Tag Archives: snoballs

SNOOKIE’S COOKIES & MORE… “Original New Orleans Snoballs Have Come To Glendale!”

Posted on by
77
Twitt

We hadn’t thought of dessert venues for our food and wine blog until my husband and I stumbled upon an ad in the L.A. Times with a giant photo of New Orleans snoballs on it.  My husband knows how much I love authentic snoballs, and we were both curious just how close they would be to the real thing.  We were both skeptical.  That is, until we arrived at Snookie’s Cookies & More in Glendale and tried the colorful icy treats.

I have a real adoration for snoballs.  They’re not snow cones, shaved ice or “slushies”.   They’re snoballs.  Completely different from the others entirely.  With a snoball, the ice packs distinctly and is the consistency of “soft fresh snow” rather than the coarse granular crunchy ice of snow cones or the watery texture of “slushies”.  The flavorings really do taste unique compared to other syrups, and there’s just a certain experience one gets when consuming a real snoball.  My husband and I try to get down to New Orleans twice a year for the terrific Blues and Jazz music, world-renowned Creole cuisine and southern hospitality.  When we do, we always make a point to do three specific things among everything else on our itinerary: have lunch at Commander’s Palace in the Garden District (their 25-cent unlimited martinis are a great way to enjoy a relaxing delicious meal!), relish in  powdered sugar-coated beignets at Cafe Du Monde on Decatur Street, and get brilliantly-colored flavorful snoballs!  Let me just start by saying that if we happen to miss a future planned trip to the Crescent City, there will be a little bit of New Orleans waiting for us at Snookie’s, because their snoballs are the real deal.  

Take a look at the endless flavorings offered at their establishment below!

There is indeed an art to making authentic snoballs.  Snookie’s General Manager, and new Orleans native, Brigitte Tailet, insists that two main ingredients are required for such a feat: real New Orleans snoball flavorings, and a traditional New Orleans snoball machine.  Both, which she has personally retrieved from the Big Easy herself!  Brigitte believes the proper southern Louisiana chilling treat cannot be properly made any other way.  And guess what…we agree with her.  The photo below shows Brigitte’s devotion to keeping real southern snoball flavorings available at Snookie’s…and there are even more than are in this photo inside the Snookie’s kitchen!

Above, the two essential ingredients for making authentic New Orleans snoballs…a real snoball machine and flavorings straight from New Orleans! The finished products, coconut  cream and nectar snoballs ready to enjoy.  Pure snowy perfection!

Snookie’s Cookies started as a family business. Sold to new owners in 2007, the company now has a total of more than 27 years of success, and they’re still going strong.  The “secret” recipes were passed along from the originators, and the comapany is commonly known as the “Cookie Company to the Stars”, catering to the sweet tooth of the elite from Hollywood studio executives to celebrities alike.  In fact, Rick Dees gave Snookie’s Cookies a helping hand in spreading the world about their incredible cookies by mentioning their company on the air after these cookie masters sent him a box to try a year after being open for business!  (Thank you, Mr. Dees for spreading the word)!

As excited as I was about the new addition of New Orleans snoballs to the sweet treats menu at Snookie’s, we cannot go without telling you about all the other fantastic delec-tables Snookie’s Cookies offers.  From the original Snookie’s Cookies, like the white chocolate-chip and milk chocolate-chip versions above, to the oatmeal raisin and peanut butter baked confections below.  Light, crumbly and unlike any cookie we’ve ever had, these sweet delights are just right for any occasion!

Snookie’s Cookies also offers some of the most beautiful gift baskets around.  And if you can imagine it, they probably have it in terms of themes of baskets and what will go inside. Try some personalized cookies, give the unique gift of logo cookies, or select a container of photo cookies or even a photo cookie cake!  Have cookies, brownies, muffins and cakes delivered right to your office or home, or have them sent to someone special.  Balloons, Milk On Ice (what a clever idea!), fragrant milk baths, candles…the list is literally endless.  Take a look at the Snookies website link below to read about their story and see everything they have to offer.

You can’t miss Snookies Cookies.  The entire exterior of the establishment is a vibrant purple color, which continues inside from the purple and white checkered floors to the interior wall color.  It’s fun, sassy and definitely a place you should stop by to satisfy your sweet tooth or the sugar craving of loved ones.  Drive by on your way home from work if you want to, because Snookie’s Cookies is open until 8 PM EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK!  We’re talking serious cookie business here!  The devoted staff of Snookie’s is hard at work putting smiles on the faces of customers and a whole lot of love in their products for others to enjoy.

Above, Snookie’s Cookie’s Snoball banner, one of a fleet of Snookie’s Cookies delivery vehicles and a photo of the inside of the establishment.

Be sure to stop in at Snookie’s Cookies & More on Victory Boulevard in Glendale, CA.  You’ll leave with a smile in your heart, a tamed sweet tooth, and that box of Snookie’s Cookies you leave with under you arm…well, you can figure out what to do with those when you get home!

  • ESTABLISHMENT / DECOR: Purple prevails at Snookie’s Cookies & More! Let this vibrantly-hued confection boutique cater to your every sugary whim! Sit under one of the colorful Tommy Bahama unbrellas in front of the store and enjoy your New Orleans snoball or Snookie’s cookies in the mild breeze that travels down Victory Boulevard.
  • FOOD / DRINK: Cakes, snoballs, brownies, muffins, ice cream sandwiches, sodas, fruit drinks…and fresh-brewed coffee!
  • LOCATION: Snookie’s Cookies & More is located at 1609 Victory Boulevard in Glendale, CA 91201.
  • HOURS:Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 8 PM, Saturdays from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Sundays from 12 PM to 8 PM.
  • SERVICE / STAFF: Friendly, courteous, excited to serve you and extremely welcoming staff! You’ll want to keep returning just for the way they treat you as well as for their outstanding cookies and other goodies.
  • PRICE / VALUE: Snoballs are $3 for a small, $3.50 for a Medium and $4.50 for a large (add a little more for additional toppings). Cookies, muffins and brownies are all $1.35 each, and can vary in price depending on the amount you purchase. Great value for everything considering the “secret” recipes used and the authentic New Orleans snoballs!
  • CORKAGE FEE: Wine and snoballs….um…we don’t think so!
  • CONTACT INFO: Phone: (818) 502-2013 (in southern CA), (800) 927-3747 (all other areas), Website: www.snookies.com
  • TOTAL BILL: Depending on what you order, the prices can vary here.  But you can certainly get a ton of treats here for just a few dollars!

*Special Thanks: We would like to thank Brigitte Tailet, General Manager of Snookie’s Cookies & More, for the complimentary snowballs and cookies!

Snookie's Cookies & More on Urbanspoon Snookie's Cookies Restaurant Reviews

* Menu and prices subject to change without notification.

DOMINICK’S RESTAURANT & BAR… “It’s Crawfish Season!”

Posted on by
125
Twitt

One of the great things about being in the South is the indulgence in the Louisiana crawish boil. One of the great things about being in southern Caifornia, is that every May for the last three years, Dominick’s own Executive Chef Brandon Boudet of New Orleans has been bringing the southern mud bugs to the west coast along with other delectable and savory southern dishes. Served alongside their already popular Brunch menu every Saturday in the month of May, Chef Boudet offers a special “CRAWFISH BOIL” menu which extends to its patrons such southern favorites as Boiled Crawfish By the Pound, a Roast Beef Po’Boy, Fresh Oysters On the Half Shell, and Snoballs among other traditional beloved specialties.

If you’re from the South, or have friends that are, you probably have had a chance to experience those little garnet-hued critters at one point or another called crawfish. In fact, there are several names for these creatures that resemble tiny lobsters, to which, in fact, they are related. You’ll hear northerners call them “crayfish”, the central and southwest regions like to call them “crawdads”, while further south you’ll hear the more common term “crawfish”. There are also many more without clarified geographic origin such as “crays”, “mud puppies”, “ecrevisse” (French), “yabbies”, “bugs” and even “grave diggers”. (Yikes)! Though the numerous titles for these smooth-textured, ruby-colored clawed crustaceans, the namesakes do, at times, tend to overlap geographically.

To make matters even more interesting, did you know that there are over 330 species of crawfish in southeast North America, over 100 classes of them in Australia and over 107 varieties of them in Europe? Mostly found in unpolluted bodies of water, these little critters seem to be everywhere! But we’ll focus on the ones Chef Boudet prepares at Dominick’s for the purpose of this blog. (I sometimes can get carried away with my research)!

Chef Brandon prepares around 300 pounds of crawfish on the Dominick’s patio each Saturday in May. Offered with corn, potatoes and amazing Cajun ingredients and spices, they don’t last long once they’re prepped to serve diners awaiting this meridional favorite. Along with the per-pound portions of crawfish for $10.99, the Roast beef Po’Boy for $8 is a delicious bargain. $12 gets you a half dozen fresh Oysters On the Half Shell, which are quite refreshing in the warm summer weather. In addition to these delectable bites, Chef boudet provides Maui Onion Rings for $12, and his crawfish Boil Artichoke with a Creole Remoulade. Don’t forget dessert, because there are Snoballs on the menu as well! At $3.25 per serving, you can indulge in coconut, blueberry, raspberry and chocolate flavors. For an additional $9, you can “kick it up a notch” by adding a shot of Old New Orleans Spiced Rum! Or you can go the brew route and have a cold Abita Amber Draft. Your choice. Have one or have them all. Your excuse is that it’s Crawfish Season at Dominick’s!

If you’ve never been to Dominick’s, we recommend the patio dining option. There are booths inside the collegiate-feeling bar area when you first walk in, so you can choose that as well, but the outdoor patio reserves a charm all its own. A red brick fireplace oversees clientele as servers care for their patrons’ requests. A chalk-written menu with the day’s specials sits atop the mantle tempting guests with daily offerings from the kitchen. The outdoor area allows for central table seating, tandem selections and larger settings are available upon request.

In true traditional Crawfish Boil form, tables were covered with sheets of newspaper, and rolls of white papertowels adorned each one for quick clean-ups…

We really loved the signature Hurricanes on the menu and the souvenier “Dominick’s Crawfish Boil 2012″ cups they were served in…

Time to eat! Below, what we enjoyed from Dominick’s ‘Crawfish Boil’ menu…

The plate of fresh oysters above was an appropriate and scrumptious starter…

The spring crawfish season typically lasts from March through June when they are the best for harvesting.  Above, these boiled crawfish with red potatoes and the perfect seasoning came out next…

The Roast Beef Po’Boy sandwhich was a hit…tender sliced roast beef, tomato, lettuce and an incredibly juicy flavorful au jus…

Coconut snoball (the shots of rum disappeared before I could snap a photo), sorry!

We enjoyed Dominick’s Crawfish Boil this year. If you didn’t get the chance to attend this year’s southern cuisined menu by Chef Boudet, make a note of it for next year as a “must do” for a Saturday in the month of May. We’ll see what happens next year on the patio!

  • ESTABLISHMENT / DECOR: The photos of the restaurant above show the cozy, open air feel of the patio dining room at Dominick’s.  We really enjoyed the fresh air, the natural decor, and the entire feel of the space reminded us of a courtyard in Old New Orleans.
  • FOOD / DRINK: The offerings were freshly made, savory and flawlessly executed the flavor of Louisiana cuisine.
  • LOCATION:Dominick’s is situated at 8715 Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood, CA 90048.
  • HOURS:Open at 6PM 7 days a week for dinner, and Saturday and Sunday from 10AM to 3PM for Brunch.
  • SERVICE / STAFF: The staff at Dominick’s was well-prepared, courteous and willing to accommodate most requests when approached.
  • PRICE / VALUE: Great value for the cost for Brunch at Dominick’s.  We weren’t disappointed by the prices on the menu.
  • CORKAGE FEE: Dominick’s corkage fee is $15, however, there is a full bar upon entering the restaurant.
  • PARKING: Valet parking is available behind the restaurant on North Sherbourne Drive as well as metered street parking.
  • TOTAL BILL: Our final bill for two pounds of boiled crawfish, two Po’Boy sandwiches, 1 order of raw oysters, two Hurricanes, one snoball and two shots of Old New Orleans Spiced Rum was about $77.99.  Over our SavorHour $50 (including tax) goal, but definitely worth splurging on!

Dominick's on UrbanspoonDominick's Restaurant on Restaurantica

Dominick's Restaurant Restaurant Reviews

* Menu and prices subject to change without notice.