Category: food

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Friday Lunch at Martinique Bistro

voted top al fresco dining for a reason
My sister came home for a weekend visit, so we did what we do best- act like ladies who lunch. I have a hard time getting the lady part right, but there’s nothing I enjoy better than al fresco dining in the spring time. Martinique Bistro always proves to be the perfect spot. If you like Caribbean inspired French food, then you’ll love this place, tucked away on Magazine Street in between Nashville Avenue and State Street. It’s consistently voted as best courtyard and most romantic dining, and once you step inside it’s easy to see why.  The courtyard is lush, and the bubbling fountain softens the noise from the street. I couldn’t think of a better place to spend a  Friday afternoon.

pine nut crusted goat cheese w/ mixed baby lettuce, basil, mint, sun-dried tomato-shallot vinaigrette 
incredible and reasonably priced wines
fish special- monk fish with micro greens, roasted potatoes, and a green remoulade

What I Wore: Dress from Hattie Sparks, Melissa wedges via Buffalo Exchange

For more scrumptious pictures (including dessert), go to the Slow Southern Style Facebook page.

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Southern Living Heirloom Recipe Cookbook: Shrimp Destin

Whenever I have friends come to visit, I plan their trip around meals. I tend to err on the side of strategic over planning. I’ll pencil in a day of sight seeing, but the main attraction will always be breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So when Southern Living sent over a copy of Southern Living Heirloom Recipe Cookbook, I was eager to thumb through it.

The recipe I tackled was Shrimp Destin, a fairly easy one.  Given my penchant for the tasty crustaceans (I’ve got a shrimp tattoo after all) it was an obvious choice. I’m definitely not a by the book cook- I prefer to improvise if I don’t have all ingredients on hand. For example, Shrimp Destin called for dinner rolls or rice, so I substituted what I had on hand. In this case it was jalapeno bread. I’m sensitive to gluten, but trust me you’ll want something to sop up the aromatic butter with. Aside from the generous helping of carbs, this recipe is one of the lighter ones in the book. Since my husband and I try to eat fairly healthy, we used Earth Balance instead of real butter. The dish turned out great- we both snuck seconds.

Many thanks to Southern Living for the gift! Pick up your own copy on Amazon.
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Tasty Southern Living

Southern Living magazine hosted The South’s Tastiest Town Awards and sometime since the beginning of the year you may have been asked through facebook or email to vote for your favorite, most flavorful southern town. Well folks the votes are in and Lafayette, LA is the tastiest, winning by over 35,000 votes. A place I am proud to call home for so many reasons just added another. Its full of flavor.

The Southern Living editors chose the top 10 based on specific criteria then opened the polls allowing resident and visitor voters to chose in which order the tasty towns of the south ranked.  Louisville, New Orleans, Charleston, Charlottesville, Houston, Birmingham, Decatur, Baltimore and Raleigh were among the competition (in order of rank). From heirloom recipes to homegrown gumbos and excess of southern comforts “cayenne-spiked Acadiana” boiled over with success.  Our unique food specific to our region, the influence of our food to our community, the variety of prices to eat a good hearty local meal, the practice of restaurants sourcing and supporting local, along with our bounty of festivals that celebrate our yummy cajun and creole heritage, were all the deciding factors that made Lafayette a winner.

photo from Southern Living credit Robbie Caponetto

The French Press, owners pictured above, is my hubby and I’s favorite spot for brunch.  Located downtown in a beautiful aged brick building that used to be home to the local newspaper printing plant. Our tastiest choice is the breakfast croissant with eggs, avocado, sprouts, tomato, bacon, spicy chipotle aioli and goat cheese, so yummy. 
When eating good local home-cookin’ my most satisfying favorite is chicken andouille gumbo with potato salad. For a traditional experience you serve your potato salad on top your bowl of gumbo. When the months are warmer my tastiest favorite would be crawfish etouffe.
Paula Disbrowe, Southern Living senior editor says it well when she says, “Lafayette’s distinct culinary identity as the capital of Cajun country, its spicy, sausage-laden roots, and a new generation of locals devoted to preserving their heritage while putting a fresh spin on tradition have made it an incredibly satisfying place to eat”.  I agree and I believe that our ‘new generation of locals’ has heaping spoonfulls of flavor to offer and it doesn’t stop there.  It is exciting to see Lafayette get recognition for its culturally rich heritage and tradition, while it is inspiring to be part of such a seasoned community.
I have to say it’s nice to see that the restaurants recognized in Southern Living’s A Perfect Eating Day in Lafayette  believe in buying local produce and supporting local farmers when possible. I think that says great things about our future of eating out. Together we are growing a more sustainable Lafayette.
In other Lafayette news Cochon, Southern Living’s mentioned source for a perfect dinner, will be serving samples along with three other farm-to-table restaurants at Boho Mercantile’s fashion show fundraiser Fresh & Local a benefit for Acadiana Food Circle. So come on out for a good cause where you can nibble samples of some of the tastiest treats while listening to local music and taking in fresh fashion.  An evening of flavor and style.
From one southern gal to another,
JeLlyn @ bayoubohemian.com
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