Hungry Thursday

 

Holy Thursday in New Orleans proved to be a day for serious eating. First stop was Dooky Chase's for gumbo z'herbes and fried chicken. Now you probably know the story. You eat gumbo z'herbes on Holy Thursday to fortify yourself for the days of fasting ahead. you use an odd number of greens for good luck/letting you know how many new friends you will make, eating the gumbo means you don't have to go to church on Good Friday. You know, basic Catholic stuff. For another take on Holy Thursday, check out NOLAnotes.

The gumbo is very peppery and pungent, not mind you, spicy. The greens melt into the stock both thickening and flavoring the soup. I could have eaten bowls of this gumbo. Scratch that, I should have eaten bowls of this gumbo. Plus, a 2 piece order of fried chicken hit the spot. The crust on the chicken at Dooky's is some of the finest in town: firm, well-seasoned, and liable to shatter all over your shirt. But this batch of chicken was a little dry and under seasoned in the meat portion. Let's chalk it up to it being their busiest day of the year.

Our fried chicken appetites whet, Lindsay and I headed around the corner to Willie Mae's Scotch House for a bowl of black pepper laced red beans and rice and some more fried chicken.

The fried chicken at Willie Mae's is noticeably different than other genres around town. First off the coating is a bit more luxurious more resembling the wet batter you find on Mandarin chicken. The coating has more heft to it and tends not to crackle and splinter like old paint. The interior of Willie Mae's chicken is very juicy and well-seasoned to the bone.

 

If I could design the perfect piece of fried chicken it would have the crust from Dooky's and the interior of Willie Mae's. But until they merge, I am content to keep eating both.