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The drive from New Orleans to Houston can be a little tedious, especially when you have two, 1-hour traffic jams. A little detour into Breaux Bridge was just what the doctor ordered! Since 1889 "Champagne" isn't on the sign, but that is the name of the bakery and the family that has owned it for over 125 years. Cozy It was cozy and quiet inside. Don and I were the only customers, so the two young women working gave us lots of attention. We got a lesson on how to pronounce the name Champagne. Still can't do it! And we were given a free sample of their famous "Pink Cookies" which are bite size and cake-like, with custom filling... and not necessarily pink! The Cake Maker We got to meet the cake maker and bought a slice of her lemon cake for later. Coconut Balls We also bought a few red coconut balls and a loaf of French bread. Champagne's has been selling French and Po'boy bread to restaurants for a long time. They also make delicious meat pies that are just right for eating in the car! They do not sell Boudin sausage, but we had an awfully entertaining discussion about this Louisiana specialty. Both of the women laughed about their husbands stopping to pick up Boudin for breakfast every morning! Our Goods We headed off with our little car picnic. The meat pies were a real treat compared to the Mc Donald's hamburger we could have chosen. The coconut balls were a bit curious. A little like marzipan. LOTS of coconut! The cake waited until we got home and I must hand it to our Cake Girl. It was moist and just the right amount of sweet! The bread was packaged in a sheet of paper, twisted at the ends. This kept the bread more crisp, but it still had the texture of po'boy bread. I prefer chewy over airy, but it was fun change. And the Meat Pies! This was actually what we came for. The pies were oddly light, even with the spice. The crust was soft and flaky. The tender beef was ground fine, so no surprises. Later, we had some meat pies heated up at home and they were just as good. Great treat for the road! I hope to make a stop this Novemeber when we head to Nola again.
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Worth The Walk Our group of 4 hiked from the B & B near Audubon Park to this little oasis for a late night bite. On a hot summer night, we tripped along dark, root-buckled sidewalks and worked up a good appetite. The pink glowing neon was a welcoming sight! A Seat at the Counter We arrived before 10 pm, which is late for a dinner crowd, but early for the later-night-munchie-crowd. Good timing since they only have one snaking counter for dine-in customers. There was seating along the wall with signs to show customers to sit in order to wait for seating. That made us appreciate the fact we found 4 stools together. The Service Camellia's is known for their friendly, playful service since they opened on Carrolton Avenue, along the St Charles Streetcar line in 1946. Hurricane Katrina caused them to close their doors in 2005, but saddened diner fans plastered the doors with signs and cards until it reopened in 2007. Harry Tervalon, Sr., the first hired waiter in 1946, cut the ribbon for the reopening. Our server, Dennis posed with a a fellow server and a bottle of hot sauce. He hadn't worked quite as long as Harry, but he was pretty darn delightful... especially the way he fanned out the partially unwrapped straws to us! Our Counter Corner One more pic to show the fine counter and pink walls and our group. The Mickey Mouse wall clock and floral prints worked well with the pink. We ordered a good variety. Dennis steered me away from my first sandwich choice and my Reuben sandwich was excellent. Don's burger came with an egg on it! Gumbo and a Fleur de Lis! Chali ordered a big bowl of gumbo. I made sure to catch this side of Dennis in the photo, so you can see his awesome fleur de lis design! Scott got Lily's Chicken Strips, which came with fries and gravy, as well as a delectable serving of Corn MacQue Chox. Finishing Up By the time we were about to head out, the place was filling up with an eclectic mix of young and old, dressed up and dressed down folks. I made sure to take a trip to the restroom since Chali had gone before and said it was a real adventure. My journey took me right through the working kitchen and upstairs through another kitchen! Too fun! Next time I'm going to save room for pecan pie!
Home of Original Muffuletta This old Italian grocery store on Decatur in the French Quarter has been around for 108 years. It claims to be the in inventor of the Muffuletta sandwich! Grocery and Lunch Counter The store was founded in 1906 by Salvatore Lupo, a Sicilian immigrant. This now touristy area, was then a residential area near the Farmer's Market. Lupo created the Muffuletta as an easy take-out food to sell the Sicilian truck drivers who sold produce at the market. Today's Visitors Tons of tourists flock here today, but there were obvious locals as well. The sweet man in the hat was speaking Italian to the man behind the counter. The shop is owned today by family of the original owner. Best to Know What You Want Luckily it was 3pm when we ordered, so crowds were down. I've read that the staff at Central does not have a ton of patience for tourists who are confused about ordering. We ordered just one sandwich at the counter then took it to a little eating counter in the back. The lower walls were lined with shelves of imported bottles, jars and cans. The upper walls were plastered in faded travel posters. My favorite was the image of Sicilian Knight puppets. One Sandwich for Four Hard to believe one circular sandwich and a couple sodas from the machine could serve 4 adults, but it was a perfect late afternoon treat! The soft Italian bread was stuffed with salami, ham, provolone and topped with a spread of chopped green and black olives and I'm guessing some garlic and anchovies! People Encounter at the Counter! Part of the fun experience was watching others enjoy their first Muffuletta as well. We sat across from a few travelers from Canada who had noticed our picture taking. Realizing they had failed to take a photo before devouring their meal, we allowed them to photograph ours. They had big plans to stop again in the morning to pick up carryouts on their way to the airport. One of them had a Sicilian grandmother in Canada, who was going to be very excited to receive a sandwich! Short and Sweet We were out of there in less than 30 minutes. (A little rushed due to parking meter issues) But I was pleased to see one more local purchasing his sandwich as we stood to depart. He left right before us, swinging his bag as he strutted down the walk with his snappy hat and cane. I wonder how many Muffulettas this man has eaten?
Galatoire's! Since 1905 I'm not sure why we needed a food adventure the night before Thanksgiving. But we were in New Orleans, so I guess that's why. I don't think there's a food experience in all of New Orleans that doesn't include a bit of adventure! Since I spend a lot of time sharing about roadside cafes and unknown joints, I figured I'd share about a well-known, non-hole-in-the-wall place for a change. Plus my son had a jacket and tie, (jackets required after 5) and my daughter had a leopard skin cape...which is not required, but always a plus! Sazeracs! We started the evening off right with the famous New Orleans cocktail, the sazerac! My brother Chris took this photo of us as we began the evening. He really should be in this photo. He made the reservations, since Galatoire's is one of his Bucket List of Restaurants. My family was pretty excited to help him scratch this one off the list. Getting Started The water was quite yummy, even though it was not chilled with chipped ice. Where did I read that? That was probably way back in the day when Tennessee Williams used to dine here. The Turtle Soup au Sherry was excellent and the Escargot was even better. It was a pity that we all liked it so much. We probably should have ordered more. Jean Galatoire We should have been toasting to this guy who immigrated from Pau, France and opened the restaurant in 1905. The building had been a restaurant previously, so this place is old... with many stories to tell, I'm sure. Mr. Galatoire did a fine job of bringing dishes from the homeland and creating an atmosphere that has changed little in 100+ years. 4th generation descendants are still part of the ownership today. Festive Upstairs Here's a peek at our corner table and the crowds surrounding. We were in the upstairs dining room where you can actually get reservations. Some might not even bother coming to Galatoie's if they couldn't be in the original room below. But that requires standing in line for a table. Besides the upstairs was quite festive. We even ended up chatting with our neighbors at the table nearby. It was a very jovial, non stuffy crowd. Chris Gets in Photo Chris looks like an Italian with the backward wave, "Ciao!" Or maybe he was telling our waiter to get down off the chair before he hurt himself taking our picture. Anyway, our main dishes had arrived and I'm sorry to say we had a good enough time that I can't remember details. I had something amazing with eggplant and that's all I can tell you. The food is solid and the atmosphere festive and our waiter was quite delightful whether using his serving or photography skills! Our Service I wish I could remember our server's name...but a lot of details have escaped me. He was wonderful, even if he wasn't a third generation waiter. (I sort of expected the waiters would be like Italian gondoliers, handing down their skills and positions to sons) He wasn't able to tell us personal stories about his history with Galatoire's, but better yet, he shared that he was from Guatemala. Since a couple in our party have Guatemala experiences and a few speak Spanish, we had a good time conversing with this wonderful waiter after the crowds began to thin. Dessert No one had much of an appetite for dessert, but we had to try the pumpkin cheesecake. It was tasty and a good way to prep the stomach for the next day's feasting. Getting Late I had to take a trip to the powder room, since that is always fun in iconic restaurants like this. On my way back, I took a snap of the bar (upstairs) that was now empty. I chatted with our waiter a bit and learned that the restaurant would be closed the next day! Yea for the staff of Galatorie's! They would be having the day off. Empty It was after 11 when we left, but I was still surprised to see that the main dining room on the first floor was empty. This is the room that people line up for outside. Evidently you can't get reservations even if you're the president. Of course the president can get someone else to stand in line. It was funny to see how simple it looked, like an old-timey ice cream parlor, really. Good Night Even Bourbon Street looked pretty quiet as we hailed our cab. It's kind of nice to know that a holiday like Thanksgiving has the power to pull people off the party streets and encourage them to get home. Next time I'll have to come when there's a long line in the sweltering heat. Nothing like long lines for people watching and encounters with strangers!
Still Family Run Since 1946 A month ago I enjoyed a most entertaining dining adventure the day after Thanksgiving. My family along with both of my brothers' families left New Orleans in a couple cars in search of Mosca's, a roadside treasure on the West Bank of the Mississippi. My NOLA brother Dave had been before and warned us that it can be tricky to find. Lost? Well, the car I was in got lost, but we finally found the small building along US 90, with gravel driveway and simple sign. Evidently there was damage with Hurricane Katrina, but there were no attempts to change appearance with renovation. Quick History Lisa (Mama Mosca) and Provino stared down at us from the wall when we entered. In 1946, an Italian immigrant named Provino Mosca moved with his wife from Chicago when their daughter married a Louisiana oysterman. They opened their restaurant in this very building, "in the middle of nowhere" along the highway. It was owned by a big New Orleans Mafia family (evidently still owned) and there are stories about the restaurant being quite the late night hang out for the Mafia for many years. I decided not to quiz our server on this. All About Family The best part of the dining experience was the family feel. There were two large tables in the main room, which included a casual bar, a juke box and an ATM, since they take cash only. Our room, as well as two other small ones seemed to be filled with families gathering for post Thanksgiving feasts. The family photos on the wall and the large serving bowls on the table made it feel like we were at home doing Thanksgiving all over again! Of course we didn't have to cook this time...and it was Italian Creole, not turkey! Garlic! We started in on our shared main dishes (just as a few gathered at the juke box to play some Sinatra and Harry Connick Jr.) We had heard that garlic was the main ingredient in most dishes. No problem there. With our large group we were able to sample most of the dishes Mosca's is known for. Oysters Mosca was a delicious, sort of garlicky oyster dressing. The Chicken a la Grande had lots of white wine, rosemary and garlic! The Spaghetti Bordelaise was a nice balance to the richer Spaghetti with Meatballs... And... The Shrimp Mosca along with garlic-free Pineapple Fluff...both perfecto! I can easily picture Mama Mosca making that fluff years ago! Another Family As we worked on our meal, a group of what appeared to be relatives gathered at the bar waiting for other the large table to clear. The door near the juke box opened and closed as other relatives arrived and mingled. Who is that? I pulled out my camera at one point to take a picture towards the other end of the table, since Scott had taken the first photo. Scott and Heidi had already noticed that Harry Connick Jr. had just entered and was standing behind Scott. My Bro and Camera Chris was unaware of the fact that we had a celebrity in our midst when he stood to take a family photo. The rest of the table knew by this time and grinned at the camera, waiting for Chris to bump into Harry. He didn't, but if he had, Chris would have probably just invited Harry to take the camera so Chris could be in the picture! A Photo of Scott By the time Harry was seated, our family was busily trying to ignore and eavesdrop at the same time. We were enjoying our family enough to know better than to ruin Harry's family outing by intruding for autographs. However my daughter, who doesn't have to fumble to put on glasses to use her cell phone, was able to quickly and discretely take a photo of Scott who had just slurped up a string of spaghetti. Oops! Just by accident of course, Harry happened to get in the photo. I could be extra obnoxious and tell all the gossip that we heard across the room. But there isn't any to tell. They looked like a family enjoying a restaurant they have visited for years together. Harry seemed totally relaxed and did a good job amusing a small boy with some finger and thumb tricks. There was some chanting at one point. We thought the table was saying, "Gar-lic! Gar-lic! Gar-lic!" But evidently they were not cheering someone on to eat a clove of garlic. It was "Char-lotte! Char-lotte!" who is evidently Harry's daughter...and not anywhere near old enough to drink...so there was no chugging going on either. That's as much as I know. Great Food and Great Time! I hope to go back. Maybe next time it won't be so busy and there will be no celebrities, so I can wander and look at family photos... ...and ask more questions. Maybe I can even meet Mary Jo Mosca, the daughter-in-law of Provino and Lisa. She and her daughter run the kitchen now. Next time!
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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
April 2024
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