I was just sitting here thinking about a meal I'd had a month ago. A meal I had planned on telling you about. But then the whole work and travel thing got in the way and i forgot. But not the meal. I did not forget that meal.
It happened in New Orleans. In Early November. We were in town for a wedding, but it just happened to be my birthday. Don't go getting all "Happy Birthday" on me. I am always out of town for my birthday. My reasoning is that if you never have a visible birthday, you can never grow older. And here's a lesson, as soon as someone finds out its your birthday and you make the mistake of telling them how old you are, they never ever forget it. "Oh, this is you TWENTY-NINTH birthday! Because I remember I was at your 25th party and that was four years ago..." But that's not what I want to share with you. I want to share food with you. Food...
It happened in New Orleans. In Early November. We were in town for a wedding, but it just happened to be my birthday. Don't go getting all "Happy Birthday" on me. I am always out of town for my birthday. My reasoning is that if you never have a visible birthday, you can never grow older. And here's a lesson, as soon as someone finds out its your birthday and you make the mistake of telling them how old you are, they never ever forget it. "Oh, this is you TWENTY-NINTH birthday! Because I remember I was at your 25th party and that was four years ago..." But that's not what I want to share with you. I want to share food with you. Food...
We returned to a new favorite restaurant in New Orleans, Stella! (Exclamation point included in the name) The last time we were there we had the 7 course tasting menu. This time we were really trying to branch out and have some of the other dishes offered on the menu, but we just couldn't. The tasting menu looked so good, except for the dessert. I hate bananas. And one other small problem was that we really wanted to try a dish not on the tasting menu, so we added an 8th course.
This is the Japanese Kobachasquash purée with applewood smoked bacon and Valrhona xocopili, translation squash soup with bacon and chocolate. Now I was uncertain about the chocolate in the soup. Sounded odd to me. I loved it. Three nights ago I opened a container of butternut squash soup from Trader Joe's and garnished it with bacon crumbles and dark chocolate. Not an exact match, but not a drop of soup left in any bowls either.
Here is the added course. Foies Gras BLT. OH. MY. GOD. It was so memorable. So amazing. So decadent. So tasty. So need to go back right now. Did I mention I was hungry?
"Surf & Turf" - seared prime filet of beef tenderloin and grilled gulf shrimp yakitori with sake glazed sweet potato and wilted Lacinto kale. The sauce on this is amazingly savory and sweet. I was totally a member of the clean plate club.
For dessert, we switched out the banana thing for a brioche and brie toasted cheese and chocolate sandwich with a berry sauce on the side. We were skeptical but said we trusted the chef to do what he thought best. Always a wise move. Look how happy I am to eat it!
We were actually there for a wedding...
But managed to go out for the bachelorette evening...
Someone is getting pointers on how to tip a go-go boy...
At the wedding, an intimate carriage ride for three.
A celebratory hoisting of the bride post wedding.
2 comments:
oh, New Orleans how i love you!
That sounds like it was a delightful weekend!
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