Eating It Up in the Big Easy

Listen up ladies, I know we all want to look fabulous in our little black dresses but your figure will forgive you for a few days of delicious excess in New Orleans. I have decided that calorie and carb counting is strictly off-limits during my Big Easy getaway. After all, a vacation is a time to escape the rules of everyday life and to soak up the flavors of your destination. It just so happens, that in New Orleans, those flavors are bigger, bolder, and better than most. So, in the name of research, expanded knowledge may come with an ever-so-slightly expanded waistline. When you're letting the good times roll, you have to let go and enjoy. And, I can get back on track when I return home but until then....

I kicked off my personal culinary festival with some damn delicious Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage at the Gumbo Shop in the French Quarter. My dining companion opted for the Jambalaya and said it was perfect. Sipping lemonade in their tiny garden while enjoying delicious homestyle cooking really set the tone for this trip. After lunch, I took a short stroll to Jackson Square and enjoyed some amazing jazz performed by street musicians. 

Red beans and rice with andouille sausage


Jambalaya

Jazz musicians outside St. Louis Cathedral

After walking off some calories along the Mississippi River, I rested up and dolled up for dinner at the legendary Commander's Palace. A meal here can get expensive but how often do you get to dine at an American restaurant that has been around since 1880? Definitely, you must go for a drink and to soak in the ambiance. And, the cab ride to Commander's Palace is a great way to get a tour of the Garden District. ( I would love to know what's happening behind the closed doors of those majestic Victorian mansions.) From their signature cocktail menu, I ordered the Holly Berry (Stoli Citrus Vodka, Chambord Liqueur, Pama Pomegranate Liqueur and Fresh Lemon). For dinner, an entree of Tabasco & Garlic Seared Shrimp. The shrimp were served over creamy and bold cracked-corn jalapeno grits.

This morning, I opted to skip breakfast in anticipation of my lunch reservation at La Cote Brasserie. I had the pleasure of meeting Executive Chef Chuck Subra several years ago at a New Orleans fundraiser in NYC and was thrilled to finally visit his acclaimed restaurant. La Cote is located in the heart of the Arts District in the historic 1910 Union warehouse. Connected to the Renaissance Arts Hotel, the dining room at La Cote is spacious and modern. You can watch Chef Subra and his team work their magic in the open kitchen.

We started with appetizers of perfectly cooked Butter Poached Escargot with Herb Garlic Butter, Pernod and Pesto Crumbs and hearty & smoky Duck & Andouille Gumbo.  The Cochon de Lait (roast pork) Po' Boy featured a pile of spicy juicy pork piled inside a crusty toasted baguette served with fantastic fries.

 

That's me in a little blue dress with Chef Chuck Subra


Butter Poached Escargot


Duck & Andouille Gumbo


Cochon de Lait Po' Boy and Fries

The portions at Le Cote Brasserie were so generous that I packed up my leftovers for dinner tonight. Now what will I eat tomorrow?  Beignets here I come!