Anyone who has ever been to New Orleans (N’awlins if you really consider yourself a regular) knows that there is nothing more indicative of the local cuisine than the po’ boy – fried seafood or meat served on French bread and “dressed” with lettuce, tomatoes and pickle. Now if that doesn’t make you hungry, I don’t know what will! But you don’t have to go all the way to New Orleans to savor this Louisiana treat. T-Boys Po-Boys on Broad Street, in downtown Augusta, boasts a menu of twenty different po’ boy sandwiches! But if you think po’ boys are all you will find at T-boys, look closer. The menu reads like an inventory of most of the dishes you would expect to find in the Big Easy.
Owner, Chef Tony Privat has dedicated his culinary career to producing Cajun food. He is originally from Lafayette, Louisiana and learned how to cook by helping his father. Two years at a nearby culinary school and it was off to work in Florida and then to Atlanta where he owned several restaurants including the French Quarter Food Shops. He has been in Augusta, at the same location, for over four years (T-Boy’s was previously Tap-Tap).
Because of the authenticity of the dishes and awesome taste, it is difficult to recommend any one item on the menu. I had the catfish po’ boy and it exceeded my expectations. The fish was seasoned to perfection and moist. The remoulade sauce was light and added just the right complement of flavor. My only regret is that I did not get the whole sandwich! Other ‘must trys’ are the muffaletta - sliced deli meats, cheeses and antipasto on New Orleans Boule bread. You can also get a seafood muffaletta. But I warn you, go very hungry or limit yourself to a ‘half’ sandwich. The full-size po’ boys are not for the faint of heart. I also have it on good authority, from a very trusted source, that the red beans and rice are to die for. Whatever your choice, be sure to save some room for the Banana Nut Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Syrup & Fresh Cream. This dessert alone will keep you coming back time and time again. In addition, T-Boys offer daily specials such as Gumbo, Etouffee, Jambalaya and crawfish boils. Oh, did I mention the homemade Root Beer?
Chef Tony has plans of expanding his concept which includes increasing their catering capability and developing more homemade soft drinks. He also plans to develop his outdoor garden to create additional seating for customer enjoyment during warm weather months. Chef Tony wants you to come experience a little bit of New Orleans in downtown Augusta. He promises “a great value for a quality sandwich.”
T-Boy’s Po-Boys is located at 1032 Broad St, Augusta GA. Open 11 - 4, 7 days a week. 706-722-7738.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Comfort Food - A Little Bit of Heaven
If you ask anyone from around the world what “comfort food” means to them, you are likely to get as many different answers as the people you ask. But there is no denying one thing – it is usually something they grew up eating that makes them feel good, warm and safe on the inside. At no time during the year is comfort food more welcomed and cherished than winter. As we snuggle in front of the television or huddle around the fireplace, we naturally crave these foods; and the more we can get of them the better.
A survey of several friends, family members, colleagues, and even some strangers yielded some interesting results. Overall, responses ranged from popcorn to sweets to macaroni and cheese. As we tabulated all the results, a pattern seemed to emerge. The majority of respondants agreed that their favorite comfort foods were soups, chili and chicken and dumplings.
So I decided to set out in search of a place where some of these “comfort foods” could be found locally. And much to my surprise I found Madjon’s Bakery and Cafe in the most unlikely location of the Riverfront Antique Mall in North Augusta. Madjon’s owner, Eileen Hutson, specializes in making foods “like Mama used to make.” She has customers who return regularly for her potato soup, chicken salad, Johnny Hoosier cake and yes, chicken and dumplings. Says Hutson “I enjoy making people happy through food.” Hutson, who makes everything herself at her café, has developed a line of “comfort food” products consisting of Meme’s Pasta Gravy™, Madjon’s Salsa™ and Madison’s Cake Syrup™. Look for these products soon in a supermarket near you.
Madjon’s Bakery and Café is located at the Riverfront Antique Mall, 5979 Jefferson Davis Hwy., North Augusta. Open Tuesday – Sunday, 11 -6. 803-646-0217.
Madjon’s Chicken and Dumplings
Broth:
48 oz. Chicken broth (salt & pepper to taste)
2 Boneless chicken breasts
1 Tbs. parsley flakes
2 Bay Leaves
1 Onion Chopped
2 Carrots cut
2 Celery stalks chopped
3 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 ½ Tbs. Onion Powder
2 Small Potatoes cut
1 can evaporated cream
Optional: Add frozen whole kernel corn or English peas, 1 pkg.
Dumplings:
2 ½ cups plain flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 egg
½ cup sweet milk
Preparation:
Pour chicken broth into pan – add chicken & add all other ingredients except cream. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Add canned cream. If a creamier sauce is preferred, add a little more cream to the broth.
Soften butter. Mix flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour mixture. Add in egg and stir. Then add milk. Mix and pour onto floured surface and roll dough out like a pie crust. Cut into squares. Loosen under the dough with a knife dusted with flour. Drop squares into broth slowly, one at a time. Let simmer and stir lightly. If stirred too vigorously, dough will break apart. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning.
A survey of several friends, family members, colleagues, and even some strangers yielded some interesting results. Overall, responses ranged from popcorn to sweets to macaroni and cheese. As we tabulated all the results, a pattern seemed to emerge. The majority of respondants agreed that their favorite comfort foods were soups, chili and chicken and dumplings.
So I decided to set out in search of a place where some of these “comfort foods” could be found locally. And much to my surprise I found Madjon’s Bakery and Cafe in the most unlikely location of the Riverfront Antique Mall in North Augusta. Madjon’s owner, Eileen Hutson, specializes in making foods “like Mama used to make.” She has customers who return regularly for her potato soup, chicken salad, Johnny Hoosier cake and yes, chicken and dumplings. Says Hutson “I enjoy making people happy through food.” Hutson, who makes everything herself at her café, has developed a line of “comfort food” products consisting of Meme’s Pasta Gravy™, Madjon’s Salsa™ and Madison’s Cake Syrup™. Look for these products soon in a supermarket near you.
Madjon’s Bakery and Café is located at the Riverfront Antique Mall, 5979 Jefferson Davis Hwy., North Augusta. Open Tuesday – Sunday, 11 -6. 803-646-0217.
Madjon’s Chicken and Dumplings
Broth:
48 oz. Chicken broth (salt & pepper to taste)
2 Boneless chicken breasts
1 Tbs. parsley flakes
2 Bay Leaves
1 Onion Chopped
2 Carrots cut
2 Celery stalks chopped
3 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 ½ Tbs. Onion Powder
2 Small Potatoes cut
1 can evaporated cream
Optional: Add frozen whole kernel corn or English peas, 1 pkg.
Dumplings:
2 ½ cups plain flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 egg
½ cup sweet milk
Preparation:
Pour chicken broth into pan – add chicken & add all other ingredients except cream. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Add canned cream. If a creamier sauce is preferred, add a little more cream to the broth.
Soften butter. Mix flour and salt. Using a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour mixture. Add in egg and stir. Then add milk. Mix and pour onto floured surface and roll dough out like a pie crust. Cut into squares. Loosen under the dough with a knife dusted with flour. Drop squares into broth slowly, one at a time. Let simmer and stir lightly. If stirred too vigorously, dough will break apart. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Casa Blanca – A Friendly Downtown Augusta Retreat
Casa Blanca Coffee Café is now open in the White’s Building on Broad Street. Closed for over thirty years, the building has been revived and is being renovated into condominiums, shops and offices. Casa Blanca anchors the first floor lobby space. Owner Jai West, who has been in the restaurant business for over thirty years, is excited about locating her new venture in this historic landmark. She not only provides another gathering spot for the downtown crowd but she offers a convenient alternative for the residents of the White’s Building. Prior to opening Casa Blanca, Jai owned another prominent downtown restaurant and bar. A native Augustan, she lived in Portland Oregon for several years where she owned and ran a successful catering business. A brief visit back to Augusta, to cater a friends wedding, convinced her that she wanted to be a part of the downtown renaissance. The rest, as they say, is history.
Jai describes her new café as ‘shabby chic’ with eclectic food for the diverse mix of people she envisions as the regulars of Casa Blanca. When you go there, she wants you to feel as if “you’ve left home and travelled to an exotic place for a mini vacation.” A communal table anchors the middle of the room with the intention of “bringing people together over a cup of coffee.” Her vision is for Casa Blanca to be a “nice cozy welcoming hangout where you can come by yourself and make new friends.” Depending on your mood, you have a choice of seating options. In addition to the main dining area, there is a huge patio where you can sit, sip and people-watch. On the other hand, if privacy is what you seek, there is a quiet room upstairs with plush seating.
During your many future visits to Casa Blanca, you must try the Chicken Curry Salad Sandwich, Mama’s Taco Soup, Chocolate Surprise Pie, and if you really love garlic, the House Wedge Salad with creamy garlic dressing. These tried and true recipes have been Jai’s signature dishes throughout her restaurant career. Coffees, from around the world, will be featured monthly, as well as Jai’s signature “Smart Sips”, fruit juice-based health drinks.
Currently Casa Blanca is open Monday through Saturday for breakfast and lunch. January will bring the addition of a Tapas and Wine Bar, which will be open in the evenings. Every month Casa Blanca will feature local artists in a special alcove of the restaurant appropriately dubbed “Artist’s Corner.” The selected artists will have the opportunity to display their finished works, and sit and chat with friends or customers interested in learning more about them and their creations. Supporting local artists is Jai’s way of giving back to the community, which she is very happy to do. On December 18 at 6:30, Casa Blanca will host a Wine Tasting/Holiday Party, featuring wines from Ninth Street Wine Market. Call for additional information, or to make a reservation.
Casa Blanca is located at 936 Broad Street, Augusta. Hours are Monday – Friday, 7:30-5:30 and Saturdays, 10-6. 706.504.3431
Jai describes her new café as ‘shabby chic’ with eclectic food for the diverse mix of people she envisions as the regulars of Casa Blanca. When you go there, she wants you to feel as if “you’ve left home and travelled to an exotic place for a mini vacation.” A communal table anchors the middle of the room with the intention of “bringing people together over a cup of coffee.” Her vision is for Casa Blanca to be a “nice cozy welcoming hangout where you can come by yourself and make new friends.” Depending on your mood, you have a choice of seating options. In addition to the main dining area, there is a huge patio where you can sit, sip and people-watch. On the other hand, if privacy is what you seek, there is a quiet room upstairs with plush seating.
During your many future visits to Casa Blanca, you must try the Chicken Curry Salad Sandwich, Mama’s Taco Soup, Chocolate Surprise Pie, and if you really love garlic, the House Wedge Salad with creamy garlic dressing. These tried and true recipes have been Jai’s signature dishes throughout her restaurant career. Coffees, from around the world, will be featured monthly, as well as Jai’s signature “Smart Sips”, fruit juice-based health drinks.
Currently Casa Blanca is open Monday through Saturday for breakfast and lunch. January will bring the addition of a Tapas and Wine Bar, which will be open in the evenings. Every month Casa Blanca will feature local artists in a special alcove of the restaurant appropriately dubbed “Artist’s Corner.” The selected artists will have the opportunity to display their finished works, and sit and chat with friends or customers interested in learning more about them and their creations. Supporting local artists is Jai’s way of giving back to the community, which she is very happy to do. On December 18 at 6:30, Casa Blanca will host a Wine Tasting/Holiday Party, featuring wines from Ninth Street Wine Market. Call for additional information, or to make a reservation.
Casa Blanca is located at 936 Broad Street, Augusta. Hours are Monday – Friday, 7:30-5:30 and Saturdays, 10-6. 706.504.3431
Tastes of France Comes to North Augusta
Walking into Manuel’s Bread Café I immediately started to reminisce about the time I spent on Paris’ left bank as a student. Nestled in the middle of Hammond’s Ferry, a live, work, play development on North Augusta’s riverfront, Chef Manuel Verney-Carron has managed to create a little bit of France in North Augusta with his new neighborhood bar and café. From the French-influenced décor and menu to the open-kitchen layout and wrap-around bar, you feel instantly at home the moment you enter. And do not think it stops there. Outside there is sidewalk seating complete with heaters and blankets so you can take advantage of the full “experience Française” no matter what the temperature outside.
Back inside the details cannot help but catch your attention. The woodwork, including tabletops, bar, windows and baseboards is a beautiful mahogany. The bar top is highly polished to create a mirror-like finish. All of the woodwork was designed and fabricated by local woodcraftsman Wesley Scott of Scott’s Woodworks. The women will be happy to know that there are even small hooks located under the bar to hold handbags. Lots of hanging plants, track lighting and strategically placed oversize mirrors round out the décor. And did I mention the vintage black and white French movies that play non-stop in the alcove room at the back of the restaurant? What a nice touch!
Manuel’s is Hammond’s Ferry’s first commercial tenant and offers a bakery, retail store, catering and dining. Residents are extremely happy to have this local hot spot to call their own. Chef Manuel, who is no stranger to the restaurant business, was previously a chef at La Maison on Telfair. Originally from Lyon France, the gastronomic capital of Europe, he gets his inspiration from his mother and the comfort foods of his childhood kitchen. Manuel’s Bread Café is a concept he has been looking to open for a long time. His passion is bread and he is known around town as the ‘bread man.’ In fact, Chef Manuel arrives at 4am each morning to start baking the bread that he supplies to other venues in the area. The café opens at 7am when he encourages the locals to come join him for a cup of coffee.
Manuel’s has a diverse menu consisting of salads and sandwiches for lunch and a wide array of appetizers, soups, salads, entrees and desserts for dinner. In addition to selections listed on the printed menu, there are numerous specials, posted on chalkboards over the bar, available each day as well. The lunch favorite, according to café staff, is the Croque Monsieur, a grilled black forest ham and Swiss cheese sandwich topped with herbed Béchamel sauce and served with a traditional French salad. I had the Croque Monsieur for lunch and enjoyed it so much, I returned several nights later for dinner. That night I had a Caesar Salad and the Beef Burgundy. It was tender, well seasoned and delicious. Again, I was not disappointed. Also, the wine selection, especially the by the glass offering, is impressive.
Since opening two months ago, the number of guests dining at Manuel’s has far exceeded Chef Manuel’s expectations. This is the ultimate testament to his skill and talent. Chef Manuel uses simple, fresh ingredients to create his time-honored dishes. He gets his vegetables fresh daily, from Blue Clay Farm, a three-acre organic farm located on the Hammond’s Ferry property. The bakery area in the front of the café has several breads and pastries for sale as well as and a “to go” menu from which you can order, if you prefer to savor Manuel’s fare in the comfort of your own home. Nevertheless, whether you choose to dine in at Manuel’s or take advantage of the “take-out,” you are sure to have an unforgettable dining experience. According to Turner Simpkins, Hammond’s Ferry Project Manager, “I expect Manuel’s Bread Café to be one of the best restaurants in the Augusta/Aiken area. The combination of Manuel’s extraordinary talent and the sidewalk café atmosphere in Hammond’s Ferry is going to offer our region a wonderful and fresh casual dining experience.” Chef Manuel invites you to “Come, experience the ‘energy’ of this quaint neighborhood café, and enjoy the simple, comfort foods of my youth.”
Manuel’s Bread Café is located at 505 Railroad Avenue, North Augusta, SC.
Hours are 7am – 10 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Call 803.380.1323 for directions and reservations.
Back inside the details cannot help but catch your attention. The woodwork, including tabletops, bar, windows and baseboards is a beautiful mahogany. The bar top is highly polished to create a mirror-like finish. All of the woodwork was designed and fabricated by local woodcraftsman Wesley Scott of Scott’s Woodworks. The women will be happy to know that there are even small hooks located under the bar to hold handbags. Lots of hanging plants, track lighting and strategically placed oversize mirrors round out the décor. And did I mention the vintage black and white French movies that play non-stop in the alcove room at the back of the restaurant? What a nice touch!
Manuel’s is Hammond’s Ferry’s first commercial tenant and offers a bakery, retail store, catering and dining. Residents are extremely happy to have this local hot spot to call their own. Chef Manuel, who is no stranger to the restaurant business, was previously a chef at La Maison on Telfair. Originally from Lyon France, the gastronomic capital of Europe, he gets his inspiration from his mother and the comfort foods of his childhood kitchen. Manuel’s Bread Café is a concept he has been looking to open for a long time. His passion is bread and he is known around town as the ‘bread man.’ In fact, Chef Manuel arrives at 4am each morning to start baking the bread that he supplies to other venues in the area. The café opens at 7am when he encourages the locals to come join him for a cup of coffee.
Manuel’s has a diverse menu consisting of salads and sandwiches for lunch and a wide array of appetizers, soups, salads, entrees and desserts for dinner. In addition to selections listed on the printed menu, there are numerous specials, posted on chalkboards over the bar, available each day as well. The lunch favorite, according to café staff, is the Croque Monsieur, a grilled black forest ham and Swiss cheese sandwich topped with herbed Béchamel sauce and served with a traditional French salad. I had the Croque Monsieur for lunch and enjoyed it so much, I returned several nights later for dinner. That night I had a Caesar Salad and the Beef Burgundy. It was tender, well seasoned and delicious. Again, I was not disappointed. Also, the wine selection, especially the by the glass offering, is impressive.
Since opening two months ago, the number of guests dining at Manuel’s has far exceeded Chef Manuel’s expectations. This is the ultimate testament to his skill and talent. Chef Manuel uses simple, fresh ingredients to create his time-honored dishes. He gets his vegetables fresh daily, from Blue Clay Farm, a three-acre organic farm located on the Hammond’s Ferry property. The bakery area in the front of the café has several breads and pastries for sale as well as and a “to go” menu from which you can order, if you prefer to savor Manuel’s fare in the comfort of your own home. Nevertheless, whether you choose to dine in at Manuel’s or take advantage of the “take-out,” you are sure to have an unforgettable dining experience. According to Turner Simpkins, Hammond’s Ferry Project Manager, “I expect Manuel’s Bread Café to be one of the best restaurants in the Augusta/Aiken area. The combination of Manuel’s extraordinary talent and the sidewalk café atmosphere in Hammond’s Ferry is going to offer our region a wonderful and fresh casual dining experience.” Chef Manuel invites you to “Come, experience the ‘energy’ of this quaint neighborhood café, and enjoy the simple, comfort foods of my youth.”
Manuel’s Bread Café is located at 505 Railroad Avenue, North Augusta, SC.
Hours are 7am – 10 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. Call 803.380.1323 for directions and reservations.
Cracks In The Kitchen's Ceiling
For those who haven't noticed, women are making cracks in the glass ceilings of commercial kitchens and restaurant ownership and redefining what was traditionally thought of as a man’s domain. Can they stand the heat? You bet – and they are not about to get out of the kitchen! You have only to look at the enrollment in culinary schools like Johnson & Wales, Art Institute and CPCC. According to the admissions offices, women make up approximately forty-six percent of the enrollment in culinary programs, and eighty-seven percent of baking and pastry programs. Moreover, every year those numbers are increasing.
Read full article: http://issuu.com/uptown_magazine/docs/december2008/1?mode=a_p
Read full article: http://issuu.com/uptown_magazine/docs/december2008/1?mode=a_p
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Charlotte's Top Chefs Top Restaurants
We’ve all been there. You have a special occasion to celebrate or a special someone you’d like to impress, but you don’t know where to go. You call up a friend or two for a recommendation, but your friends don’t have a clue either. Welcome to one of the oldest and most common culinary dilemmas. How do you find the perfect restaurant for your special occasion? A place where you can be assured that the food will be delicious, the service will be worthy of the twenty percent tip you are expected to leave and the dining experience will be unforgettable?
Read full article: http://www.uptownclt.com/content/view/227/
Read full article: http://www.uptownclt.com/content/view/227/
Monday, July 7, 2008
"Life Is Sweet"
What do the Eiffel Tower, a musician, and a lobster tank have in common (no, this is not like one of those three-men-walk-into-a-bar jokes, so don’t try to come up with a clever punch line)? They are all sugar sculptures, created by a local chef to highlight the uniqueness of a hot new trend in restaurants. Imagine a bar or bistro dedicated to serving exquisitely prepared desserts that far exceed your expectations and imagination. A sort of candy store for adults, a place that takes you back to your childhood. This hottest new craze in restaurant concepts is the dessert bar.
Read full article: http://www.uptownclt.com/content/blogcategory/43/102/9/9/
Read full article: http://www.uptownclt.com/content/blogcategory/43/102/9/9/
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