristic Dippin’ Dots Ice Cream, those tiny spheres of ice cream that melt away to creamy goodness in your mouth. One popular flavor is Cookies ’n Cream studded with generous chunks of Oreos. The cafe also sells Chocolate, Rainbow, Strawberry and sometimes Mint Chocolate. The dots are scooped out of containers held in a special freezer and served by the cupful. Lots of cups.
Chef Sherry Prater says students from the nearby schools are huge fans of Dippin’ Dots and they come in regularly for their favorite flavors. “You don’t want to run out,” said the chef. “You should see those disappointed little faces.” Grownup ice cream fans lean more toward Cypress Cafe’s vanilla served atop a chocolate chip brownie, crowned with whipped cream, chocolate caramel and Prater’s praline-candied pecans.
Over at Purple Banana (300 South Second St.), cool treats come in eight flavors of frozen yogurt and more than 40 toppings. Do the math. Or rather, work your way through the standard selections of self-serve froyo - vanilla, strawberry, cheesecake, cake batter and triple chocolate - or go for the seasonal offerings of cappuccino, tangerine mango and butter pecan (if you’re remembering something you had that was minty, that probably was last holiday season).
Picking toppings can be a little challenging, just because there are so many delicious choices: coconut, pecans, chocolate chip, Oreos, Butter Fingers, and many more. Enjoy your frozen yogurt in cups or cones (waffle and small sugar cones). At the cash register, guess the weight of your serving and it's free if you're right!
LuLu’s on Main
126 Main St. (228) 463-1670 Sycamore House 210 Main St. (228) 469-0107 Cannella Creperie and More 1113 U.S. 90 (228) 467-4110 Cypress Cafe 300 South Second St. (228) 466-4877 Purple Banana 107 Court St. (228) 466-2978 Rum Kitchen
Chappy, whose original seafood restaurant opened in Long Beach in 1984, said that Hurricane Katrina “completely uprooted” his life and that he’s thrilled to finally be back home in Waveland. “I’m trying to get back to my life that I love so much,” he said. Not one to look back, Chappy said, “I’m trying to move ahead with new ideas, fresh ideas.”
The Caribbean flair is found throughout the dining area and even into the ladies’ room, where leftover wood takes an artistic turn. Chappy credits his wife Starr and his sister, New Orleans artist Connie Chapman, for pulling together all the pieces and parts to give the restaurant its tropical look. The taste, though, is what keeps customers coming back, like the starter choices to share with the table: avocado mango dip, seafood hushpuppies and Yea Mon Nachos (pulled pork, black beans, jalapeños, tomatoes, red onion, lime cream, cilantro, and tons of melted cheese).
Tacos with fish and various fillings are on menus everywhere these days but at Rum Kitchen the Off the Grid tacos come in some unique iterations. Choose beef, seafood, lamb, chicken, duck, pork, and vegetarian, all served on 4-inch corn tortillas.
The brisket has big flavors accented by BBQ sauce, cilantro, and crunchy fried shallots. Flavorful Jerk Chicken is sweetened with mango salsa. The popular Miss Queen doubles down with pulled pork, jalapeño salsa, spicy and vinegary BBQ sauce and roasted corn relish. Tacos come in twos, threes and fours with one or two sides. Coconut mango rice is a pleasant sweet surprise, light and flavorful. The Callaloo-smothered greens got raves on two lunch outings. Also available are sweet potato fries, black beans with chorizo, grilled asparagus and mashed potatoes.
The sandwiches-and-burgers menu includes the standout ground chuck burger and the grilled mahi mahi with creole seasoning. Both drew raves recently from lunch customers.
The Me Hearty Plates offer even more innovative choices, like braised lamb in a tomato curry, grilled chicken with the restaurant’s signature sauce, red curry shrimp, ribs and a char gilled ribeye with garlic chutney. Mahi Mahi, jerk chicken and brisket are found into the salad selections, too. For dessert, dig into the Bahama Mama bread pudding, made fresh daily, or Key lime pie, among other decadent selections. Go ahead. Pretend you’re on vacation. Rum Kitchen is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving lunch and dinner. There is a full bar. Call 228-467-9099. Pink is the New White: The Rosés of Summer
The ancient Greeks drank pink wine in hot weather - they were definitely on to something. With Anna's recommendations for Steals (around $10), Deals ($15 range) and Splurges ($20 - $40 range) - all locally available in the Bay-Waveland area!
- by Anna Speer
While primitive, this "skin contact" method is not so different from the primary winemaking techniques used to make rosé today. Thus, we can say that rosé wines are probably the oldest wine style in the world. Keep that fact in your back pocket while proudly drinking rosé at a party: you and Socrates probably have the same taste in wine.
Today, rosés display great variety in color and taste profile, ranging from off-orange and bone-dry to bright purple and sweet. Rosés spend a notably short time in maceration (that's wine-speak for processing and maturing); this limits their shelf life. These are "right now" wines best consumed within a year of production, with the newest vintages offering the freshest choices. Let's take a look at the most popular grapes used to make rosé and the styles of wine they produce: Grenache accounts for over 60 percent of rosé blends and is also used to create single varietals. Most notably, these grapes are used in immensely popular French Grenache/Cinsault/Syrah blends. These wines are fresh, fruity and acidic, with good body and a long finish. They show best when fully chilled, and go well with literally everything, especially hot July evenings. Of all the wines I sampled for this article, Grenache-based rosés were far and away my favorites.
Syrah rosés are also delicious, showing a slightly more funky, savory style; they should be served slightly warmer than GCS blends and go beautifully with anything grilled. Rosés of Pinot Noir are gaining popularity along the Pacific coast, with Oregon and Washington creating some earthy, delicate options. In other regions of the world, rosés are made from Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and other red grapes; sadly, these styles are less available in our market.
"But Anna, what about White Zinfandel? It's pink!" Sigh. How did I know this question would come up? Here's the easy answer. In the '70s, the demand for white wine exceeded the available plantings in California, so a business-savvy winemaker made a white wine from red Zinfandel grapes. There was a problem with the fermentation process; not all the sugar changed to alcohol. The result was a very sweet pink wine, and the winemaker decided to sell it. Hello, White Zinfandel, White Merlot, etc. While popular, we do not consider these wines to be in the same category as rosés.
So, how do we select our ideal rosé? Start by asking a few questions. "Is it dry?" Sometimes, this question can be answered by looking at the wine's country of origin. European rosés tend to be drier while U.S. and New World rosés can lean toward semi-sweet. If you are looking for a sweet pink, refer to the previous paragraph. "How's the color?" Try to avoid selecting a wine solely based on color: while consumers tend to purchase deeper-hued rosés, blind taste tests have demonstrated a strong trend in preference for lighter ones. When in doubt, go French; they've been doing the rosé thing for a long time. "Will the boys like it?" Gentlemen, pink wine isn't just for the ladies: this is a lasting trend we all need to jump on. If anyone raises an eyebrow at you while you're sipping on a delicious glass of summertime heaven, tell them this: it's not ROsé, its BROsé. Steals, Deals, Splurges
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There are times when eating breakfast for lunch makes perfect sense and the Sunrise Café is the local go-to spot for both.
- story and photos by Lisa Monti |
315 Reese St.
Bay St. Louis 228-216-9777 Hours: Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to noon. |
There’s breakfast and there’s lunch. And then there’s the time when eating breakfast for lunch makes perfect, satisfying sense.
Lucky for you Sunrise Cafe, a cozy spot at Dunbar Avenue and U.S. 90 on the service road behind C Spire, offers delicious breakfast dishes from early morning to afternoon closing time. And lunch, too. “I do cooked-to-order breakfast, sandwiches, soups and plate lunches,” said owner Cindy Kane. The daily lunch special might be red beans and rice, pork chops, lasagna or meatloaf. “It depends on the day and what mood I wake up in,” she laughingly explained. |
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“It’s pretty steady most days but Saturday is our busiest,” she said. “Most of our customers are local but we do have some who come from Waveland, Pass Christian and even Long Beach. And Hollywood Casino has a valet who always recommends us to guests.”
Kane said she loves her cafe’s location and the town’s welcoming, small-town atmosphere. “I have great neighbors in this little business area. We have a dentist, an orthodontist, and the cellphone company. It’s a close-knit community. When customers come in, they know each other,” she said.
There are also breakfast standards like buttermilk pancakes and hard-to-come-by dishes like corned beef hash. The menu covers all the breakfast bases.
Lunch items include tasty burgers, mixed green salads, sandwiches and melts plus made-from-scratch desserts. Homemade soup of the day is partnered with a small tossed salad or half a chicken salad croissant.
Kane said the cafe’s menu is pretty well set, but don’t be surprised if you see more sandwiches and fewer plate lunches during the heat of the summer season. And of course you can satisfy your breakfast food cravings any time the cafe is open.
Williams Pit Bar-B-Que
514 Old Spanish Trail, BSL, 226-671-9436
- story by Lisa Monti, photos by Ellis Anderson
Music was blaring one recent morning at Williams Pit BBQ, but Phil Williams was concentrating on the kitchen and lunch ingredients. The daily special was pork chops and he was overseeing the sides and whatever else needed tending before customers started showing up at his restaurant at 514 Old Spanish Trail between Sycamore and Washington Streets.
The kitchen is familiar territory for the 70-year-old Williams, who has been cooking and catering for years. He’s in the restaurant seven days a week “unless I have a major catering job or gig, then we have to close,” he said. “You know I’m a musician and I go out of state sometimes.” To read more about Phil, read ourGood Neighbor column, March 2013 |
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La Chula Mexican Restaurant
829 Hwy 90
Bay St. Louis
228.467.4426
- story and photos by Lisa Monti
The Bugs We Love to Eat
- by Lisa Monti
Serious Bread Making Serious Sandwiches
- story by Lisa Monti, photos by Lisa Monti and Ellis Anderson
Serious Bread Bakery
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The sandwich was crisped in a panini press (using olive oil, not butter) and served with a pickle slice and a bag of Lay’s potato chips, a classic accompaniment. Depending on availability and your preferences, the sandwich ingredients vary, but you know the bread and everything in between will be good and tasty.
Turns out The Works is a runaway favorite with Old Town workers who order their panini to go.
Back to those carryout items. The deep green pesto is a swirl of fresh basil, walnuts, garlic, sea salt, olive oil and Parmesan cheese. The spicy hummus (garbanzo beans, extra-virgin olive oil, tahini, garlic, cumin, sea salt, fresh lemon juice and just a bit of red pepper flakes).
You’re probably familiar with Serious Bread’s chicken salad, made with freshly roasted chicken, apples, almonds and cranberries, but maybe not with tabouli, a Lebanese salad blending bulgur wheat, feta, tomatoes, black olives, green onions and cilantro.
The bars are made of dried fruits, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, oats, coconut, almonds, pecans, flax seed, sesame seed and honey. Like everything made at Serious Bread, they’re all natural.
It’s been a dozen or so years since the Jensens started making Serious Bread and selling it at farmer’s markets. Lucky for locals (and visitors), for the past two years, they have an Old Town home at 131 Main Street.
Al, a retired oceanographer long known as "The Breadman," was a lifelong fan of sourdough and after he started baking his own bread, he and Vivian traveled to bread classes all over the country.
Between operating the Old Town storefront and working various farmer's markets, the Jensens and their crew stay busy making and selling all those great artisan sourdough breads, double chocolate brownies, cinnamon rolls, scones, and a variety of muffins and cookies. Their famous flatbreads are available in their cafe on weekends and on farmer's market days.
Menge to Main: The New Old Cuevas Bistro
Hours: Lunch starts Jan. 4
11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday;
11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday;
Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting Jan. 10.
Have you been to the handsome new Old Cuevas Bistro yet? It’s only been open a few weeks but some diners on a recent Tuesday night were back for their second and third visits.
And the crowd filling the bar stools looked so comfortably settled in, you could assume they were already regulars. Or it could be they had to wait for a table. The place was full. Long story short: The original Old Cuevas Bistro on Menge Avenue owned by Cassandra Timmons burned down in July 2014. The reopening/move to 111 Main Street by Timmons and Toni Strickland got rolling earlier this year, and after a long slog, the doors finally opened December 15. |
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But the kitchen already is humming along in high gear, turning out shareable appetizers and generous entrees, plus a string of sides. Specials change daily, starting with red beans and rice on Mondays.
The Oysters St. Louis heads the list of appetizers, and rightfully so. The local oysters are wrapped in smoky bacon, skewered, fried to a crispy state and sauced with citrus beurre blanc.
Fried oysters. Bacon. Buttery sauce. Yes, please. Easily could pass as an entree.
The house-made pork and veggie spring rolls were crunchy and delicious on their own with the Thai chili sauce and came with Asian slaw that was a surprise standout, rich with soy sauce.
The appetizer list includes familiar favorites — crab cakes, fried green tomatoes — plus some unique ones like duck quesadillas and baked cheese gratin.
Each of the three chicken entree dishes sounded better than the next: Montrachet, Milanese, and Blue Corn. The Montrachet chicken breast was pan fried to perfection, stuffed with spinach and various cheeses and topped with pesto cream sauce alongside angel hair pasta. And the leftovers held up well - until lunch the next day.
Bottom line: The long-awaited Old Cuevas Bistro is worth the wait and a welcome addition to Old Town.
Louie & the Redhead Lady in the Bay
136 Blaize Avenue
228-344-3338
- story by Lisa Monti, photos by Ellis Anderson
On opening day at Louie & the Redhead Lady last Wednesday (Nov. 25), they were serving up equal amounts of warm hospitality and traditional New Orleans dishes with just-right spice.
From our vantage point, it was clear that this wasn’t the first opening for owners Chef Louie and Ginger Finnan. The Finnans' restaurant of the same name in Mandeville, La., had a loyal following, and when the sign went up on Blaize Avenue that Louie & the Redhead Lady was opening in the Depot District, word spread around town and beyond. |
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Louie’s roots are in the French Quarter; Ginger’s are in the Irish Channel. She works the front of the house, and he’s in the kitchen. The chef, a former electrician, learned to cook from his grandmother and has cooked for 40 or so years to raves.
When he was featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” in 2011, host Guy Fieri called Louie’s grits & grillades “a breakfast that eats like dinner.” [Watch the Food Network video about the Mandeville location at the end of this story!]
As Ginger said: “Food makes a chef. God makes a cook.”
Our opening day lunch was a good introduction to the long menu: rich, dark chicken and Andouille gumbo, loads of fried fish with sweet potato fries, and two hefty crab cakes coated in crunchy bread crumbs drizzled with a rich remoulade.
The generous fried green tomatoes were topped with poached eggs and the crispy Leidenheimer bread couldn’t contain all the fried shrimp that came in the po’boy.
Lunchtime offerings (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) include the storied Eggplant Algiers appetizer: a hearty stack of fried eggplant medallions layered with boiled shrimp, crab meat and crab cake, topped with a light cream sherry sauce, and otherwise known as Louie’s “Stairway to Heaven.” Here, also, are gumbo, salads, pasta, steaks, classic fried seafood, po’boys, and the list goes on.
The chef’s special holiday menu will run through New Year’s.
Watch for the rollout of daily lunch specials for $8 (red beans, baked chicken, spaghetti & meatballs, liver & onions and fried fish), Saturday brunch and extended hours in the near future.
Louie & the Redhead Lady is open Monday through Saturday. For now, bring your own wine.
The Starfish Café
- story and photos by Lisa Monti
“Wellness for a lifetime” isn’t just the tagline for Starfish Cafe; it’s a kind of “mother sauce” for the flavorful meals prepared in the kitchen by executive chef Zac Fillhart and his apprentices.
Using garden-fresh herbs, vegetables and edible flowers along with locally grown and purchased ingredients, the Starfish Cafe has crafted an eclectic menu that goes beyond good, and straight to good-for-you. “We shop every day,” said Di Fillhart, executive director of PNEUMA Winds of Hope, the nonprofit that oversees the cafe. There isn’t even a walk-in on the premises, so you know it’s all fresh. Each dish — from starters and soups to sandwiches and specials — is created and prepared with a focus on great taste and good health. That’s the commitment Fillhart made when she opened Starfish in 2013 as the centerpiece for a culinary learning program. |
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A recent lunch for our trio started with greeting friends we spotted at just about every table in the small dining room. It’s that kind of place: familiar, friendly, and comfortable.
Our timing was off because of a very long freight train so the must-have spring rolls were already gone. Get there early to enjoy the spring mix with tomato, carrot, mango, cukes, mint and sesame ginger dressing inside a tapioca rice wrapper. The accompanying peanut sauce is homemade, as you would expect.
Rebounding from the spring roll miss, we ordered the roasted asparagus “fries,” deliciously crunchy with a parmesan coating, and a delicious, addictive starter.
One of the daily specials made its way to our table: the blackened Mississippi catfish tacos with mango mint coleslaw were served with organic chips and homemade pico.
“We’re so small that we can customize a lot of orders according to taste and dietary needs,” Di said. “If you have dietary restrictions, this is the place for people who find it difficult in other restaurants.”
If you’re the kind of diner who likes to go by the numbers, the cafe’s menu has an Under 500 section just for you. I’m not that kind of person but the Thai steak salad caught my attention. The marinated strips of filet topped a large portion of romaine, garden fresh basil, mint and cilantro and all of it was flavored with a citrusy Thai lime dressing. All that goodness and just 160 calories. I know.
There are a couple of other ingredients the folks at Starfish Cafe like to use in generous amounts. “We put a heavy portion of love and happiness in every dish,” said Di. “Our regulars tell us they can taste it.”
West End Returns!
Waveland's go-to place for seafood opens with everyone's favorite's still on the menu – and a few new tasty delights, including a raw bar!
- story by Lisa Monti, photos Ellis Anderson |
West End Restaurant
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Fans returning to Waveland’s West End Restaurant, which was closed for a short hiatus, are finding some changes to the dining room and the menu. The raw bar, featuring a small pirogue, is where diners can choose from raw oysters, ceviche, marinated crab claws and shrimp cocktail. Owners Kelyn and Mark Breland plan to add a variety of oysters from Alabama and other states soon. They’re also planning to offer an early-bird special soon.
On a recent Tuesday, diners on lunch break filled tables in the front dining room, a gathering of friends met on the sunny side courtyard and a hard working group from the Cleaver met for our casual monthly lunch in the middle dining room. Its chalkboard walls are decorated with quotes by foodies and about eating. It fits right in with the Brelands’ motto for West End: Small-town ease, Big Easy Flavor. |
Coast Cuisine
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Meals at West End start with a small loaf of French bread delivered to the table in a paper bag. It's a nice way to get a meal under way and the bread at West End is warm, light and crispy.
I didn’t do the math but our table seemed split between the menu classics and the daily specials. I had a cup of rich gumbo loaded with seafood along with half a fried shrimp poboy on Leidenheimer bread. Pardon the crumbs. Enough said.
Up and down the table, all the choices appeared appetizing, from the generous and juicy West End burger covered with melted Swiss to the show-stopping avocado crab salad and the fried green tomato poboy. An appetizer of fried green tomatoes topped with crabmeat and accompanied by a small serving of a special sauce stood up well to the full-sized entrees.
West End is partial to seafood but if you lean more toward pasta, steaks, and veal dishes you can find those, too.
West End, located at 635 U.S. Route 90, is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Sycamore House Sushi Night
- story and photographs by Ellis Anderson
For a classic fine dining restaurant, Sycamore House has always walked a little on the wild side. For instance, although meals are served on china plates, every dish on the table will be from a different vintage pattern. White tablecloths and chandeliers give the dining rooms a sense of old world formality, but resort wear is the most common attire for diners. "Come casual, we'll supply the elegance" is even painted on the sign outside.
But even many regular customers aren't aware of the menu that comes out only on Wednesday nights, the one that offers over a dozen varieties of sushi. And of course, this sushi is very different than you find at most Japanese restaurants. Like everything else on the menu, it has the distinctive Sycamore House spin. |
Coast Cuisine
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While die-hard sushi aficionados may go for the nigiri, it's probably a safe bet that most Sycamore House guests on Wednesday night are there for the maki rolls. Even the lowly California roll takes on a new glamour. While it's the norm at most restaurants to use the imitation crab meat in rolls, the ones at Sycamore House are made with the real McCoy, wrapped up with avocado, radish and cucumber.
The crawfish roll pairs the cajun delight with asparagus, cucumber and a surprising chipotle boursin sauce. Salmon pairs up with caperberry aioli, and the shrimp get a kick from a spicy mayo. There's even a BBQ shrimp roll. Really. Made with the restaurant's signature recipe at the heart. And they're generously portioned as well.
The SycHouse roll leaves nothing to the imagination: everything you can think of (fresh crabmeat, crawfish, yellowfin tuna and asparagus) is stuffed inside and then tempura battered and fried. The queen of rolls though has got to be the Surf n Turf: shrimp and veggies on the inside, buttery tender steak on the out.
The sushi is Stella's baby, although it was one of the food specialties both studied while training at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. Several years ago, the couple were casting about for something to jazz up mid-week in the restaurant. The sushi idea came up since at the time there were few ethnic food offerings in the area. Now there's a loyal following of fans that return each Wednesday.
Reservations aren't necessary, but it's always best to make one: call (228) 469 - 0107.
- story by Lisa Monti/photos by Ellis Anderson
Shrimply Delightful!
We seafood lovers consider ourselves very lucky to have plenty of fresh Gulf fish, oysters, crabs and shrimp available year round. Summertime especially seems to be prime time for fans of seafood, especially shrimp, which is the most popular seafood in the U.S.
Wild Gulf shrimp come in three varieties: brown, white and pink or spotted, according to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources’ Mississippi Gulf Seafood marketing program. The shrimp have their own look and taste, according to the DMR. Brown shrimp have a distinct salty flavor and are characterized by grooves on the back of their shells. Found in shallow waters, they bury themselves in the sand during the day to hide from predators. |
Coast Cuisine
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Mississippi Gulf Pink Shrimp are perfect for boiling because they’re easy to peel and its firm, tender meat is mild and sweet. It’s the largest of the Mississippi Gulf shrimp, reaching up to 11 inches.
You can buy shrimp off the boat, out of the back of a van, from the seafood market, the grocery store or you can catch them yourself.
Diners at our local restaurants don’t have to wade too far into a menu to find shrimp appetizers, entrees, poboys, pasta and salads.
Rickey Peters of Rickey’s Off the Tracks said he chooses shrimp by size, not by species. The current customer favorite is shrimp remoulade with his special Creole mayo sauce.
Tony Trapani of Trapani’s Eatery declared that domestic shrimp are the best and that size or species doesn’t matter. Customers are ordering plenty of fried shrimp as well as the blackened and grilled versions.
Lulu's on Main
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It’s a Lulu’s thing: people drive from Mobile for one of the “debris” roast beef po-boys. They invite their friends for dinner on the delightful screened porch that catches the gulf breezes. During Sunday brunch, families gather to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries - and just the fact that it’s Sunday again in the Bay. During the week, shopping BBFs give their feet a break while enjoying a refreshingly fresh homemade lunch.
Welcome to the new Lulu’s on Main. The things that made this lunchtime restaurant a coast favorite for eight years remain unchanged - which will be a big comfort to die-hard fans. There’s just more of everything now: more space, more art, extended hours and new creative dishes. |
Coast Cuisine
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Even the kitchen has grown, from a cramped room to a spacious state-of-the-art chef’s dream.
In fact, this all is a dream, one that owner/chef Nancy Moynan has been nurturing for decades.
“It’s been my dream and my passion and finally I’m living it,” she says. “All I’ve ever wanted is a place where the food, the service and the ambiance combine to give diners an outstanding experience.”
Moynan brings a lot of outstanding experience of her own to the table. She grew up learning the nuances of flavor by watching her grandmother and mom. She cooked for three years in the legendary Commander’s Palace restaurant in New Orleans. She also worked for five years as private chef for a Lebanese family, adding expertise in Mediterranean cooking to her Creole and Italian mix.
The Sunday Brunch menu tempts diners with traditional favorites and scrumptious flights of fancy. Authentic Grillades and Grits (a dish very difficult to find on menus now - even in New Orleans eateries), Crabby Lulu (a scrumptious crab cake and egg creation) and a Sausage soufflé.
There’s also the tantalizing Redfish Florentine. It features fresh gulf redfish, seared and served with a creamy spinach Madeleine, sautéed mushrooms and artichoke hearts and two poached eggs. The whole seductive dish is covered in a homemade hollandaise sauce. Bringing friends who will share tastes of their own plates is highly recommended.
Desserts served at all meals include homemade ice creams and sorbets, Lulu’s Chocolate Mud, and Betty’s Bread Pudding, named after the chef’s mom.
Even little things like the saltine crackers that come with the chicken salad showcase Nancy’s distinctive flair. What magic does she work to make them so savory, and downright addictive? She holds her cards close to her vest, but encourages diners to experiment in their own kitchens at home.
“That’s the best compliment someone can pay,” Moynan says. “ I want them to leave looking forward to their next meal here.”
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