New Orleans

I just got back from a vacation down in New Orleans. It had been about 8 years since I was there and my wife had never been so we were due for the trip. When I lived there I was a culinary intern, living about 5 blocks from Commander's Palace. Needless to say that on an interns pay I couldn't afford to eat there, so I was looking forward to eating there this time around. What a great meal!!! I loved everything from the Turtle Soup to the Shrimp wrapped around tasso and served with a 3 pepper jelly and tabaso butter sauce. Also had a special of Snapper with an herb crust with mashed potatoes, and a creole sauce studded with rock shrimp. Of course, for dessert we had the Bread Pudding Souffle and a round of cafe burlot (a flaming coffee drink made tableside). I had told our server about my internship in New Orleans that I was coming back to finally be able to dine here. Well, he made sure my wife and I had the "royal" treatment. Not only was his team there for our every need one of the managers paid very close attention to us all night long. They were all very professional yet also very, very friendly. It was truly one of the best dining experiences I have ever had.

We also ate at the Court of Two Sisters. Unfortunately, the food here was not very good (one of the worse gumbos I have ever had). Our server smelled like he had just come from the bar, and as he had just come on for his shift seemed very disoriented. He also had the nastiest teeth I had ever seen. Almost rotted away. I don't need someone like that hovering over me as I am trying to eat!!

Then there was all the standbys that I could afford back then that I had to hit again. Mother's is still great. My wife fell in love with Cafe du Monde and would get up early in the morning, take the riverside steetcar over there, have breakfast and be back before I was out of bed. And finally, there was Central Grocery, home of the Muffeletta. The best in the city!! I must have eaten 4 whole sandwiches there during our stay (and if you have ever seen a whole muffeletta you know what a feat that is)!!

shroomgirl,
5 days!!!!

We did a lot of eating on the run...between bars, at the zoo, etc. Had a decent meal at "The Gumbo Shop". Nothing that would be considered great, but they have all the standards and it is solid. I wanted Wanda to have a chance to eat as much of the traditional Cajun and Creole food as possible so that place fit the bill. We also ate one night at Kappy's (the restaurant at the Hilton Riverside) it was solid, not great, but again a good turtle soup, though more chili-like than I am used to.

By the way, next time you are down there do the Haunted History tour though the Quarter at night. Also, Grey Line has a great swamp tour done through Cypress Swamp Tours. It is in a bigger boat (I wanted an airboat tour-Wanda did not!) but our captain was this big old Cajun who was so funny and very informative about life in the bayous. It is fun to visit a city that you used to live. You get a chance to do all those touristy things that you would never do as a local!!

I am in love with the history of the place. The fact that that history still seems alive. When you are walking alone, down a dark street in the quarter (assuming you don't get mugged) you can almost hear the horses and carriages of yesteryear clattering down the street or the sounds of pirates drinking in a tavern. You can almost see the ghosts of the French, Spanish, and Creoles walk past you, on their way to do business both legal and illegal. That is the allure of New Orleans for me.