Applebee’s Jazzed Up Flavors of Bourbon Street {Review & Giveaway}

Today, we have a few things to offer you…

We’ll be talking about Applebee’s Jazzed Up Flavors of Bourbon Street menu, giving you some great tips from Applebee’s chef Patrick for your summer shrimp cooking, plus offering you a giveaway!

My husband and I got to go out on a date to Applebee’s (courtesy of them!) and try their new Jazzed Up Flavors of Bourbon Street Menu. I was excited to have a dinner alone with my husband, without answering a very talkative and inquisitive 3 year old’s questions and dodging the flying food of our 10 month old through a whole meal (which most of the time I actually find enjoyable and humorous). We went to the Norterra Applebee’s. I honestly hadn’t been to an Applebee’s in years, so I was curious if things had changed much. We were welcomed and seated by a super friendly male hostess who talked to us for several minutes about specials and what was new. We looked around and I was surprised by their community involvement which you could see results of displayed throughout the restaurant.

It was happy hour so of course we looked at that menu. I ordered a strawbetty mojito (Delish) and my husband was so excited that they had a local beer, Four Peaks Kilt Lifter, on tap. We also ordered some onion rings, because they just seemed like a must that evening. And they were yummy and crispy. After browsing over their menu. I decided on the Creamy Cajun Shrimp and Steak and my husband ordered the Sizzling N’Awlins Skillet. My steak was great and cooked just how I ordered it. The sauce that the shrimp came in was also yummy and the potatoes were good too. I almost asked them to substitute mashed potatoes (which I love), but decided to stick with what came with the dish…the chef chose them for a reason, right? My husband’s dish had a kick; it was very flavorful. I got a to-go box for my leftovers, but still ordered dessert. Isn’t that how it should be? I got their $1 Brownie Bite. It was perfect size; a small warm chocolate brownie with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Just what I need to fill a little sweet tooth I had.

It was a fun evening out and good food too!

To hear more about the inspiration behind the new Bourbon Street menu watch these short clips.

“The unique culture and cuisine of New Orleans inspired us to take the next step with our New Orleans-inspired menu and create the Jazzed Up Flavors of Bourbon Street,” said Patrick Humphrey, Executive Chef at Applebee’s. “By putting our twist on some of the best flavors of New Orleans, our new menu brings the taste of Bourbon Street to every neighborhood for everyone to enjoy.”

Episode One

Episode Two

Some of the New Orleans-Inspired Favorites are now available for a limited time on the 2 for $20:
Creamy Cajun Steak & Shrimp, Cajun Shrimp Pasta and Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp

Will you be cooking up any shrimp this summer? Check out these Shrimp Tips from Chef Patrick!!

Sautéed

• When sautéing shrimp, make sure your pan is hot, the shrimp are patted dry and the oil or butter is the same temperature as the pan.
• If cooking with a sauce, get it nice and hot prior to adding to the pan. This keeps you from overcooking the shrimp and adds flavor to both the sauce and shrimp.
• A squeeze of fresh citrus, like lemon or lime, brightens and heightens shrimp’s flavor.

Grilled

• Find a cooler section of the grill and make sure it’s clean and lightly oiled to avoid sticking.
• Avoid flare-ups and an overheated grill to ensure the shrimp doesn’t pick up any off-flavors
• Use skewers to easily turn and evenly cook the shrimp.
• Leave the tails on for easier eating.
• Lightly baste with a sauce to add flavor. It can be as simple as a mix of butter, lemon juice and herb.

Fried

• Start with clean oil heated to the right temperature – typically 350 Fahrenheit works best.
• Avoid over-breading your shrimp. The shrimp is the star; the breading complements its flavor.
• Dip the shrimp in egg wash, a light dredge of seasoned flour and a little panko bread crumbs for crunchiness before dropping them into the fryer.
• Similar to grilling, leave the tails on for easier handling while cooking and eating.

Now, you can try their new menu too! Enter below to win a $50 gift certificate to Applebee’s! Leave a comment telling us want item you’d like to try from their new Bourbon Street menu.