Three Beans For MoPho; Reviews for Nile, Blue Crab

This week Brett Anderson awards three beans to casual Mid City stunner MoPho: "The restaurant's most irresistible item is the sweet-crispy-salty chicken wings, accurately dubbed by the waitstaff as 'meat candy,'...Gulotta's ability to make food that tastes how you expect it to taste, only better, and at prices that insulate against accusations that he's charging a premium for food easily found elsewhere, are reasons enough to sit down at MoPho," but there's also the offbeat drinks menu, enthusiastic service, and the pepper jelly braised clams "you'll want to dive into." [NOLA.com]

Sarah Baird finds "New Orleans' best bet for authentic Ethiopian food and adventurous dining" this week at Nile: From rich stews to raw beef galore "there's no better place than Nile to dine with an exploratory group. If you're looking for a novel experience, grab a couple of bottles of wine (a $5 corkage fee applies), a few friends and push your taste buds to a new level." [Gambit]

Tom Fitzmorris heads to West End for a review of the Blue Crab: "From its food to its environment, everything about the place shouts localism. Noisy dining rooms, open decks, a great look at the sunset and big piles of seafood make it the most nostalgic new restaurant in town." T-Fitz #1 Essential Dish? Jalapeño hush puppies. Also of note: "If you go out on the deck on a hot day, you will be thankful for the Bali Ha'i-style tropical cocktails the bar makes so well and generously." +3 hipness points because it's summer on the Lakefront, yo. [CityBus, sub req]

· MoPho, where Southeast Asia meets Louisiana, earns Three Beans: New Orleans restaurants review [NOLA.com]
· Review: Nile Ethiopian Restaurant [Gambit]
· Blue Crab Revives Spirit of Old West End Joints [CityBusiness, subscription required]
· All Week in Reviews [-ENOLA-]