NOLA EATS

November 11-18, 2002
By Adrian Leeds, native New Orleanian and Devoted Diner

Weeks before arriving in New Orleans (for the International Living Live Overseas Conference), I usually start dreaming about the meals I'm going to have. The day of arrival, reality sets in and it's always even better than the fantasies, plus it just amazingly gets better. This trip was no different.

A Monday afternoon landing in the "Big Easy" was muggy and warm for a November day, but the seafood at THE HARBOR SEAFOOD SHOP on Williams Boulevard in Kenner (a New Orleans suburb) was fresh and cool piled high onto crushed ice. My eyes got wide and as my mother would say: "bigger than my stomach." We walked out with a half-dozen of the large crabs (all males) and a half-dozen of the medium crabs (all females -- fat with roe), four pounds of crawfish, three pounds of spicy large boiled shrimp and a dozen and a half of fresh shucked Gulf oysters. $75 covered it.

My sister spread the table with trays of the seafood, added Styrofoam plates, a box of Saltine crackers, makings for a hot sauce (ketchup, lemon, horse radish and Louisiana hot sauce), huge plastic cups filled to the brim with ice, three-liter bottles of Barq's root beer (local brand and the best root beer), nut crackers (for the crab claws), tiny seafood forks, a roll of paper towels, garbage bags ready for filling with shells at every corner of the table and a box of tissue. My mother had made a huge pot of gumbo that was reheating on the stove. There were five of us and enough food for ten. We were ready to dig in.

An hour later, we were groaning from our full bellies, our burning lips (resulting from the red pepper) and our shriveled fingers (from peeling the shells). Our sinuses were clear from the running noses (hence the tissue on the table), another side effect of the spiciness of the feast.

This was just the beginning.

The next morning I met a friend at GALATOIRE'S a few minutes before its opening at 11:30 a.m. I was the first to arrive and felt privileged to have seen the old-fashioned French lunch room void of any diners, with the Maitre D', Bryant Sylvester, and the waiters milling around readying themselves for the onslaught. They didn't object to my picture-taking and were delightfully welcoming. I chose what I thought was the best table, not far from the windows where one could see everyone coming in and everyone dining all at the same time.

Galatoire's Restaurant has been a New Orleans institution since Jean Galatoire, a native of Les Pyrénées in France purchased Victor's Restaurant in 1905. Until recently, reservations weren't possible at all, and it became well-known for the long lines out front on Bourbon Street of waiting patrons. One famous story is about Senator J. Bennett Johnson receiving a phone call from then President Reagan inside the restaurant and then returning to his place in line. "First come, first served" is a prevailing tradition, unless you don't mind sitting on the second floor where reservations are now accepted.

The other diners were mostly New Orleanian business men and society women dressed in suits and elegant attire except for an occasional tourist in baseball jacket and sneakers. I wondered how they had gotten past the dress code (sport coats minimum for men) and I must admit, they seemed out of place in the classic setting.

A few years ago the restaurant underwent a complete redecoration -- gold Fleurs de Lys were stenciled on a dark green background above the mirrors which line the side walls, two-bladed ceiling fans hung from the high ceiling and three-globed sconces replaced the original oil lamps. I tried to think of what Paris restaurant is reminiscent of the style, but none came to mind really, except for perhaps Chartier, but certainly isn't as classic.

My friend who has been a "regular" there her entire life, asked for her "regular" waiter and never needed to open the menu. I had been dreaming earlier about "Shrimp Remoulade Salad" and "Crabmeat Yvonne" -- lump white blue crab meat sautéed with fresh mushrooms and a little parsley, so of course, we ordered both up, along with "Softshell Crab Meunière," "Turtle Soup," "Godchaux Salad," "Soufflé Potatoes" and "Banana Bread Pudding."

Fresh lightly toasted French bread and butter were placed on the table. With the turtle soup, a small decanter of sherry was set down so that we could add as much or as little as we liked. A platter of different sauces accompanied the softshell crabs (tartar, bearnaise, cocktail). As they say in Paris -- "C'est Versailles," meaning it was a feast of feasts.

Every single dish was simply presented on white china with absolutely no fanfare and the portions were not so large as to be overwhelming or off-putting, but every single dish was absolutely perfectly prepared and utterly delicious. The bill, with wine and apéritif and coffee was just over $100 with tax and tip. In my book of good-values, it was a three-star meal for a one-star price.

Owner David Gooch, a descendant of Jean Galatoire, thanked us as we departed, but it was we who were most appreciative for yet another memorable meal at the infamous Galatoire's.

The full feeling stayed until the next "gourmandise" adventure -- an "oyster loaf" at BOZO'S in Metairie Heights, just a block from the Causeway (the longest bridge in America), and two blocks from my mother's house. Bozo's is a neighborhood seafood restaurant in a brick building which is easily mistaken for a large house. Save for the filled-to-capacity parking lot out front, there is no sign of note, except for the name on a small stained-glass window and another on the brick next to the entry hidden by a screened-in porch. A table for four awaited us.

The waiter said the oysters were good right now and he was right. There simply isn't a better oyster than a Gulf one -- Gulf of Mexico, that is. They are big, plump and sweet. French oysters just don't aren't the same animal, so without thinking, we ordered raw oysters on the half-shell, a half of an oyster loaf, two fried oyster platters, toasted French bread and Barq's.

An oyster loaf is also known as an "oyster Po-Boy." It's a sandwich of fried oysters on toasted French bread, "dressed" (with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise). Bozo's is the best, bar none. It's the way they fry the oysters and the way they toast the bread...or so we conclude, but no matter how they do it, no other oyster loaf in New Orleans or anywhere compares. We say this every time we eat there. A whole one would have been a two-foot long French bread with 24 oysters on it. Two of us shared a half of one, making it a quarter loaf, still six inches long with six oysters on it. It was more than enough at $11 a person including tax and tip!

One of New Orleans best kept secrets is THE BISTRO AT MAISON DE VILLE. The only reason I was lucky enough to discover it is thanks to a friend I met in Paris who lives in the Quarter. Maison de Ville is a "petit" French Quarter hotel with rooms surrounding a peaceful courtyard, the bistro just adjacent. Twelve tables make up the main dark burgundy dining room, but in pleasant weather, the few tables on the courtyard are particularly delightful.

French Quarter courtyards have a particular ambience that symbolizes all that is "easy" about the city. Lush with banana plants and tropical varieties, protective from the sinful world outside their walls, they tell no tales and tell no lies. Peek in whenever there is a chance to see those that lie behind the iron work, usually down a narrow bricked alley. Every one is worth exploration.

At The Bistro, Creole chef Greg Picolo cooks (what "Lagniappe" of the Times Picayune calls) "elegant grown-up comfort food."Maître D' Patrick van Hoorebeek, renowned for his martinis and collection of magnums, offers a very impressive wine list with Belgian inimitable charm.

To start, we shared a Paté Provençal with Cornichons and Toasted Baguette -- a creamy foie gras spread with a delicate flavor. For a lighter lunch, I opted for Louisiana Oysters and Herbed Caesar Salad with Shaved Reggiano Parmesan -- perfectly and lightly fried Gulf oysters atop Romaine lettuce, encrusted with parmesan, the dressing dribbled atop. My friend chose Tenderloin of Pork and Portobello Mushroom Marsala with Sage Butter Gnocchi -- slices of tender pork tenderloin accompanied by julienned baby vegetables on a bed of savory, creamy gnocchi.

Quiet, cozy and intimate, The Bistrot is a secret corner of the Quarter lovers could easily take refuge and delight in a sensual dining experience for about $35 to $45 a person. Tourists didn't seem to know about it, in spite of all the good reviews it's had of late.

TUJAGUE'S, New Orleans second oldest restaurant located on Decatur Street across from Café du Monde, was the setting for a conference dinner. Maître D' "Noonie," whose family had owned the restaurant for 74 years, still works with current owner (since 1982), Stephen Latter, and greeted each one of us as we climbed the steep stairs to the upper dining room of the 150-year-old French Quarter institution. As it happens, Latter is a not-so-distant cousin of mine who I can remember as a kid running a hot dog stand on Esplanade.

In traditional Tujague's Creole style, we were served five courses -- starting with Shrimp Remoulade Salad, followed by a Crab Bisque, Brisket of Beef with Special Creole Sauce (horseradish), a main course of our choice (Crawfish Tails served over Linguini was mine) and Bread Pudding, topped off by New Orleans coffee and chicory, traditionally served in a glass cup.

As one of our conference participants who lives in New Orleans said, "It's impossible not to have fun at Tujague's" and that's exactly what our crowd of about 60 did. This old-fashion French lunch-room has been serving up drinks to fun-loving locals and tourists at its zinc bar for more than a century. Dinner was $50 a head.

For lunch our last full day of the conference, I escorted a small group of participants and exhibitors to my favorite Po-Boy spot in the Quarter JOHNNY'S on St. Louis between Decatur and Chartres (pronounced "char-ters" in spite of its French roots). The line had just begun to form and a table for six opened up just in the nick of time. Johnny's oyster loaf still doesn't match Bozo's, but the crawfish tail Po-Boy is a specialty and is unusual for any New Orleans sandwich shop.

Johnny's take-out menu says "Even My Failures Are Edible," but I doubt he has them. Breakfast starts at 8 a.m. with the usual eggs and biscuits, but the real menu consists of fried seafood platters, Red Beans and Rice, Jambalaya, Gumbo and almost 50 different Po-Boys and other sandwiches. The choice is tough. It's a strictly local "joint" that even lots of locals don't know about, it's tucked so unobtrusively in the Quarter. $10 is all you need for a great lunch.

Reservations had been made weeks in advance at BRIGTSEN'S, a Riverbend restaurant in an old renovated clap-board house on Dante Street run by award-winning chef Frank Brigtsen and his wife, Marna. Riverbend is the area where St. Charles Avenue and Carrollton Avenue meet. The streetcar makes a sharp turn there and just at the curve is also well-known diner, Camelia Grill.

Frank is a tall fellow with a great smile beneath a traditional toque. Marna is Maître D' and watches over the contentment of the diners. I first heard about Frank and Marna from an old friend of theirs and a business partner of mine years before my niece, Allison Gorlin, became the dessert chef. She has since moved on to another restaurant, but my sister's interior design company recently redecorated the entire restaurant with new drapes and carpeting so a special relationship with most of the staff has remained over the passing of time.

Locals know about Brigtsen's and turn up for the Early Bird Special, but new diners keep the seats warm and busy until late into the evening. Frank is a very creative chef and works almost exclusively with local specialties. To name a few of his artistic concoctions: "BBQ Shrimp and Popcorn Rice Cake and Braised Leeks," "Sautéed Sweetbreads with Mashed Potatoes, Shiitakes, Capers and Lemon Roasted Garlic Sauce," "Crabmeat Creolaise with Smoked Salmon, Asparagus, Tomato, Micro Greens and Tomato Saffron Sauce," "Pan-Fried Speckled Trout with Crabmeat, Spiced Pecans and Meunière Sauce" and "Braised Venison on a Potato Pancake with Roasted Vegetables and Apple Cider Pan Gravy."

I dare you to walk out of Brigtsen's unhappy or unsatisfied. Dinner is about $50 a person.

It only seemed fitting to end the gastronomic adventure just where I started, coming full circle, so we headed for ZEKE'S, a Metairie seafood family-style restaurant specializing in both boiled and fried seafood. Flyers on their front table advertise their oysters: "Shuck a Few, Shuck a Lot, Zeke's Raw Oysters are Back, Come to Zeke's and Watch Us Shuck a Sack Monday's Raw Oyster Special from 11 a.m., half-dozen $1.50, one dozen $3." TV's are positioned around the room for viewing of sporting events, a large tank of exotic goldfish separates the main dining room from the bar, there is a gambling machine hidden behind a swinging door and there are handmade signs posted, this time promoting fresh hot crawfish.

My brother-in-law craves their fried chicken, but it takes 25 minutes to prepare, so we put that order in first. Then, when the waitress started to tell us about her turkey special, I told her not to waste her breath I was there for the seafood. Crabs come by the piece, so we ordered a half-dozen of the large. A portion of crawfish was a pound-and-a-half, raw oysters by the half-dozen, and we ordered both those, too.

The oysters, crabs and crawfish were an easy winner over our first seafood feast. The crabs were plump with white meat and flavorful yellow fat. The crawfish were still warm and juicy "suck 'da heads and pinch 'da tails" is Louisiana law we abided by. The oysters came with a dollop of horseradish (large enough to make your eyes tear) in a cocktail glass awaiting the addition of ketchup, lemon and hot sauce.

The chicken was literally a mountain of golden fried pieces that looked as if they had come from a turkey, not a chicken they were so big. It was a half of a chicken and yes, it was juicy and "finger-lickin' good." I understood why it was worth waiting for. The bill about $15 a person with tax and tip.

Now that New Orleans is down river and I'm headed back to the land of cream sauces, warm baguette and Beaujolais Nouveau, I reflect back on the week in the Big Easy pondering if the reality fulfilled my fantasies. Emphatically it is necessary to agree that yes, every meal was every bit as robust, flavorful and full of life as I had dreamed it would be. That party town "sho knows howta eat!" And I "sho am glad."

A la prochaine fois, way down yonder in New Olreans...

Footnote: NOLA is short for New Orleans, LA or N.O., LA

The restaurants:

The Harbor Seafood and Oyster Bar, 3203 Williams Boulevard, Kenner, LA (504) 443-6454

Galatoire's Restaurant, 209 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA 70130, (504) 525-2021

The Bistro at Maison de Ville, 727 Toulouse, New Orleans, LA 70130, (504) 528-9206

Tujague's Restaurant, 823 Decatur Street, New Orleans, LA 70130, (504) 525-8676

Johnny's Po-boy Restaurant, 511 St. Louis Street, New Orleans, LA 70130, (504) 524-8129

Brigtsen's, 723 Dante Street, New Orleans, LA 70118, (504) 861-7610

Zeke's Restaurant, 1517 Metairie Road, Metairie, LA 70005, (504) 832-1133

About the Author

Adrian Leeds has been living in Paris nine years. She is the director of the International Living Paris office and president of Adrian Leeds Group, LLC, her Internet U.S. based company. She is the author of the "Insider Paris Guide for Good Value Restaurants" published by International Living, the result of her insatiable desire for great food at bargain prices, writes the Parler Paris email newsletter, and co-hosts her own brainchild, the popular Parler Parlor French/English Conversation Group in Paris where members from almost 50 different countries meet to practice speaking French and English. Email : Info@AdrianLeeds.com