To Eat while Traveling: New Orleans Golden Birthday Edition, Part 1

the grounds of the NOMA.

During the last week of January we headed down to New Orleans to celebrate my birthday, the golden one! (I turned the same age as the date, specifically, 30 on the 30th.)

This is the first installment of 3. We were there for 3 full days. So, like, a post for each day.

We stayed near to the Bywater neighborhood. It was described in some places as hipstery, which to some people means douchey, but like it or not, to me it signifies there will likely be a good coffee shop and some good places to eat. (I won.)

The night we arrived, we ate at The Franklin on Dauphine Street, probably exactly in these seats:

the picture is from the website.

In a practically empty, candle-lit restaurant nearing closing time, our server was aggressively disappointed in our choice to have only 3 small plates and a couple drinks. We ordered fried oysters to start and she hovered hoping we'd add more. My husband ordered fried oyster mushrooms (which caused me slight panic because I thought it was another variety of oysters for a moment...) and the raw fish of the day, which was probably red snapper. (I thought this was cut a little too thick; but maybe I'm comparing it to cheap, shitty sushi? That's the thing! Sometimes, you get so used to shitty stuff that the good stuff seems weird. Today, I had natural peanut butter which tasted weird because I grew up eating Jif which has the second ingredient of: sugar.) It was good. Don't run there.  

niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice foam, satsuma. i see you.

The next morning and all of them thereafter we went to Satsuma Cafe for a cappuccino for me and a coffee for M. It was my typical comfort zone. Lots of wood and mismatched chairs, lived in, loud, local newspapers strewn about by the door. We were so lucky and able to sit outside. 

please, have some kweesh.

We made friends with this lady. We even shared our quiche with her. 

After a visit to the Back Street Cultural Museum (go there!) and about a 4 mile walk in some heat, we deserved a fried chicken lunch at Willie Mae's Scotch House. 

stand there. look casual.

The outside of the restaurant says everything you need to know about the inside, not a touch of interest in being trendy but true to itself and rough around the edges. The menu, in a plastic sleeve, boasts basically fried chicken (a few other fried meats), sides, and your choice of tea or soda. The plates are plastic, but on top of them and inside that red plastic basket is rich, delicious food and some really crispy, slightly spicy fried chicken with unctuous meat. Drippy, flavorful, fried chicken meat. That mac and cheese looked too small when I got it, but it was rich and spicy. I can't say I cared for the rice and beans, brown sauce never does it for me and those beans were mushy (s'posed to be?). The croutons on the salad came from a bag (I opened the bag myself!). This spot is on the map of places to try and evidenced by the white faces and businessmen in suits, in an otherwise seemingly black and non-businessy neighborhood (the Treme). While likely not conforming to any modern rules of "what's a cool restaurant," (ie. no edison bulbs) you won't be the only tourist there, in case that matters to you.

the salad makes it healthy.

We went to the NOMA sculpture garden, rode the trolley, walked through the Garden District and then promptly needed a drink. We went to some dumb place with rum in the title. Who cares about it? The weather was nice, we got to sit outside, and we enjoyed a frozen cocktail (for him) and a caipirinha (for me). We walked up and down Magazine Street. But, be warned shops close at 5. So, just, don't anticipate browsing shops before eating dinner. If it's a Thusday, maybe stop at Tracey's for some drive by oysters. (Walk thru? Basically, a dude stands at a table and shucks oysters for passersby.)

#peniscolada

We arrived at Coquette for an early-ish dinner. A compact man in skinny rolled up khaki pants and a rolled short sleeved plaid shirt (just high enough for his tat to peek out) greeted us warmly. He motioned to a cozy corner table near the bar where we could take in the dark wood, huge crystal chandeliers and subway tiled floor. A friend had recommended splurging for the 5 course tasting menu, and after reviewing the menu we said to each other, "F..k it. Let's do it."  

Two amuse bouches later (a slice of prosciutto followed by a small piece of crab with cream cheese and everything bagel seasoning on top) we began in earnest. Artful veggies cooked 3 ways (on top of cashew cream and under cracked pralines, probably my favorite dish), fried sweetbreads served as a take off on fried chicken & waffles with an asian twist, red snapper & quinoa, pork cooked in its own juices, a grapefruit sorbet & mint palate cleanser, and the finale was like a deconstructed s'more. (I don't go crazy for desserts, and this one was not a favorite.)  Overall, A f..cking Plus. 

29th of January = our dating anniversary. 5 years!

Later that night, we went to hear so many live musics on Frenchmen Street. We went to 3 different clubs, but my favorite was some seemingly high school aged kids, probably 15 of them, playing big brass band music on the corner.

Up next... the day I turned 30. SPOILER ALERT: I ate so much I nearly ruined my celebration. Oops.

Click for parts 2 & 3