Brutally Honest with J Vincent

Elsie's Plate & Pie | Baton Rouge, LA

This is one of the best Southern brunches I’ve had in a long time.

We started with cocktails:

* Blackberry Sunrise — mine, excellent. Easy drinker, balanced, not overly sweet.
* Garden District Spritz — hers, she liked it. She didn’t like mine, which tells me both drinks hit different preferences exactly like they should.

Food is where this place separates itself.

We ordered:

* Spring Salad — fresh, clean, not an afterthought.
* Smokey 3 Cheese Pimento — this is how it’s supposed to be done. Real depth, not just mayo and cheese.
* Boudin Breakfast — straight Louisiana. You don’t skip this.
* Chicken with Red Beans — crispy, seasoned right, sitting on legit red beans. No shortcuts.
* Louisiana Poulet Pot Pie — the anchor. Rich, layered, and clearly made by someone who knows what they’re doing.

What stood out:

* Nothing felt lazy.
* No filler items.
* Every plate had intention behind it.

Service:
Ask for Isabel if she’s there. She knows the menu cold and actually helps you order instead of just taking it.

Value:
This is the part that surprised me. For everything we ordered, the price felt low for the quality. That doesn’t happen often anymore.

Only downside:
Expect a wait on the weekends. Not a quick one. But after eating here, you’ll understand why.

Bottom line:
If you’re in Baton Rouge and you skip Elsie’s, that’s on you.

Confirmed Galveston area restaurants serving wild caught Gulf shrimp.

📍 Lunch at Noon Mirch — One of the Best Dining Experiences Around

I don’t throw around “best meal” lightly — but today’s lunch at Noon Mirch genuinely earned that title.

We ordered the Feast for Two, and if you’ve ever felt unsure walking into an Indian restaurant because the menu looks overwhelming, this is absolutely the way to start. It brings out a sampler of everything: pakoras, mixed tandoori meats, chicken tikka masala, shrimp curry, saag paneer, basmati rice, naan, and even dessert. It’s basically a guided tour of the menu that lets you figure out what you love without guessing.

🔥 The Standout

The chicken tikka masala completely stole the show — deep, rich, balanced, and layered with flavor in a way that builds instead of punching you in the face with spice. But here’s the thing: nothing on the table was weak. Everything held its own.

The vegetable pakora was light and crisp, not greasy.
The saag paneer was smooth, earthy, and comforting.
The tandoori assortment had real char, real marinade depth, and proper texture.

🥵 Important Spice-Level Reality Check

You do get to choose your spice level, and this is where people get in trouble:
Anything above medium is a death sentence.
Medium is already plenty hot.
If you’re even slightly unsure what “too hot” is for you — go below medium and enjoy the flavor instead of fighting the heat.

🥖 The Garlic Naan Is Outrageous

This may be the best garlic naan I’ve ever had — buttery, tender, and blistered just right. It wasn’t a side item… it was a co-star.

🧭 For Anyone Nervous About Indian Food

This is important for our area:
If you’re someone who’s ever said,

“I want to try Indian food, I just don’t know what to order,”
start with the Feast for Two. It removes all the fear, lets you learn what profiles you enjoy, and you’ll walk out knowing exactly what to order next time.

🍸 The Bar Deserves a Separate Visit

We didn’t try cocktails today, but their bar menu is impressive — well beyond what you’d expect from a typical Indian restaurant. It’s absolutely on the “return trip only for drinks” list.

⸻

✅ Final Take
• Incredible depth of flavor
• Zero weak dishes
• Perfect entry point for beginners
• Shockingly good garlic naan
• Legit spice control (use it wisely)
• Serious cocktail program
• Easy repeat-visit energy

This place isn’t just “good for Indian food.”
It’s flat-out excellent food, period.

If you’ve been driving past it unsure what to expect — now you know. Go in confident.

-J Vincent

I’ve previously s**t all over The Bing Pizzeria - League City and for good reason. Today they reclaimed my taste buds.

I’ve been in a few times lately and can state that their Cold Cut Italian is consistently ON POINT. The contrast of toasted buttery parmesan bread with the perfect soirée of fresh veggies and a hefty helping of meat just makes it…perfect. It’s one of the best sandwiches I’ve had in a long time.

Pizza was way above par, crisp crust with a doughy interior. I like a little more cheese but that’s hard to balance if you want a perfect crust. Salads are crisp and cold.

Their Margherita Pizza is FAR from authentic but my daughter ate every bite. I prefer authenticity but sell what sells!