Aug 17 2010
Sweet TnT Post: Passport - Louisiana, The Great Eats Edition
It’s Passport Week here on Confessions of an Ex-Foodie!
During the 3rd week of every month, we will be whisking you away on a mini excursion to a spot on the map of the world! It’s simple – we throw a pin at our map on the wall, and that’s where we visit for the week! Ironically, the hometown of our good friend is where the pin landed on the map this week, and it couldn’t be more fitting…yesterday was her birthday. Check out our homage to her in yesterday’s Cooking Tip Mondays: Passport – Louisiana.
For our Sweet TnT Post of the day today, we take you (and your Louisiana passport) on a tour around the city to find authentic Cajun and Creole cuisine. And, if you can believe it, we found a restaurant for ALL FIVE BOROUGHS!! (Well…technically, we got Mount Vernon. But that’s pretty damn close to the Bronx. We’ll take it this time.) At any rate, come and go on the journey with us, as we continue our Passport – Louisiana Week…

Manhattan
The Delta Grill
700 9th Avenue, (between 47th and 48th Streets)
212.956.0934
www.deltagrill.com
If you’re looking for the perfect blend of Cajun cuisine and sensual Creole, look no further than the Delta Grill, a Louisiana inspired grill on the outskirts of the bustling Times Square. From Delta Grill’s take on Creole Muffuletta sandwiches, a classic New Orleans sandwich filled with rich meats, olive spread, and the most decadent of cheeses, to the Cajun Crawfish Pie, creamy rich bites of tender crawfish seasoned with cayenne and peppers, wrapped in a flaky crust, to their fusion inspired Duck Lady Salad with Raspberry Sauce, Delta Grill is sure to satisfy your taste for New Orleans.
Brooklyn
NoNo Kitchen
293 7th Avenue, (between 7th Street and 8th Streets)
718.369.8348
The great thing about NoNo Kitchen is that it is genuine Cajun and Creole eats that is nice to your wallet. For a treat, try their Smoked Duck and Cracklin Gumbo, served by the cup or the bowl. Feeling adventurous? Wanna really get the true N’awlins experience? Give their Roasted Alligator Sausage, with veggies and a touch of pork, a try. For an entrée, their Blackened Catfish Lafitte with sautéed andouille sausage, crawfish and succotash is a flavorful dish, as is their Honey and Cane Syrup Slow Roasted Pork Tender Loin.
Queens
Bourbon Street Café
40-12 Bell Boulevard, (at 40th Avenue)
718.224.2200
www.bourbonstreetcafe.com
Step inside Bourbon Street Café and step into Mardi Gras inspired elegance. The iconic New Orleans celebration is reflected in the decorations, in the vibe, and, most importantly, in the food. Bourbon Street Café’s interpretation of Cajun and Creole cuisine makes it an ideal place in the heart of Bayside to go and have a good time. Try their Catfish Named Desire, a lightly breaded catfish, pan-fried and topped with crawfish and mushrooms. Be sure to give their desserts a shot, too.
Staten Island
Bayou Restaurant
1072 Bay Street, (off of Hylan Boulevard)
718.273.4383
Leave it to the team at K. Parris to find a taste of Louisiana in Staten Island, the ‘forgotten’ borough! (No worries, Staten Island. We love you. Really.) Now we are absolutely down to take a trip across the Verrazano to try out these alligator burgers that are Bayou’s specialty! Users on New York’s Citysearch RAVED about them. We’re gonna have to go try them for ourselves. You should, too.
Mount Vernon (Bronx)
Tha Bayou Restaurant and Grill
580 Gramatan Avenue
914.668.2634
www.bayourestaurant.com
Ok, so we know…it’s not the Bronx. It’s Mount Vernon. But after we got a chance to experience this place, we decided that it was a MUST that it go on this list. The atmosphere is decidedly the most authentic of all of the other boroughs combined, and true to the spirit of Acadia. Between their Zydeco Salad, chicken and shrimp over bell peppers and mixed greens with a creamy garlic dressing , their Crawfish Etouffee, and their Alligator Sausage with Dirty Rice, Tha Bayou strives to give you good, flavorful Cajun cuisine at good prices. Want the full experience? Be sure to come for dinner, when they host the best jazz and zydeco (the classic fast paced, accordion tinged music indicative of New Orleans) bands in the Northeast.
Want to know more about these restaurants? Check out their websites, or view them on Citysearch! And don’t toss your passports yet…we still have some more history for you, as well as some recipes!




























