Category: dessert

review: three sisters and a chef…

Brigtsen’s, New Orleans, Louisiana … walk into a bar. Kidding. Sandra, Rhonda, and Marna. Those are three names you should have in your pocket when you arrive at Brigtsen’s.* These three women opened the restaurant in 1986 with Marna’s husband, Frank Brigtsen. It was Marna’s night off on my recent visit to the restaurant.  But […]

Continue

review: three sisters and a chef…

Brigtsen’s, New Orleans, Louisiana … walk into a bar. Kidding. Sandra, Rhonda, and Marna. Those are three names you should have in your pocket when you arrive at Brigtsen’s.* These three women opened the restaurant in 1986 with Marna’s husband, Frank Brigtsen. It was Marna’s night off on my recent visit to the restaurant.  But […]

Continue

review: six blocks to elysian fields…

Lobster, Egg, and Caviar Stella!, New Orleans, Louisiana Coincidence is a curious thing.  Sometimes, it can be a b*tch. Just before dessert, the sommelier arrived with a bottle of Champagne, a gift from the chef, Scott Boswell. To explain how this happened, let me rewind to the beginning of our meal at his restaurant, Stella! […]

Continue

review: six blocks to elysian fields…

Lobster, Egg, and Caviar Stella!, New Orleans, Louisiana Coincidence is a curious thing.  Sometimes, it can be a b*tch. Just before dessert, the sommelier arrived with a bottle of Champagne, a gift from the chef, Scott Boswell. To explain how this happened, let me rewind to the beginning of our meal at his restaurant, Stella! […]

Continue

review: galatwahs…

Oysters Rockefeller Galatoire’s, New Orleans, Louisiana As with the “The Quartah,” “oystahs,” and “Chartah Street,” the locals drop the “r” and call it “Galatwahs.” Founded in 1905 by French immigrant Jean Galatoire, over the last century, this unassuming restaurant on Bourbon Street has become New Orleans’s most beloved institution. This is where the city celebrates. […]

Continue

review: galatwahs…

Oysters Rockefeller Galatoire’s, New Orleans, Louisiana As with the “The Quartah,” “oystahs,” and “Chartah Street,” the locals drop the “r” and call it “Galatwahs.” Founded in 1905 by French immigrant Jean Galatoire, over the last century, this unassuming restaurant on Bourbon Street has become New Orleans’s most beloved institution. This is where the city celebrates. […]

Continue

review: extra schmaltzy…

Wild Shrimp & Grits Commander’s Palace New Orleans, Louisiana “He’ll play it extra schmaltzy,” said the leader of the jazz trio, nudging the trumpet player. Indeed, he did.  He played my song real nice like, smooth and sassy. There’s nothing like eating brunch in the Garden Room at Commander’s Palace with your friends while being […]

Continue

review: extra schmaltzy…

Wild Shrimp & Grits Commander’s Palace New Orleans, Louisiana “He’ll play it extra schmaltzy,” said the leader of the jazz trio, nudging the trumpet player. Indeed, he did.  He played my song real nice like, smooth and sassy. There’s nothing like eating brunch in the Garden Room at Commander’s Palace with your friends while being […]

Continue

review: pig out…

Cochon Butcher New Orleans, Louisiana Apparently, a trip to New Orleans is an obligatory race to see how many calories one can intake, how high one can boost their cholesterol, in the course of their stay.  The only prize is the satisfaction of one’s own gluttony. My trip happened to be four days short, and […]

Continue

review: pig out…

Cochon Butcher New Orleans, Louisiana Apparently, a trip to New Orleans is an obligatory race to see how many calories one can intake, how high one can boost their cholesterol, in the course of their stay.  The only prize is the satisfaction of one’s own gluttony. My trip happened to be four days short, and […]

Continue

recipe: coconutty…

7-Layer Coconut Cake Frank Stitts About a month ago, the hostess of the new year’s eve dinner party to which I had been invited (touted to be one of the most exclusive and sought-after invitations among some) dropped a subtle hint. Her husband was coconutty. Much to the horror of some, I like a bit […]

Continue

recipe: coconutty…

7-Layer Coconut Cake Frank Stitts About a month ago, the hostess of the new year’s eve dinner party to which I had been invited (touted to be one of the most exclusive and sought-after invitations among some) dropped a subtle hint. Her husband was coconutty. Much to the horror of some, I like a bit […]

Continue

review: expatriate…

Fresh Fig and Goat Cheese Salad Union J, Hong Kong In 2006, I met Eric Johnson, then executive chef at Jean Georges Shanghai, inadvertently. Though we had exchanged a few emails, I hadn’t anticipated that he’d call me out when I visited the restaurant unannounced. We kept in touch loosely over the subsequent years. Serendipitously, […]

Continue

review: expatriate…

Fresh Fig and Goat Cheese Salad Union J, Hong Kong In 2006, I met Eric Johnson, then executive chef at Jean Georges Shanghai, inadvertently. Though we had exchanged a few emails, I hadn’t anticipated that he’d call me out when I visited the restaurant unannounced. We kept in touch loosely over the subsequent years. Serendipitously, […]

Continue

review: constant, steady, ever-faithful…

Salmon-Caviar Le Bernardin, New York I don’t take my birthday too seriously.  All I ask for is a very good meal (or a few) shared with good friends. For the past few years, I’ve made it a point to celebrate my birthday away from home.  I’ve had a strong bias for New York, which has […]

Continue

review: constant, steady, ever-faithful…

Salmon-Caviar Le Bernardin, New York I don’t take my birthday too seriously.  All I ask for is a very good meal (or a few) shared with good friends. For the past few years, I’ve made it a point to celebrate my birthday away from home.  I’ve had a strong bias for New York, which has […]

Continue

recipe: edible christmas memory…

Baba au Rhum A year ago today, I shot across France, from Paris to Lyon, on a bullet train with my friend Houston.  Destination: Paul Bocuse, the legendary (and longest-standing) three Michelin-starred restaurant. Our Santa Claus was Monsieur Bocuse.  Though not quite jolly, he was be-toqued, pear-shaped, rosy-cheeked, and bore lots of delicious goodies for […]

Continue

recipe: edible christmas memory…

Baba au Rhum A year ago today, I shot across France, from Paris to Lyon, on a bullet train with my friend Houston.  Destination: Paul Bocuse, the legendary (and longest-standing) three Michelin-starred restaurant. Our Santa Claus was Monsieur Bocuse.  Though not quite jolly, he was be-toqued, pear-shaped, rosy-cheeked, and bore lots of delicious goodies for […]

Continue

review: two-star ascendant…

Saddle of Venison le Bristol, Paris, France I had had a good run. But sadly, my luxurious, two-week romp through restaurants in the U.K. and France was coming to an end.  It was my last night in Paris. Four years ago, I struck up a conversation with my server at le Cinq, who seemed quite […]

Continue

review: two-star ascendant…

Saddle of Venison le Bristol, Paris, France I had had a good run. But sadly, my luxurious, two-week romp through restaurants in the U.K. and France was coming to an end.  It was my last night in Paris. Four years ago, I struck up a conversation with my server at le Cinq, who seemed quite […]

Continue