We Live To Eat Friday: Part II

The entries keep rolling in, so send yours along. This week we get a bite at Crabby Jack's, a one two combo of Cochon and Boucherie, and this weird, cryptic day. Vote away, pals. And hey, if you are in a voting mood, how 'bout voting us the #1 Blog in New Orleans?

The Turpenator

My ideal feasting day in New Orleans:
Breakfast - Manhattan Omelet at Camellia Grill (a/k/a the "Crack Omelet").

Lunch - Po-boys at Crabby Jack's.

Snack/Cocktail: Beers at Avenue Pub along with guacamole and chips from the restaurant within it, J'anita's.

Dinner: Any of the shredded meat delights at Cochon.

Brother O'Mara

I'd head out as early as possible to Huveos on Banks to get myself a plate of their huevos con tamal. Nothing beats pork tamales and eggs for breakfast, and their coffee's decent. However, even though they have a few sweets in the case there I'd have to go over to Angelo Brocato on Carrollton to get something truly tasty. No gelato, still too early in the morning, but something from their pastry case (like a prussian, mmmmm) and some espresso to wash it down would be fantastic.

For lunch, as soon as I would be able to eat again that is, I'd head down to Domilise's on Annunciation. There's a lot to be said in the debate about the best fried shrimp po-boy, but for my money nobody does it better than they. Obviously I'd have to have a Barq's to go along with it, because I think God cries if you eat a fried shrimp po-boy without drinking a Barq's.

After all this I think I'd have to go lie down for a while, but I would make certain to get up in time to make it over to Cure by 5PM, right as they opened. If I have time before my dinner reservations, I'd order a Ramos Gin Fizz, something soft to sit and sip for a minute. If things are rushed, I'd grab a Nervous Light of Sunday, the perfect palate-opening drink, a delightful combination of gin, grapefruit, and magic.

Dinner would have to be at Cochon, because their ham hock haunts my dreams. I find it almost impossible to visit and not order that incredible mass of soft succulent pigflesh. It doesn't appear on the table instantly, though, so the boucherie plate would have to hold me over until that ham hock graces me with its presence. The flavors are rich and slightly smoky and wonderfully complex, so depending on my mood I'd either get something from the southern Rhone or some fuller-bodied Pinot Noir to accompany it.

As if I hadn't put enough miles on my car already, I'd head out for a late-night dessert at Boucherie just off Carrollton. I know Cochon has some killer desserts but one thing they don't have is Krispy Kreme bread pudding, and that's what I'd be craving. I'd have to drive slowly, though, to make sure my stomach had time to deal with all that dinner.

To finalize the night I would honestly head home and pour a shot or two of Amaro on ice and sit and sip that while I waited for my body to stop hating me for all the abuse.

And Finally, a Rambling Entry from McLovin

5am snack: F&M's - The cheese fries and enough booze to kill a horse.

7am: Slim Goodies - I forget what it's called, but it's something like the Mexican Slammer.

Lunch: Radosta's - I usually get their catfish poboy.

Dinner: Crepe Nanou (if I'm paying) / Clancy's (if someone else is) - Crepe Nanou: mussels and/or the spinach and crabmeat crepe (i think those are the two most cliche things on the menu). I haven't been to Clancy's since before my brother-in-law became a part of the family so I'm not sure what I'd get. LOL...haha.

PS - My mom thought she was so cool that you wrote about Meauxbar and she saw you there!

PPS - I get free drinks at a bar up at school because the bartender actually thinks I'm McLovin... haha.

EDIT: Blogger Polls are down and working about as well as government. So for now, just leave your vote in the comments or come back later.

Slim Goodies

After reading about the impending closing of Bluebird Cafe, I began to wonder about how important such neighborhood cafes are to the fabric of the city. By all accounts, the Bluebird served a good breakfast but nothing spectacular (though most regulars would argue that the huevos rancheros were worth waiting in line for). But just because the food is not cooked sous vide, doesn't mean that such places are not vital to the New Orleans dining scene. Restaurants are more than just a place to eat. They serve as memorials to certain occurrences in the past. This anecdote from a comment on the above linked Times Picayune article is a perfect example:

I met President Jimmy Carter while waiting in that line one Jazz fest weekend, back in 1997, if I recall correctly. We were waiting and waiting and waiting. It was a jazz fest weekend so I didn't think much of the wait. Then these men in sunglasses and suits stuck their heads out of the door. They looked around, and then waved their hands inside the restaurant. Jimmy Carter and Roselyn Carter came out. He was nice enough to stop by and shake all of our hands. After he and his wife left, me and my partner were allowed in. We sat at the same table as Jimmy Carter. The waitress showed us where he signed the check.

No other event in the history of the city has created so many similar memories than Hurricane Katrina. I'm sure you have all read about how Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski served recovery workers from Herbsaint with the help of their banker friend turned dishwasher. Stuff like that brings a smile to my face everyti,e. The owners of Slim Goodies (no website but menu here) were crowned similar local heroes reopened their Magazine Street diner basically at the same time the first wave residents were allowed to return.

Back then there was no menu because the only thing served was a basic breakfast, but Slim Goodies has been in full swing for a while now dishing out unique breakfast dishes. Above is the Tex Mex Slammer of shredded hashbrowns, black beans, cheese, scrambled eggs, salsa, sour cream, sliced avocado, fried plantains, and corn tortillas. Sounds like a lot of food - and it is, especially for just $10 - but the best part is how the ingredients harmoniously come together. As for the extra waffle I ordered for a whopping $5, it's a ripoff and you don't really need it anyway.

Goodies is very cool spot with walls covered with pictures of regulars and local art. There is usually a wait on the weekends, but the food is worth it. More than likely you'll end up sharing a table with some strangers because the benches along the walls cannot change a quad to a deuce. It's part of the charm of this neighborhood diner, carrying on the breakfast traditions of the many places that have come (and soon will be gone) before them.

Slim Goodies - Birdie.