Made a short jaunt down to the Crescent City a couple of weeks ago. Wandered down Bourbon Street one Sunday morning, and stumbled into this place from which many people were emerging with beautiful Bloody Marys. I think it was La Bayou?
(It was just across the street from several people puking on the sidewalk; I know that helps narrow things down a bunch. Puking post-revelry drunken folks were prevalent since the Saints had played the night before. Or maybe they are always prevalent. It was not far from Bourbon House...if that helps.)
This Bloody Mary was made with 2 ounces of olive-infused vodka (our generous bartender added a little extra, just because we looked like we needed to relax a bit, shake the Northeast off our shoulders...), plus the best commercial mix I've had (Zing Zang, which I've not seen in these Northerly parts). Also, it had all that I consider essential in a Mary. Celery, olives, sure. Those are standard accoutrements.
(You'd think celery and olives are omnipresent in Bloodies, but not in Little Rhody, where I've had bartenders all over ask me how to make such basics as Manhattans. What's up with that?)
In addition to the celery and green olives, this baby had a pickled string bean, a peperoncino, and a pickled cocktail onion. It was so spicy and wonderful. Our bartender kept feeding us extra pickled goodies on the side, claiming them to be 'fresh out of the jar'. Indeed.
New Orleans is quite a cocktail town! The bartender in our hotel made me a Vieux Carre the first night we were there, and it was everything I could have imagined. Having tried to order one at various places up here in Rhode Island (even those who proclaim to respect bourbon and rye-based cocktails), only to be met with blank stares, this was landmark.
Everyone seemed to be focused on enjoying life. Mardi Gras was touted, and there was much mention of the annual Tales of the Cocktail - clearly the cocktail is king in this town. Cocktails before dinner are de rigueur; a person need not feel like a stand-alone lush for ordering one because the entire table seems to do so.
Anyhoo, my first trip to NOLA put hooks in my soul. We managed to fit in quite a restaurant itinerary: Cochon Butcher, Cochon, Mr. B's, Domenica, and Lilette. Drinks at the Roosevelt's bar. Caroling in St. Peter's Square. All of this in upper 50 to mid-60 degree temps with sun - in December!!!
NOLA, beautiful NOLA. You've won me over. Swoon.
2 comments:
So glad you had a great time! That's a kickass eating itinerary - Lilette and Cochon Butcher are both all-time favorites, and Domenica's making its way into those ranks. Come back and visit again soon! It's beautiful outside today. :)
Thanks! Can't wait to go back for seconds. It's sunny and 30 degrees here today :(
Y'all have some delicious places. I could have eaten and drunk my way through many more days.
Lilette was my favorite. I think it had a lot to do with the neighborhood, and the bartender who was just so down to earth. (Shout out to Becca from Philly!)
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