New Orleans

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There's really no way to describe New Orleans. I think that is why you really have to go to this great city and experience the way of life down there. Honestly though, there is no place in the world like NOLA everything from the food, the laws, the music, the people, the buildings, the history- everything is completely original and different from any place else in our country and even the world. I went there not knowing what to expect- well besides the fact that I was in for some great local, fresh and original food and jazz. I still don't know if I understand New Orleans, but then again what is there to understand? It is the big easy after all! I know one thing is for sure, if you can't have fun, eat, or laugh in New Orleans then you can't anywhere. So as they say in NOLA laissez bon temps rouler! 

One thing I really must say about all these restaurants is how nice all of the servers were. This just goes to show you that the people in front (the host, waiters, manager ect...) of the restaurant are just as important in determining how you like your experience as the people in the back are (the chefs). Now let me show you where and what I ate! 

Emeril's

Off the plane and to one of our country's most notable chef's restaurant  for dinner? What a treat! One of my goals in NOLA was to try to eat the majority of their local and famous dishes and ingredients. So naturally I ordered the house-made andouille and boudin sausages with beautiful braised collard greens and mustard. Both were excellent and the boudin exceeded my expectations.

The other appetizers ordered at my table were the following dishes. The duck wings laid on top of a refreshing and crisp grape and celery salad. Oh and it would be a sin to forget the whipped bleu cheese creme fraiche that accompanied the spiced wings. What a great play on the common "buffalo chicken wings".  We also got the barbecued shrimp. It was really great and the rosemary added subtle herbaceousness without overpowering the fresh shrimp. The Louis salad and crawfish soup were also good starters to the meal. For my main dish, I got one of the signature dishes at Emeril's- the andouille crusted drum. Drum is a meatier fish the dish was rich and decadent. The duck with pickled veggies and the spaghetti nero with a sea urchin sauce were also ordered and enjoyed at my table. As for dessert I enjoyed the famous banana cream pie with bittersweet chocolate shavings on top! 

FAVORITE DISH= Banana cream pie 

Brennan's

Right when we walked in to this NOLA establishment, the place was jumping! We went here for brunch. Here is what we ordered. 

Turtle soup

Oysters Benedict

Eggs Hussarde

Seafood and okra gumbo

Banana's foster being made by our nice waitress

Banana's foster was originally invented here at Brennan's.

Banana's foster over ice cream

FAVORITE DISHES= Gumbo and Bananas foster  

Food festival

Cafè du Monde

Beignets and beverages is all that is served here! And frankly that is all it needs. I ordered the beignets and chicory coffee. The delicious-bitter coffee, complimented and completely foiled the sweet, crisp beignets.  

August

Located on Tchoupitoulas Street in an old tobacco building is Chef John Besh's well-thought out restaurant, August. The inside was warm and cozy. The amuse-bouches were delicious. One this night we got an extremely unique cauliflower foam, with a crunchy granola on the bottom. This was served in an egg shell.  For starters we got the bone marrow, crispy oysters with roasted tomatoes, chopped salad and the gnocchi with crab and truffles. All of them were very good and unique. Next, my dad ordered the trio of pork, while my mom ordered the Grilled Mahi with Crawfish ragout, and I got the lamb tenderloin. My lamb was cooked perfectly and was served with a oat risotto. For dessert you have to get their signature dessert, the Banana Pudding with peanut butter and nilla wafer ice cream. It is a deconstructed, sophisticated face-lift on a comforting classic. We also got the goats milk cheese cake and napoleon with fresh Louisiana strawberries! 

PS- This is going to sound a little strange, but if you ever go to this restaurant you must take a trip to the bathrooms. The wallpaper is filled with menus and signatures of chefs that Chef Besh collected from his travels. I also collect menus and signatures, so I was happy that I have some things in common with Chef Besh! The restrooms are so well-thought out, you must see them. 

FAVORITE DISH= Amuse-bouches 

Willie Mae’s Scotch House 

Fried chicken. Need I saw more? Actually yes I do- crispy, juicy fried chicken. I was told by a native NOLA lady, that traditionally on Mondays, people eat fried chicken, red beans and rice.  This is because seafood is rarer to find on Mondays. I figured that that is because most fish isn't freshly caught all weekend; therefore, Mondays aren't a good day to consume fish because it isn't very fresh. We got the fried chicken (served family style in a big platter), red beans and rice, fried okra, corn bread and washed it down with fresh-homemade lemonade. It was absolutely delicious. You must go here. 

Fried Chicken 

Red Beans and Rice

Corn Bread

Cafe Beignet 

Seeing as though Alton Brown claimed that Cafe Beignet has the best beignets in NOLA. I figured that we had to try it. I ordered the beignets and chicory coffee. I did prefer the coffee at Cafe du Monde. The beignets at both places were very good. At Cafe Beignet, they were a bit airier and did not have as much powdered sugar, while the ones at Cafe du Monde were the opposite. They were both delicious and it all comes down to one's personal opinion. 

Herbsaint 

This restaurant has been getting a lot of buzz.  We ordered the Butter Poached Gulf Tuna with Pickled Chilies and Mint, Housemade Spaghetti with Guanciale and Fried-Poached Farm Egg and Louisiana Shrimp with Calasparra Rice, Artichokes and Maitake as our appetizers. The homemade spaghetti was very delicious and unique because it had a fried poached egg with it. I also adored the simplicity of the tuna with pickled chillies and mint. This dish was very fresh and balanced. For our main dishes we ordered the Muscovy Duck Leg Confit with Dirty Rice and Citrus Gastrique, Slow Cooked Lamb Neck with Saffron Fideo and Tomato Confit , and the fish of the day. The mains were heavy and decadent. For dessert we ordered Roasted Strawberry Oat Shortbread with Strawberry Ice Cream and a Banana Brown Butter Tart with Fleur de Sel Caramel.

FAVORITE DISHES: Butter poached tuna with mint and pickled chillies and House made spaghetti with a fried poached egg 

Commanders palace

You have to come here. We came here for lunch and everything was fabulous. I recommend getting any of the dishes we ordered. Here is what we got for appetizers, Shrimp & Tasso, Crawfish Boil Beignets, Shrimp Remoulade,  Commander’s Turtle Soup and Oyster & Absinthe “Dome”. Each one was unique and different; however, I was totally blown away with the Shrimp & Tasso. I knew that this was one of Commanders Palace's famous dishes; however, when I read the description on the menu I was a little apprehensive. It just doesn't sound like shrimp, tasso ham, pickled okra and a 5 pepper jelly go together. Let me tell you something, this dish was magical. I loved it. Order it and promise me that you will savor every single bite, and sop up the sauce with the hot NOLA bread. This dish is so unique and so balanced. For our main dishes we got the Strawberry Molasses Lacquered Quail, Louisiana Shrimp & Grits, and Crawfish salad with marinated blue crab, fruit and pickled veggies (the flavor combo of this salad was so balanced. I could taste the sweetness from the fruit, the brininess of the veggies and fresh seafood). For dessert we went with the Ponchatoula Strawberry Shortcake with a yummy buttermilk biscuit, Praline parfait, and the famous Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé with a warm whiskey sauce. 

Garlic Bread

Shrimp Remoulde

The beautiful and delicious- Shrimp and Tasso

Oyster & Absinthe “Dome”

Turtle Soup with Sherry 

Crab Boil Beignets 

Shrimp and Grits 

Strawberry Quail 

Crawfish and marinated crab salad

Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé 

Praline parfait 

Strawberry shortcake 

Our waiter, Woody preparing a cafe brulè.

FAVORITE DISHES: Shrimp & Tasso, and the Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé

Deanie's seafood 

We got to Deanie's at about 6 and there was already a line. A restaurant that is very popular with the locals, Deanie's Seafood was recommended among many for having a good crawfish boil. We shared a half oyster/ half shrimp po boy, a boiled crawfish, and plump broiled oysters. The oysters were so plump and delicious. I also really enjoyed the boiled crawfish. Here is a good tip for eating any preparation of crawfish, NEVER eat the straight crawfish. What I mean by straight crawfish, is the crawfish who's tail doesn't curl (like a shrimp). You never want to eat a straight-tail-crawfish because chances are the crawfish was already dead before cooking it. 

Crawfish boil 

Shrimp and oyster po boy

Broiled oysters

FAVORITE DISH: Broiled oysters 

Central Grocery

I come from the northeast (so yes I am a Yankee!), so I know some great Italian food and delis. Central Grocery reminded me a bit of home. I had a muffaletta. And as you may know, muffalettas are indigenous to NOLA and were first made at Central Grocery . The ingredients that went into the muffaletta were ones that I am used to and grew up with but somehow the overall product was different. I think that mostly had to do with the bread. This is because where I am from we have mostly crusty French baguettes or Italian ciabatta. This sandwich was absolutely yummy! 

Galatoire's

This famous restaurant is located on Bourbon Street. A street where you just wouldn't expect to see a restaurant that (depending on the day or time) makes men wear a sports coat. I heard that Mick Jagger went in there and the owners even made him wear one! This restaurant is beautiful. The bottom floor is filled with mirrors. We ordered the soufflé potatoes, turtle soup, crab maison, blackened redfish, crawfish etouffee and bread pudding for dessert. 

Soufflè potatoes 

Crab maison 

Crawfish  etouffee

FAVORITE DISH: Crab Maison

Happy Eatings!