Restaurant Reviews Part II (Ninja, Panda King, Louisiana Pizza Kitchen)

Today was the first major event of my medical school career - Tulane's White Coat ceremony. Although my white coat doesn't fit and is a lot bigger than me, it's still pretty cool to officially be an owner of this recognized symbol of the medical profession. All I need is a good tailer and I'll be set.

Now, I'm going to rate three more restaurants, which I have visited over the past week.

1) Ninja (Uptown)
Stats: Genre - Japanese/sushi, Price - $$, Ranking - 3.5 stars

Ninja is my favorite sushi restaurant in the entire New Orleans area for both value and taste. I went this past week for lunch and stuffed myself, paying the same price I would at other restaurants for less food (excluding the chirashi lunch special at Kyoto!). The lunch specials are a great deal for those not fond of sushi, and most are under $10. The tempura is light and crisp and includes a diverse array of vegetables including eggplant, peppers and broccoli. The lunch specials also contain several small appetizers and fruit. Moving to the sushi, each order includes a whopping 8 rolls versus the 6 or even 4 at other restaurants. So, if the prices for rolls look a little steep at first, there is a reason behind it. The raw selections are the best. The cooked rolls can be hit or miss and take a lot longer. My bbq yellowtail was soaked in a great sauce, but the fishy aftertaste overpowered the flavors. However, the spicy tuna and salmon and asparagus were right on. Located further down Oak St, parking is usually not a problem since there is a small lot on the premises.

2) Panda King (Westbank)
Stats: Genre - Chinese buffet, Price - $, Ranking - 2 stars

Over the past few years, Chinese buffets have invaded the New Orleans area offering a multitude of food at cheap prices. Panda King is one of the largest such establishments on the Westbank and distinguishes itself by offering sushi in addition to other choices. I went this past week during lunch on a weekday, typically a day when there are the least options. For a Chinese buffet, I wish there were more Asian selections. Rather, there is one whole station devoted to fried foods and another for salad. Thankfully on the salad bar, Vietnamese spring rolls were prominently featured. For a buffet, the sushi was decent, and there were several soup, such as hot and sour and thai, and fish options, including tilapia with bones. Thus far, my favorite buffet location in the area is Asian Super Buffet, but Panda King is a fair addition to the milieu. Parking is extensive, as the restaurant is located in the Hong Kong shopping center complex.

3) Louisiana Pizza Kitchen (Uptown)
Stats: Genre - Pizza/Italian, Price - $-$$, Ranking - 3 stars

When you visit LA Pizza Kitchen, despite the many offerings on the menu, you should probably order the pizza, for that is what this restaurant does the best. LA Pizza Kitchen is one of the best locations in the area to get gourmet pizzas, using many ingredients local to the area. The restaurant also offers all of its pizzas in individual servings, so everyone in your party can have a pizza to his or her liking. I went this past week for dinner and ordered a shrimp pizza, which was quite filling and stuffed with Gulf shrimp. There are also a lot of gourmet vegetarian pizza options. Definitely a place to go for a repeat visit. LA Pizza Kitchen is located off the corner or S. Carrollton and St. Charles and has a small parking lot in front of the main dining room.