3 States
5 ½ Days
1,881 Miles
36 Restaurants
17 Bakeries
6 Ice cream shops
6 Drink places
1 Candy shop
14 Sonic America’s Drive-Ins
2 Whole Foods Markets
Who would take a trip just to eat at a high end restaurant?
That would me fervently waving his hand.
Having long wanted to dine at August a loonggg weekend was carved out and a non-stop flight to New Orleans booked. Predictably, other eateries were plotted. A 2004 trip to the gulf states (Louisiana, Mississippi & Alabama) resulted in some of the best food of any trip; most of it in New Orleans. On that trip the high end spots were Commander’s Palace and Tujagues. Legendary conquests included Café Du Monde, Domilise’s Po’Boys, Mother’s and Camellia Grill.
But that left several New Orleans high-end establishments and local institutions. Having thoroughly explored the Crescent City already, this trip would be committed to crossing these restaurants off the list and then “filling in the map” with the rest of Louisiana.
Thursday, March 31st, 2011
Flight was three hours late. Rushed to the Central Business District (CBD).
Herbsaint. Gourmet Top 50. James Beard Award winning chef.
Arugula with Roasted Beets, Burrata and Walnut.
Jumbo Lump Crabmeat with Beets, Sprouts and Grapefruit.
Checked into the hotel straddling CBD and the French Quarter and rushed back out to soak in the atmosphere.
Acme Oyster House has generated lines out the door since 1924.
The obvious choice was Oysters on the Half Shell. Slurp!
Bourbon Street ramping up to full debauchery mode.
Friday, April 1st, 2011
The Marriott has a well-equipped fitness center, by why hole up inside with so much to see on the streets 5 floors below? Performed weight training and then the Mizuno Wave Nirvanas hit the pavement of the French Quarter.
The famous Jackson Square is the heart of the French District.
It was Thanksgiving 2004 that I discovered the magic of beignets at Café Du Monde. Typically referred to as French holeless donuts they are made to order and then dusted in powdered sugar.
Running along the Mississippi River levy enjoying views of downtown and Steamboat Natchez.
On the way out of town took a spin through the 9th Ward to see Katrina's impact. This was a very bad area to start with. Most homes were still unoccupied. Or looked like they weren't but were.
Between breakfast and lunch was the first of three journeys into Louisiana’s gulf coast.
It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. The topography, housing, industry and people are so distinctive; pictures and prose could never fairly capture it.
Constant thoughts of the impact of hurricanes, oil spills and BHO’s drilling ban.
At the end of the road is a memorial for Katrina victims.
Back in The Big Easy for lunch.
John Besh is a gifted chef and a consummate Southern gentleman. His restaurant August has garnered countless accolades including #22 on the Gourmet Top 50 list.
The historic building extols Southern charm.
His signature amuse bouche of Truffle Egg Custard with Caviar and Brioche Stick.
Salad of Roasted Covey Rise Beets, Warm Ricotta, House Cured Guanciale, Local Mizuna and Marcona Almonds.
Pan Seared Sheepshead; English Pea Custard, Spring Onions, Tomato Confit Vinaigrette.
Fantastic. Deep flavors and perfectly executed preparation yielded a marvel in innovative taste and texture.
Waiter: How is your sheepshead sir?
Me: I could lick the bowl.
Waiter: It’s your bowl sir. Go ahead.
Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Croquant; Salted Caramel and McEwen’s Buttered Popcorn Ice Cream.
Despite being stuffed, the dual factors of remaining parking time and a nearby institution could not be passed up.
Po-boys are one of many Louisiana staples invented by Johnny’s in 1950.
The line inside documented their 6 decades of popularity.
The crusty bread was the supporting player in both texture and a foundation for the salty ham and soft egg.
Off to the second foray to the gulf coast.
Immediately found a bakery for this glorious tribute to peaches.
Civilization quickly thins out on the 80 mile drive to Venice.
It was a very pleasant drive with the ideal weather, unique scenes and listening to a audio book biography on Winston Churchill.
Back in the Crescent City for another round of eating and walking around.
Mulate’s bills itself as original Cajun cooking.
The cavernous interior fronted by a two-step dance floor was full by the time I left at 6:30.
My fourth time having alligator, tender has never been the adjective despite Mulate’s menu description.
Opened in 1918, Arnaud’s is a French Quarter benchmark of fine dining. Their signature Shrimp Arnaud.
Antoine’s is the oldest restaurant in town- 1840. Felt like I should be wearing top hat and tails.
They invented Huitres en Coquille a la Rockefeller. You’ll know it as Oysters Rockefeller.
At the completion of the dish you are presented with a consecutively numbered card documenting your placement in Oysters Rockefeller history. Nice touch.
Bourbon Street again. Oh, the things I saw.
Palace Café is a tower of style inside and out.
Another tower- Strawberry Shortcake.
Saturday, April 2nd, 2011
Same work-out tactic, this time running the CBD. Thought about the previous day’s food. Ran some more.
The free Canal Street Ferry makes the short jaunt across Old Man River to Algiers Point. It delivers a winning view of the skyline and reminder of NOLA’s relationship to the river which is easily forgotten from sites not orienting to it and the high levy.
Back in the French Quarter with its surplus of character.
Under the barrel ceiling of the aptly named Café Beignet...
...for more fried dough.
“Breakfast at Brennan’s” is a New Orleans’ tradition and made meal logistics easy as the only high-end place open for this meal.
A series of graceful dining rooms surround a foliage canopied courtyard.
The Brennan's custom of poached eggs and Canadian bacon on Holland rusks, topped with hollandaise sauce. AKA Eggs Benedict. Remorse set in after placing my order- you can get it anywhere. Regret verified to find it wasn’t good. And again to find it was thirty bucks. (How can you make hollandaise bad? It's butter.)
Headed out of NOLA to initiate the “filling in the map” portion of the trip.
The first of fourteen Sonics on this trip bringing the grand tally to 163 Sonics in 21 states with 164 menu items enjoyed.
The morning was the final journey into The Pelican State’s gulf peninsulas.
Grand Isle is an 8 mile barrier island accessible by a serpentine bridge.
This remote town of a couple thousand gets hit by a hurricane every 2.68 years.
Stopped for an ice cream to enjoy this pretty view in remote Chauvin.
The foray along the coast continued further west, this time in a loop providing ample doorways into another culture.
Houma.
Abbeville.
Old Tyme Grocery is housed in just that and has been providing po-boys to Lafayette since 1982.
I went with the Turkey Po-boy and relished the soft roll, succulent meat and creamy mayo.
Borden’s Ice Cream Shop. 1940. Just think of the generations of memories.
Sunday, April 3rd, 2011
Fitting start to the day. Decisions, decisions....
Downtown Lafayette is tidy and inviting.
Dwyer’s Café dates to 1927.
I have a fondness for pancakes. I have a fondness for sweet potatoes.
Just north of Lafayette, Prejean’s is a boisterous eating hall ornamented with stuffed alligators.
Prejean’s Napoleon- polenta cake, crab cake and poached egg covered in a Hollandaise/Tasso sauce accessorized with shrimp.
Here is a cutaway view. Best...crab...cake...ever.
The art deco courthouse of Crowley.
Royalty in donuts at Donut Queen with an Apple Fritter.
The drive along the central coast was a constant flow of low lying landscape.
The ferry costs a buck to cross the Calcasieu River at the mouth of the Gulf on the west end of the state.
It churned up the water providing meal opportunities for diving seagulls.
The metropolis of Holly Springs.
Winkydoo’s Malt Shop in Sulphur. Just fun to say.
Along the Interstate east of Lake Charles.
The royalty theme resumes at Donut King in Jennings.
Sonic Reese's Blast. My, oh my.
DeRidder reminds us how railroads used to be the lifeline of many towns.
The route continued north culminating in the NW corner of the state.
Monday, April 4th, 2011
Strawn’s Eat Shop tucked in a residential neighborhood of Shreveport.
“Strawberry Ice Box Pie. A tower of real whip cream, strawberries/pudding filling all struggling to be carried on a dense buttery crust. Could this be the best pie I’ve ever had?”
-Me, November 2004
“Dittos.”
-Me, April 2011
Glossy Morning Glory in homey Julie Anne’s Bakery.
The 1923 Strand in downtown Shreveport.
Apples…it makes it healthy. Really.
Crossed my own path from 7 years ago in northcentral Louisiana at the site where Bonnie and Clyde were gunned down at on May 23rd, 1934.
Arcadia is built on the antiques market.
Dark storm clouds approach Homer.
In the northeast corner of the state the town of Lake Providence is on…the Mississippi River.
Essentially the whole town of Transylvania.
Rainbow over Mississippi.
Tuesday, April 5th, 2011
On the edge of the LSU campus Louie’s Café has been serving Baton Rouge since 1941.
Sidled up to the counter surrounding the grill.
Realized I hadn’t had grits on the trip yet.
Kickin’ it old school at Poor Boy Lloyd’s in downtown Baton Rouge.
Duplicated the tradition at one of the 2 most non-traditional capitols in the nation. (The other is Santa Fe's one story round statehouse.)
All capitols do share ornate interiors.
History/political books on the 1930s that include Louisiana governor Huey Long invariably mention how a bullet hole still remains from the 1935 assassination in the capitol.
On the 27th floor is an observation deck.
The morning included looping the panhandle of Louisiana.
The royalty theme finalized at The Donut Palace in humorous to say Bogalusa with a complex Apple Fritter.
Crossing the mouth of the Gulf on I-10 ahead is New Orleans and to the right the 24 mile long Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.
My food quests have brought me into sketchy neighborhoods around the world. Such was the case in New Orleans’ Treme district. The urge to feast on the soul food of Dooky Chase’s overrode the risks.
The classy dining room is that much more of a contrast to the squalor outside the walls.
Bypassed the menu for the variety of the buffet. Red beans & rice, smoked sausage, mustard greens, seasoned green beans, stewed eggplant, fish, fried chicken.
The meal ended with a warm from the kitchen Peach Cobbler. Amazing. A taste unlike anything ever experienced.
Since it was only a few blocks away walked to Willie Mae’s Scotch house for their purported best fried chicken. Was that walk a good idea? “Pretend you’ve been here before. Don’t look like a tourist. Cover up the camera. Act casual.”
It wasn’t good. It was outstanding. Ultra crunch and deftly seasoned.
The people in both of these restaurants could not have been nicer.
Spent some more time driving around Mid-City looking at the hurricane damage.
It looked like it happened a year ago, not in 2005.
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is actually in Metaire and the location of two more food stops including Morning Call, an 1870 New Orleans coffee stand moved to this location in 1974.
That’s it, no more fried food!
