I know you’re thinking about that title. What’s not to eat in New Orleans? From the minute you get there, you are bombarded by food. Food is often the reason for many a visit to New Orleans. Even in the new airport there are reminders of what food delights await you. There are recreations of Leah Chase’s Dooky Chase and Ye Olde College Inn. (I would suggest to wait and enjoy the real ones in the city)

We have just returned from a visit with my mother-in-law, Sherry, who lives in Metairie. We had a great time. There are some great places I will tell you about in Metairie as well as New Orleans itself. We got in late in the afternoon and I wanted a muffaletta. I called Radostas’s on Aris and Rose in Metairie. The lady on the phone was very apologetic and informed me that they were only back in business after hurricane Ida for a day. They did not have muffalettas yet. This seemed to be a theme for our trip. Many businesses were not back up yet or if they were, they had reduced hours and limited menus. I was disappointed but understood the challenges of post hurricane life. Folks really wanted to talk about how much damage their homes received and when the insurance adjuster was arriving. She suggested a po-boy. Po-boys are long sub-sandwiches filled with seafood, roast beef or pork. I settled on a shrimp for my mother-in-law and Margie. I ordered an oyster one for myself. I asked for them dressed. This was something I had to learn when I first started visiting New Orleans. Dressed means the sandwich gets lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. The sandwiches were delicious. They came on crispy French bread that is unique to New Orleans. My French bread has no sugar or fat but there’s a bit in this locally produced bread. And it’s a cottony interior, one that wraps around whatever the fillings on the po-boy are. The oysters were breaded and fried. They fit perfectly with what I was looking for that afternoon. Served with a local beer, there’s nothing better. It’s just a classic flavor and texture to start the trip.

The next day we worked on getting Sherry’s house back in order. There was a small amount of water damage and some of the shingles on the roof were missing. We decided that night to go to one of their favorite Italian restaurants, Venezia. It’s a family favorite but what I was looking forward to was the Italian gelato and pastry shop next door. After we finished our pasta dishes, we walked over for some ice cream and cannoli. Angelo Brocato’s has been serving New Orleans for over 80 years. You can tell it’s a classic because of the retro neon sign. Once you step in, you see the pastry case filled with Italian cookies, pastries and then the gelato. It’s hard to choose which to get. I really wanted some pistachio gelato. (I judge all ice cream by the flavor of the pistachio) I got a small cup to have while I waited for the hand-filled to order cannoli. They do ½ chocolate and ½ vanilla ricotta cream in the cannoli. The reason they fill them to order is to keep the crunchiness in the shell. I was blown away by how fresh all the ingredients were. They do a great job and the customer service is top notch. They are quite friendly.

Mother and daughter on their way to ice cream.

On Sunday, we decided to go to brunch. I had been wanting to go to Willa Jean on O’Keefe in the Warehouse District. Willa Jean is helmed by Chef Kelly Fields, a Jame Beard award winner. She’s known for her fried chicken and her biscuits. It was busy for a Sunday morning but we got right in. I had heard it was quite crowded. The first thing I noticed when we came in was the 50 pound bags of Caputo pasta flour. It’s a specialty product and great for making pizza as well. I have used their “00” flour for years. It gives a light and flavorful feel to anything you make. It does cost a bit more but it’s worth it. This is what they make their biscuits with.

The service was friendly and quick. Sherry and I decided on the Willa Jean Breakfast. When we got our breakfasts, the first thing I did was dig into the biscuit. It was nearly as flaky as a croissant. That amazed me. I had never had a biscuit like that. I thought I knew how to make biscuits. I clearly had to work on my technique. There was smoked bacon, cheesy grits, sausage and two poached eggs. It was spectacular. But the real star was that biscuit. There are several other ways to enjoy biscuits. One of them is fried chicken. Margie’s fried chicken was cooked perfectly and had unbelievable crispiness to it. It came on a brioche bun. She was mad she didn’t get it on the biscuit. I shared mine with her though. I topped it off with a very spicy bloody mary garnished with pickled okra, green bean and olives. They use a local vodka, Cathead. It was delicious as well. It was just a lovely and relaxing time at Willa Jean.

I got to work finding out what made her biscuits so light and beautiful. First it was the pasta flour. But I also found out she grates frozen butter into her dough. The liquid was buttermilk and there was minimal sugar. I love salt more than sugar, which I know is unusual for a pastry chef. I proceeded to make two batches of her biscuits the next day. They came out very light but not nearly as flaky as hers did. I’ll have to get back in the kitchen to practice. The formula is just great. I’m not used to her technique.

The entrance to the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans.

We did do some cooking at home in addition to the biscuits. We roasted chicken, did some pasta and ate leftovers from our adventures at local restaurants. But there was one more thing we did that was quite fun. I have been getting into making cocktails at home and was very interested in learning about the Sazerac cocktail. It was invented in New Orleans over 100 years ago. It’s featured at the Sazerac bar in the Roosevelt Hotel on Roosevelt Way just off of Canal in the Central Business District. We went down on our last day. The hotel is restored to its former glory by the Waldorf-Astoria company. It had been a private hotel for many years when it was bought by the Fairmont. It flooded pretty badly during hurricane Katrina in 2005. They sold it to the Waldorf. One of the great things about New Orleans is people’s hospitality. We were greeted warmly at the front door even though we were not staying at the hotel. As we made our way in, a guy dressed in a Hawaiian shirt, shorts and Crocs says hi to us. We’re used to folks trying to chat us up for money in New Orleans. This was not the case at all. He said, “Just so you know, I work for the hotel. I’m David”

We had a good laugh. I think he understood how we might not recognize a hotel employee with casual clothes. He proceeded to give us a tour of the lobby and told us the history of the hotel. We told him we were going to the Sazerac bar for a drink. He mentioned that the bar was not open yet. It was to open at 2pm. That was only a few minutes away so we decided to wait in the lobby. I did poke my head in to see the bar. It’s a classic old fashioned wooden bar which winds through the entire room. There’s a beautiful art deco mural behind the bar. I could not wait to have my official New Orleans Sazerac. Well, that was not to be. Because of staffing, the bar would not open until 4Pm that day. David apologized and offered us a plate of beignets for stopping in. We were very surprised. We accepted his offer. He put the order in and then gave us more background on the hotel. It has a very rich history dating back more than 120 years. It started as a family hotel begun by some German immigrants. The beignets were delicious and flaky. They were served with some liquid ganache on a beautiful plate with linens for us. David had shown us some real hospitality and bit of history.

The Sazerac Bar where we did not have a drink.

After we enjoyed our beignets, we decided to go to my second choice bar. It’s the Carousel Bar in the Monteleon Hotel on Royal Street also right off of Canal Street. It’s also another classic old hotel in the tradition of the Ritz-Carlton or Royal Orleans. I did not order a Sazerac at this bar as I am saving that for when I return to New Orleans. I ordered another classic New Orleans cocktail: the Vieux Carré. It’s named for the oldest part of the French Quarter. It’s a spicy drink with rye, brandy, Benedictine and bitters. It was delicious. And it’s true, the bar is a carousel! It actually does go around and around. It’s a very slow rotation so you won’t fly off as you drink. The service here was excellent as well. We even had some crab cakes with grilled artichoke as a garnish. Just a light snack to go with our cocktails.

The Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleon.

Well, there’s so much more to do in New Orleans. I’ll be back I’m sure! Thanks for taking the ride with me.

Chef Tom

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