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re: OMI Restaurant on One Calais Ave near Essen Lane

Posted on 4/1/13 at 2:43 pm to
Posted by Warchild
Steelers Fan
Member since Mar 2013
383 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 2:43 pm to
Are you talking about Dim Sum on Airline? Yeah, I definitely don't get the hype for that place. Last time I went I had a dish that contained some sausage that was spoiled

I don't each much Chinese in BR. Sometimes if I'm in the New Orleans area I'll stop at Little Chinatown in Kenner; they have some legit stuff.
Posted by RaginCajunz
Member since Mar 2009
7093 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 2:49 pm to
quote:

Are you talking about Dim Sum on Airline? Yeah, I definitely don't get the hype for that place. Last time I went I had a dish that contained some sausage that was spoiled

I don't each much Chinese in BR. Sometimes if I'm in the New Orleans area I'll stop at Little Chinatown in Kenner; they have some legit stuff.


Yeah, sorry. Dim Sum on airline. The second visit I had an incident that revealed heavy use of a microwave. Ice cold steamed veggie plate that was reheated poorly in a microwave when I complained. The other dishes seemed suspiciously like frozen, prepackaged dim sum from an asian grocer. The whole visit ruined me of the place forever.

Posted by gjackx
Red Stick
Member since Jan 2007
16574 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 3:53 pm to
quote:

How many restaurants have come through that location?

It's been four or five different names in the last three years or so.
Posted by ccw
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2006
170 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 4:08 pm to
quote:

The menu looks very intriguing; my only qualm is that I don't know what half of the things are. I wish he'd have put some descriptions of the dishes.
Also, isn't Moo Shu Pork (mentioned in an above post) pork that is served with pancakes and plum sauce?
The Moshu Pork they serve is the Sichuan style, very different from the Peking/northern style of shredded pork served with pancakes( I used to have that pancake style dish when I was in New York city). It is a light colored dish with no sauce but really very tasty. It is low risk for anyone to try it :).

Tigerhead meatball is a big but very soft meatball served in a pot with sauce and vegetables at the bottom. It is a classic Shanghai dish. Goes nicely with rice.

Some of their dishes can be very hot (spicy).

A lot of people like the cumin beef.

If you like pork ribs, you have got to try vinegar and sugar pork ribs..meat is very tender and literally falls off the rib bone. They use the dark chinese vinegar.

You are right; they should have some description on the dishes.
This post was edited on 4/1/13 at 11:13 pm
Posted by ccw
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2006
170 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 4:15 pm to
Warchild,

Yes, you are right about Little Chinatown on Williams Blvd. Good genuine stuff they serve there.

As for Dim Sum, that is the second place in town that serves genuine Chinese food, Cantonese style. For the sausage you ate, I think you had the preserved Chinese sausage that has a very different taste from fresh pork sausage. I have been going to Dim Sum for years, and their food , i.e Dim Sum dishes, has been consistent and very decent, along the lines of Little Chinatown in Kenner. Their sauteed crispy noodle, authentic Cantonese wonton +/- noodles are very good, including some Chinese entree dishes.
This post was edited on 4/1/13 at 4:20 pm
Posted by ccw
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2006
170 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 4:26 pm to
Quote:
_________________________________________________
Yeah, sorry. Dim Sum on airline. The second visit I had an incident that revealed heavy use of a microwave. Ice cold steamed veggie plate that was reheated poorly in a microwave when I complained. The other dishes seemed suspiciously like frozen, prepackaged dim sum from an asian grocer. The whole visit ruined me of the place forever.
_________________________________________________

I am sorry you had that experience at Dim Sum. I cannot explain that. My experience over the years including this year has been positive. Never found fault with their Dim Sum which was genuine and down to earth. I know they make their own Dim Sum, nothing frozen. (Not sure about the pot stikcers, however).
Posted by Warchild
Steelers Fan
Member since Mar 2013
383 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 4:27 pm to
quote:

vinegar and sugar pork ribs


I don't see this anywhere on the menu
Posted by shawnlsu
Member since Nov 2011
23682 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 4:34 pm to
quote:

ccw


You the owner or busser?
Posted by ccw
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2006
170 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 4:37 pm to

quote:

How many restaurants have come through that location? It's been four or five different names in the last three years or so.


I remember the first one was Tomato Grill, a fantastic restaurant where the cook used to work at Sullivan's. I used to go there a lot until they decided to move to the Casino at downtown.
Subsequently, they had Vincents, a pizza place, Mexican place, and I think two Japanese restaurants. I tried the two Japanese restaurants and wasn't impressed. Only went once.

I think OMI is unique in that their Japanese food was decent like a lot of other Japanese restaurants in town, and their very good and unique style of Sichuan Chinese food. The present Koi restaurant on W. State street got their recipe when the OMI owner/Chef sold their Koi restaurant, and they maintain a similar menu. Unfortunately, they are slowly screwing up the menu and cutting down on material in their dishes.
As far as I know the owner of OMI does not like skimming on the quality of the food, a successful formula when he was running the old Koi Restaurant.
This post was edited on 4/1/13 at 11:16 pm
Posted by ccw
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2006
170 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 4:42 pm to
quote:

vinegar and sugar pork ribs

I don't see this anywhere on the menu


I can assure you it is in there towards the bottom left column of the Chinese menu. It may carry a similar name: the words "sugar and vinegar pork ribs" was a direct translation from the Chinese menu name :) . Ask them about the dark vinegar and sugar pork rib..they will know.
Posted by ccw
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2006
170 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 4:44 pm to
quote:

You the owner or busser?



Nope.

I am just a food addict who loves talking about food, aside from consumption I was told once that I live to eat.

I go for all kinds of food, BTW, not just Chinese.
This post was edited on 4/1/13 at 4:45 pm
Posted by RaginCajunz
Member since Mar 2009
7093 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 4:48 pm to
quote:

Nope.

I am just a food addict who loves talking about food, aside from consumption I was told once that I live to eat.

I go for all kinds of food, BTW, not just Chinese.


My experience was so good that I've become a similar raving fan.
Posted by ccw
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2006
170 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 4:50 pm to
quote:

they have any noodle dishes?

Is there a menu online?


They have a beef shank noodle soup which is one of the classic northern chinese noodle. Next time I go I will ask them if they plan on putting out other noodle dishes like dan dan noodle mentioned in an earlier post.

I think it is a good idea that they put the menu online. They just opened on the 18th March; they are slowly in the process of letting people know their existence!
This post was edited on 4/1/13 at 10:52 pm
Posted by ccw
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2006
170 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 11:02 pm to
quote:

OMI Restaurant on One Calais Ave near Essen Lane
Is that what that restaurant is called? I go at least once a week.


Sorry, I missed that one
Posted by HMTVBrian2
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2011
5760 posts
Posted on 4/1/13 at 11:25 pm to
Going to have to remember this.
Posted by Warchild
Steelers Fan
Member since Mar 2013
383 posts
Posted on 4/2/13 at 1:57 am to
ccw,thanks for all the info. I actually live in Alabama - just made it home, actually - but I've been dating a girl from BR and we're always looking for new places.
Posted by Layabout
Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2011
11082 posts
Posted on 4/2/13 at 9:04 am to
quote:

How many restaurants have come through that location?

Can anyone list some names

I remember Vincent's and El Charro


Tomato's, owned by the same guy who once owned Chicago's Steak House on Government.
Posted by Warchild
Steelers Fan
Member since Mar 2013
383 posts
Posted on 4/2/13 at 4:10 pm to
Planning on def. going here next time I'm in town, probably in a couple weeks. We plan on trying Mooshu Pork, Chong Qing Spicy Chicken, Cumin Beef, and maybe the Noodle & Cabbage Pork or the "Chef Special" Omi Beef Noodle? Also the only ribs on the menu are the Sweet and Sour Ribs and the House Ribs, so I guess I'll just tell them I want the vinegar & sugar ribs like you suggested. Did a little research and I believe that Mei Cai Pork is sliced pork belly (or pork) over preserved mustard greens...
Posted by ccw
Baton Rouge
Member since Jan 2006
170 posts
Posted on 4/3/13 at 10:10 pm to
quote:

We plan on trying Mooshu Pork, Chong Qing Spicy Chicken, Cumin Beef, and maybe the Noodle & Cabbage Pork or the "Chef Special" Omi Beef Noodle? Also the only ribs on the menu are the Sweet and Sour Ribs and the House Ribs


Guess what, I went again tonight and tried a new dish at the chef's recommendation. It was Hunan Style Pork- basically it is thinly sliced pork and quick sauteed in the high heat Wok with garlic, celery slices and green onion. Wow, it sent me to seventh heaven, esp. when it was served piping hot straight from the Wok. It is mildly spicy; it is one of the most fragrant and tasty TENDER pork I've ever had. I would recommend this dish.

In fact all their Wok dishes , like the Chong Qing Spicy chicken, Moshu Pork have a very nice fragrance because they know how to cook with the Wok properly. You cannot duplicate that at home. The heat they use is a super high BTU burner that flash fries or sautees the food in a very short time to produce that typical fragrance. I do not think there is another Chinese restaurant in town that can do that; close, but not quite. You will know what I mean when you taste those dishes.

The pork ribs I was referring to is the SWEET & SOUR RIBS. This is not your usual sweet and sour pork dish that you might have had elsewhere as it has a dark vinegar garlic sauce.

The Noodle and Cabbage Pork uses a sour preserved cabbage (not quite like the sauerkraut but something along similar lines). The sourness I find appetizing. The noodle is a very fine, clear noodle. (The same noodle type in the dish Noodle Siam that they serve at Thai Kitchen in town).

They also have a Pickled Napa Fish that uses the sour napa cabbage. It is nice catfish filet in a spicy sour soup. The sauce goes very well on rice!

The preserved cabbage in Mei Cai Pork is a different kind of vegetable with a very unique different taste that is hard to describe. However, the pork slices served also have layer of fat on the edge; but the way they cook it, you surprisingly DO NOT taste the oily fat because they "degrease" it in their cooking process. That is a typical Chinese favorite.

I asked the cook about doing noodle dishes, like dan dan noodle (cold noodle with peanut and sesame sauce, shredded cucumber), and spicy meat sauce noodle. Those are easy dishes for him to do; and he may add it to the menu.

The Omi Beef noodle is a beef noodle soup with beef shank slices on top with some veggie.

As per your ideas, they are considering putting in pictures and descriptions with the dishes so that clients are better informed about their food. Also told them to put the menu on line, and offer free WIFI in their restaurant!
This post was edited on 4/3/13 at 10:20 pm
Posted by FLIPofthecoin
Los Angeles Kings Fan
Member since Apr 2013
454 posts
Posted on 5/14/13 at 5:40 pm to
Any idea what the Yanjing Beef is??


And if you had to choose 3 dishes there to recommend (and only 3), what would they be?
This post was edited on 5/14/13 at 5:42 pm
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