Tag Archives: restaurant review

January 30, 2013 · 5:35 am

Stalking the Elusive Oyster Po-Boy in New Orleans


As you’ll recall from last week, there is no truth to the old wives’ tale that it’s impossible to get a bad meal in New Orleans.  I know because I found one.  Two, if you include Ursula’s disappointing entrée.

Sometimes the Joke's on You

Sometimes the Joke’s on You

So, what do you do the next day?  You’re in New Orleans for only a few more hours, lunch is approaching, and you have a ship to catch.  Well, you could wait until boarding and then eat meals for which you’ve already paid but, hey, this is New Orleans!  I’m not going to let one bad meal ruin it for me.  This called for extraordinary measures, which means we would have to resort to the tried-and-true.

We checked out of our room at the Hilton Riverwalk, left our bags in the secure hands of the bellhop station, and hiked to our favorite place for oyster po-boys.  That would be Johnny’s Po-Boy on St. Louis Street, ironically just a short walk from the previous evening’s disappointing Maspero’s.

Johnny's Po-Boy . . . Sans Oysters

Johnny’s Po-Boy . . . Sans Oysters

Johnny’s is a rather unique establishment.  Cash only.  Few tables.  Long lines.  Surly staff.  Wondrous po-boys, especially the fried oyster one.  We dutifully got into the line that extended beyond the entry and wound up the block and waited our turn.  Entering Johnny’s I noticed, gasp, a table!  With two chairs!  I sent Ursula scampering to claim it as I continued to thread my way through the throngs up to the counter.  New Orleans cuisine was now minutes from redeeming itself.

But, then, disaster struck.

“Whadaya want?” asked one of the aforementioned surly staff.

“Oyster po-boys.  Two.  One easy on the —”

“Ain’t got no oysters.  Out.  Whadaya want?”

Now, let me get this straight.  Here I am, standing in a restaurant (of sorts; I think) famous for its oyster po-boys.  I’ve just waited the better part of forty-five frappin’ minutes.  It’s just coming up on noon, meaning you’ve only been open a little over three hours.  And you’re out of oysters?  Are you flippin’ kiddin’ me?  I supposed I could have composed myself and ordered the fried shrimp po-boy, but that’s not why I came there and battled lines and crowds.  I collected Ursula and we departed.  Ship cuisine was starting to look pretty good right about now, and that’s sad considering where we were.

Then serendipity stepped into our lives.  We were forlornly discussing our ever diminishing options when we happened upon a restaurant that looked inviting, intriguing, and, according to the street-posted menu, in possession of po-boys.  Oyster po-boys.  Fried oyster po-boys.  And how can you fail in New Orleans with a name like, “Huck Finn’s?”  Huck Finn’s is located at 135 Decatur, and you’ll soon see why I can enthusiastically endorse this establishment.

Huck Finn's — don't let the nondescript exterior fool you

Huck Finn’s — don’t let the nondescript exterior fool you

This place had rooms.  This place took credit cards.  This place had friendly, smiling, helpful wait staff.  This place had myriad tables and a plethora of comfortable chairs.  This place had ambiance.

Huck Finn's Nicely Appointed Dining Areas

Huck Finn’s Nicely Appointed Dining Areas

But, once bitten, twice shy.

“Do you have oysters for po-boys?” Ursula asked the hostess.

“Of course,” came the reply, and off we went.

The price was a couple bucks more than Johnny’s, but at Johnny’s the fries are extra so it works out to about the same.  So, how’s the taste?

If I closed my eyes, pretended I was in an uncomfortable folding chair seated at a dirty table, and imagined I was shoulder to shoulder with other hungry patrons, I’d swear I was eating an oyster po-boy from Johnny’s.  Yes, it’s that good.  Better, even, in that the remoulade sauce on the side was exquisite.

Huck Finn's Oyster Po-Boy with Remoulade Sauce

Huck Finn’s Oyster Po-Boy with Remoulade Sauce

The po-boys certainly hit the spot, and we really weren’t hungry, but we were so impressed that we opted for the blackened alligator.  Tasty.  Nicely blackened.  A bit on the chewy side, indicative of insufficient tenderization, but other than that very passable.  I was also pleased at how close my own homemade blackening seasoning came to the taste of the seasoning used in a New Orleans eatery — no difference as far as I could tell.  I love it when I get something like that right the first time.  Remind me sometime and perhaps I’ll give you the exact ingredients and quantities to make your own for a fraction of the cost of a store-bought name brand.

Huck Finn's Blackened Alligator

Huck Finn’s Blackened Alligator

Our tastes for good New Orleans cuisine finally sated, we made our way back to collect our bags and rolled them over to the ship.  That evening we were treated to a nice sunset, and in the opposite direction of the setting sun we witnessed pink cotton candy clouds above the Mississippi River.

NCL NOrwegian Star

NCL NOrwegian Star

The Norwegian Star in Port

The Norwegian Star in Port

New Orleans Sunset

New Orleans Sunset

Pink Cotton Candy Clouds over the Mississippi

Pink Cotton Candy Clouds over the Mississippi

We were finally on our way.

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January 4, 2013 · 5:35 am

Koze Teppan Grill


Wednesday was dedicated to a review of the local example of a regional Japanese steakhouse and sushi bar chain — Hayashi.  Monday you read the disappointing impetus of that review, the rather unfortunate treatment of a once-in-a-lifetime retirement party for an air traffic controller who had dedicated twenty-two years of his professional life to the service of this nation’s National Airspace System.  Today I’m going to present to fans of Japanese-style steakhouses the best example I’ve found here in El Paso.

It’s called the Koze Teppan Grill, and like Hayashi, it doesn’t just stop at the normal Japanese steakhouse fare of grilled beef, chicken, and seafood; it also excels in other things Japanese.  Koze Teppan Grill is located at 6127 N. Mesa, Suite B, sharing a parking lot with a Pizza Hut, a Blockbuster Video, the Sin Tini bar, and Trevly Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt shop.  That’s right — one stop shopping for dinner, dessert, and after-dinner drinks all in one parking lot.

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While it’s billed as a teppan grill, Koze does in fact also makes an exceptional sushi, albeit not cheaply.  One of my personal favorites, and oddly enough one of the most affordable examples (although technically not a true sushi), is Koze’s tempura roll.  Unlike other tempura rolls, in which tempura-style shrimp is the basis of the roll, Koze instead rolls around vegetable tempura and places the roll beneath a bed of additional vegetable tempura.  Unfortunately, they then try to ruin it by topping the roll with an unnecessarily heavy and distracting mayonnaise-based sauce.  Do yourself a favor and tell the waiter to forgo the sauce when you order this for your appetizer in preparation for the teppan experience.

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Tempura Roll

All teppan entrées include a soup and salad.  The soup goes beyond the usual tasteless miso, giving the patron something much more substantial on the tongue.  The salad may be pedestrian by Japanese steakhouse standards, but tell the truth — has that robust ginger-based dressing ever really disappointed?  It won’t here, either.

Soup and Salad

Soup and Salad

The table chefs here are quite talented — much more so than our experience at Hayashi, in fact.  Here you’re in for quite a show during the preparation of the meal.  And let’s face it — the show is almost half the fun at going to these type restaurants.  Otherwise, why go?  This stuff is easily made at home at a fraction of the cost.

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A Flaming Onion Volcano

The Japanese fried rice here is expertly prepared, excellently seasoned, and exceptionally presented . . . and Koze neither charges extra nor skimps on the serving.

Japanese Fried Rice

Japanese Fried Rice

The Accompanying vegetables are perfectly grilled — exploding with garden-fresh taste and retaining a freshly picked crunchiness with just a hint of carmelization and without the taste or texture of being raw.

Fresh Vegetables . . .

Fresh Vegetables . . .

. . . Prepared Perfectly

. . . Prepared Perfectly

The meat cuts do not disappoint.  Filet Mignon is as tender as one would expect of such a cut, and the steak is flavorful without a distracting chewiness sometimes associated with a lesser cut.  I did not try the chicken, but our table mates expressed their approval.  As for the seafood, both the shrimp and the scallops were of excellent quality and well-prepared without a hint of the tendency to overcook that seems common to such establishments.

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From Top — Scallops, Shirmp, Filet Mignon, Steak, and Chicken

Put that all together in a nice, tableside presentation and this is what you can expect (minus some of the steak, which didn’t survive being photographed):

The Final Presentation

The Final Presentation

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January 2, 2013 · 5:35 am

Hayashi Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar


Today we continue with our experiences at the Hayashi Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar — a regional chain with locations in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

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As you’ll recall from Monday’s blog, Hayashi had already struck out well before even the grill station burners were turned on for the main course.  To recap, Hayashi:

  1. Failed to seat our numbers as promised, resulting in two of our group departing the restaurant.
  2. Took nearly two hours before delivering to our table so much as a nibble of food.
  3. Despite taking the better part of two hours, still managed to screw up the appetizer order.

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So, how many more unpardonable sins can one restaurant make?  You’re about to find out.

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When our shrimp and vegetable tempura appetizer finally arrived, the vegetable portion of the dish was cold.  The shrimp was passable (and at least hot), but the non-traditional panko breading is a poor substitute for true tempura batter.  And, let’s face it, tempura batter isn’t that hard to get right . . . at least not hard enough to warrant going the easier-to-make panko route.  The sushi was good, but knowing this was a shared dish should have prompted our waiter to bring two dipping bowls for wasabi and soy sauce.  After all, not everyone enjoys mixing wasabi in their soy, as is the case with Ursula.  So, out of deference to her, I skipped the wasabi altogether.

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On to the teppan-style grill.  Never before at a Japanese Steakhouse have I been charged an extra two dollars for choosing the fried rice over steamed.  After all, a delectable Japanese-style fried rice is part of the dining experience in such establishments.  Yet, here I was charged for something that should have been included in the already hefty price.  On top of that, the portion I received was far from adequate considering I was charged for the privilege.  Ursula’s filet Mignon was passable, even tasty, but the steak portion of my steak and shrimp combination was unforgivably chewy.

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Don’t stop here thinking it got any better.  As Ron Popeil used to say, “But wait, there’s more!”

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So, here we are, well into our third hour at Hayashi, finally getting served our main course, and . . . where the heck are the two de rigueur teppan-style dipping sauces — one of soy and ginger, the other mustard based?  And when asked, our waiter had the effrontery to ask, “Which would you like?”  No, I’m not kidding.

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The answer that night was the mustard.  In the future, the answer will be neither.  Instead, we’ll be going to the vastly superior West Side restaurant Koze Teppan Grill, which I will review Friday.

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