Restaurant Review: Da Levee

     I've never been to Bourbon Street, hell, I've never been further South than Pittsburgh. I've cruised all around the North Eastern United States, and even dipped my toe into Canada (it took me forever to get the Maple Syrup off.) But, like everyone else who has had much to do with (watching) television or movies in their life, I have an idea of what a visit to New Orleans should be. Dark cramped spaces alive with the colors of Mardi Gras and Jazz, a rich spicy air should be blowing around, and you could almost picture Old Scratch himself leaving off of his dealings to grab a bit of gumbo.
     While I've never managed to go to the REAL New Orleans, Da Levee on High Street is certainly a portal to a little locals only joint just past the camera's reach in Interview with the Vampire. The environment of the place is... seductive I guess, you can imagine looking up from your B&B only to lock eyes with an attractive stranger (this sort of happened to me, only I knew Mary before hand, and we were there for our anniversary, but you get the point.)
     The menu doesn't contain any main courses, just side dishes, desserts, drinks, and plate pricing. Main courses are done as daily specials written on a black board and posted on Facebook and Twitter where hungry fans impatiently await a day when one of their favorites rises to the surface of it's owner, Justin Boehme's, mind and explodes into his kitchen.
     Normally I set a two visit minimum before a review, but most places have a large set menu and a two visit minimum ensures I try at least four dishes, between what Mary and I ordered. That wasn't an issue at Da Levee, where for just $8 you can get a Half and Half plate and try two different dinner options over rice. What we ended up having doesn't even matter, except to say we each got a meat option and a vegetarian option, and everything was delicious. Better than just delicious, it was delicious AND inexpensive. Two Half and Half Plates, soft drinks, and a piece of 'Purple Love'(Blueberry Cream with White Chocolate)pie to split only totaled $24.

Final Grade: A+ (Great Food, Great Prices, Great Atmosphere, and service that went above and beyond. I accidentally committed one of the great restaurant taboo's by accident by going in right as they were closing and nobody put glass in my food. Seriously, don't go into a closing restaurant, it is a total dick move and I hope I bring Da Levee some extra business with this review to make up for it.)

Baba Yaga Ganoush

     Smooth with a subtle smokiness and a lingering bite, our Baba Yaga Ganoush  is a great dip or sandwich topper, low in calories and fat and high in flavor. If you're wondering why I related this Middle-Eastern favorite with a Russian folk tale I have just three words for you, "Mortar and Pestle." Look it up.

Here's What You'll Need:

1 Large Eggplant (about a pound and a half)
2 Tablespoons Tahini
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
3 Cloves of Garlic
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Black Sesame Seeds
2 Teaspoons Applewood Smoked Sea Salt
1/2-1 Teaspoon Habenero Powder

Here's What You'll Do:


1. Poke holes all across the skin of your Eggplant with a fork, the more holes the smokier your Baba will taste.
2a. (For those with an Electric Stove) On a foil lined cookie sheet place your Eggplant under your Broiler on high, rotating every few minutes to evenly blacken the skin. The longer you go with this step the more of a smokey flavor your Baba will develop as the smoke from the burnt outer skin makes its way in through your previously poked air holes.
2b. (For those with a Gas Stove) Using tongs (and an oven mitt, I hope you guys already knew this part) rotate your Eggplant over a medium flame from one of your burners allowing the skin to blacken evenly.
3. Bake your Eggplant for 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until tender enough that a fork meets little resistance at the center.
4. Allow to cool. And scoop the insides into your largest Mortar and Pestle (or Food Processor if you're feeling lazy) and grind to a paste with all other ingredients, saving the Sesame Seeds for last and just giving them a quick stir in.
5. Gobble that shit down on some crackers, or tortilla chips, or even the traditional flat bread of your choice.

Restaurant Review: Park Street Cantina

     Nestled behind the North Market (a place I still have yet to really explore) lies The Park Street Cantina, a place oozing with it's own distinctive charm. Enormous portions, reasonable prices, and a plethora of house made sauces make The Park Street Cantina a notable addition to our beloved city. Mary and I both had a great time on both of our Park Street visits, the first being during Origins Game Fair when we once again failed to make it to the North Market before it closed.  The place is just plain cool, the decorations are neat, there is a weird ass claw game where you catch live lobsters, you can sit on a swing at the bar (which I hated while eating, but started to enjoy after the first pitcher of Margaritas), and the servers are super friendly in a way that suggests they are genuinely nice and not putting on an act(after a decade in the food industry I can spot the 'server act' and it makes me want to slowly choke the life from someone). That being said, besides the house made salsa and the 'Ultimate Mac and Cheese' which were fantastic, the food was kind of bland. I tried burgers and wraps, beef and chicken fajitas and tacos between the two visits and it was all very very okay. Maybe it was very authentic and I'm too used to jazzed up over spiced U.S. style Mexican food? I don't know, I just wasn't impressed.


Final Ranking
C+ (The food isn't bad for the price and at the quantity. They have great happy hour specials, a great staff, and all in all the place is just a great time waiting to be had. I expected more wow factor from the food than I got.)






Find them online at: http://www.parkstreetcantina.com/

Hangry Girl Hummus

     The first time I ever heard the term 'Hangry,' was from my Fiance Mary, who went on to explain that the term means, 'Hungry enough that it's making you angry.' But after careful observation I've learned that it tends to be more of a slow simmering fury than a simple anger, and truth be told I've felt it's effects many times in my life, I just lacked a word to explain it.
      When Mary gets in this state there is only one solution, feed her, quickly. That's why I developed 'Hangry Girl Hummus,' smooth, creamy, delicious, and most importantly, QUICK to make.

Here's what you'll need:
2 Cans Chick Peas (also called Garbanzo Beans) one drained one un-drained
1/2 Red Bell Pepper
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 1/2 Tablespoon Tahini (This is a ground Sesame Seed Paste, available in the Middle-Eastern foods section of most places here on the West Side.)
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Salt

Here's what you'll do:

1. Throw it all in a food processor or blender and run it on high until smooth and creamy.
2. Enjoy on Pita Bread, Crackers, Chips, or as a condiment on Sandwiches 

Or:

1. Throw it all in a food processor or blender and run it on high until smooth and creamy.
2. Pose it next to the other half of the Red Pepper on a lemon shaped cutting board with a little Cilantro sprinkled on top to emphasize its color. Then take photo's of it, like a weird food obsessed nut job. This is clearly the option I went with....

Wait, is that Beef or Beets? and Cabbage Soup

     Well, after many minutes of staring, eyes watering at a much stained and wrinkled old recipe I found in my stack of culinary creations I determined that I had in fact written a pretty simple (though large portion) Beef and Cabbage Soup recipe, and not a recipe for Borscht, which I never recalled making, ever. But further thought and a look around at other Borscht recipes indicate that the Beef/Beets switch isn't outside of reason. Try it and let me know what you think.

Here's What You'll Need:

2 Pounds of Cabbage (Diced)
1 1/2 Pounds of Cubed Beef {or Beets (diced finely)} (Minced)
1 Pound of Carrots (Sliced)
10 Cups Water
3 Tbsp Beef Base
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tsp Fresh Minced Garlic
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Black Pepper

Here's What You'll Do:

1a. {With the Beets variation} Combine Water, Carrots, Beets, and all seasonings, boil for 30-50 minutes, beets take forever to get tender, make sure they are soft enough to at least poke a fork into before moving on to the next step.
2a. Add Cabbage and boil until cabbage is tender.
3a. (Probably) Enjoy that red shining bowl of goodness, remember, Beets are Natures Candy.

1b. {The 'b' is for Beef, get it? Don't worry, you'll be rolling on the floor laughing later.} Combine Water, Carrots, Cabbage, and all seasonings, boil until cabbage is tender.
2b. {Not making the obvious played out joke} Reduce heat to a simmer and add beef.
2c. This is where is gets a bit off my recipe card and into your hands. Beef is about the only meat conventionally seen in this country as having various degrees of cooked where it is edible. If you like your beef dripping with blood then this part shouldn't take all that long. A couple minutes will have that beef warm and somewhat ingrained with the surrounding flavors and it will be pretty damn good. But you can just as easily cook it until that meat is 'low and slow'ed to bits floating in your broth, and that can also be pretty damn tasty. That's all on you now.

Also, just because I like it and it seems appropriate Killer Tofu by The Beets