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Iowa, Louisiana Don and I have passed this sign numerous times on our drive from Houston to New Orleans. A while back, we approached the little meat market/restaurant at lunchtime. It was time to find out what these little pigs were celebrating. A Missing Sign Usually Don and I meander off I-10 to one of the many small towns for a lunch break. But this little spot was right off the interstate. They had more than 1 sign to alert us. Maybe more than 2 signs at one time. Cracklins and Boudin! Actually those bold words written on the cement block wall, did not entice me. But I did want to eat something Cajun, to celebrate Louisiana. C'est Bon! This artwork gets the prize! I sure hope these guys aren't cooking up relatives. It's kind of creepy really. Meat Market The glass case of meats greeted us when we entered. I was a little afraid to study too long. At least we had read good reviews. Pig Art On top of the case there was another pig to greet us. I'm not sure about this piece of pig art. My Feast I ordered the daily special that came in a handy Styrofoam box. Jambalaya with corn, roll and a brownie. The jambalaya was surprisingly mouth watering. The sausage wasn't overly spicy and I believe I detected flavor bursts of brisket. Don went for a basic burger, which is sort of unlike him, especially since this place is really all about the meat. Patio Dining Workmen were using up the few tables inside, so we took a seat at the picnic table under a shady roof. We dined and watched the cars and semis fly by on I-10. Traffic doesn't always move so fast on this route. I'm hoping our next huge pile up on I-10 slows us down at the exit for Lil' Cochan's. I would rather watch the traffic crawl from this picnic table!
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Cajun Fast Food! When Don and I drive from Houston to New Orleans, we make sure to take a break from interstate driving, with an off the road lunch. Rocket Drive was our pick a while back. I'm not sure about the spelling of Inn? It made me hope they had some cottages in the back, so I could double up and write a 90-Notable Night blog as well.
It's good they had this snazzy rocket aimed over the road. We could have easily missed our stop, since the sign was small and the drive in was hard to see through the parked cars and trucks. Finding a Spot So we turned in, right across from a funeral home parking lot. There were big shade trees, but the patio seating was under the big roof, with the cars. A Crowd at 11 There were a lot of people for 11 am on a weekday. You can't see them all, because quite a few were sitting in vehicles, eating their lunches. Red Tables Right off, I loved the red wooden tables. I hoped the locals wouldn't mind sharing one with us if it got more crowded. The people ordering and eating were mostly workmen at first. Order Window There were so many things to read on the window, besides the menu that was painted on. I was having a hard time taking it all in when Kelsie greeted me with a big smile. I asked what she liked and she said I'd probably like the pistolettes, which are deep fried rolls, stuffed with crawfish. She said she liked them and she was picky. I placed my order and she hollered it back, then called out a number to the tables. Food Up! I had a hard time hearing over the traffic and eagerly went up twice to find out I was wrong. The last time I actually tried to grab someone else's bag and a sweet woman with a cane chuckled about my enthusiasm. Donna, the sweet woman sat near Don and me while she waited for her order. She reminisced about coming to the Drive Inn when she was a girl. I think she said the name had once been Bulldog Den. She pointed to where the grade school and high school had once been. Then she pointed the other way, where Grandmother's house used to sit. Loud Voice! Then we both laughed at Kelsie's voice hollering a number out the window. "She's going to lose her voice by the end of the day. She needs a megaphone!" Food We spread out our feast on the worn red table. Don's burger was pretty much what you'd expect from a burger, cooked at a diner on a gas grill. Fried Goodies My pistolette was a tad on the rich side. Maybe it was just my greasy combo choice. The broccoli bites tasted like deep fried broccoli-cheese casserole. I happen to love that kind of green and orange, soupy casserole, so I'm not complaining too much. But there was no way I could eat all that fried goodness.
Next time, I think I'll skip the Cajun and go for the stuff drive-ins are known for... a banana malt or a root beer frosti, maybe! NEXT TIME Celebrating with the Best K-Paul's is a great place to celebrate. We've had a couple festive family gatherings there. This past May, we celebrated my nephew's graduation from Tulane Law School. 2016 & 2010 The clothing shows the difference between our spring visit and our November visit, 5 years earlier. We entered on a hot evening recently and a chilly night, on our first visit. The casual clothing also shows you that K Paul's is a little different than some of the iconic Nola restaurants, which still require jackets for men. First Visit Despite the old brick walls, there was a new feel to this wonderful restaurant, with colorful paintings and whimsical table coverings. I'd like to lie and say we dined with Paul Prudhomme on our first visit. (He was still living then) But we didn't spot him that night. Instead we raised our glasses to toast the amazing chef and owner. After all he was practically sitting at our table... in the portrait behind Don. Early Our reservations for 5:30 were early, because it's not easy to get reservations anywhere, the weekend of graduations in New Orleans. It was nice to get a peek at the place early, before the crowds filled it. Youngin's We were given a great table in the back corner, near the rustic brick and green doors/shutters. The younger half of our group arrived and scooted to the far end of the table. Our grad of honor, Andy is pictured on the right. We had many toasts! Our Gang The back room was set up for 3 large parties. I'm glad we weren't seated beside a romantic table for 2. We look fairly calm in this photo, but our table of 3 families, was not exactly quiet. Inspiration Any restaurant that covers their white tablecloths with cartoonish drawings and comical recipes for martinis and pan fried rabbit tenderloin... is just asking for a tiny bit of rowdiness. Some of the recipes did inspire some ordering. And some of the recipes inspired quite a bit of debate... about poor little bunnies being cooked... Off to Explore After the usual round of Sazeracs was ordered, I was off to powder my nose. Which really means, I was off in search of adventure. I took one photo into the wonderful open kitchen and next thing you know... Posing I found myself welcomed into the kitchen for a little festive photo time. This probably wouldn't have happened at a busier time, so I felt lucky. I am so very bad because I didn't catch the name of this incredibly fine fellow. I did of course tell him we had met before! 2010 These 2 photos were taken 5 years ago, when perhaps I had already indulged in my Sazerac! It also looks like it must have been a little later in the evening, because my buddy's apron is a bit more soiled. The main thing that these photos prove, is that dining in New Orleans is just plain friendly and festive! I honestly never threw myself into the kitchen, even though I look like someone who would! Nola dining is not just about the food. There's a lot of fun to be had, as well. Good-Bye! I so wish I knew the name of this wonderful fellow, so I could thank him for generously sharing a quick photo with me! I like his wave in this photo. And luckily my cell phone snap didn't reveal any annoyed kitchen staff. Or does it? Food! I skipped powdering my nose and rushed back to the table. We shared fabulous appetizers before our main courses arrived. Eggplant Pirogue with Seafood Atchafalaya This is my heavenly plate. The mashed potatoes and veggies honestly would have pleased me on their own. And my battered, seasoned and deep-fried Little Cajun Boat of eggplant would have been a meal in itself. But the boat was filled with fresh Louisiana shrimp, bay scallops, crawfish, sun-dried tomatoes in garlic and parsley... It was rich! Which suited me fine. Did I finish? No, but our family has memories of overeating 5 years ago. So I quit just in time! Blackened Twin Beef Tenders with Debris There were many dishes at the table, but I did have a bit of these yummy tenders, seasoned and blackened in a cast iron skillet and served with debris sauce. Dessert and Laughing Food gatherings with family need to end with some good stories, laughter and yes dessert. While the gargoyle watched us from above, we shared a little of those things. I believe the photo shows Karen with Sweet Potato Pecan Pie... and Chantilly Cream! Celebrations We have to thank Andy for pulling us together! Family dining adventures are the best and we had 3 families traveling from 3 states. Next Year And next year, our Scott (who happens to be Andy's cousin) will be graduating in the same ceremony! I wonder where that celebratory, dining adventure will be? Paul's Spirit Maybe we'll have to return to K Paul's, next year, since his spirit tried to sway us the next morning. Wouldn't you know his face was the first thing that appeared when we turned on the TV!
Pre-Thanksgiving Feast 2015 It's taken me a half year to digest this delicious experience and put it in the blog. Garden District Favorite Since 1893 This is the iconic landmark where I dined with family the night before Thanksgiving. It was dark when we arrived so I didn't see the "Commander's Blue" till I drove by the next day. That whimsical color didn't go on the old building until 1974 when the famous Brennan Family took over. Party of 13 Our gang miraculously arrived and gathered on the sidewalk, just in time for our 5:30 reservation. What a thrill to walk in the entrance and see the entire wait staff lined up to greet, as we passed by. My brother and wife are frequent guests, so it was fun to see many of the waiters nodding politely and greeting them by name. Upstairs We were graciously guided upstairs to the Garden Room where our table awaited us. Since we were the first diners to arrive, I took advantage and slipped over to the window to take in the courtyard below, filled with white tables, trees and white lights. The Garden Room The head waiter greeted our table, then turned to my brother, " Welcome..." he said with a teasing smile, "It's been a while. I haven't seen you since... yesterday!" This of course cracked me up, because this was my baby brother who was being treated like a VIP. He used to ask for peanut butter and jelly in restaurants. We were given menus and then napkins were placed in our laps. I was pretty impressed that we were given dark or light napkins, depending on our outfit. I took a quick snap of the table, then tucked my camera away, so the entering diners might think I was a regular, too! Cell Phone Snaps Luckily cell phones can be used to discretely capture a shot without being noticed. This pic reveals the impressive "Commander's Blue" ribbon, down the center of our table. I'm not sure what you have to do to pull off the high ranking blue ribbon, but we had one. The photo also captures a glass or the famous Nola cocktail, Sazerac. There was no camera ready when the waiter arrived with some special drink holders made of twisted iron, which served up our complimentary rum drinks. Oh my! The Corner This shot of the room, taken much later, shows the back corner. My brother explained the corner table was often booked for special guests. I kept an eye on the table, kind of hoping Sandra Bullock showed up. She lives just a few doors down, after all. Time to Explore After ordering our main course, I decided I needed to powder my nose. I headed down the stairs where I had a good view of the dining room and all the gentleman diners. I made sure they were following rules, since jackets were required. That's what you do when you are still angry since childhood about having to wear a swim cap when boys didn't. Powder Room I had to check out the Ladies Room, since I didn't want to be accused of lying. I was mighty impressed with the padded upper walls and marble lower section. Those mounted sconces added a retro touch. I really had no powder, so I moved on to explore. Yes and No Doors The place was busy at this point, so I didn't feel like I was too obvious as I peeked around a bit. I loved the doors into the kitchen with reminder signs telling you which to use. I wasn't trying to go further, but a gracious waiter recognized a nosy customer. Suddenly he was inviting me in to see the kitchen. Hard at Work I felt like I was snooping around backstage during a Broadway play. Surely I shouldn't be there. But he encouraged me to take a photo and when a couple busy chefs took notice, what could I do but grab my cook book from my purse? Not Just Any Chef Maybe my Sazerac gave me a little nerve, but I hadn't really intended on intruding! Suddenly though, I was showing my 1950's Ford Motor Cookbook to Chef Roby (I think that's his name) and he was laughing at the page featuring Commander's Palace in the 1950's. He got the attention of Chef Tory, who had his hands full but still had a good laugh as he looked and cooked. Ignorance is bliss, because I NEVER would have intruded if I'd known I was interrupting Executive Chef Tory PcPhail! I'm not sure if Emeril Lagasee or Paul Prudomme would have been so tolerant when they were Executive Chefs at Commander's! The Head Table Before leaving the kitchen I did notice The Chef's Table, set up with a view of the kitchen action. Yep, there were two ribbons on that table! The lovely blond woman at the table caught my eye and inquired about that book that was causing a commotion. I Join the Chef's Table She was curious, so I explained how the book from 1954, featured famous restaurants, most of which are gone now. Rachel, who had been celebrating her anniversary asked me to sit right down a moment. She seemed intrigued to hear how my husband and I often travel in search of these old dining gems. We laughed about the old Commander's recipe for Remoulade Sauce. The illustration shows the wonderful building before it turned Commander's Blue. Lally and Todd Then Rachel asked their waiter, Todd to take our picture. And then Lally Brennan who is Co-Proprieter of Commander's arrived on the scene. She had come to our table upstairs, earlier and my brother had introduced us to her. Then suddenly I was greeting her in the kitchen and she was having a look at the curious book. One More Photo Next, Lally, who has been working in the Brennan family biz since she was 13, was encouraged to join the gang for a photo. I promise you... at least I'm pretty sure... I was not obnoxiously inviting myself into all of this. Commander's is just a welcoming place and everyone was in an awfully good mood! Back Upstairs I returned to our family gathering and had to explain why I was gone so long. My relatives laughed and seemed amused that I'd been kitchen hopping. I'm guessing, my own kids might have been glad I did my restaurant socializing out of their sight! The Food This is a lot of chatter about everything but food. But the happy faces say it all. The food was indeed amazing, right down to the Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé finished table-side with warm whiskey cream. Before that, we devoured some turtle soup, gumbo, sea scallops, Autumn Mushroom Risotto and much more. There wasn't a dish or taste that wasn't perfect. Lingering We stood under the glow of the neon sign and lamps for a while after. The old cemetery across the street added some good ole New Orleans eeriness. Planning and Sharing It was a nice treat lingering on the sidewalk, sharing what we liked best about our meal... and making last minute plans for our Thanksgiving feast the next day. The Palace What a fitting name for a place that made us feel like Royalty. Maybe it was my brother's connection, or maybe the staff was all in the holiday spirit or maybe Commander's Palace is just an all around friendly place with decadent food.
Memorable and Delicious! Crowely, Louisiana The sign was enough to lure me. Not only is the ice cream cone pretty festive, but the name itself is just funny. The weather was dim and drab last January, so I was tempted to ask them to light up that neon for me. What's with the name? Frosto opened as Zesto, in 1950. It was a chain, serving ice cream, hotdogs and sodas. The owner had financial difficulties and needed to get out of the biz. His manager, Helen only had an 8th grade education, but evidently had a lot of drive. In 1955 she took over the debt and negotiated a reduced rent. She broke away from Zesto, to avoid franchise fees and changed the name to Frosto... so she only had a few letters to change on the sign! More Changes We stepped inside and saw a nice glass block counter dividing the kitchen and dining room. Those expansions came years later. First there were menu changes. Helen expanded the menu from hotdogs & ice cream to a hamburger menu. In the sixties she brought her daughter on as a partner. Lola was no stranger to the business since she had been working with her mom since she was 10. She added some of her creativity to the cooking and started adding bacon to the burgers. It's hard to believe there was a time when a bacon burger was unique. Diner Feel The dining room looked like it had been there since the fifties, but it was added in 2011. At least now there's room for the local youth teams, that had been flocking for years. James Dean or the Kennedys? I liked the cozy booths, even if they weren't old. We had the pick of a few tables. I could have enjoyed my lunch staring down at James Dean. Jack Instead we chose the table with some news clippings to read. We waited for our Toasted Tuna & Cajun Burger and learned about Senator Kennedy's visit to the Crowley Rice Festival, back in 1959. People Encounter? I studied the back corner for a while, where there was a display of drawings, showing the changes of Frosto over the years. I so wanted to catch the eye of a dining local to see if he or she remembered Frosto, before it added the drive-thru in 1980... or when the sign actually said Zesto! There were plenty of locals in and out, but all were too focused on their food or conversation to interrupt. I failed in the people encounter department! Early Frosto I loved this building image with the rounded corners. It looked very similar to the old shape of Mc Donald's, only there was an ice cream cone instead of arches. Our Lunch Our lunch didn't take long and was served up in plastic baskets. Fifties music played while we shared some tots and enjoyed an old fashioned tuna sandwich and a spicy Cajun burger. One More Glance Before heading out, I washed up in the restroom decorated with old LPs, a figure of Elvis and old newsprint wallpaper. We headed out and I took one more photo, showing the now, boxy building and the busy drive-thru... with BACON BURGER announcement. I'm glad the little place is thriving after all these years. I just hope if they expand again, they lift that neon Frosto sign higher, so we can see it!
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The Dining Blog
This is a blog about Dining Adventures. Sometimes, I talk about food. Below, you can read how this started. On July 4th 2011, I set a goal to try 50 culturally diverse restaurants in one year! (I knew that was possible, living in the Houston area) I spent the year pulling in friends and family to join me, on some unusual dining adventures. I met some curious people, tried some scary foods and explored places and cultures I never would have otherwise. Even though I met my goal, I learned too much to end my adventures in dining. I have continued blogging about memorable dining adventures of all kinds, near and far... and all the discoveries and funny things I've learned along the way! Locations and types of dining adventures, are listed further down. Archives
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