Archive for November 4, 2009

Big Easy Eating

The wedding festivities started Thursday, October 8 with a trip to the Louis Armstrong International airport, where i picked up my two best friends.

From then on I knew everything would be fabulous. We had decided to meet one day early before wedding craziness ensued to explore, taste and feel our way through New Orleans. I had my restaurant list and we had cameras in hand.

Marching down Decatur, we made our way to Coop’s Place for authentic cajun cookin. It was a late lunch for us, so we split the Coop’s Taste Plate, a little bit of Shrimp Creole, Cajun Fried Chicken, Red Beans & Rice with Sausage, and Rabbit & Sausage Jambalaya. And since Seafood Gumbo is their specialty, we each got our own cup. It was delicious, full of fresh seafood.

From there, we strolled back toward Jackson Square to Central Grocery, the spot where Emeril brags on their muffuletta sandwich. It may look simple, but it’s also amazingly tasty. The flavors of the salami and cheese are enhanced by the picked olive salad. We had just eaten lunch, but couldn’t resist this sesame seed bun sandwich.

A few blocks down from Central Grocery, we rounded out the day on a high note, a sugar high at that.

Cafe Du Monde is a French Quarter landmark. I had tried to indulge in beignets during two of my previous trips to NOLA, but the line was too long, we had run out of time, or it was too cold. I was NOT going to strike out on my third shot. We swooped down on a table, ordered three iced coffees and one order of beignets. They are as delightful as they are messy. Crispy, puffy, sweet, and covered with a thick blanket of powdered sugar. Worth every effort.

I was one happy bride-to-be, full, and with one best friend on each side.

Coop’s Place
1109 Decatur St.
New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
www.coopsplace.net

Central Grocery
923 Decatur St
New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
Phone 504-523-1620

Cafe Du Monde
French Market
800 Decatur Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70116
www.cafedumonde.com