New Orleans Restaurants

Cochon

May 24, 2008 Danno 13 Comments

From Nola Cuisine

**UPDATE Here is my post on Donald Link’s newest venture Cochon Butcher in the same building as Cochon, right around the corner!

Also, Chef Donald Link’s cookbook comes out April 21, 2009, can’t wait! It’s called Real Cajun: Rustic Home Cooking from Donald Link’s Louisiana
(Read my review HERE!)

If I were a pig (no comments please), and I could choose my final resting place, I would choose Cochon. My sacrifice would not be in vain because I would be assured that every part of me would be utilized to create some of the best dishes that I’ve had in New Orleans to date, and that my friends is saying a mouthful.

Chef Donald link, co-owner Chef Stephen Stryjewski and their crew are orchestrating an in house Boucherie everyday, bringing in whole hogs that are broken down, and turned into a plethora of different Charcuterie ingredients, some on the menu and some that change from day to day on their Boucherie plate, more on that later.

Upon first walking through the door of Cochon, the aroma of wood fire and smoked meats will make your knees buckle a little; stop and breathe it in, you’ve entered hog heaven.

The dining room is warm and inviting, kind of a Polished Country feel. Anyway, just look at the picture, I’m not an interior designer, I’m a kitchen guy. Lets just say that it’s a nice, casual and inviting dining room. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful.

Back to the food.

The bar offers a wide array of Bourbons, local beers, and even a few varieties of Moonshine. If you’re interested in something non-alcoholic Cochon’s Lemonade is the best I have ever had, no lie, a perfect balance of sweet and sour, I couldn’t get enough.

The back of the restaurant features a Chef’s Counter, where you can watch all of the action. They have an array of various pickles displayed on the counter as well as some potted herbs for use in the kitchen.

The entrance to the kitchen and service station showcases and stores firewood for use in the wood burning oven.

We started our meal with the Boucherie Plate, how could I not right? This day’s selection:

From Nola Cuisine

Clockwise from bottom left; Speck, Country Bologna, Country Pate, Hogshead Cheese (buried) Peppery toast points, Pork Rillette, housemade Pickles & Pickled Peppers, housemade Creole Mustard (the best I’ve had).

Detail of the speck, country Bologna, and Pate:

From Nola Cuisine

The Hogshead Cheese, perfectly spiced and delicious:

From Nola Cuisine

My entree was the Louisiana Cochon, which is pulled pork that is pattied and seared, served atop turnips and cabbage, with a wonderfully rich pork jus, and topped with crispy Cracklins’!

From Nola Cuisine

Detail of the Louisiana Cochon:

From Nola Cuisine

This dish really has a remarkable pork flavor, a smoky subtlety, and a richness that is beyond compare. I dream about this dish.

My wife had the Beef Brisket with Horseradish Potato Salad, equally phenomenal, while staying true to the casual country dishes of the south.

From Nola Cuisine

After we ate our meal I went up to the Chef’s counter to take some pictures of some meats they had curing in a temperature and humidity controlled case. One of the Sous Chefs saw my interest and invited me into the kitchen to show me around and take some pictures. I was elated. Here are some of the pics I got.

Smoked and cured legs on a speed rack.

From Nola Cuisine

A big old tub of Chow Chow in the walk in cooler. Next to it is a tub of fresh Pompano which was going to be the nights dinner special.

From Nola Cuisine

Coppa curing in the walk in cooler. Various pickles and sauces, all nicely organized in the tight quarters.

From Nola Cuisine

Below the Coppa, housemade Tasso, and below that housemade bacon.

From Nola Cuisine

Legs in different stages of cure in dry storage.

From Nola Cuisine

From Nola Cuisine

A just delivered pig waiting to be butchered.

From Nola Cuisine

From Nola Cuisine

I can’t thank the gentleman who took me on a tour of the kitchen enough, it was a wonderful experience that I will always remember. I’m blown away by the things that these guys and gals are doing at Cochon. This is a huge undertaking, and there is a lot of work involved, hats off to the Chefs and their staff, this place is a labor of love and it shows. I can’t wait to come back.

Here is a video of Chef Stephen Stryjewski butchering a pig and making hot sausage with warm peaches.

For more great pics of some of the food at Cochon check out Jason Perlow’s Cochon post at Off The Broiler.

Also:

Robert at Appetites has a great review with pics here.

Cochon is located at:

Cochon
930 Tchopitoulas Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 588-2123
Email: info@cochonrestaurant.com

Be sure and check out my ever growing Index of Creole & Cajun Recipes which provides links to all of the recipes on this site!

Related Posts:

Andouille Sausage Recipe
Chaurice Sausage Recipe
Cochon Butcher right around the corner in the same building as Cochon
Pickle Meat Recipe
Boudin Recipe

New Orleans Restaurants

Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar

May 17, 2008 Danno 9 Comments

Nothing gets a lover of New Orleans cuisine more misty eyed than dreaming about a good Po-Boy on real New Orleans French Bread when they’re outside of the city. The reason is that it can’t really be duplicated outside of the city because the bread makes the sandwich, and you can’t find the bread outside of New Orleans. I’ve tried to duplicate that Leidenheimer bread so many times that I’ve lost count, to hell with it. Maybe the Po-Boy is not meant to leave the city of New Orleans, and maybe that is a good thing. It leaves me something to dream about when I’m home, and is one of the many, many things that keeps me coming back to New Orleans, wide eyed as a young child, excited as hell to be there, and sad to leave.

We had lunch at Domilise’s on our most recent visit in February, our first meal of the trip. Domilise’s is a lot like every other great neighborhood restaurant in the city, rough looking on the outside, (sometimes) even rougher on the inside (and I mean this in the best way), and stuffed with locals.

Great food served in its most simple form on good old fashioned white paper plates. At Domilise’s the menu is on the wall, along with autographed photos of celebrities, friends, and locals who have visited:

You order at the sandwich counter and get your drinks and Zapp’s chips at the bar. We had Barq’s Root Beer in glass bottles and Zapp’s Hotter n’ Hot Jalapeno Chips, my personal favorite flavor. We were starving after a long morning of miserable air travel so we decided to kick back and do kind of a sampler of 3 different Po-Boys.

The Shrimp Po-Boy which is served with cocktail sauce, and a nice amount of perfectly fried Shrimp (my wife’s favorite):

From Nola Cuisine

The Hot Smoked Sausage Po-Boy served with a hot chili sauce (My favorite):

From Nola Cuisine

The Roast Beef Po-Boy was just ok, as I was longing for a Roast Beef Po-Boy, but I have other favorites in the city that this one didn’t compare to (like Parasol’s). I just thought the roast beef was lifeless, and a little skimpy. The gravy was good however, but not enough to revive the bland roast beef. The dressed Roast Beef is served without tomatoes here:

From Nola Cuisine

Domilise’s gets two deliveries of Leidenheimer Bread every day, so you know your bread will be fresh. Next time I will try a few new flavors, and take a second pass at the hot sausage Po-Boy. This is a nice neighborhood joint, run by nice people with darned good Po-Boys, they’re located at:

Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar
5240 Annunciation Street
New Orleans, LA 70115
(504)-899-9126
MAP

Be sure and check out my ever growing Index of Creole & Cajun Recipes which has links to all of the recipes featured here at Nola Cuisine!

Related Posts:

Parasol’s Restaurant and Bar
Roast Beef Po Boy with Debris Gravy Recipe
Shrimp Po Boy Recipe

Crescent City Farmers Market

May 1, 2008 Danno 9 Comments

On our most recent trip to New Orleans in February, I stopped by the uptown Crescent City Farmer’s Market on a Tuesday morning. It felt wonderful to casually stroll the market with just a light jacket, basking in the sunlight, knowing that back in Michigan folks were still weathering the worst winter I can remember to date.

I love Farmer’s Markets and this winter has made me long for mornings like the one that I had in New Orleans. Alas, here in Michigan spring has finally sprung, and I can finally go check out some of our own local goodies without 4 layers of clothing and snow shoes. Here are some pics from my visit to the Crescent City Farmers Market in New Orleans.

Crescent City Farmer’s Market

Ponchatoula Strawberries, blood red straight to the center, and sweet as can be, probably the best strawberries I can remember.

Nola Bean! was there with a menu of dishes created from some of the local ingredients.

After getting a look at those delicious strawberries, I couldn’t pass up a chance at the Ponchatoula Strawberry Shortcake on a Satsuma drop biscuit with Vanilla Bean whipped cream. Wow, I can still taste it. It tasted even better than it sounds, pure heaven.

Fresh fish and shrimp.

Local smoked meats, sausages, tasso.

Fresh flowers, herbs, plants, and trees.

Louisiana citrus, Satsumas, kumquats, navel oranges.

Louisiana Tomatoes and Cucumbers.

The Crescent City Farmers Market is open on Tuesday in Uptown New Orleans from 9 am to 1 pm River Road at Uptown Square. Directions

The Saturday market is located in Downtown New Orleans from 8 am to 12 noon on the corner of Magazine and Girod Street. Directions

Be sure and check out my ever growing Index of Creole & Cajun Recipes which links to all of the recipes featured on this site!

Celebrating the Food and Drink of New Orleans Louisiana!