Reviews For Dante's, Daiwa, Dreamy Weenies, and More

In his first review since returning from Harvard, Brett Anderson throws THREE BEANS at Dante's Kitchen for their "graceful maturity" and notes New Orleans' recent obsession with whole fish this week: While Dante's core is Southern cuisine, "dinners can pivot in many directions at once, with Asian flavors taking a particular place of pride in the recipes," such as the whole trout, which comes off as an "honest example" of chef/ownerEman Loubiere's many interests, and tastes "like little else in town," which can be said about quite a few dishes here. [NOLA.com]

Ian McNulty reviews Daiwa this week, a little known gem for sushi (and karaoke, zomg!) out in a Marerro strip mall: Chef/owner Ken Wong? he's Chinese, actually? "mixes first-rate raw materials and a charmingly cheeky attitude to stand out from the increasingly crowded pack of local Japanese restaurants" with a Hong Kong "style" and "irreverence" and a bunch of private karaoke rooms including a "bubble gum-pink Hello Kitty" one. [Advocate]

Scott Gold reviews Dreamy Weenies in the Quarter this week: "What separates Dreamy Weenies from the competition — most notably the growing Dat Dog weiner empire and smaller shops such as Diva Dog — is a dedication to serving kosher, halal and vegan versions of what it calls the 'New Orleans-style hot dog,' loaded with topping combinations incorporating local and global flavors." But don't expect late hours or beer. [Gambit]

Tom Fitzmorris doles out THREE WHOLE STARS to Thai Space on the North Shore. It's a place that "went from being great to mediocre" after co-owner Ricky Seubsanh was sentenced to 20 years for "a number of unsavory charges" last year, but T-Fitz finds the restaurant finally back to its "formerly fine self" this week. No hipness points here. The dining room is "spare" but "cheery." And while the coke-king of the North Shore's Thai Food industry is gone, the "pad prik king" lives on as T-Fitz' #9 Essential Dish. [CityBusiness, sub req]