“NOLA” STEAK & SEAFOOD HOUSE // TO BE CONTINUED

“NOLA” STEAK & SEAFOOD HOUSE // TO BE CONTINUED

When people think of New Orleans, thoughts of partying, historical places, and maybe even the Sugar Bowl come to mind. Many may argue however that great food with bold flavors is the main thought when thinking of Nola. Tuscaloosa resident, Mo Ezez says that these flavors inspired his newest venture in T-town. “I wanted to bring some of New Orleans back to Tuscaloosa, which I felt needed some variety in the restaurant scene,” says Ezez. Enter New Orleans Steak and Seafood House, debuting in Northport on January 5th.
I first noticed this Nola themed restaurant while having dinner next door at Mr. G’s last month. A packed parking lot and signage that featured seafood caught my eye. I knew I’d have to keep this restaurant on my radar for a future lunch or dinner outing. After scouring the internet reading reviews and searching for an online menu, I was still left curious. Diners on Urbanspoon, Yelp, and TripAdvisor had a love/hate relationship with Northport’s newest eatery. Without a website or even a grainy photo of the menu on Urbanspoon, I knew I’d have to take a gamble on whether or not to dine for lunch or dinner.
I decided to try the Steak and Seafood House for lunch with my friend Lindsey, a fellow nutritionist. We were greeted promptly and taken to a table near the front of the restaurant. Quickly scanning the menu I realized that the lunch menu options were vastly different from the pictures of crawfish etouffee, shrimp and grits, and rib eye steak I had seen online. Recognizing that this was our first visit, our server kindly asked if he could make suggestions. I decided on his offering of the Cajun chicken sandwich, blackened and served on French bread with fries. Lindsey opted for a classic grilled chicken salad with ranch dressing and a special request for no black olives.
While waiting on our food, we had the opportunity to try the restaurant’s signature crawfish dip, a creamy parmesan concoction with chunks of fresh crawfish and crispy flour tortilla chips. Though I wish the dip had been a bit warmer and thicker, I found the flavor of the dip good, satisfied with the amount of crawfish in the mix.
As the clock struck closer to noon, I noticed additional diners start to trickle in. I glanced at the bar area and tried to imagine the ambiance that’s created for the dinner crowd. With a newly issued liquor license, I could certainly see this place as the perfect happy hour venue. Our food was quickly delivered by our kind server. My sandwich was presented open-faced with two slices of yellow cheese melted over the chicken breast. Lindsey’s salad was plentiful with a nice amount of grilled chicken. Unfortunately the black olives were bountiful in the salad, leaving Lindsey to tediously pick them out before eating. I found the chicken breast in my sandwich juicy and flavorful, enjoying the seasonings used to prepare my meal. Grabbing a bite of Lindsey’s salad, I noted that her chicken was flavorful as well.
Missing out on the true Cajun dishes that owner Mo Ezez aimed to bring to Tuscaloosa, I feel like my review of Northport’s newest restaurant is yet to be completed. Having vastly different lunch and dinner menus just like many other restaurants, I recognize that a trip for dinner is warranted for a full appraisal. Boasting a made from scratch seafood gumbo, I know that dinner is on the to-do list. I’d even like to come back for lunch, especially after noticing a macaroni and cheese burger on the menu…
New Orleans Steak and Seafood House is located at 824 McFarland Boulevard and open from 11:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m. daily. Tweet us @ThePlanetWeekly and let us know where you are eating!
Sheena Gregg, MS, RDN,LD is a registered dietitian nutritionist and local “Filipino foodie.” Follow her on Twitter @AFilipinoFoodie