What’s not to like about Whataburger? Two near-beef patties on a sesame seedless bun, mustard and onion to go with the lettuce, tomato, and pickles. So wonderfully old school. Reminds me of the burgers at Hopper’s Drive Inn on Florida Blvd and Bonaventure’s Boat Landing on False River. The meal comes with a quart of fountain beverage or sweet/unsweet tea in a huge styro and their medium order of skinny fries which is like a giant order of anyone else’s. There’s only one shop in BR out on Siegen, but it’s definitely worth the drive if you’re in that oh-for-the-love-of-those-good-old-days mood.
Note to readers: I will be taking a short break (hopefully very short!) until Baton Rouge gets back on its feet. If I come up with something good at the house, I’ll toss it in the mix, either here or on Instagram. Be well. Stay safe. Watch those carbs!
Mason’s Grill is one of those watering hole type of restaurants like the old Hawks Nest and Chelsea’s. Got a rep for a few standout food items, but mostly a place to get something to eat while you’re indulging in your favorite pastime. Long bar with plenty of tv’s, lot of burger options, plenty of fried seafood and southern standards, and a famous brunch. I was there on a Thursday so I missed out on brunch. Instead, I checked out their version of Catfish Acadiana, fried catfish over rice topped with crawfish étouffée. I went with onion rings and slaw as side and salad. Catfish was cooked right, and the étouffée was really good, thinner, with a darker roux than most and a deep flavor throughout, but someone left it on the stovetop too long. The tails had shrunk and turned grey and while the flavor was there, the pop and texture of fresh cooked crawfish tails was absent. Old school o-rings. Thick cut. Hand battered. Slaw was a grade above most places, but not the best I’ve had. There’s only one location. Sometimes mom and pop joints have staffing issues which means both food and service can be up and down depending on when you visit. Mason’s didn’t build their reputation with overcooked étouffée, so I guess I caught them on an off day. Still, everything was good enough that I definitely plan on trying their brunch if I can, especially some of the cocktails everyone raves about, but, like Katrina, it’s very difficult to know how many businesses will have the resources to survive the pandemic. Let’s hope that all of them do. Unfortunately, given the thin margins restaurants operate under, it,s no more realistic to predict a 100 percent recovery rate for businesses than for people.
Initially I balked at the idea of visiting The Simple Greek when I went online and learned that it was a build your own setup. One of the joys of Greek/Lebanese/Israeli/Middle Eastern cuisine is that it comes wrapped not just in pita, but culture. Many beliefs, many tribes, but much like Louisiana, they share a love for cooking and meals. That translates to so many shops in Baton Rouge and New Orleans, and I think that kinship with our notion of what food is all about is the reason so many are very successful. But I’ve had some pretty good success lately at build your own places like BurgerIM and Too Saucy, so I went for it. The place was marketed throughout as healthy food, food as fuel, no fuss, no worries and decked out in standard industrial chic aka metal and mass timber. I was impressed at how fast the counter worker found out what I wanted, made it, and sold it to me. I chose pita/falafel/tzatziki/tomato/red onion with a fountain drink (Barq’s root beer) and had my pick of all but one table in the joint. It was noon on Saturday, and there was a crawfish gathering nearby in the Gateway commons area, but there should have been a few tables occupied at least. Alas, all the marketing and presentation in the world falls flat if the falafel and the tzatziki are both tired and uninspired. Without the snap and spice this cuisine is known for, there is no way for this place to compete with the Torchy’s opening soon a few doors down. They should perhaps also rethink the shape and coloring of their falafel patties.
Free food, wine, and beer. Sculpture, wall art, multi-media. Live music. Located in the middle of historic City Park, surrounded by live oaks, nine holes, tennis courts, a croquet lawn. What’s not to like? Baton Rouge Gallery hosts an opening on the first Wednesday of every month featuring work by four new artists. The public is invited, and they come in good numbers to enjoy the feast put together by the staff and a few very talented volunteers. There are plenty of vegan and gluten free options to snack on while you wander the gallery to look, listen, and learn. To socialize or not. To see and be seen. So yes, there’s always a bit of posturing going on–but–free food and drinks. And art. And there’s always a good musical duo or trio or sometimes a larger group like the Florida Street Blowhards. Starts at six, but you’ll want to tag the event on Facebook because on occasion the weather causes it to be postponed. Well worth your time to attend.
Only the second time ever I’ve been to Bay Leaf, and I regret that. I wish it weren’t so far out of my path (also not a fan of Sherwood Forest Blvd) and I will have to make an effort to visit more often. The first time I went was a few years back and I got the grilled combo which was delicious. I don’t remember everything that was on the plate, but I have fond memories of being there with friends and putting up with them giving me a hard time for going so heavy on the meat at an Indian restaurant. Can’t say I’ve changed that much. The baked chicken on the buffet was outstanding, not at all dry. The fresh naan bread that comes to every table as soon as you return from the buffet is a plus as well. And I can’t go Indian without seeking out the onion pakora, onion and vegetable fritters. These were crisp and wonderful. I scooped up a taste of the butter chicken, the curry chicken, and the lamb masala as well and topped them with saffron basmati. These flavors are so different from my everyday that I always delight in them, especially when the meat is perfectly stewed and not overwhelmed but complimented by the sauce. I’m really ready to go back.
I know a lot of you meat lovers won’t be interested, but you should be. This stuff tastes great and sits easy in the system. If your doctor hasn’t told you already to space the red meat out, maybe every other meal, they will. Sooner or later. And if you have redux issues, this will help. Treat it like lean ground beef when you cook. Flavor profile is very similar and it will char nicely over an open flame and brown up in pot or pan. I like it for sliders with cheese and sprouts and avocado, but it will work for all your pasta dishes as well. The gluten free crowd might aim for tacos on corn tortillas and end up very happy. Give it a try. No need to quit eating meat, but taking a break now and then can really help out.
