Night three and a visit to Emeril Lagasse’s 2nd signature restaurant in New Orleans, NOLA and okay… I admit it, Chez decided to be glutton… but hey, it’s Mardi Gras Week!Both the energy level and the décor were outstanding but it was the efficiency and service oriented attitude of the staff made the evening a fantastic addition to our week’s dining excursion. The wait staff was attentive, polite, and friendly; all in all… true professionals, now on to the food!
Gin and Tonic and a Dirty Martini were the call of the day as well as a Lobster and Roasted Corn Bisque. The sweet of the lobster offset the smokiness of the corn and made this dish sublime. For an appetizer, we ordered the Head-On BBQ Gulf Shrimp and the Wood Oven Roasted Pocket Bread, dressed with Garlic Oil, Basil and Parma. Both were excellent but the ‘puffiness’ of the bread made it the hands-down favorite for this round.
In an effort to bring some ‘healthy considerations’ to our gluttonous foray we opted for salads, with Sheb going for the Baby Spinach, Feta and Kalamata olive salad and Chez ordering the Duck Confit Salad. Sheb found hers good but lacking a certain ‘zing’ I, on the other hand’ loved the crispy duck-bits.
As time for our main course arrived, we knew we were in the right spot for the evening. Sheb’s Shrimp and Grits were straight from heaven, by way of the bayou. I’m not sure if it is lady-like to roll one’s eyes in joy during dinner, but suffice it to say… she did. I went with the Grilled Red Fish served on a bed of Cajun Rice Pilaf and Corn. Mine was good; however it was just the slightest bit dry… owing to being overcooked.Stuffed as we were we still went dessert hunting and decided to share a seasonal favorite… King Cake ala Mode. What’s not to like with this choice?
So, what are the chances of a return visit? Pretty darn good, mon ami… pretty darn good!
