This is an old post that I started a while ago, so the tenses might be a little off. Mea culpa.
So I just got back from New Orleans, where I went for a weekend of debauchery and of course, good food. And boy was I not disappointed. I had never been down to Nola before, so I was looking forward to a great weekend down there with a crew of nine other dudes.
Now, normally I like to include some ladies in the mix, but this was a bachelor party. No ladies allowed. Except for the occasional, ahem, expressionist dancer.
But on to the food!
We landed late at night after a long unexpected delay out of La Guardia, which was a-ok since we had some snacks provided by a West Coast affiliate of the group. He had gone to Cochon for dinner, and while he was at it, picked up a special one of their muffalettas. It was like a traditional muffaletta (think cured means and an olive tapenade), but with house made salami and a special touch that was fatty like liverwurst. It was just what the doctor ordered. A little sazerac rye and a few Abitas at DBA and I was cashed for the night.
We woke up the next day to a hot and muggy New Orleans Friday morning. After a brief run in with the apartment manager, we headed out to the Verti Marte, right back in the quarter. They put together an astonishingly good Bacon, Egg, and Cheese. Although without uberchef’s help, I would have ordered a ham and cheese with bacon. I guess it was the sazerac talking.
After a recharge, we hit the road on a quest. A quest for po’ boys.
A member of the posse had been alerted to a spot that was a little bit off the beaten path, called Domilise. I guess people “in the know” know about this place, because you aren’t going to stumble upon this place just walking down the street.
And here is why.
That’s the place. Only a small “open” sign hanging in the door lets you know that there’s even anything going on in there. The cones added another great decorative touch to the exterior. You know what, though, I didn’t even care. I was too busy thinking about what was going on inside.
A ram-shackled old cafeteria with what appeared to be a family manning the fryer and dressing up po’ boys welcomed us as we walked through the oddly-positioned door. A group of regulars and blue collar men gathered around the counter, waiting for what was surely going to be a great lunch.
We ordered up a couple of shrimp and oyster po’ boys, and grabbed a couple of barq’s at the bar. The slogan: “It’s good.” And it was good.
After a few minutes, the po’ boys were placed in front of us. The Louisiana style baguette, with its doughy interior and lightly flaky exterior, acted as a perfect frame for the deep fried goodness that was truly a work of art. Mayo, ketchup, other sauces unknown, and freshly fried shrimp/oysters were the main event. Despite the BP oil spill (which at that time was in its nascent stages), everything was status quo at domilise, which was fortunate for us.
I wish the photos could express the deliciousness that these sandwiches contained. Typically, I am not a huge fan of fried oysters, but these were just tremendous. The briny soft interior was perfectly matched with a battered crust, which was truly awesome.
To keep this post at a manageable length, I’ll just post a picture of a beignet from café du monde. They are awesome. Just go there.
Do yourself a favor and go early. Well, “early.” Like 9.30am. Trust me, it is a way shorter line.
Read Part II of my adventures in New Orleans: NOLA, How things have changed.
Ah, I love NOLA so much… so much in fact that I’m moving there next week! Cochon has their own charcuterie right next door called Butcher where they serve some rockin’ sandwiches, charcuterie platters, wine and other tid-bits. Those guys know what they’re doing!