Roasted beet salad at Tallulah
Granted, I love a beet salad, but the truth is that I thought I had had my fill of the deeply colored root vegetable goodness. When the waitress at Tallulah sang the salad's praises, I could tell she was sincere. Even still, I wasn't very hungry and was just in the mood for a bit of gumbo (which was delicious, by the way). Then, the waitress said, "That first week after I had one of the beet salads here, I couldn't stop eating them. I think I had it four times just that first week."
OK. How can a girl who loves beet salad not try one after that?
I was glad I did. She was right. This beet salad was different.
Tallulah's beet salad does not disappoint. It's a wonderful blend of flavors and textures.
The salad is as artful, delicate and gorgeous as it is tasty. Mine was served with five beautiful pirouette-style rolls of thinly sliced beets on a bed of Boursin cheese and equally thin sliced pears, topped with arugula dressed in a champagne and tarragon vinaigrette with a drizzle of honey, pistachios and micro basil.
I highly recommend. Tallulah's menu goes far beyond your average hotel restaurant's offerings.
Tallulah Crafted Food and Wine Bar, 7000 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge. (Jan Risher, features editor)
Blackberry lavender cheesecake bite at LA Cheesecake Bakery
I’ve been dreaming for years of a place where I could walk in and order a small serving of cheesecake when my sweet tooth strikes. Too many options in Acadiana serve only massive slices or require minimum orders or, quite frankly, just don’t check all the boxes when it comes to a great cheesecake.
Let’s just say I can’t believe it took me so long to visit the LA Cheesecake Bakery. Perhaps I’ve been avoiding it because I didn’t want to believe such a place could exist in my little corner of the world. Or perhaps I’ve been afraid that I would become far too frequent of a visitor if I confirmed its existence. Either way, I’m happy to report that such a place does exist. My favorite part is the selection of cheesecake bites ($3 each), which are frequently changing with the seasons and owners’ inspiration.
LA Cheesecake Bakery's turtle cheesecake bite and blackberry lavender cheesecake bite are pictured with a Cadbury latte.
I picked out a more classic option — turtle — and a more innovative one — blackberry lavender. Both were decadent but not overly dense and the perfect afternoon treat. The blackberry lavender was particularly good with tangy and floral notes to balance out the creamy dessert. I paired my treats with the seasonal Cadbury latte ($4.75), which is made with steamed Fairlife chocolate milk, butterscotch syrup and espresso. I asked for a bit less syrup because I knew it would be sweet — just like a Cadbury egg — and indulgent.
I can’t wait to return to this quaint spot with a friend to indulge in another treat. I’d also like to try out the shop’s popular coffee flights, which change with each season.
LA Cheesecake Bakery, 600 Guilbeau Road Suite B, Lafayette. (Megan Wyatt, staff writer for The Acadiana Advocate.)
Dan Dan noodles from Chow Yum
Dan Dan noodles from Chow Yum
On all my previous trips to Chow Yum, I've always ordered some variation of the ramen. This time, I decided to try something new.
The Dan Dan noodles feature smoked pork belly, flat noodles, spicy Szechuan sauce, chili garlic shrimp, grilled yu choy, fried garlic and scallions. The result is a not-too-spicy heaping portion of a dish with flavors that danced on my tastebuds. The chili garlic shrimp and the smoky pork belly work well with the fried garlic and Szechuan sauce.
Chow Yum, 2363 Hollydale Ave., Baton Rouge. (Lauren Cheramie, features writer)