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

Easter Brunch

With memories of a traditional seated Easter dinner in years past, my Mother had the brilliant idea to do a brunch this year. My brother and I jumped at the idea, and I quickly called East Side Cafe to make a reservation in Austin. This is one of my favorite places for brunch in the city, with a plethora of menu items, and a fantastic old house setting. We went for a late reservation of 2:30, and it couldn't have been better. I had mimosas on the brain, and ordered one to start. The lovely little thing came with a purple pansy, which set the spring mood off just right. Eggs Benedict happens to be one of my most favorite things (yes, I say it all the time) and I was planning on ordering ESC's classic dish when the waitress informed us of their specials. A poached egg served upon a salmon and crab cake, with a chipotle hollandaise sauce. This all served with fruit, pan potatoes, and a blueberry bran muffin. SOLD!! My Mom decided on the classic eggs benedict, and my brother on chicken quesadillas. Each dish was great, I was in love with the chipotle hollandaise. It complimented the salmon and crab with gusto. Such a nice switch on the classic. We opted to look at the dessert menu, and I was struggling to resist the Chocolate Silk, but we decided to venture out for ice cream, gelato, or frozen yogurt instead. The brunch was excellent, and I will continue to sing its praises. Head over not just for holidays, and be sure to try their regular menu as well. Right before we left the hard wood floored restaurant, we walked around the gift shop (where I purchased a fantastic book called, Around the World in 80 Dinners), the amazing gardens, and chicken coops. We finished the day wandering down to the Warehouse district in search of sweetness. We finally decided on Yummy Yo, on 3rd & Nueces. It was a serve yourself frozen yogurt shop, and it hit the spot. I chose Banana yogurt, with fresh blueberries, raspberries and of course fruity pebbles. Fantastic. It was the perfect end to an Easter Weekend, with people I love the most.

East Side Cafe

Yummy Yo Frozen Yogurt

Brunch!

To start the new year off right, my Mom and I headed to the Driskill for a much needed relaxing meal. She happened to have a gift certificate to 1886 Cafe and Bakery, which made it all the more sweet of a trip. We arrived just in time to catch the tail end of brunch, and my eyes went directly to Eggs Benedict. This happens to be a favorite, so my order was placed. We chatted in the packed dining room, and were able to catch up with Tony Sansalone, the Executive Pastry Chef. Tony used to own Sansalone's Bakery on 12th street, but moved back into the Hotel business a few years ago. He is an expert cake maker, and now produces lovely desserts for the hotel. When our meals arrived (yes we both ordered Eggs Benedict) we were thrilled. I more thrilled probably b/c it was the perfect dish to work off the celebrations of New Year's Eve. The eggs were perfectly poached, the Canadian bacon salty, and the Hollandaise sauce just the amount of zing I needed. Though the potatoes were a bit mediocre, they did a great job of soaking up excess sauce. It would be fantastic if the $12 dish had a complimentary Mimosa, but for great Hollandaise sauce, it will do. Be sure to check out the beautiful hotel when you're up for a great bite.

The Drikill Hotel
Twitter: @DriskillHotel