Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Oh Marie Leveau, Mama Voodoo I have been sticking pins in my Humphrey (our very lovable Basset hound) voodoo doll all night. In and out, in and out trying to decide where to start. This is one of the most talked about, most written about and most photographed subjects in New Orleans. It's certainly one of the most popular if not the most popular aspects of all of Louisiana.

So Mama Voodoo where do I begin? Do I tell my readers and friends about the wonderful food first or about the drinks I tested out (just for the sake of the blog, of course)? Or maybe I should give them a little of both.

OK, decision made. I'm a foodie and that's the direction that I'm going to start with. That and of course something to wash it down with of course. First let me caution you that if you are going to drink it is highly suggested that you stay on main streets and well lit areas for your safety. It's also a good idea to have what I called "a designated walker" which is similar to a designated driver but with two good sober feet that move with you instead. 

Le Vieux Carre or the French Quarter is just a small area numbering no more than 78 square blocks the borders of which are Canal St to Esplanade (about 12 blocks), and the Mississippi to North Rampart (about 9 blocks). Sounds like a big area, but it's really not very large at all. But in that area are numerous bars, cafes and restaurants. One of the best parts of the Quarter is that you can get it to go. This allows you to walk and eat/drink at the same time.

One of the places for breakfast that we found to have wonderful food is the perennial favorite Cafe Du Monde which is celebrating its 100th year in business this year. They have a limited menu for breakfast so if you are looking for lots of choices this is not the place. Their menu consists of either coffee or cafe Au Lait, sodas, milk, juice and beignets. Beignets, New Orleans style donuts, are light and airy squares of deep fried dough that are then dusted in powdered sugar. So good they made my eyes roll back in my head. Although I chose milk instead of any type of coffee product, it was still my favorite breakfast. Total cost of an order of beignets (3 per order) and milk for breakfast which we got to go was less than $5. Caveat to this restaurant is that the line is long and the space is limited. So come early and expect to wait. You'll be pleased if you don't have to wait and not surprised if you do. 

One of the other places I would recommend for breakfast in the quarter is Cake Cafe & Bakery. Portions were huge, lots of different bakery selections to choose from and plenty of breakfast options as well. Best part is the price, less than $10 per person and up. I highly recommend that you try out some of their bakery products like their cupcakes for a little mid-morning snack. My special favorite: red velvet.

Lunch was one of those meals that could drain the pocket book or could be done on the cheap. For example there are lots of food carts around Jackson Square that sell hot dogs  with all kinds of toppings and some also sell creole food. The dogs were good, with tons of choices to go with/over the dogs and very inexpensive. Cost: $5 or less per person, with water or a drink slightly more. 

We also tried a sit-down place in the quarter which was sensational but more expensive. Somethin' Else Cafe on Conti St. is the kind of place that most would consider a hole in the wall. But I've found that hole in the wall joints are like uncut diamonds. They might not shine as much, but they are fantastic. And this place matched that description. The moment we entered we received a greeting. We were allowed to choose our seat and the waitress was at our table quickly. The menu consisted of sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and creole dishes. We chose their signature applewood smoked cheeseburger with Zapps chips and a drink. Total for the two of us came to less than $30 without tip. The burger was a two-hander coming out of the kitchen at least an three inches thick and filling the whole plate, the bacon was thick sliced and delicious and the cheese wasn't some run of the mill processed junk but really good thick sliced aged cheddar and melted to perfection. The sauce they put on the burger was what made the meal. And paired with some slightly spicy Zapps chips it hit the spot. My suggestion here: if you're not a big eater, split the entree!

Dinner spots are all around the Quarter. One of the spots that I wanted to try was Bubba Gump. Now I realize it's a chain but I had never been and so we decided to indulge and give it a whirl. Located on Decatur St, this casual, family friendly restaurant has a fair menu with a little something for everyone. One of our orders was the Shrimper's Heaven and we also ordered a top sirloin and shrimp skewer (their version of a surf & turf). Shrimper's Heaven is shrimp cooked three different ways and fries. Total cost of dinner right at $60 not including tip for entrees and only 1 alcoholic drink. How was the food, the atmosphere and the service? Food was good, but not outstanding. Most chains prefer to play it safe with their menu items and Bubba Gump was no exception. The atmosphere was congenial and the staff were friendly and prompt but tended not to hover (thank goodness). The restaurant also offered a small souvenir area where you could purchase Forest Gump movie souvenirs or Bubba Gump items. Prices ranged from less than $2 on up to $30+ depending on whether you wanted a pencil, coffee cup, shirt or other item. Yes we bought some things. I almost bought the Lt. Dan T-shirt for Dan but the price stopped me. It was a bit pricey for a T-shirt after all.

Another place we tried for dinner was directly on Jackson square. Lovely place in an historic building where you can sit at a table with the french doors open to the square and look out at St. Louis Cathedral and the Tarot Card Readers sitting in front of it, while the strains of various jazz musicians flowed in the quarter and the breeze cooled you down. It's called Cafe Pontalba. The ambiance here is magical with the view of the square out every door and the spires of the cathedral as the back drop for your meal. The restaurant specializes in creole and Cajun seafood. Portions were large and the sauces were light & tasty, and blended well with the dishes. The menu was simple and very New Orleans inspired, with lots of seafood selections, salads and chicken dishes as well. We ordered the Crab Cakes and the Crawfish Fettucini. Both were delicious with large portions and moderately priced. Our dinner total for two entrees, drinks and dessert was less than $60 not including tip. 

Just one more place I would like to recommend for you to try the next time you are in New Orleans. If you have time to go thru the French Market I recommend the Belle Louisiane where you can purchase different spices, sauces and rubs for your enjoyment back home. Moderately priced with lots of helpful suggestions from the staff as to how to use, if you like Cajun or Creole food this is your place. 

Since I didn't take any pictures of our food (gasp!) I thought instead I would provide some recipes for your enjoyment instead. Hope you enjoy trying out some of these as a new dish for you and your family!

Praline Candy
This recipe is from Susan Schmidt, who says, "In my next life, I wanna be Cajun!"

Ingredients:

• 4 cups sugar
• 2 cans of cream (I like Carnation) -canned milk
• 1 stick butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• large bag of pecans (whole or halves)

Directions:

• Put 1 cup of water in freezer to use to test doneness.
• Combine in sauce pan sugar, cream and vanilla.
• Cook for about 15 minutes on medium setting.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add butter.
• Keep stirring because mixture will boil over.
• After 45 minutes of cook time, drop some in test water from freezer. If it forms a ball, candy is ready.
• Add pecans and stir a few more minutes to cover pecans. You can butter counter or pan to put candy in after it is finished.
• Let cool and cut.

Shrimp Remolaude Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 Egg Yolks
• 4 oz. Sterling Oil
• 3 Tblsp. Creole Mustard
• 2 Tblsp. Paprika
• 2 Tblsp. Catsup
• 1/2 Tsp. Salt
• 1/2 Cup Celery
• 1/2 Cup Green Onions
• 1/4 Cup Parsley
• 1 Clove Fresh Garlic
• 1/2 Tsp. White Vinegar
• 2 Tblsp. Horseradish
• Tabasco to Taste
• Juice of 1/2 Lemon
• 1 Bay Leaf

Directions:

• Puree all the ingredients together in processor.
• Serve with your favorite boiled seafood!

Creole Gumbo

by Antoine's Restaurant

The Bouillabaisse of Louisiana appears in many forms. Ours is the classic Creole seafood gumbo.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 stick butter
• 2 cups chopped green onions
• 2 cups sliced okra
• 1 cup chopped white onions
• 2 cups raw peeled shrimp
• 2 cups raw oysters
• 1 cup chopped tomato pulp
• 2 cups tomato juice
• 1 1/2 quarts Fish Stock
• 3 crabs (top shell discard, cut into 4 pieces)
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon File (sassafras)
• 3 cups cooked rice
• salt, pepper, and cayenne

Directions:

Melt the butter and sauté the green onions, okra, white onions and crabs. In a separate pot put the shrimp, oysters, tomatoes and tomato juice with 1 1/2 quarts of Fish Stock and bring to a boil. Let boil for a minute, then add to the first pot. In a small skillet cook the butter and flour together until brown. Blend this brown roux with the File and some of the gumbo liquid and add to the gumbo. Add salt and pepper and cayenne to taste. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

To serve, pour 1 1/2 cups of gumbo into each bowl over 1/2 cup rice.

Serves 6.

If you want additional recipes, please e-mail me and I'll be happy to share others with you. Thanks for reading. And enjoy the dishes you try.