Laisser les bon temps rouler!
I would be remiss to not write about food after visiting New Orleans or as I pronounce it Nawlins is a town of "good eats". The city is full of mom and pop eateries ranging from hole in the wall joints to fine five star restaurants. No matter what your budget or your taste buds require, you can find it in Nawlins. Some of my favorite places were open and back in business, others were still working on reopening, trying to recover from the wrath and devastation of Katrina of which I will write about in a subsequent blog. One place Camilla Grill appears to be closed forever. We will miss the Camilla Grill but cherish the memories of the folks that worked and ate there.
Our first evening in Nawlins, my husband, Mike, 16 year old son, Nick, Natalie, Hoyt and I went to K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen. Mike and I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Paul Prudhomme several years ago when he was a quest chef at the Grand Casino in Tunica as part of their Great Chef Series. Chef Paul prepared a feast fit for a king, or in this case the casino VIPS. For years, I've used recipes out of his Louisiana Kitchen cookbook so it was only natural we eat at his restaurant. The food and service was impeccable. Nick devoured his drum fish entree, which he said was the best fish he had ever eaten. I recommend this place highly. It's fabulous! The dinner specials and menu changes nightly at K-Paul's. Chef Paul is the chef who made blackening famous so try his blackened fish.
No trip to Nawlins would be complete without a trip to the French Market's Central Grocery which is a combination of Italian Deli and grocery famous for their Muffulettas. Central Grocery is located on Decatur Street in an Italian import store where the sandwich was invented about a century ago to satisfy the hungry Sicilian stevedores on the nearby docks. Their Muffuletta, a meal packed into a pizza-sized Italian bun with layers of salami, ham and provolone lavished with their delicious olive relish is an experience to remember. A whole Muffuletta is enough to feed a normal family of four or one Mike Nutzell, so be sure to bring a friend to share the experience. It is like no other Muffuletta in the world.
Forget all the folklore you've ever heard about not eating at anyplace called Mother's. Mother's, located on Poydras Street is a must on the list of eateries and has been featured on TV's Good Eats show. Mother's has been in business since 1938 and pride's itself in its working class origins. Nobody gets treated better or rose than anybody else at Mother's, regardless of your "social status". As owner Jerry Amato says, "Everybody gets fed, Everybody comes back". Mother's is known for their Poboys and their famous baked ham, which Mother's claims is the world's best. Mother's serves breakfast all day and now also serves a host of local Cajun/Creole favorites including Shrimp Creole. Seafood Gumbo, Crawfish etoufee and Jambalaya. Let me just say during the five days we were in Nawlins, we ate at Mother's three times, including eating there twice in one day! I recommend the Shrimp Po Boy which you can order either fried or grilled. I preferred the fried, which is lightly battered and flash fried. Be sure to have your sandwich "dressed" which means it will have a combo of Blue Plate Mayonnaise, yellow and Creole mustards, shredded cabbage, and sliced sour pickles. Also be sure to get an order of fries, which are cut and fried to order, but bring a friend. The regular sandwiches are large enough for two people to share and an order of fries is a whole plate full of delicious fries. Enter the side door, grab a paper menu and stand in line. Don't take too long to decide what to order as the line moves quickly. Be prepared to wait awhile once you order. Take your drink, find a seat and listen for your name to be shouted when your order is ready. Be prepared to be called baby, darling and sweetheart by the fine folks at Mother's. If you order a Ferdi special, be sure you pick up a fork and knife as the debris and gravy will make your French bread soggy. It's a messy sandwich, filled baked ham and roast beef but one that will fill you up and keep you going for hours.
Another must is the Gumbo Shop located in the "Vieux Carre" aka French Quarter on Saint Peter about 1/2 block from Jackson Square. Opened since 1920, the Gumbo Shop has become a staple for both visitors and locals. It is a picturesque place as the building is 200 years old and has an inviting tropical courtyard under a canopy of banana trees. You could almost hear Stanley Kowalski from Tennessee Williams play, “A Streetcar Named Desire” yell “Stella”. The Gumbo Shop has lots of history and ambience so I recommend a cocktails and a leisurely meal. For an entrée, I recommend their combination platter which gives you an ample sampling of Shrimp Creole, Jambalaya and Red Beans and Rice. I believe they have the best Shrimp Creole I ever ate! Be sure to get a side of either their Creole creamed spinach or their smothered turnip greens. For those of you who are vegetarians, their vegetarian special of the day is delicious. It was black beans and rice on Sunday when we visited. Also, don’t forget to order either a Bloody Mary or a lime Frozen Daiquiri, I recommend the Daiquiri. It’s unlike most, and is made with fresh limes and made to order. It’s not one of those frozen drinks that swirls around in a machine for hours or days on end and being the Daiquiri lover that I am, I found it simply a bit of heaven.
Don’t forget to stop by Aunt Sally’s Creole Praline Shop on Decatur Street in the French Quarter in the French Market. You can watch their expert candy makers and enjoy a free sampling of their delectable sweets. For those of you who are chocoholics, I highly recommend Aunt Sally’s Triple Chocolate Praline and her Chocolate Pecans; it just doesn’t get much better.
And no trip to Nawlins would be complete without a stop at Café Du Monde. There you will find the famous chicory coffee served Café Au Lait style with hot beignets. I recommend wearing a light color when you visit as the dusting of powdered sugar on these hot treats will ghost your clothes.
Our first evening in Nawlins, my husband, Mike, 16 year old son, Nick, Natalie, Hoyt and I went to K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen. Mike and I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Paul Prudhomme several years ago when he was a quest chef at the Grand Casino in Tunica as part of their Great Chef Series. Chef Paul prepared a feast fit for a king, or in this case the casino VIPS. For years, I've used recipes out of his Louisiana Kitchen cookbook so it was only natural we eat at his restaurant. The food and service was impeccable. Nick devoured his drum fish entree, which he said was the best fish he had ever eaten. I recommend this place highly. It's fabulous! The dinner specials and menu changes nightly at K-Paul's. Chef Paul is the chef who made blackening famous so try his blackened fish.
No trip to Nawlins would be complete without a trip to the French Market's Central Grocery which is a combination of Italian Deli and grocery famous for their Muffulettas. Central Grocery is located on Decatur Street in an Italian import store where the sandwich was invented about a century ago to satisfy the hungry Sicilian stevedores on the nearby docks. Their Muffuletta, a meal packed into a pizza-sized Italian bun with layers of salami, ham and provolone lavished with their delicious olive relish is an experience to remember. A whole Muffuletta is enough to feed a normal family of four or one Mike Nutzell, so be sure to bring a friend to share the experience. It is like no other Muffuletta in the world.
Forget all the folklore you've ever heard about not eating at anyplace called Mother's. Mother's, located on Poydras Street is a must on the list of eateries and has been featured on TV's Good Eats show. Mother's has been in business since 1938 and pride's itself in its working class origins. Nobody gets treated better or rose than anybody else at Mother's, regardless of your "social status". As owner Jerry Amato says, "Everybody gets fed, Everybody comes back". Mother's is known for their Poboys and their famous baked ham, which Mother's claims is the world's best. Mother's serves breakfast all day and now also serves a host of local Cajun/Creole favorites including Shrimp Creole. Seafood Gumbo, Crawfish etoufee and Jambalaya. Let me just say during the five days we were in Nawlins, we ate at Mother's three times, including eating there twice in one day! I recommend the Shrimp Po Boy which you can order either fried or grilled. I preferred the fried, which is lightly battered and flash fried. Be sure to have your sandwich "dressed" which means it will have a combo of Blue Plate Mayonnaise, yellow and Creole mustards, shredded cabbage, and sliced sour pickles. Also be sure to get an order of fries, which are cut and fried to order, but bring a friend. The regular sandwiches are large enough for two people to share and an order of fries is a whole plate full of delicious fries. Enter the side door, grab a paper menu and stand in line. Don't take too long to decide what to order as the line moves quickly. Be prepared to wait awhile once you order. Take your drink, find a seat and listen for your name to be shouted when your order is ready. Be prepared to be called baby, darling and sweetheart by the fine folks at Mother's. If you order a Ferdi special, be sure you pick up a fork and knife as the debris and gravy will make your French bread soggy. It's a messy sandwich, filled baked ham and roast beef but one that will fill you up and keep you going for hours.
Another must is the Gumbo Shop located in the "Vieux Carre" aka French Quarter on Saint Peter about 1/2 block from Jackson Square. Opened since 1920, the Gumbo Shop has become a staple for both visitors and locals. It is a picturesque place as the building is 200 years old and has an inviting tropical courtyard under a canopy of banana trees. You could almost hear Stanley Kowalski from Tennessee Williams play, “A Streetcar Named Desire” yell “Stella”. The Gumbo Shop has lots of history and ambience so I recommend a cocktails and a leisurely meal. For an entrée, I recommend their combination platter which gives you an ample sampling of Shrimp Creole, Jambalaya and Red Beans and Rice. I believe they have the best Shrimp Creole I ever ate! Be sure to get a side of either their Creole creamed spinach or their smothered turnip greens. For those of you who are vegetarians, their vegetarian special of the day is delicious. It was black beans and rice on Sunday when we visited. Also, don’t forget to order either a Bloody Mary or a lime Frozen Daiquiri, I recommend the Daiquiri. It’s unlike most, and is made with fresh limes and made to order. It’s not one of those frozen drinks that swirls around in a machine for hours or days on end and being the Daiquiri lover that I am, I found it simply a bit of heaven.
Don’t forget to stop by Aunt Sally’s Creole Praline Shop on Decatur Street in the French Quarter in the French Market. You can watch their expert candy makers and enjoy a free sampling of their delectable sweets. For those of you who are chocoholics, I highly recommend Aunt Sally’s Triple Chocolate Praline and her Chocolate Pecans; it just doesn’t get much better.
And no trip to Nawlins would be complete without a stop at Café Du Monde. There you will find the famous chicory coffee served Café Au Lait style with hot beignets. I recommend wearing a light color when you visit as the dusting of powdered sugar on these hot treats will ghost your clothes.
posted by RivahQueen | 9:22 AM
2 Comments:
Drugs are just bad, you should try to use Herbal Alternatives as a temporary replacement to loose the dependance!
I wish I could blog as good as you, but what I can do is give you a nice Guitar Lesson!
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