Final Weekend of the Fest

BBQ Shrimp Po-Boy from Liuzza's by the Track.

The mercury is rapidly rising and soon hundreds of thousands will once again flood the Fair Grounds for the final four days of the Fest. Kudos to all of the parrot heads out there who are playing hooky today. Those of us stuck in our cubicles are jealous with envy.

No matter how much you indulge in the bounty of festival eats, chances are that you will be ravenous when you exit the gates. The next question then becomes, "Where's dinner?"  Although there are several restaurants in close proximity to the Fest, the odds of you scoring a table at one of them this weekend are less than Jonathan Vilma's chances at overturning his suspension on appeal. The outdoor dining areas at Cafe Degas, Nona Mia, and Santa Fe will likely be full with revelers rehydrating and refueling. And in case you didn't take Rene's advice last week about grabbing a bloody mary on your way into the Fest, lightning could strike with an opportunity for a roast beef po-boy at Liuzza's by the Track, which is the subject of our Eats Review in this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine.

If you venture out just beyond the immediate vicinity of the Fair Grounds, the odds of a you finding an open table dramatically increase. To wit, I have 2 suggestions, both of which are a short streetcar ride or an ambitious walk up Carrollton Avenue. Toups' Meatery is a new venture by Isaac Toups, whose most prominent position was chef at Cuvee. I stopped by there for lunch last week and started with a spicy pork and poblano sausage and finished with an excellent confit chicken thigh atop firm white beans. More on Toups' in the coming weeks. My second suggestion is Taqueria Guerrero Mexico, which is almost a 2 mile hike from Esplanade but worth the journey for a ginormous torta filled with barbacoa.

Have a great weekend and don't forget the sunscreen.

Liuzza's By The Track Bloody Mary: Is It Worth It?

Jazz Fest is so close you can almost see the loud, Hawaiian shirts, straw hats, and dream catchers walking through the Faubourg St. John. For many, no trip to the hallowed Fairgrounds are complete without a stop at Liuzza's By The Track for a Bloody Mary. They then shuffle there as yet un-sunburned selves past the Mystery Street entrance and proceed to embarrass themselves with what they term dancing.

To be honest, I would rather not drink than have a Bloody Mary. Too often, some jackal with a fistful of celery salt, ruins the simplicity of the drink by stuffing it with all sorts of garden garnishments. If I wanted to be reminded of yard work, I would just drink in my backyard. The bartender then loads it up with hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and enough citrus to make lemon ice box pie jealous. What is worse is they simply layer the drink over ice, barely pausing to shake it, mix it, or otherwise craft the drink. The warmth of the drink melts the ice and soon you are holding a tepid, heartburn delivery system with fennel seeds stuck in your teeth.

Behold a well-made Bloody Mary. It is jet cold and pairs perfectly with three Advils. The garnishments are a bit much for me, but the snack of spicy green beans at the end at least allows you to tell your mom you are eating your veggies. The citrus component is well-deployed acting to provide a contrast to the tomato base without causing your lips to pucker. A slight undercurrent of spice helps to remind you that you are doing something you shouldn't be doing. Namely, playing hooky from work and paying $55 to see a band that plays for free on Tuesday nights at the bar down  the street from your house.

If you are going to Jazz Fest, and you should, start or end your day with a Bloody Mary from Liuzza's By The Track.

Liuzza's By The Track Bloody Mary: Is It Worth It? Definitely.
1518 N. Lopez Street
218-7888

Like the photo? Obviously, it isn't my handiwork but that of Renee Bienvenu.

By Da Track

When someone asks, "You wanna go to Liuzza's for lunch?", I always answer that question with a question of my own: "On Bienville or By the Track?" No matter what the response though, I usually say yes.

Liuzza's By the Track is best known for four specialties: Gumbo, BBQ Shrimp Po-Boy, Garlic Oyster Po-Boy, and the Breathtaking Beef. On a recent lunch with Rene and Big Brutal Dave, we ordered all of the above.

1. Gumbo - With a foundation handed down from owner Billy Gruber's mother, plus a few influences from Paul Prudhomme, this creole version includes oysters, shrimp, chicken, and andouille (but not okra). For an interesting read on the history and method behind this gumbo, check out this interview of Mr. Gruber by Amy Evans of the Southern Foodway Alliance.
2. BBQ Shrimp Po-Boy - Hands down the best dish on the table. A hollowed-out pistolette is overflowing with shrimp swimming in a sauce comprised of "all the butter in the world and half the black pepper."
3. Garlic Oyster Po-Boy - The crunchy fried oysters slathered in garlic butter were tasty but few in number.
4. Breathtaking Beef - Dry roast beef and horseradish mayo which lacked a potent punch made for a disappointing bogey.

If the specials board advertises fried eggplant, these light and crisp batons dusted with powdered sugar are an excellent way to start a meal. The cramped tables and no frills service are indicative of the dive bar ambience, as is the cadre of regulars usually perched at the bar. If the ponies are running (like they will be today), it's best to place the daily double before the lunch rush and then check the tote board on your way back to work.

Liuzza's By the Track - Par

For Lunch Today...

Its raining and that makes me think of Irma Thomas. As such something with some body, some meaning, and quintessentially New Orleans to eat would fit the bill. Easy choice here: weather for the ducks calls for Gumbo. I don't care where you go for it. Perhaps you may want to duck into Herbsaint or Cochon and sit at the bar for Chef Link's always amazing Gumbo of the Day. Some critics* of this blog have mentioned my man crush on Donald Link. Fair enough, I won't deny it but his gumbo may be the finest in the city.

Maybe you would like to go Liuzza's By the Track. Perhaps just pop into Lil' Dizzy's. Gumbo Ya-Ya at Mr. B's. Or wait till dinner time and pick up a quart of gumbo from Leah Chase at Dooky Chase's. Your call.

What is your favorite gumbo?

*By critics I mean the 2 of the 4 readers of said blog.