Posts Tagged ‘review’

Chelsea’s Café, the quaint restaurant and bar located just beneath the Perkins overpass, is a long Baton Rouge tradition. It’s a huge part of our community, as evidenced by the support they received during their legal battle. Chelsea’s was the host of the first every meeting of the Baton Rouge Design Alliance, and it was the first time that I had ever been to Chelsea’s. I attribute this to the fact that it’s far from where I grew up in Baton Rouge, and just on the periphery of how far LSU students journey, however I quickly realized that this was a huge mistake.

Menu and Food

I think the first impression I got when I looked at the menu was the best on to have: wow. I was pretty overwhelmed at first because everything on the menu sounded so delicious. I was caught off guard trying to figure out just exactly what I wanted. It seemed to me that a lot of their food is just good, home-cooked type, which they do very well. Thankfully, David Link stepped in to save the day—once again—and pointed me to exactly what I wanted to eat: the grilled cheese sandwich, served with tomato soup. Of course, your first reaction is probably the same that I had when he said this: a grilled cheese sandwich? But believe me, this is what you’ll want to get on your first visit. It is simply the best grilled cheese that I have ever had ever—bar none, seriously, it’s that good. It’s made with a cavalcade of cheeses, spread thick on a fresh focaccia bread, and grilled to perfection. And the tomato soup just accentuates it even more.

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Atmosphere

Chelsea’s is a great place to eat, especially after a long day at work, because it has such a quaint and relaxed atmosphere. Our waitress was so laid back—even with our huge group. And the décor is nothing short of awesome as well, decorated in a sort of indie fashion that you’d expect from a place like Chelsea’s.

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Overall Review

Overall, Chelsea’s was a great place to eat, and I can see myself going back in the future. Really, the only concluding remarks I can make is that it’s pretty clear that if you’re in the mood for a good meal at a great relaxing restaurant, Chelsea’s is your place.

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A few months ago I posted an article about recommended restaurants nears LSU. This is a great guide for anyone coming to LSU for a short stay—particularly things like orientation, which is currently happening. One of those restaurants I recommended was Roul’s on the positive, unrelenting suggestions of other people. Today was my first experience with Roul and his famous hamburgers, but I doubt it’ll be the last.

Menu and Food

Roul’s is, pretty obviously, a hole in the wall. It’s a really tiny place—there’s only room for a dozen or so people inside and a handful outside. But what it lacks in square footage it makes up in taste. The thing about Roul is that he’s basically good at one thing: hamburgers. Therefore, you only go to Roul’s for these hamburgers. Sure, there are other things on the menu, but this is, ostensibly, the best burger in Baton Rouge—get the burger. It’s huge, well seasoned, with peppers at its core, and just so scrumptious. I just can’t believe it took me this long to get to this place.

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Overall Review

I really can’t say much more about Roul’s. There’s not much there in terms of a traditional restaurant to review. I’d like to comment on the atmosphere or service or something else, but really there’s just not enough of an establishment to review. But the burgers—they just make up for that. I highly recommend trying Roul’s.

I have yet to taste a better burger than this in Baton Rouge, so until some other restaurant comes around to dethrone Roul, this is our pick for best burger in Baton Rouge.

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I met up with my family on a cool and breezy Thursday afternoon for an early evening dinner at Di Giulio Brothers Italian Restaurant on Perkins Road near College at Acadian. I had heard many great things about this quaint place, but had never actually been. They offer a variety of your standard Italian fare as well as some Cajun-infused po-boys. However, they are known for their pizza, which I hear is quite delectable. We had a pleasant experience and I would patronize them again.

Menu and Food

Overall, the food was very good. It’s something you’d expect from a typical Italian restaurant. The menu was large enough for anyone to find something to eat. Their signature is their pizzas. I tried the chicken parmesan po-boy. The other members of my party had their house salad garnished with sauteed shrimp and the meatball po-boy. Everything we eat was very good and prepared with the utmost of culinary quality. I was very full after the meal with no room for dessert (which is good considering they didn’t have cheesecake, which is my favorite dessert). My po-boy was an interesting Cajun-influenced version of a typical Italian dish. I was considering getting the chicken parmesan until I saw it as a po-boy. I recommend getting this dish or their meatball po-boy, which was incredible. The meatballs were so delicious. For their menu selection we give them a 4/5 because, despite the po-boys, there aren’t many original dishes.

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Atmosphere

We sat outside at Di Giulio’s, which is a fantastic setting on such a day as when we visited. I imagine it would be nice for any family or general party. In fact, there were a couple of other parties outside enjoying the breeze and an after-work meet up. Inside, the restaurant is slightly more intimate and I imagine that it’d be a great place to take a date. Italian is always a great choice so I give it romantic points. I recommend this as your next date spot. I know it’ll be mine. (Speaking of which, do I have any single lady readers?)

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Overall Review

My overall experience at Di Giulio’s was good. It wasn’t fantastic like my experience at Dingo’s was, but then again not every restaurant has a Patrick Muller. Regardless, we recommend Di Giulio’s as a good Italian pick in Baton Rouge.

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We’ve been posting a few reviews recently, so I thought I’d take the time and explain the calculus that’s been employed thus far.

Whenever I go to a restaurant, I go to eat, not to review, and so my primary focus is entertaining an enjoyable meal—both in food and company. Moreover, the Baton Rougean isn’t yet well known and so I don’t have any claim to fame, so when I show up in a restaurant, people don’t really know who I am. I think this works well because it means that I get no special treatment; the assumption is that I’m getting the same treatment and level of service that anyone else would get.

I write the reviews anywhere between 15 minutes to six hours after I’ve had the meal, but I never wait beyond a day. This is important because I need to get the review out before my brain compresses the memory in my sleep. (This is slightly disingenuous to how it works, but this isn’t a science journal. Just know that there’s more to it than that.) I also talk about the experience with whomever was in my party (usually my family) to ensure that my treatment isn’t unique.
Continue reading “Reviewing Metrics” →

When I walked into Dingo’s on Coursey with my family for lunch late Thursday afternoon, I expected two things: decent, maybe good, food and quick meal. What I didn’t expect was for owner and native Australian Patrick Muller to stop by—and entertain us for a good half-hour.

But as I reflect on our experience at Dingo’s more and more, it becomes clear that this classifies the establishment. It’s as exciting, eclectic, interesting and captivating as Muller was. He told us wonderful tales of his days as a youth traveling the world as an Aussie football player and the unlikely string of events that first brought him to Louisiana—and the love that kept him here. I won’t even begin to recant his evocative tale, mostly because I couldn’t begin to bring it justice, but also because this is a review about the food. (But seriously, when you go—and you certainly should—look for the bald guy running around and ask him to tell you the story behind Dingo’s. It’s well worth the time.)

Menu and Food

The first thing that struck me once I sat in my booth (which, oddly, still had an Italian design from it’s former tenant, Semolina’s) was that Dingo’s menu is only one page. And at that, there are only a few food types to choose from: burgers, paninis, a few entrees and that’s about it. However slim, there’s plenty to chose from and all should be able to eat well. I tried the Dingo’s Bacon Burger, which is a savory patty served with thick, smoked applewood bacon, cheddar and all the trimmings. It was delicious, but not unlike any good burger. However, the Dingo burgers are served on ciabatta bread, which really adds an interesting flavor to it. The same goes with the chicken sandwich: the wheat bun added a sweet flavor to the patty. Both are recommended. Another in my party tried the salmon burger, which they reported was also good (I’m not one for seafood, so I stayed clear). Oddly, it’s topped with coleslaw, which Muller told us was because his mother used to slap a heap of coleslaw onto everything. For dessert, we tried the chocolate toffee cake, which was absolutely incredible—I highly recommend this.

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Atmosphere

Inside and out, Dingo’s does it best to give it the feel of an Australian restaurant. I give them accolades for turning the former Italian restaurant around, because besides the tables, you can’t really tell. And even down to the serving they do a great job: they don’t take up your plates until after everyone is eating. Our waiter had to assure us he wasn’t just being lazy. Muller told us it’s part tradition, part subliminal messaging to your dinner partners to hurry up! And as I said, we had a wonderful time talking with Muller—he is filled with great stories and trivia!

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Overall Review

Overall, we recommend Dingo’s. It’s a good restaurant with a lot of great atmosphere. We had a great time dining there and Muller was such a great host. We’re excited to see another restaurant move into the vacated building and wish the best of luck to Muller and crew. We hope this bodes well for the blossoming restaurant scene around that area.

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Albasha is a Baton Rouge-based restaurant that specializes in Greek and Lebanese cuisine. They have three locations in Baton Rouge and offer conventional American fare—e.g. hamburgers and french fries—which is great for kids and traditional eaters. They take credit cards, offer take-out and are great for groups. You can find out more by visiting their web site.

Menu and Food

When you walk into Albasha, you’re immediately greeted with the incredible smells of foods from afar. When you peruse the menu, each dish has a melliferous name. It’s so entrancing, it’s difficult to know where to begin. But it’s OK—in fact, that’s a good thing. It means that you’ll be coming back again and again to try different dishes. I recommend the friend cheese as an appetizer, which is goat cheese sauteed in olive oil and garlic—delicious! I also recommend the chicken shawarma sandwich. It’s their well-seasoned chicken shawarma wrapped in pita topped with Grecian sauce (which is a homemade yogurt-based condiment). It’s quite delectable and was a welcomed dish even for the newcomers that were with me. I also recommend getting the Lebanese iced tea. It’s part lemonade, part tea and garnished with pine nuts. It’s a wonderful compliment to the cuisine. Of course, their hummus is also fantastic. You’ll always find something incredible to try and it’s always served hot and fresh.

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Waitstaff and wait service

One of the hallmarks of Albasha is their waitstaff. They are a courteous and efficient. When you walk in, you are quickly seated, given menus and the opportunity to order. If you’re unsure of what to order (Mediterranean is quite different from other cuisines), they are helpful and patient. The kitchen is quick, too. I have never gone in hungry and stayed that way for long. On a typical lunch date, I’ve been served my full meal in under 20 minutes; appetizers in less than 5. Thereafter, my drinks and pita baskets have never been lacking. They’re really on top of refilling. I’ve never had a bad experience with the staff and even after all these years I’m still quite impressed with their service.

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Overall Review

Overall, Albasha is a great quality restaurant. The food is good, cheap and fairly healthy, especially when compared to the typical American diet. There are a few restaurants, so location is convenient and the waitstaff is always great and, importantly, fast—which means it’s always a great place for lunch. We highly recommend Albasha, so it yields a great overall rating.

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