At last......... Iris

Chef Kelly English and me

When I was very little I went to Easy Way and on a chance meeting, met Chef Kelly English, ever since I've always wanted to eat at Iris. To make a long story short I have tried many times but all unsuccessful.

Until now!

My Dad's friend Dave is a foodie and a huge supporter of my food adventures. He invited me to join him and his wife Marsha for dinner at Iris, how cool! The decor was very elegant and slightly boutique, overall a nice homey feeling for the restaurant. 

Amuses Bouches

Now on to the appetizers..... but first the Chef brought us each an amuses bouches, it was tasty. 

Dave, Marsha, Mama, and Dad, basically everyone other than me ordered "the short rib raviolo" in delicious braising liquid sauce. It was juicy, very hearty, and savory. The short ribs were so tender that they melted in your mouth, overall quite delicious. 

The Short Rib Raviolo

I ordered The Knuckle sandwich, it was an open faced lobster sandwich with a small salad on top of it, the pieces of lobster were HUGE. The biggest pieces of lobster I've ever seen, and the sweetest, best flavored lobster too!

The Knuckle Sandwich

Mama and Dave ordered the surf and turf. It was a New York strip steak stuffed with oysters and blue cheese and it came with some sauteed potatoes with Allen Benton bacon in it. The whole thing was divine and since Mama is allergic to shrimp, she had never had surf and turf before, so it was great.

Flat iron steak

Dad ordered the flat iron steak with glass noodles, peanut sauce and some herbs he got the potatoes with Allen Benton bacon instead of the glass noodles. Dad liked it, and he ate, like always, very fast, but this time I got a bite. It was flavorful and was Chef Kelly English's take on an Asian dish, but it was not my favorite.
  

Marsha had The Alaskan halibut, sweet potatoes, corn and tomato succotash. Marsha liked the dish a lot.

Grilled Jack

I had the grilled Jack with gulf shrimp local tomatoes and a harissa, an intricately flavored spiced sauce in a french press. It was delicious and super awesome to have that sauce poured table side (see video below). 

When you have had a great dinner you know that desert is just as good. Marsha had a salted caramel cake and ice cream.

Caramel cake and ice cream

I ordered the rosemary creme brulee. It had a very nice crust of melted sugar. I enjoyed the creme brulee, it was good.

Dave got the peach pie.

Creme Brulee

We also had a french press coffee with chicory, a classic New Orleans beverage, it was great.

P.S the leftovers were yummy. 

Leftovers

Thanks to Dave and Marsha for a great dinner out !

Love the cabbage, Leaf

Logan 

Seconds for me at Second Line

Second Line by Chef Kelly English,

I have seen Chef Kelly English around; at Home Depot, the Easy Way, and all over town but never the less I have never eaten at Iris although attempts were made, and you know the outcome no Iris for me.
So when Chef Kelly English was opening a new restaurant where he could get "Down and dirty" I was overjoyed.

On Mothers day we went to dinner at Second Line.
The wait list was LONG but we some how made it in and got to enjoy dinner.
I was being intrigued by not only the po'boys, appetizers, side items, and the plates.  The menu is a bit odd but the flavors sounded like they would not disappoint.

I ended up having the shrimp appetizer which was named after the Grizzly's but has some profanity so just go there and get the shrimp appetizer with Tabasco aioli.

They were quite delicious cooked to perfection and could use some more aioli which was also delicious.The hint of tabasco gave them a nice kick but did not overpower the shrimp.
I shared the oyster po'boy with my Mama the po'boy was divine and the oysters were happily bunched together and it was exquisitely cooked. The sandwich was toasted and had fresh salad stuff it could have used some of that good Tabasco aioli otherwise very good.

Dad's sandwich was shredded beef with a swiss cheese, he said it was ok. He got the onion rings were a little soggy. Our Groceries included  red beans and rice which had sausage slices in it but was a little overcooked.  kick butt cold slaw had a very Asian flare and I loved it.


P.S: The atmosphere felt like a live band was playing but there was not a band there it could be a good addition.
P.P.S sorry but I forgot about the unsweetened tea with simple syrup which was out of this world good! 

Love the cabbage leaf,
Logan