Lunch at Rambla

Before a few weeks ago, it had been quite a long time since my last meal at Rambla. The menu has somewhat evolved since the restaurant opened in October 2008. Tapas still comprise the majority of the menu, but the addition of bocadillos and sliders have made the restaurant (at least in my opinion) much more conducive to lunchtime dining.

Bocadillos are what would best be described as Spain's own version of the po-boy. Rambla offers four different versions, the best of which may be the simplest: layers of thinly sliced serrano ham topped with melted manchego and sweet onion jam (pictured right). Burgers can be a bit dry from the inclusion of ground pork, which also gives the patty an almost pale gray color. Word of advice: If the chorizo burger is offered as a special, make sure it ends up on your table.

As for the sliders, some may say their inclusion on the menu indicates some form of "selling out" to the mainstream. Maybe it is, but I'll leave judgment on that issue to the commenters and instead focus on taste. The chile braised pork shoulder came highly touted by the staff, and while the spicy shreds delivered the heat, the stale buns unfortunately detracted the great flavor of the pork. Too bad because $8 is a great deal for 2 sliders and a pile of thin and crispy french fries.

Even though burgers and sandwiches are now more the focus during lunch, tapas are still available for those wishing to sample a few different items. If you are looking for a light lunch (or even a few items to share among a group), the Tapas Trio (pictured top) offers a daily selection of tapas plus a salad for $14. Keep your fingers crossed one of those three is a pair of medjool dates stuffed with Marcona almonds and blue cheese, wrapped in bacon, and pan fried. I think that Rene said it best in our review of Rambla in OffBeat: "The stuffed dates combine in one bite the holy trinity of flavors: salty, sweet, and bacon."

One final note. Although the food is lunch-worthy, service is often not up to speed for those diners on a time crunch. My latest lunch was 80 minutes from entry to exit, though I have a feeling that a large group caught the kitchen off guard.

Lunch at Rambla - Par

PS - I don't know about you, but last night's episode of No Reservations had me on the verge of booking plane tickets for a return trip to Madrid. Since the cheapest flight leaving this week was over $1000, I am settling for the special wine dinner at Rio Mar on Thursday. I suggest you do the same. 9 dishes, 6 wines, and a whole lot of talk about Spain will make for what Chef Adolfo Garcia calls the "Spanish Wine Dinner of the Year." For menu details and information about our host, Spanish food, wine, and travel enthusiast Gerry Dawes, click here. Call 525-3474 to book your seats.

A Tapas of Links and Other Miscellany

We interrupt Peter's chronicle of debauchery and bacchanalian exploits for a message from our sponsors.


Read our take on Dome Food and also our review of Rambla.

And an exciting link for us.

Have you ever dreamed of meeting a real live food blogger, but don't know where they hang out? Are you busy on January 17, 2009? Well, come on down.

When you link to yourself does that mess up the space-time continuum or is it more like how one can never cross the same stream twice? Either way enjoy our egotistical links of the day.

My attempt at making caramel sea salt ice cream did not succeed but did not fail enough that I will not try again. I used this recipe from David Lebovitz. All failings were directly my fault. The texture of the cooked custard produced an ice cream with a tremendously luxurious mouth feel (which seems like it should be a dirty word). However, I think I went a tad to far into the realm of burning the caramel then I should have. The result was intense, in a drunken, brawl with a college friend at 2 a.m. which involves a head butt to the bridge of the nose kind of way. But alas such mistakes are expected.

And also, I think my ice cream maker sucks. The cold beast requires ice and ice cream salt in a proportion that calls to mind a calculus class I had with Mr. Cohen. Needless to say, I am not a math major. Plus, it doesn't freeze fast enough. And I would like a new one for Christmas. So if you don't know what to get the blogger who has everything, an automatic ice cream maker would be a good choice, but feel free to pick one out (I have a Kitchen Aid Mixer, there is an ice cream attachment for it). Or if you know of anyone who slings liquid nitrogen on the side, I guess I could always use that.

I did not think it was possible to improve on the Satsuma Wrestler, but once again I was wrong. Into a Kerry Vodka Collins glass, add a 5 second pour of Cat Daddy Moonshine, available at Cork and Bottle. Follow this up with 4 ounces of fresh squeezed Louisiana Citrus Juice (I had a combo of satsumas, Meyer lemons, and navel oranges). Don't use store bought, that is worthless. Top with a dollop of fresh homemade whipped cream. Stir lightly. Take photo with of your new Creamy Mustache.

After Work Today...

Its that magical Thursday again. Thanks to the YLC of New Orleans, this article is a no-brainer.

Go to Lafayette Square, buy some coupons, sample some food, drink a beer or a cocktail, listen to music by Bonerama. Listen, this thing sells itself, like the Sham-Wow.

If you are still hungry afterwards, perambulate on down to Rambla. Liquor license in place now. Try the Serrano ham and a bone dry, cold white wine or a spicy Spanish rioja. Really, I can't make all the decisions for you.

Que Pasa Hamburguesa

Last Friday's weather and the atmosphere surrounding a Fall weekend provides ample reasons for living in New Orleans. Those 3-4 weeks twice a year when the sun shines and the breeze blows makes even a curmudgeon smile. So on such a day, I found myself heading over to Rambla in the International House Hotel for a lunch.

The Gambler and Donny Boy Rodriguez joined me. The space is modern and slightly off-putting at first. In the center of the restaurant, raised tables dominate the space. While along the sides banquettes and standard tables and chairs provide aisles so to speak. The music and service is more causal than you may expect, but in a surprising and fun way.

And the food, or at least what we sampled, has enough merit to make this place great. WARNING: As of this posting, Rambla does not have its liquor license; so whether or not my perception of the food was affected by the absence of a cold Estrella is debatable. But let's get to eating.

First, an order of croquetas. A smoky andouille, a savory and hearty mushroom, and a fresh licorice burst of shrimp. I have a huge crush on the andouille one.

If brabant potatoes were a gateway drug, then patatas bravas would be heroin. Fried cubes of potatoes give way to an interior that is more mashed potato than french fry. Drizzled with allioli (there spelling not mine) and powdered with smoked paprika, these treats will go fast.

Cheese and almond stuffed and bacon wrapped deep fried dates. Sweet, tart, crunchy, soft, salty; all that is needed is a dry Spanish white to make this dish truly remarkable.

Empanadas. One filled with bitter greens, the other with pulled pork. I loved the crust of these pockets of bliss. The crust was flaky and exceedingly tender. Cutting the pastry resulted in shards of dough breaking off and scattering across the plate. It reminded of finishing an order of damn fine onion rings and using your finger to pick up the wayward shards of fried batter. What you don't do that?

But the highlight was the burger that both the Gambler and Donny Boy ordered. Now until Friday, my mind had decided the burger at Luke was the best of the gourmet burgers in town. However, it seems the Spanish-French War, Part Dos will soon occur. This burger is mixed in house and uses a little bit of pork and heavy dose of smoked paprika to create a flavor similar to chorizo. A roasted red pepper and your choice of blue or swiss cheese completes the babe. Finally a restaurant burger that tastes like one you would make in your backyard after a few drinks. Dynamite.

Even better the burger came with pmmes frites, that were so light, crisp, and delicious ordering another round was contemplated. Accompanying the burger and fries was more of that decadent allioli. That burger and all the gear it comes with, $10. Pretty good steal there.

All around, a very good start for this delightful Spanish Tapas spot. I think once the liquor license arrives those interior raised tables will be a great place to sit with some friends, order some tapas, some verdejo, and just let loose. Can't wait. I believe it was Gen. MacArthur who first said "I'll be back."

EDIT:
The Liquor License has arrived...