Where, you ask?
New Orleans!
The perfect place to go if a) you don't have children yet and b) you are a foodie!
Here is our trip, in food pictures! Enjoy!
We started off with dinner at the Red Fish Grill:
He: Shrimp and Crabmeat Creole
Louisiana shrimp smothered in a rich tomato sauce over capellini pasta, topped with jumbo lump crabmeat & a garlic-crusted bread stick.
Me: Pan-seared Lake Pontchartrain Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and Alligator Sausage and Seafood Gumbo
Crab cake served with a Mississippi honey mustard dipping sauce.
Creole Country alligator sausage and fresh seafood simmered in a rich dark roux flavored with onion, bell peppers, celery and fresh herbs.
Verdict: Fantastic! The crab cake was one of the best I've ever had and I've had them around the world. Served with honey mustard sauce, which I thought was an odd choice. Until I tried it. Whoa.
His creole was amazing, as well! So rich and tomato-y and nice and spicy! Would definitely give this place an A+! (Also, the best bloody Mary's ever!)
Next morning, we headed to The Court of Two Sisters jazz brunch buffet:
He: Shrimp creole made-to-order omelet, veal grillades with gravy over corn grits, hash browns, andouille sausage, biscuits with warm pecan praline topping, sweet potatoes, and orange crepes
Me: Seafood omelet, eggs Benedict, turtle soup, creamed spinach, bread pudding with whiskey sauce and homemade French vanilla ice cream
Verdict: Very very good! Lovely little jazz band to play in the background. (Or at your table for your anniversary!) The specialty, veal grillades, were especially fantastic! And the creamed spinach was the best (again!) that I've ever had! So rich and buttery! He loved the turtle soup and I loved the bread pudding! Another A+!
Since our breakfast was so huge, we skipped lunch and ended up at K Paul's for our anniversary dinner:
He: Surf and Turf
Fresh Drum Fish From Louisiana Waters Seasoned and Blackened in a Cast Iron Skillet and Served with Jumbo Lump Crab and Petit Filet with Gremolata, Drawn Butter, Potatoes and Veggies
Me: Bronzed Swordfish with Hot Fanny Sauce
Fresh Swordfish Fillet Seasoned, Bronzed and Served with Spicy Fried Oysters and a Sauce of Roasted Pecans, Jalapenos, Browned Garlic Butter, Veal Glaze & Lemon Juice. Served with Potatoes and Veggies
Verdict: A-maz-ing. A little pricey but well worth it. My fish was superb! And the oysters on top really made the dish. What's better? Getting Sweet Potato Pecan Pie for free! (It was our anniversary...) A++
Creamy Sweet Potato Filling & Pecan Syrup Layer, Baked and Served with Chantilly Cream and Ice Cream
Can you tell we liked it????
Next morning, it was off to a landmark, Cafe Du Monde:
He/Me: Beignets, beignets, beignets. Oh, and their famous cafe au lait.
Verdict: Of course, they are fantastic. You can't go to New Orleans and NOT have these beignets. Honestly, they are the best.
For lunch, we went to the Central Grocery Company:
I was full from the beignets, but he: the original Muffuletta
Served cold, with a just-enough-amount of "insides" and nice doughy "outside." I hate olive relish but he gives it an A.
After a rum tour, and hot buttered rum, we headed to Pierre Maspero's for dinner:
He: Red Beans 'n' Rice
Me: Trio of Red Beans 'n' Rice, Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo, and Jambalaya
Slow simmered, creamy red beans served with white rice and grilled andouille sausage; Classic New Orleans rice dish with Smokey Creole tomato sauce, chicken and andouille sausage sauteed with peppers and onions; Traditional New Orleans gumbo with chicken and andouille sausage.
Verdict: Very good and very reasonably priced. The red beans and rice, especially, were fantastic! Nice quiet dinner and a very cool family vibe to the restaurant. A
Next morning, back to the beignets. Don't judge me.
Lunch was at Cafe Maspero's, not to be confused with the (nicer) dinner restaurant:
He: another muffuletta
This time served warm, and a TON of meat. Whoa.
Me: Jambalaya
Nice and spicy! Loved it for $4!!!
Verdict: A great little lunch place (and very affordable) but we had seen better dishes. B
Too stuffed to have dinner that night but what about another anniversary celebration??? Fireworks for New Year's Eve and dessert at Brennan's:
He/Me: Bananas Foster and champagne
A Brennan's Creation and now World Famous. Bananas sauteed in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and banana liqueur then flamed in rum. Served over vanilla ice cream.
Verdict: Fabulous! A+! Tableside display was wonderful and champagne on the house!
All in all, a fantastic anniversary foodie trip! Can't wait for another foodie trip next year!!
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