Shamrockin'

Corned Beef at the Irish House.  Photo by renee b. photography.

On Sunday New Orleanians of all races, creeds, and colors will be donning their favorite green attire in celebration of the patron saint of Ireland. Copious amounts of potatoes, corned beef, and cabbage will be consumed. Over on Third Street between Magazine and Constance, roast beef will be the celebratory sustenance of choice. Old men will quench their thirst with glasses of emerald hued Bud Light - liquid courage to proposition the young lass standing next to them with four simple words: "Kiss me, I'm Irish."

About a half mile down the road on the corner of St. Charles and MLK, a true Irishmen will be wrapping up a week long celebration of his native culture. Chef Matt Murphy decided that his homeland deserved a week long celebration leading up to St. Patrick's Day, and so he has flooded this week's calendar with traditional Irish music, special whiskey tastings, Irish film screenings and more.

In this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine, we review the Irish House, Chef Matt's local take on the traditional Irish pub. The menu includes much of the stereotypical Irish fare that we associate with the Emerald Isle - corned beef, pot pie, and plenty of potatoes. But Chef Matt has also successfully incorporated local flavors into his menu with Irish twists - such as the boudin cake with colcannon and smoked tomato sauce.

Chef Matt welcomes all to the Irish House this week to raise a glass in celebration of his heritage. Your last name need not be O’Brien, Callaghan, Fitzpatrick, or Flanagan to take part in the festivities. You only need to be Irish in spirit... or simply enjoy a well-poured pint of Guinness.

The Irish House
1432 St. Charles Avenue
(504) 595-6755

Slay the Golden Dragon

Ma po tofu at Jung's Golden Dragon II.
Photo by renee b. photography.

Before banh mi started turning up on menus like mushrooms after an autumn rain, before the David Chang fueled ramen and steamed bun craze, and before food nerds were drooling over the Pok Pok phenomenon, an ambitious meal of Asian cuisine usually featured exotic dishes like egg rolls dipped in duck sauce, crab rangoon,  and Mongolian beef. But somewhere along the way, someone decided that Chinese food was too tired, too bastardized for the American palate, and so an entire nation's culinary cannon faded into obscurity like music videos on MTV.

But what most of us ignorant lambs failed to realize is that Chinese food is every bit as exciting as the new bowl of soup that you recently discovered at your favorite pho shop. In this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine, we review Jung's Golden Dragon II, a Chinese restaurant where one can either indulge in familiar fare like shrimp toast and mandarin chicken or explore the unknown in a bubbling hot pot of pig intestine. Both yield splendid results.

Jung’s Golden Dragon II - Birdie
3009 Magazine Street
(504) 891-8280
Open Daily 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

The Gravy

If you are an ardent fan of Blackened Out Catfishing Corporation, then you probably know that we took the reigns of the Dining Out column in OffBeat Magazine back in September 2008. (Bonus points for anyone who remembers what restaurant we wrote about. Hint: onion rings.) What you should also know is that same in the same issue that kicked off our print media career, our OffBeat cohort Elsa Hahne began authoring The Gravy, a monthly series which marries New Orleans' two greatest loves: food and music.

Now, based on her monthly series, Elsa is set to publish The Gravy - In the Kitchen with New Orleans Musicians. In this full-color hardcover book, forty-four New Orleans musicians invite you into their kitchens to share their stories and recipes - from John Boutté's Glorious Oyster Pie to Creole Squash a la Big Al Carson. The introduction is written by none other Mac Rebbenack Jr. (better known as Dr. John) who gushes over the pleasure he derives from cracking open squirrel heads to feast on their brains.

Elsa has been working on this project for almost five years now, doing everything from interviews to photography, layout and design. For the last final push to publication, she needs a little help to cover some of the rather enormous printing cost, which at present is coming out of her own pocket. And so Elsa has turned to Kickstarter to help raise the funds to get The Gravy to print.

At the present time, Elsa is just about $1,400 short of her goal of $6,500. We implore our dear readers to contribute to this amazing project. If The Gravy turns a profit, Elsa has promised to pay the grant money she has received from Threadhead Cultural Foundation forward to the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic, which remains the only source of medical care for many local musicians without health insurance.

The Kickstarter campaign ends in 3 days. Let's make it happen.

How 'Bout 'Dem Oysters

Photo by renee b. photography.

The morning chill over the past two days has announced the arrival of winter - at least until we wake up next week and find that the temperatures are back up into the 70s. While the drop in mercury may entice some locals to warm themselves up with a hot toddy, here at Blackened Out Pilates Studio & Pawn Shop, winter brings with it a craving for ice cold raw oysters, which are at their best this time of year.

In this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine, we profile the oyster bar at Pascal's Manale, an aspect of the restaurant which deserves as much (or perhaps more) attention than Manale's famous barbeque shrimp. While many patrons use the oyster bar at Manale's as a prelude to their dinner, we are of the opinion that two dozen raw and a couple of beers make for the perfect Manale's dining experience.

So take a pass on the bib and settle down to one of the best hidden oyster bars in the city. Cocktail sauce is optional.

Oyster Bar at Manale's - Birdie
1838 Napoleon
(504) 895-4877

Keife & Co.

99 bottles of booze on the wall at Keife & Co. Photo by renee b. photography.

Though the weather outside is far from frightful, Christmas is just around the corner.  And we all know that the most important part of Chri$tma$ is, of course, presents - receiving more so than giving.  Having spent this past weekend in NYC (more on that trip soon), I can attest to the fact that the holiday shopping season is in full swing.  I once thought that my 13 years of Catholic schooling taught me all that I need to know about hell, and then I stepped foot inside Bloomingdale's on 59th and Lexington during December.

Instead of stuffing stockings this year with iTunes gift cards and lip gloss, why not fill them with bottles of single malt scotch and maybe a wedge of aged gorgonzola?  In this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine, we profile Keife & Co., downtown's newest purveyor of fine wines and spirits. Keife & Co. offers the most enjoyable shopping experience of the season, and owners John Keife and Jim Yonkus are happy to assist you in finding the perfect libation for the holiday season, whether it be a fine single barrel bourbon for your boss or a few bottles of burgundy for the neighborhood gathering.

The holidays are about spending time with family and friends. In such a case, booze is a necessity not a luxury. It's time to stock up.

Keife & Co.
801 Howard Ave.
(504) 523-7272
Tues-Sat 10am-8pm

And It Tastes Just Like Cherry Cola

Photo by renee b. photography.

We apologize that you will now have The Kinks' hit song stuck in your head for the rest of day.

After the Blackened Out twins each traveled separately to Spain over the previous 12 months, we have both had a hankering for jamon and other delicacies from Iberia. And so for this month's Dining Out column in OffBeat Magazine, we review Lola's, one of the forerunners of Spanish cuisine in the city.

Lola's has always been well known for its paella, the one pot rice dish which often serves as the introduction to Spanish cuisine for most newbies. And while the fervor for Spanish food has been driven by tapas and Michelin rated restaurants such as Arzak and Carme Ruscalleda's Sant Pau, Lola's has stuck to the nation's most recognizable dishes.  Seven days a week, cast iron paella pans fill nearly every table inside Lola's dining room on Esplanade, where diners sip sangria as if they were seated outside Las Ramblas in Barcelona or Paseo Maritimo in Valencia. Angel Miranda would have it no other way.

Lola's
3312 Esplanade
(504) 488-6946
Sun-Thur 5:30-9:30
Fri-Sat 5:30-10:30

"Blow Your Mind with Sausage"

Top photo by Cheryl Geber. Bottom photo by renee b. photography.

Anticipation is at an all time high this week in preparation for an annual fall classic. After months of preparation, fifty of the most talented craftsmen will ply their trade for thousands to experience. Blood will be shed. Bones will be broken. And with the first cold snap descending upon South Louisiana, you can literally feel the excitement in the air.

Plus, LSU plays Alabama on Saturday night in Death Valley.

Last year the inaugural Boudin & Beer exploded onto the culinary calendar as the prelude to Carnivale du Vin, the top dollar wine auction and gala benefiting the Emeril Lagasse Foundation. But as detailed in our write up in the November issue of OffBeat Magazine, Boudin & Beer has quickly involved into its own feature event. Co-chairs Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali, and Donald Link have had no trouble convincing their chef friends to join in on the greatest pork liver party that the Warehouse District has ever seen. As Rene puts it, "If a bomb goes off on Tchoupitoulas on Friday night, American cooking will be set back 100 years."

Tickets to Boudin & Beer are available for purchase online through Thursday. The $85 price of admission entitles you to 4 hours of all you can eat sausage, and you can expect a wide arrange of boudin interpretations ranging from the classic boudin noir to original creations stuffed with alligator and ostrich. Abita will be pouring nearly every beer in its portfolio, plus there will be wines from Au Bon Climat and bourbon from Buffalo Trace. Louisiana's own Feufollet, the Red Stick Ramblers, and the St. Claude Serenaders will share the stage with feature performer Drake White, whom we will give a free pass as an Alabama native for this one night only.

Boudin, beer, bourbon and Batali. What more can you ask for? It's one of our favorite events of the year, and we hope to see you there.

Boudin & Beer
Friday November 2nd
7:00-11:00pm
The Foundry
333 St. Joseph Street

OffBeat Eats

The Company Burger.

After an LSU victory over Johnny Football on Saturday and a hard fought Saints win in Tampa on Sunday, we have every reason to be all smiles at the office today, which is a rare occasion for a Monday. Still, it's tough to make the transition from two days of full of football bliss and beautiful weather to a week of TPS reports and breathing in recycled air from within the friendly confines of your cubicle.

Experience has taught me that easiest way to warm up to the work week is an escape during Monday lunch. Sure, it's easy to stay inside munching on carrot sticks and a turkey sandwich because you need to "make up" for the 17 beers and 9 breakfast tacos you shoveled down your gullet during pregame festivities on Saturday morning for the inexcusable 11:00am kickoff. Or you could keep the good times rolling with a double burger covered in melted in American cheese on a squishy brioche bun with thinly sliced red onions and bread and butter pickles.

In this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine, we review The Company Burger, the local burger specialist which has risen above the burger fray to establish itself as the preeminent purveyor of ground beef in patty form. Don't forget to grab a side of chipotle or basil mayo for fry dipping.

The Company Burger - Birdie
4600 Freret Street
Sun-Mon & Wed-Sat 11am-3pm, 5pm-10pm. Closed Tuesdays.
(504) 267-0320

R&O's

Photo by renee b. photography.

Last week we all endured a frightening episode of deja vu when Hurricane Isaac stalled over the city on the seventh anniversary of the landfall of Hurricane Katrina. Fortunately, the reinforced levee system operated as expected, and the city was spared any major flood damage. Unfortunately, Entergy turned in a 2005 FEMA-like performance when it came to the task of restoring power. But those of us who were without air condition for a few days should consider ourselves lucky in light of the loss felt by our neighbors in La Place, Plaquemines Parish, and the like.

When a storm approaches and we're either riding it out at home or evacuating to higher ground, New Orleanians often pass the time talking about the simple pleasures which we cannot wait to enjoy once life returns to normalcy. A ride on the streetcar down St. Charles. A jog around Audubon Park. A loaf of seeded Italian po-boy bread filled with roast beef debris.

In the September issue of OffBeat Magazine, we review R&O's, a bucktown staple where generations of families have come for a taste of our indigenous Creole-Italian cuisine. R&O's has always been a restaurant which caters to every taste. Fried shrimp? Yeah, they got that. Craving a po-boy? No problem. Grandma wants spaghetti and meatballs? Consider it done. Child will only eat pizza? Let him have it, along with the complimentary entertainment which comes from peeking through the kitchen window and watching the dough fly through the air.

No cotton candy foie gras. No sous vide tenderloin of Colorado lamb. No specialty cocktail menu. Just a place where locals come to get a good meal at a fair price. A simple pleasure certainly worth returning home for.

R&O's - Par
216 Old Hammond Hwy
(504) 831-1248

Feed Your Aura

The appetizer platter at Fatoush. Photo by renee b. photography.

Whenever I overhear someone discussing their cosmic energy, I am reminded of an anecdote from my sister's apartment search when she first moved to NYC. The Parisian Princess must have answered every Craigslist ad for roommates wanted, and she was introduced to quite a cross section of Manhattan crazies. But her most memorable prospect was a middle-aged, sari-clad Caucasian woman in Greenwich Village. After a five minute meeting and quick tour of the apartment, she told the Parisian Princess: "I really dig your aura. When can you move in?"

On my first visit to the New Orleans Healing Center, I half expected to see that same woman (or her local equivalent) offering discount directions to destiny or complimentary karmic cleansings. Instead, I found some of the best Middle Eastern food in the city and received renewed faith in my belief that the gyro can be something much more delicious than just a cheap lunch.

In the August issue of OffBeat Magazine, we review Fatoush, an organic restaurant which could easily convince a carnivore of the virtues of vegetarianism, if it were not for the fact that the kitchen does marvelous things with lamb. This is not your standard hummus joint - although the hummus is quite good, as is the atypical baba ghanoush (with a curious addition of diced tomato) and the white bean salad known as piyaz. Naturally raised, organic meats and breads baked in house are just a few of the other luxuries which come standard at Fatoush. Find out more in our Dining Out column.

Fatoush - Birdie
2372 St. Claude, Suite 130
(504) 371-5074

Victory in 1812

Beetin the Lime at Victory.

The month of the cocktail was widely celebrated in the July issue of OffBeat Magazine.  In this month's Eats Review, we take a look at Victory, an under the radar CBD watering hole which delivers first class cocktails.

Daniel Victory made a name for himself mixing up drinks at the Ritz-Carlton before opening his eponymous cocktail lounge with co-proprietor Andrew Emery. Victory sits on a lackluster block of Baronne Street just a few steps from office towers filled with thousands of cubicle dwellers who are in great need of an evening cordial to help wind down after the office grind. Cocktails at Victory begin with a complimentary tasting of the daily special, which on multiple occasions was so enjoyable that I ordered the same for my second and third rounds. The barkeeps are adept at attaining balance in a glass, and trusting their abilities is a sure path to refreshment. Read more about Victory in our full Eats Review online.

Two hundred years ago this past April, Louisiana was granted statehood. Ever wonder what life in New Orleans was like in 1812? The prospect of a hot July day without air conditioning is enough historical reenactment to dismiss any visions of grandeur from my mind. But forever the optimist, Rene instead looks at the glass half full (only because he drank the other half) by embarking on an examination of what drinks New Orleanians toasted with 200 years ago. He gets a little help from Neal Bodenheimer (of Bellocq and Cure) and cocktail aficionado Wayne Curtis, who explain that celebrations in New Orleans back then were not all that different from today.

Photo by renee b. photography.

Il Posto

Il Posto: An Uptown oasis. Photo by renee b. photography.

In the age of 24/7 Facebook updates, permanent connection to the office by mobile device, and the constant flow of information via 140 characters on Twitter, rarely do we allow ourselves to enjoy a few moments of off-the-grid peace and quiet. Sometimes in life, you need to stop, sit back, and smell the basil pesto.

Tucked away on a quiet corner of Uptown, Il Posto is a refuge from life as we know it. Time passes slowly in this tiny cafe, whose quaintness contributes to its charm. Patrons line up in the narrow space along the counter lined with panini presses (a defense attorney's nightmare), where the kitchen staff transforms bread, meat, and cheese into perhaps the most delicious sandwiches in town. For more on Il Posto, check out our full review in this month's Dining Out article in OffBeat Magazine.

May your weekend be filled with plenty of free time.

Il Posto
4607 Dryades Street
(504) 895-2620
Tues-Fri: 7am - 9pm
Sat: 8am - 9pm
Sun: 8am - 3pm

Final Weekend of the Fest

BBQ Shrimp Po-Boy from Liuzza's by the Track.

The mercury is rapidly rising and soon hundreds of thousands will once again flood the Fair Grounds for the final four days of the Fest. Kudos to all of the parrot heads out there who are playing hooky today. Those of us stuck in our cubicles are jealous with envy.

No matter how much you indulge in the bounty of festival eats, chances are that you will be ravenous when you exit the gates. The next question then becomes, "Where's dinner?"  Although there are several restaurants in close proximity to the Fest, the odds of you scoring a table at one of them this weekend are less than Jonathan Vilma's chances at overturning his suspension on appeal. The outdoor dining areas at Cafe Degas, Nona Mia, and Santa Fe will likely be full with revelers rehydrating and refueling. And in case you didn't take Rene's advice last week about grabbing a bloody mary on your way into the Fest, lightning could strike with an opportunity for a roast beef po-boy at Liuzza's by the Track, which is the subject of our Eats Review in this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine.

If you venture out just beyond the immediate vicinity of the Fair Grounds, the odds of a you finding an open table dramatically increase. To wit, I have 2 suggestions, both of which are a short streetcar ride or an ambitious walk up Carrollton Avenue. Toups' Meatery is a new venture by Isaac Toups, whose most prominent position was chef at Cuvee. I stopped by there for lunch last week and started with a spicy pork and poblano sausage and finished with an excellent confit chicken thigh atop firm white beans. More on Toups' in the coming weeks. My second suggestion is Taqueria Guerrero Mexico, which is almost a 2 mile hike from Esplanade but worth the journey for a ginormous torta filled with barbacoa.

Have a great weekend and don't forget the sunscreen.

Jazz Fest Feast

Some people see Jazz Fest as this:

Image courtesy of Ian Hoch/NOLA Defender.

When I think of Jazz Fest, I envision this:

Cochon de Lait Po-Boy from Love at First Bite.

While most Jazz Festers will be parked 100 yards from the Acura Stage listening to the Beach Boys or dancing in front of Congo Square to Cee Lo Green this weekend, I will likely be engaging in an internal debate as to whether I should go for that second cochon de lait po-boy from Love at First Bite. (And I must say that I had a taste of this pork perfection two weeks ago at French Quarter Fest, and it was best that I have eaten in the last 5 years.)

But as discussed in our article on feasting your way through Jazz Fest, doubling up on your favorite Jazz Fest foods may prevent you from enjoying the bounty from the Fair Grounds. So much to eat, so little stomach space to spare. You can read up on our tips for a multi-course Jazz Fest meal by clicking on the above link or by picking up a copy of OffBeat Magazine's Jazz Fest Bible on your way into the festival.

The food at Jazz Fest has been written about ad nauseum, so we will spare you from another Top 10 list. Instead, we want to know what you think are the most underrated and the most overrated eats at the Fest.

I'll start:

Most Underrated - Fatty's Cracklins
Most Overrated - Crawfish Enchiladas

French Quarter Fest is Here

Today marks the beginning of French Quarter Fest, the largest free music festival in the South. With more than 65 local restaurants participating this year, French Quarter Fest will be the hottest meal ticket in the city over the next 4 days.

Photo by renee b. photography.

A new addition to this year's list of French Quarter Fest food vendors is Blue Dot Donuts, who we profiled in this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine. Blue Dot will be offering it’s signature donut: the maple bacon long john. Think of it as a better version of dragging your breakfast sausage links through the pool of syrup leftover from your short stack of pancakes. And they will also be serving up the Dough Boy - a regular long john donut filled with your choice of Thai pulled pork or grilled shrimp.

Breakfast: it's what's for lunch and dinner.

Blue Dot Donuts
4301 Canal Street
(504) 218-4866
Mon-Fri: 6:00am - 4:00pm; Sat-Sun 6:00am - 3:00pm

Sylvain

Photo by renee b. photography.

Last week Rene and I were involved in an email discussion with a PR person about recent restaurant openings around town and why certain spots are touted more than others in the national and local media.

"I want to know why people think Sylvain is the best thing since sliced bread," he said. "I've been there - dig the atmosphere, the food's solid, but not something I'd write home about."

The fact that he brought up Sylvain was quite coincidental, considering that the Quarter gastropub/restaurant was the subject of our Dining Out column in this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine, which had just hit the presses a few days before.

The reasons that we chose to review Sylvain for this particular month are indicative of its popularity, in my opinion. April, as we all know, is the time of year when the Vieux Carre swells to capacity with tourists and locals packing the streets for the long Easter weekend, French Quarter Fest, multiple conventions, and Jazz Fest evening celebrations. Anticipating these crowds, our editor always encourages us to choose a restaurant in the Quarter to review for April issue. And considering the state of mind (sunburn and inebriated) and dress (shorts and sandals) of most potential restaurant patrons during this time of year, we seek out more casual spots in the Quarter befitting of the typical reader.

The problem is: How many casual restaurants in the Quarter offer food worth writing about? When you are too dressed down to dine at Bayona or Galatoire's but not drunk enough to consider eating at the River's Edge or Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company, what are your choices?

In recent years several restaurants have stepped up to fill in this gap in the French Quarter dining scene - Green Goddess, El Gato Negro, and Sylvain, to name a few. The fact that all of the above examples offer menus which do not include gumbo, jambalaya, or shrimp remoulade is further justification that not every diner is in search of typical creole fare. But they all serve solid (or in Green Goddess' case, borderline excellent) food at reasonable prices in a unique and interesting atmosphere.

Not exactly a shocking recipe for success.

Sylvain
625 Chartres Street
(504) 265-8123
Mon-Thur: 5:30pm-11:00pm
Fri-Sat: 11:30am-2:30pm; 5:30pm-12:00pm
Sun: 10:30am-2:30pm (Brunch); 5:30pm-10:00pm

McClure's

Photo by renee b. photography.

There are less than 5 days until City Pork erupts into a smoke-filled celebration of the pig, and many of the city's self-proclaimed barbecue experts will be on hand to vie for the coveted Grand Champion award. The local BBQ scene has exploded in recent years, and one of the most successful debuts comes from Neil McClure, a former manager of Dante's Kitchen who now runs his eponymous barbecue pop-up out of the same Riverbend restaurant during lunch Monday through Friday and on Tuesday nights.

Neil McClure has been pursuing a love of barbecue for his entire life, and he finally decided to take the plunge this past November. In this month's issue of OffBeat, we take a closer look at McClure's in our Dining Out column. Give it a read but be prepared for what could be an uncontrollable craving for smoked meats.

It's a long drive from the CBD to the Riverbend for a plate of brisket, but there is a delicious reward at the end of your journey. Neil McClure believes (and we agree with him) that barbecue is best enjoyed as a mid-day meal, which is why he is open to a permanent location closer to downtown. But those of you who can't make the trek to see Neil for lunch this week can rest assured that he will be dishing out plenty of barbecue on Saturday at Hogs for the Cause.

McClure's Barbecue

736 Dante St.

Mon – Fri: 11:30a.m. – 1:30p.m.; Tues: 6:30p.m. – 8:30p.m.

A Carnivore's Super Bowl Party

Despite a premature end to the Saints season, the Super Bowl is still being played on Sunday against our protesting. Not only does the day feature a contest between the two best teams in the NFL, armchair quarterbacks all over the country will be competing among themselves as to whom gain the most weight during the game. The annual clash on the gridiron demands that you consume copious amounts of processed cheese food, an entire bag of Fritos Scoops, a 12 pack of beer, and half of a king cake, all while patiently waiting to see if any of this year's advertisements will eclipse the genius of the E*Trade monkey commercial or if Madonna's top will fall off during the halftime show.

Photo by renee b. photography.

Or, instead of eating your weight in French Onion dip, you can live large by grilling up a selection of the finest meats from Rare Cuts. Hell, open up a nice bottle of wine and make a wager on the coin toss while you're at it. The end of carnival is just around the corner, and as we discuss in this month's Dining Out column in OffBeat Magazine, there is no better time to indulge in a premium cut of meat, and no better place than Rare Cuts to find that perfect piece of beef... or lamb... or pork... or veal... or chicken... or duck... or quail... or lobe of foie gras. They even have 100% all beef hot dogs for the kiddies.

Photo by renee b. photography.

We promise that Owner Henry Albert is much less menacing than he looks in this picture. Just don't touch his meat clever. (No, that is not a euphemism.)

Rare Cuts
801 Nashville Ave.
(504) 267-4687
Mon-Sat: 10am-7pm; Sun: 10am-5pm

Carmo

Photo by renee b. photography.

Well, those were a sobering 6 days of football for Southeast Louisiana. The gameday gear has been washed, folded, and stored away till September. It's as good a time as ever to start those New Year's resolutions, and we have just the spot for lunch today to help you make a smooth transition.

Hidden on a quiet block of Julia Street, Carmo is an off-the-path eatery where one can experience a unique array of flavors with roots in the Mid-East, Africa, South America, and everywhere in between. The subject of our review in this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine, Carmo is both an oasis for vegetarians and a delicious alternative for omnivores in search of lunch. It's a place where smoked pork and vegan cheese harmoniously coexist on a menu which defies explanation, but is most often described as "delicious".

Carmo
527 Julia Street
(504) 875-4132
Lunch: Mon-Sat, 11:30am - 3pm
Dinner: Tue-Sat, 5pm - 9pm

Martin Wine Cellar

Ah, the holidays.  Tis the season for giving, which requires endless shopping excursions to find the perfect gifts for those special people in our lives.  Nothing warms the heart to the Christmas season more than a leisurely stroll through Lakeside Mall, combing through rack after rack of argyle sweaters, watching customers fight to get to the front of the line at Jean Therapy, or sitting through an hour long fitting at Ann Taylor to find that perfect little back dress.  If there is a hell on earth, well... look no further.

Fortunately for 65 years, Martin Wine Cellar has offered the downtrodden male the most enjoyable shopping experience of the Christmas season. Despite the pride that Aunt Fanny takes in her shrimp mold, we all know that the most integral part of the holiday menu are the bottles lined up along the bar. And no store offers a wider selection of wine and liquor to help lubricate your holiday celebrations.



Photo by renee b. photography.

In this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine, we review the deli side of Martin's, which has always been as big of a draw for patrons as the number of single batch bourbons and white burdgundies that line the shelves of the store.

Martin's deli has come a long way since the days where options were limited to either an Executive Club or the Baronne Beast (which are still crowd favorites and rightfully so).  The menu has expanded to the "bistro" category, with a daily specials menu that ranges from wild mushroom pizza to braised rabbit.  But for those just looking for a pile of corned beef or pastrami between two slices of bread, look no further than the Deli Deluxe (pictured) which includes both.

So while making your shopping rounds this weekend, keep an mind that there is at least one stop along the way where you can stock up on the essentials, all while enjoying a nice lunch and a glass of wine.  You will need fuel to help carry those bags of gifts all day.