Restaurant Reviews Part I (Kyoto, Reginelli's, Superior Grill, Bennigan's, Sake Cafe II)

Since I've started medical school at Tulane, my travel time has been drastically cut short. Therefore, I have decided to expand this blog to restaurant reviews but not just any type of restaurant review. Rather, the vegetarian/seafood lover type of restaurant review!

My rankings will be out of five stars (and half stars count too), with 1 being the worst and 5 being the best. Also, $ = less than $10, $$ = $10-20, $$$ = $20-30, $$$$ = $30+

I'll start with five restaurants in the New Orleans area:

1) Kyoto (Uptown)
Stats: Genre - Japanese/sushi, Price - $$, Ranking - 3 stars

Kyoto is one of the better Japanese restaurants in the Uptown area. I went there for lunch and decided to try the chirashi lunch combo. It was a deal at $13 plus tax and tip for the entire meal, which consisted of miso soup, salad and the chirashi. The chirashi is sashimi or fine cuts of raw fish served over a bed of rice. The portions were quite large, and I was not able to finish the meal, which included salmon, white and red tuna, whitefish, tuna tataki, squid, seaweed salad, crabstick and more! The rolls at Kyoto are also quite good. My favorites are the dynamite roll and the crunchy roll, which also happens to be the largest crunchy roll I've ever eaten. Parking is usually not difficult, especially since there is a lot right across the street.

2) Reginelli's (Garden District)
Stats: Genre - Pizza/Italian, Price - $-$$, Ranking - 3 stars

Reginelli's is one of my favorite pizza places in the city. The Uptown and Garden District locations are both equally good, and the service is usually very prompt and friendly. Both locations can get crowded though, especially around peak lunch and dinner times, and I did have to wait 40 minutes once to get a table. The pizzas and calzones are my favorite, while the baked brie and pear chutney appetizer is a must! They have a good selection of vegetarian options as well as gourmet pizza toppings, so I've never been limited to the same meal twice. Parking can be an issue, since both locations are on Magazine Street, but the side streets typically have space.

3) Superior Grill (Uptown)
Stats: Genre - Mexican/Tex-Mex, Price - $$, Ranking - 3 stars

I'm amazed that I haven't eaten at Superior Grill more often, since it was surprisingly good. Tex-Mex cuisine in general has never vowed me, probably because the chicken and steak dishes are the best. But, there was a substantial seafood selection on the menu. I had the crawfish quesadillas on whole wheat tortilla, which was quite yummy albeit greasy. The fajitas also were a good bet. More so than the food, the best part of Superior Grill is the location, right on St. Charles Ave. I can just imagine the scene before and after a Mardi Gras parade. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor/covered patio seating. The only downside is that the "outdoor" area permits smoking, which is a big turn-off in any restaurant. Parking is also iffy, but there is metered parking nearby, which is free after 6pm.

4) Bennigan's (Westank)
Stats: Stats: Genre - American/Tex-Mex/Irish pub wannabe, Price - $$, Ranking - 1.5 stars

I've given Bennigan's too many second chances, and the restaurant definitely doesn't deserve any more. First, Bennigan's is in desperate need of an identity. The restaurant tries to serve Irish fare, Tex-Mex cuisine, burgers and friend food all on the same menu! I half-heartedly even expected pizza to be served! Next, Bennigan's is sorely overpriced and does not even have a separate lunch special menu. No wonder the restaurant is never full! There are also very few vegetarian and seafood options. I even asked the waitress if they were able to make shrimp fajitas (instead of steak of chicken), and she said no. Be careful when you order the soups because many include meat! On my last visit, I ordered the baked potato soup (minus the bacon bits) and the pasta primavera. Well, they forgot to remove the bacon, and I have a sneaking suspicion that the stock contans pork as well. Also, the pasta primavera was loaded with oil, only contained a handful of vegetables, and I felt sick after a few bites. The only good thing about Bennigan's is the easy parking, but to be honest, I have no desire to eat here again.

5) Sake Cafe (Uptown)
Stats: Stats: Genre - Japanese/sushi, Price - $$$, Ranking - 2.5 stars

Sake Cafe's uptown location is probably one of the trendiest Japanese/sushi restaurants in the city. Unfortunately, neither the food nor the service is up to par with its ambiance. For a restaurant on Magazine Street, Sake Cafe is blessed with not one but two large parking lots, so finding parking was not an issue. The food itself is not bad, but the rolls are not crisply executed or constructed and tend to be on the flimsy side. Sake Cafe is a bit overpriced too, and you are pretty much paying for the ambiance. The service can also be hit or miss, and with large parties, the service drags on. Large parties 6 or more be warned: Sake Cafe charges a steep 20% included gratuity.