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Review: Kim Son

11 Nov
Spring Rolls

Spring Rolls

If you live in New Orleans, it’s possible you’ve never heard of Kim Son. It flies under the radar as far as Vietnamese places go and it’s located off the beaten culinary path. If you do know about Kim Son, you know it’s one of the best go-to places for Vietnamese and features one of New Orleans’ most expansive menus. Even Cheesecake Factory would be put to shame by the number of offerings.

I only stumbled across Kim Son because one night Pho Tau Bay and Nine Roses happened to be closed. Since then, it’s become my number one spot for Vietnamese. As a bonus, they also have a ton of Chinese dishes if you don’t want Vietnamese.

Pho with Medium Rare Beef Flank

Pho with Medium Rare Beef Flank

Kim Son has the best pho I’ve ever had, some of the best tofu I’ve ever had, and the salt baked items (shrimp, scallops, lobster, tofu and squid) are out of this world.

I can never go without having something salt baked. Usually, it’s the shrimp, but when I feel like splurging, I go for the lobster. The seafood itself is baked (though I think it’s fried) to an amazing crispy texture. Plus, the sauteed onions with ground black pepper and chili flake send things over the top.

Another favorite of mine is the Pho with Medium Rare Beef Flanks. The beef comes out medium rare, but cooks in the hot broth releasing even more juice into the broth and taking in the broth flavors at the same time. That’s my favorite version, but you can’t go wrong with any of them.

Salt Baked Shrimp

Salt Baked Shrimp

The make-your-own beef spring rolls make a great app to share at the table. You customize your spring rolls by adding in cucumber, cilantro, lettuce, carrots and other garnishes.

You also can’t go wrong with any of the tofu dishes. Try the tofu curry in the clay pot or the tofu with eggplant. Kim Son calls it “bean cake,” but rest assured, it’s tofu.

I haven’t had time to make it through the whole menu (that would probably take years), but everything I’ve ever had has been outstanding. It’s consistently fresh, never greasy and always tasty. Other Vietnamese places have great dishes, but none of them can match Kim Son’s overall effort.

Kim Son is located 349 Whitney Ave. in Gretna on the Westbank and is open Mon. through Sat. from 11 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.

 
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Posted by on November 11, 2011 in Eatin'

 

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Review: Slice

10 Nov
Slice's Caesar Salad

Slice's Caesar Salad

Slice is hands down my favorite quick pizza place in New Orleans. Both locations are consistent, but I’m partial to the Uptown Magazine Street location since it’s a few blocks from home. Plus, you can cross the street for Pinkberry after you’re done with pizza.

My go-to order starts with a salad. I vary up my salad selection between the Caesar, the Mesclun and the Spinach. The Caesar salad is a solid choice as far as Caesar salads go. The Spinach salad is also good, but my favorite is the Mesclun. The Mesclun salad is mixed greens, chevre goat cheese, walnuts and fresh local berries. All of the elements combined have a nice balance of sweet, pungent, creamy, crunchy and leafy.

Bacon Basil Garlic Slice

Bacon Basil Garlic Slice

Sadly, I’ve become a little set in my ways when it comes to ordering Slice’s pizza. I usually go for two slices and one is always the Bacon, Basil and Garlic. I love bacon. I love basil. I love garlic. So this slice speaks to my heart and taste buds. The fact that it’s a piece of white pie is even better.

Another one of my favorites is the Prosciutto, Gorgonzola and Arugula. It’s kind of like a delicious salad on a slice of pizza. The prosciutto is always fresh and the gorgonzola has a nice bite to it.

Slice also has some pretty good special slices. On my last visit, it was Buffalo Chicken which consisted of hot sauce, gorgonzola, buffalo chicken, red onion and celery. This is one of my favorite specials that Slice does.

Another great special is the Alligator Sausage special. I haven’t seen it in a while, but it’s definitely worth ordering if you happen to catch it.

Buffalo Chicken Slice

Buffalo Chicken Slice

I also often make my own slices. So far, my favorite combo has been pineapple, prosciutto and jalapeño. It’s sweet heat with the meatiness of the prosciutto. Slice has tons of toppings to choose from so the combos are nearly infinite.

Slice also has great price points. You can easily get a slice, a small salad and a drink for about $10. That’s a great deal.

I highly recommend Slice for a quick bite and high-quality pizza for a low price.

 
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Posted by on November 10, 2011 in Eatin'

 

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Recipe: Bacon, Broccoli and Jalapeño Frittata

09 Nov
Bacon, Broccoli and Jalapeño Frittata

Bacon, Broccoli and Jalapeño Frittata

If you haven’t already guessed, I like breakfast/brunch items that are easy to make and last a while. That said, here’s another frittata recipe that has more mainstream ingredients. It should balance out very nicely and get some heat from the jalapeños to help wake you up in the morning.

Ingredients

  • 1 broccoli crown, broken up into florets
  • 1/4 red onion, sliced
  • 3 slices of bacon
  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 8 eggs
    • Frittata Ingredients

    Frittata Ingredients

  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/3 cup milk (or heavy cream)
  • 8-10 jalapeño slices
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425F.
  2. Saute bacon, onion, broccoli, and jalapeño slices in a large oven-safe skillet or dish and toss with olive oil, half of the salt and half of the pepper.
    3. Frittata Before Baking

    Frittata Before Baking

  3. Cook until bacon is crisp (about 10-15 minutes).
  4. Whisk eggs, milk and cheese with remaining salt and pepper until eggs are fluffy.
  5. Pour egg mixture into skillet and cook until set (about 12 to 15 minutes).
  6. Cool frittata, cut into wedges and serve.

This is a great make-ahead recipe that can last you a few days for breakfast. You can refrigerate it for 4-5 days and reheat it when you’re in a rush.

If you want to adjust the heat, just take out some of the jalapeños so it isn’t as intense.

Photos courtesy of Miguel Solorzano Photography.

 
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Posted by on November 9, 2011 in Brunch, Cookin'

 

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