New Orleans, You had me at beignet

Mid April was spent celebrating one of my favorite people/friends/bachelorette, Ms. Lauren. I am lucky enough to be a maid of honor in her wedding, and 11 girls total spent the weekend in New Orleans celebrating her upcoming wedding in May. New Orleans is one of my absolute favorite cities in the world, and it was so amazing to be there with such fantastic girls. We ate, drank, and danced our way through the Cajun paradise and could not of had a better time. We began our bachelorette bash with beignets and cafe au laits at Cafe Beignet. Apparently, Cafe Du Monde changed ownership and the experience is hustled and not as authentic as in years past. We loved the laid back nature and quaintness of the place. The beignets were light, not too doughy, and perfectly warm. The coffee boasted the same flavor as the city it was born in. We loved taking our time and enjoying every bite. Since breakfast was delicious and filling, we decided to reward ourselves with some of the best Bloody Mary's in town. We headed to Olde Absinthe House on Pirate's Alley. This place is about the size of my thumb, but they know what they're doing when it comes to Bloody's. Strong with a kick, and easy to sip. We grabbed our drinks to go, one of the best things about the city, and walked around to our next stop. Yes, it was again time to feast. We decided on lunch at Napolean House, well known for their muffaletas and Pimm's Cups. They did not disappoint. The food was fantastic, the muffaleta was classic and huge. The Pimm's cups were a little bitter, and the bartender had to make the mix from scratch after awhile. We finished lunch off with a few rounds of French 75s (Gin, sugar, lemon, champagne), which were excellent to compliment the gorgeous afternoon. After a major mid-day karaoke session at Cat's Meow, we headed to one of the best restaurants/deals in town, for dinner. Friends and I stumbled upon this place last year during Jazzfest and were hooked. Desire Oyster Bar served up oysters on the half shell, Oysters Desire (broiled oysters, garlic, butter, parmesan cheese), Crawfish, Shrimp & Grits (some of the best EVER), Crawfish Etoufee, and more. We popped champagne and toasted the bride-to-be as much as possible. After many further celebrations, we woke the next morning for a Bridal Brunch at The Old Coffee Pot. Friends and I stumbled across this place last year as well, and it was amazing again. We had a pre-fix menu set with choice of Mimosa or Bloody Mary. We had Eggs Jonathan (Eggs Benedict, ham, tomatoes, shrimp, hollandaise sauce, and grits or potatoes) and Blintzes (apple and strawberry). So fantastic for those who could muster up the strength to eat after the night before. My fellow Maid of Honor and I got an AMAZING red velvet cake from The Cake Cafe in New Orleans for the brunch as well. It was perfect and so incredibly moist. We spent the rest of the day wondering in and out of cute boutiques and resting up for festivities to come. That night, we ended up having dinner at the Green Goddess. We arrived around 10:30pm and left around 1:15am, and even though the service was slow we spent most of that time telling stories about the bride and enjoying every bite. While waiting for our table we ordered a few Green Goddess cocktails. Unfortunately one of the main cocktails ordered was not enjoyable. It was the restaurant's take on a French 75, called the Pear 75 (Oregon Pear Brandy from Clear Creek Distillery, a splash of Austrian apricot liqueur & homemade ginger syrup, topped with bubbly). The menu says not a girly drink, and it nearly knocked all of us on our feet. Way too much pear brandy, we had to ask for a champagne top off for those who wanted to finish their drink. Luckily a few ladies ordered beer, one being Lazy Magnolia's Southern Pecan Nut Brown Pale Ale. It was delicious and much needed after the unwanted kick from the cocktail. The bride to be had a Louisiana Strawberry Bellini (Prosecco, Amato’s La. Strawberry Wine, Beaujolais Strawberry Liqueur, and Pontchatoula strawberries). Perfectly refreshing and sweet. A bonus to our dining pleasure was having one of the two chefs of the restaurant, Chris DeBarr, come out to greet us and offer his extensive knowledge of the food and wine. He helped us pick a lovely Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for the table. We quickly paired the vino with a vast array of cheeses, veggie plate (Roasted asparagus, Mardi Gras Indian cauliflower, duck fat potatoes, radishes, seasonal guest star vegetable, with roasted garlic aioli and romesco sauce), a fantastic Roasted Eggplant & White Anchovy Bruschetta (Griddled bread topped with pureed roasted eggplant, lemon, and capers, with piquillo peppers, fresh-cured white anchovies), and Father Pat’s Grilled Cheese (Cahill’s Irish Porter cheddar cheese, made with Guinness, and pear butter on wholegrain 3 seed bread). We were more than hungry, and the appetizers were the perfect solution. The cheeses were all to die for, each different and chosen by the chef. The veggies were rustic and robust. The grilled cheese rich and oozing with guilty pleasure. Our entrees were just as wonderful, beginning with the Green Goddess Wedge Salad, which was one of the best wedges I've ever had (Boiled LA. Shrimp, radishes, cucumber, hearts of palm, hearts of romaine, sieved eggs, crumbled bacon, romano cheese & green goddess dressing). Light, different and delicious. Other crowd pleasers were the Golden Beet Ravioli (Truffled Chèvre filled, Pomegranate Molasses, Sardinian Saba, & Avocado Oil), “The Old-Fashioned” Gulf Fish Meuniere (Pan-seared Louisiana fish, yucca cake, sea beans, Bourbon brown butter sauce laced with Fee Bros. Whisky Barrel Bitters), and “Spooky” Blue Corn Crepes (Huitlacoche, wild mushrooms, brandy ragout, porcini salt and butter). The hit of the night though, happened to be the Bacon Sundae. Not listed on the menu, but recommended even by the table sitting next to us. "You MUST order the sundae, MUST", they said. We did, and I wish I had one in front of me now. Rich vanilla ice cream, maple covered bacon, caramel sauce, and nuts. AMAZING. DIVINE. PERFECTION. The next morning we dragged our tired little selves out of bed to head home. We were well fed, well partied, and well on our way to looking forward to the upcoming wedding. New Orleans was the ultimate place to honor our bride to be, and we'd all be back there in a heartbeat. Take your time in the city, and enjoy every single bit of what it has to offer. It truly is one of the greatest cities on Earth, and a place to be cherished.

Cafe Beignet

Olde Absinte House

Napolean House

Desire Oyster Bar

Old Coffee Pot

Cake Cafe & Bakery

The Green Goddess

Peche, Si Vous Plais

I am very fortunate to have a great group of single girlfriends in Austin. We decided to get together recently and treat ourselves to good food, drinks, dancing, and other delights. Our night began with dinner at Peche, one of my favorite restaurants in Austin. Peche is promoted as an absinthe bar, and has some of the best cocktails in town. Though we didn't meet the green fairy, we did our best to sample the cream of the crop from the bar. I began with one of my favorite cocktails in town, the Cucumber Martini (Hendrick's gin, cointreau, cucumber juice, rosemary, and cayenne pepper). You may have a furrowed look on your brow, but let me say it is heaven. I'm not even a fan of gin, and this one gets me every time. It is the perfect "let's start this weekend off with a bang" mixture. Really great especially if you're not into sweet drinks. My friend Jessica ordered the Jade (Pineapple, vanilla vodka, lime & lemon juice, Midori and bar syrup). It was tasty, but also reminded us of a jolly rancher. Good for those who like the sweet stuff. Deanna ordered the French 75 (St. Germain, lemon juice, champagne), which also happens to be another one of my favorites. Love champagne? This will kick your love into a full on affair. The perfect balance of bubbly and citrus. St. Germain is made with elderflower, which has a slight grapefruit taste. We made our menu selections, which happened to be a special Valentine's selection and were talked into the Lobster empanadas for starters. They were great, but we wanted the stars of the show. I got the Bay Boat Scallops with celery root, fingerling potato chips, and brown butter hollandaise. Holy (insert whatever word here) it was so incredibly good. Creamy, rich, perfectly cooked scallops, finished with the crunch of the chip. Jessica got the Prime Beef Tenderloin with roasted cippolinas (onions), pommes frites puree, and jus. Really tender and deep flavors. Deanna decided on the Homemade potato gnocchi, which was filling and rich. During dinner we each ordered a few more cocktails. I decided on the Fig Manhattan (Rye Whiskey, Vya sweet vermouth, house made cherry vanilla bitters, and fig foam), well because I love whiskey. It was intense with a balance of fruit and whiskey burn. I loved it and the fig foam was a great finish. Jessica got a Cucumber martini after sampling mine, and Deanna got a French 75 (Gin, champagne, bar syrup, and lemon juice). We finished our indulgence with the Mascapone Tart with late harvest vinegar strawberries and cool sweet gelatin. So nice after rich, delicious meals. As if we couldn't celebrate enough, both Jessica and I decided to try the Pink Lady (Gin, applejack, lemon juice,house grenadine, and egg white). Though sweet, I really enjoyed the egg white finish and the slight tartness of the drink. It was of course the first cocktail designed for a woman, we had to try. The night was exceptional, we talked, laughed, and went on to have a dance off at our first stop. Fantastic. Peche is definitely a place you can unwind, take your time, and enjoy the talent it hosts. Try their regular dinner menu with daily specials whenever you get the chance.

Peche Austin
Twitter: @Peche_Austin