Cafe Nino

Stopped by Cafe Nino with the kids tonight for a slice or two of pizza. They split 3 slices of cheese pizza, where I was a bit more adventuresome, ordering a couple slices of combination pepperoni/sausage. Cafe Nino advertises "Brooklyn New York Style" pizza, and I would say they don't disappoint. The pizza is thin, with a nice charred crust and a nice balance of cheese and sauce. Owner Nino Bongiorno is usually on hand to serve you personally. The restaurant itself is threadbare in its setting, when you walk in you see a cafeteria-style row of the day's specials, complete with sneeze-guard, and the by-the-slice pizza at the end. You make your order, get your drinks, sit down for a moment at one of the seven to eight booths lined up against the wall a few feet away (with a nice view of South Carrollton), then pick the food up yourself. When you're done, you proceed to the cash register and recite your order to the cashier, who totals your bill. I found the two gentleman working the line (Nino included) to be very friendly. Be warned: NO CREDIT CARDS ARE ACCEPTED. With no cash on hand, I had to make a run down to the nearest ATM and come back. So bring plenty of cash and enjoy a taste Brooklyn.

Vincent's-Metairie

Hello, this is my first blog dedicated to the New Orleans dining scene. Tonight, I went to Vincent's Italian Cuisine in Metairie. I've always been a fan of Vincent's, but must confess that I have usually restricted myself to their two signature dishes of Veal Cannelloni and the legendary Corn and Crab Bisque served in the bread bowl. I would recommend those two dishes to any first time visitors of Vincent's, but tonight I felt like drifting away from the same ol' same ol'. I started out with the Artichoke Vincent, which consisted of 5-6 breaded and fried artichoke bottom, which served as a circular barrier around a lovely combination of crabmeat, bits of shrimp, and green onion, held together in a creamy sauce with a nice little kick of pepper to keep you awake. I ordered the Veal Florentine as a main course, which included a salad of greens and a creamy Italian dressing, which was okay, but just that. The main course was set up much the same as the appetizer--three breaded veal cutlets surrounding a small mound of sauteed spinach. A rich main course, as the cutlets had small pools of butter resting in crevices. Delicious, as I left nothing on the plate. Vincent's is a place I would recommend for anyone in the New Orleans area looking for Creole-Italian. The ambiance may not be the greatest--the tables are very close together, and the conversation from across the room can be heard if the voices are above a whisper. But the service is very friendly--Vincent himself WILL stop by your table and some point during your visit, and come on--this is what we're looking for when we eat Italian, right?