Month: May 2019

It’s very nice to visit a place where the owners love each other as much as they do the establishment they opened together. That level of care is hard for the most dedicated managers to duplicate. At Cocha, you can tell the owners are always around, working, supervising, supporting their staff because that same staff ignores them. No fawning or apprehension when the owners are around and that right there tells you a lot about Cocha and how it is run. They appreciate original art, both on the walls of the dining area and deep in the kitchen. Your vegan and gf buddies will love the place because the menu is local and organic and clearly labeled. That doesn’t mean you can’t get a nice filet either. The owners respect everyone’s culinary inclinations and design the menu to take that into account. I’m a fan of how they take things in whatever direction they want. For example, the mushroom bourguignon I had the other night, along with some of their house made focaccia bread (sold separately).

Oh, and they do love to garnish dishes with edible flowers. Everything was rich with deep flavors. The flowers weren’t bad either. And then there is the dedication to art. Maybe no one else but Highland Coffees and Brew Ha-Ha! has the same interest in rotating galleries of local artists. I know I’m certainly entertained every time I visit, both by the food, the friendliness exhibited by everyone, and the art.

So much deliciousness just hiding in the pantry at home. Just a little foresight and planning provides the opportunity for quick and easy food. Shopping the outside of the store for fresh ingredients, keeping the pantry stocked with basics and seasonings, thinking just a bit ahead about something you might want to fix in the near future is all very much worth the effort. Eggs, butter, bread, cheese, red onions, green onions, Tony’s, black pepper, Lea & Perrins, roasted garlic olive oil. Rice, gravy mix, oatmeal, instant grits. Chicken broth, beef broth, dried herbs, garlic powder, onion powder. All of these things make it easy to stop at the store on the way home and pick up another fresh ingredient or two to make something wonderful happen.

Nagoya has the most extensive Japanese buffet in Baton Rouge. I’ve had excellent snow crab and frog legs there, but if that is what you are after, you should probably call first to make sure they will be menued when you are going to be there. They have a build-your-own-plate hibachi grill, plenty of nigiri and rolls, hot dishes and dim sum, a salad and dessert bar and an ice cream station. It’s a clean and attractive place, but it is all about the food here.

I know that’s a lot of photos, but believe me, this isn’t everything. The quality is right up there with the better Asian buffets like Chinese Inn, Thai Pepper, and India’s, but none of them have the nigiri and the rolls and the hibachi grill to go along with the hot dishes. And Nagoya has the most dim sum offerings I’ve seen so far in town. Of course I haven’t been everywhere (who has?) but I can only think of one or two I’ve yet to try for dim sum. It’s not nearly as popular here as I think it should be, but that’s a rant for another time. Here are the three dishes I put together for my meal which I enjoyed thoroughly.