Naples Food Tour

I know this is a little late but life has been hectic around here and I just haven’t had time to write about all our vacation indulgences. Now that all the craziness of July is winding down I will have some time to catch up on blogging and finally edit all of the photos I have taken this month!

The first place I will share with you all is Sweet Mama’s Island Cuisine. Before leaving for vacation, I searched around the net for some ideas and suggestions on where to eat. Our goal was to not eat any chains and we only broke it once for Dunkin Donuts but that is totally understandable…we don’t have them so it doesn’t count. Anyway, I was looking around Trip Advisor and this little place was rated #1 in Naples so I knew it was a place we should try. They featured a few Caribbean dishes that were too out there for us (Goat and Oxtail) but we were still able to find something that we would enjoy. And I apologize for the not so great quality of photos, I kept forgetting my second lens at our condo so I was having some techinal difficulties.

I decided on the Jerk Chicken and it was really happy with it. I like spicy food but not crazy hot and this was bordering on a bit too hot for me. The flavor was amazing though. The food does take a bit longer than normal but it was worth the wait. {Sweet Mama’s Island Cuisine - Naples, FL)

After we enjoyed our meal, Mama herself came out to greet us and ask how we enjoyed everything. She talked to Noah for awhile and got quite a kick out of him.

Our absolute favorite meal was from Fernandez the Bull, a restaurant specializing in Cuban food. The menu was huge making it very difficult to choose a meal so we ended up passing around bites of everyone’s food so we could try lots of things. Every single thing I tried was amazing but my favorite was fortunately the meal I ordered for myself, Mastistas de Puerco. It was a marinated pork that was chunked and slow cooked then fried and covered with Mojo sauce. It just fell apart and the mojo was super citrusy and garlicy. Another favorite was the Chimichurri Chicken that my grandma ordered. The chicken was so juicy and the chimichurri sauce was the best I have ever had. Joel and my mom each had a different Cuban (a traditional one and a twist on the traditional) and both were really delicious. {Fernandez the Bull - Naples, FL}

I have never had Tres Leches cake before and saw that it was on the menu so we decided to splurge and give it a try. I don’t usually like anything that is soggy but this cake is a huge exception. It was moist, dense, creamy and rich. Definitely something you want to share with someone! {Fernandez the Bull – Naples, FL}

When I was searching online, I found another place via Trip Advisor that I knew we would have to try, The MonKey Bread Factory. They feature many different flavors and I knew it would be hard to decide. I mean, how do you choose between Pumpkin Pie, Coconut and Pina Colada? Well, when we got there we were informed that they only had cinnamon so that was pretty disappointing but we were there so might as well try it, right?

It had a crumbly, struesel-like topping that was really yummy along with a cream cheese icing dolloped on top. It was incredibly sugary and we could only eat a few bites but it was really good. {The MonKey Bread Factory – Naples, FL}

I just tried Joel’s and decided on a dark chocolate covered macaroon for myself. You can’t go wrong with coconut and chocolate in my book. {The MonKey Bread Factory - Naples, FL}

Naples on Dwellable

Ft. Lauderdale Food Tour

We are back from our Florida vacation and had a wonderful time! Noah absolutely loved the beach as you can see here!

We flew into Ft. Lauderdale then headed to Naples for the week. We ended up having two meals in Ft. Lauderdale due to the times we flew in and out. When we arrived, the boys wanted some fresh seafood right away so we went to Kelly’s Landing to satisfy their craving. This little place is filled with Boston paraphernalia as it began in Boston over 25 years ago and migrated to Florida. They specialize in New England seafood served in a casual and welcoming atmosphere.

After scouring the menu, I decided to go out of the box for myself and order seafood. Joel and I shared a mug of Clam Chowder which was creamy, rich and full of potatoes and clams. I’ve always enjoyed clam chowder so I knew this would be something I would enjoy. {Kelly’s Landing, Ft. Lauderdale}

My dad and I both ordered the Clam Strip Roll and we really enjoyed it. The batter was light and crispy and didn’t overpower the flavor of the clams. It was my first experience of clams that weren’t in chowder and I am glad I gave them a try because they were pleasantly delicious (and it always helps when something is fried). Joel ordered the Oyster Roll and my brother had a Blackened Mahi Sandwich and they both enjoyed their meals. {Kelly’s Landing, Ft. Lauderdale}

Before flying out on our last day, we visited Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill by accident. We were actually looking for a different restaurant but couldn’t find it so we gave up and tried the first place we saw. Before even entering the restaurant we saw that they had won an award for the best burger in South Florida posted on the door. We knew it would be a win for us. I didn’t even bother looking at anything besides the burgers on their menu. I decided on one of their specials, the Havarati Bacon Burger on a Garlic English Muffin. I had never thought to put a burger on an english muffin…it was soo tasty! Of course the creamy havarti cheese and salty, smoky bacon also helped. It is a family owned place and everyone was incredible friendly. If you are ever in the area, you definitely need to try it out. The only bad thing was that the burger was so big I couldn’t finish it so it had to be tossed since we were flying home. {Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill, Ft. Lauderdale}

New Orleans Food Tour {Part II}

I am going to start the second installment of the food tour with our favorite meal of the whole trip. We were wondering Magazine Street and found ourselves hungry. After trying to go to several places that were closed (since it was Sunday) we finally stumbled upon The Rum House. It’s a Caribbean inspired place that served the most amazing and unique tacos I’ve ever had. Oh yeah, and the most amazing drinks! So what if it was Sunday lunch, we were on vacation.

I ordered a jerk chicken taco and a calypso beef taco with fried plantains and mac-n-cheese. I know the mac-n-cheese doesn’t quite go with tacos but I just can’t resist it. And I’m so glad I couldn’t because it was some of the best I’ve ever had. It was cheesy, creamy, a bit tangy and packed full of garlic! They had so many delicious and unique side dishes so I decided to try something out of the box for me. I have never had fried plantains so I ordered them and hoped for the best. They were crispy on the outside and still a bit firm inside and a bit sweet. I didn’t love them but I didn’t hate them either. {The Rum House – New Orleans, LA}

The jerk chicken taco was topped with a sweet mango salsa which I was a bit weary of before I tried it. I understand that the sweet mango balances out the spicy jerk seasoning but I just don’t usually like fruit with meat. Well, I’m glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave it a try because it was pretty darn delicious. As good as the jerk chicken taco was, the calypso beef was just out of this world. The beef was incredibly tender and was topped with citrusy lime sauce and big dollop of guacamole. Seriously, the best taco I have ever had! {The Rum House – New Orleans, LA}

Joel had fried oyster tacos that were topped with a caper relish and spicy remoulade. I can’t say that I tried them because, well, I didn’t like anything on them. But he said they were the best tacos ever so I thought I would share them with you all. {The Rum House – New Orleans, LA}

And we can’t forget the rum drinks we enjoyed at The Rum House. I partook in a Key Lime Coconut Punch while Joel had a Caribbean Punch with Homemade Strawberry Juice. Both were in a word, incredible! I’m not a big drinker. I just don’t like the taste of alcohol and always prefer a soda over a mixed drink. I absolutely could not taste the alcohol in either of these drinks making them just amazing. The Caribbean Punch was super refreshing and fruity while the Key Lime Coconut Punch was a bit stronger and zingy and I just loved that it was rimmed with graham cracker crumbs. {The Rum House – New Orleans, LA}

When I announced on Facebook that we were going to New Orleans I was told that I had to go to Cafe du Monde for beignets and cafe au lait. And when you are told by someone who has visited many times to go somewhere, you just have to listen. And who is going to turn down fried, sugar covered doughnuts? Not these guys. I’m not a coffee drinker so I skipped out on that but Joel had one and really enjoyed it. It was half coffee and half hot milk. He doesn’t like strong coffee so this was right down his aisle. The beignets were so airy, crispy, chewy and doused with powdered sugar. Our faces were quite amusing after we were done eating them. {Cafe Du Monde – New Orleans, LA}

The last stop on our food tour is the Cajun Cabin on Bourbon Street. We enjoyed true Cajun food there with red beans and rice and a crawfish po’ boy. The red beans and rice was served with andouille sausage and crispy chicken strips. The beans were so creamy and flavorful which made it very difficult to stop eating them. I tried a bite of Joel’s po’ boy and was pleasantly surprised by the crawfish. I have never had them before and thought they tasted like a subtle version of shrimp. This place was a definite winner. {The Cajun Cabin – New Orleans, LA}

New Orleans Food Tour {Part I}

We had a great time during our trip to New Orleans! I especially had a great time eating all the local grub! We didn’t get to eat as much Cajun food as we would have liked (because of the times of the games we had to eat at the dome a few times) but still managed to eat (and drink) quite a bit of unique fare that we couldn’t get around here. So here are our favorites….Joel thought that when we went on vacation he would escape the obsessive photo taking of our food but he was wrong. And embarrassed, which isn’t easy to do. If you ever travel to New Orleans, be sure to check out these eats!

Our first meal was at The Ruby Slipper which uses all local products from the sausage to dairy to bread. They also have a great story behind the name of the restaurant. The owners are big Wizard of Oz fans so when they came back to the city after Katrina they decided on this name because “there is no place like home.” They serve breakfast, lunch and brunch offerings with a New Orleans flair. Joel decided on the BBQ Shrimp and Grits while I had a Cheese Omelet with Breakfast Potatoes and a Biscuit. There other breakfast items sounded amazing (check out the pancakes and french toast options) but I just wasn’t in the mood for sweet and they all came with meat which I was trying my hardest to avoid.

The omelet was good but the breakfast potatoes and biscuit definitely stole the show. The potatoes were so brown and crispy while the biscuit had a crunchy bottom (in a good way) and soft, moist middle. {The Ruby Slipper, New Orleans – downtown and midtown}

The BBQ Shrimp had an amazing, spicy Cajun rub that was great on the shrimp. I can’t be a judge on the grits because well, I hate grits. I tried them because I haven’t had them in awhile and thought maybe I wouldn’t mind them but the hate remains. Joel enjoyed them though and they looked yummy. {The Ruby Slipper, New Orleans – downtown and midtown}

We stayed about 45 minutes outside the city in Picayune, MS and when we were driving in the first night, I spotted this little place and my heart skipped a beat. When we walked inside I just about died because it was even better than my wildest dreams!

They displayed case after case of pretty much any Southern (or any other region for that matter) pastry you could imagine. Needless to say, it was extremely difficult to make a selection…so we went a second time in order to get the full effect. I didn’t get any pictures inside the shop because Joel looked like he just might die if I pulled out the camera.


Joel indulged in his first ever eclair and it was pretty heavenly to say the least. He tried to compare it to a Long John and thought the doughnut version was better but let’s be honest…he is crazy and doesn’t know what he is talking about. The pastry was light and airy, the filling creamy and the chocolate rich. Yum! {Paul’s Pastry Shop – Picayune, MS}

I had my first cannoli and it was divine! It has definitely moved to the top of my “to make” list. The shell was sweet and crispy, the filling was light, fluffy and slightly sweetened and the chocolate chips added that extra richness. Oh, I’m still dreaming about it! {Paul’s Pastry Shop – Picayune, MS}

On our last day we stopped by one last time for a cream puff, mounds macaroon and little key lime cookies. The cookies were tart and melted in your mouth. The macaroon was sweet, dense and rich…everything it should be. And the cream puff was just as heavenly as the eclair. I actually enjoyed it more since I am not a huge fan of chocolate. If you are EVER in the area, you have to stop by and try one of everything! You won’t be disappointed. {Paul’s Pastry Shop – Picayune, MS}

Another favorite spot we visited was L.A. Pines Cafe in Slidell, LA. We were there for our swamp tour and had seen this little place featured on Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives so it was on our list of places to try. Their specialty is the Smoked Prime Rib Sandwich. It consists of delicious French bread slathered with horseradish sauce and topped with an enormous amount of smoked prime rib, caramelized onions and melted cheese. They had a lot of business that day due to all the people in town so they were running short on the prime rib and I managed to snatch up the last one. Score! It was the first Sunday I cheated during Lent and it was so worth it. I don’t normally cheat on Sundays but I made an exception since we were on vacation. The prime rib was so incredibly tender and paired so well with the horseradish sauce (which I normally don’t like and almost asked for the sandwich without it). The bottom half of the roll is dunked in au jus…need I say more? {L.A. Pines Cafe – Slidell, LA}