New Orelans: Cafe du Monde

If you’re going to the Big Easy, Café du Monde is one of those “must go” places in spite of the fact that it can be crawling with tourists. Go early in the morning or late at night, when the coffee is steaming in the crisp cool air and you’ll encounter more of a local crowd. An interesting thing happens as you walk from Canal Street toward the Café, pay close attention and you’ll be able to find the place even if you’ve never been there before . . . the sidewalk begins to change color. At first it’s just a hint of white, but as you get closer to the café your path becomes increasingly easy to follow, dusted with powdered sugar that has fallen from the beignets that people have picked up from the take away window to eat while walking. Like crumbs dropped in the forest to provide a trail home, powdered sugar dusts the sidewalk in increasing density until you are on the doorstep of the famous Café.

It’s easy to order here, the choice is really only how many of the beignets to have and more is usually better. These hot and crispy pillows of fried dough arrive right from the fryer adrift in powdered sugar and ready to provide that guilty pleasure that only deep fat can offer. An order of beignets and a café au lait and you have either begun or ended your day in fine style. Maybe add some orange juice, but probably not, its all about the coffee and dough here. And a perfect combination they are each and every time.

As I said earlier, this was my first visit to New Orleans since Katrina and I was regularly reminded of the changed demographic that the storm left in its wake. Here at Café du Monde the native New Orleanians were gone, replaced by a newly arrived crew of immigrants with very limited English proficiency and none of the tradition of gracious hospitality and fun that always marked previous visits. I may as well have been in a Dunkin Donuts in New York City. As New Orleans continues to evolve and reinvent itself during its tragically protracted recovery, it will be interesting to see what new traditions may emerge, and sadly, what will be lost.

EatHereOrNot: MAYBE

http://www.cafedumonde.com/

New Orleans: Arnaud's

Here I am in NoLa where the music makes your feet wanna dance and the food makes you lose control. Well, maybe the alcohol helps with that too. Either way its a great place to visit, but the ravages of Katrina are still starkly visible. Come and enjoy, support the city and her people, but be a little careful too. Last night I ate at Arnaud's, one of the classic French infused places in the Quarter and it was exactly what you would expect. Old building, beautiful space, wonderful food . . . and too many tourists. So, here's the secret. . . walk past the front door, go two doors down and enter the French 75 Bar, which is a part of Arnaud's [don't go to the first bar, which is kind of a holding area for the restaurant] and serves the same wonderful menu. Its quiet, elegant, the bartenders [Chris is great] know how to make that French 75 for you and you'll have a great time. Tell Chef Tommy that I sent you.

I started the meal off with a hot dish of crab and cream cheese and spices served with toast. It was rich and tasted of crab in just the right way. The portion was small, just enough to get things going without filling up, and its a perfect companion for a crisp white wine. For the main course Chris recommended the trout amandine and he was right . . . perfectly fried trout with a butter sauce fragrant with sliced almonds. The almonds were crunchy and plentiful, unlike what I have had elsewhere, and the dish was classic cooking at its best. Along with the trout I ordered the pommes souffle . . . a somewhat tricky preparation of sliced potatoes that are fried twice . . . where the second dip in the hot fat causes the potatoes to puff. This is a preparation that I first learned about from Julia Child, but had never seen in person, and these little crisp pillows were wonderful. Try them for sure. Maybe two orders just to make sure they are as good as you think they are. For dessert a crepe stuffed with praline, topped with just enough whipped cream. The balance of flavors and textures in the meal was perfect, the progression leisurely ,and the experience a memorable slice of New Orleans. Check this place out for sure.

A reminder, this is in the French Quarter and it is rowdy, to say the least. During my quiet diversion a fight broke out just outside the door . . . involving pushing, punches, yelling and a baseball bat . . . that had to be broken up and was not pretty. The bartender adeptly bolted the door as things heated up so we were a protected audience, but its not an unusual happening in the alcohol fueled haze that is Bourbon street after dark. Just pay attention.

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

http://www.arnauds.com/