New Orleans, The Eating Ends. For Us. For Now.

The Magic Kingdom?

You could call it that.


I do.

Four days of touring and near gluttony, what are two guys to do . . . eat a little more.

After the perfect lunch we would try an over the top dinner. Thursday night took us back to the Garden District, an area of fertile silt, big trees and big ol’ houses just a streetcar ride west of the Quarter along St Charles. Commander’s Palace Restaurant has been on this quiet little street since 1880.

When I was 20-something I took my visiting parentals to NYC’s Tavern on the Green. Not for the food, not for the bevy of hovering waitrons, not for the dress code, for the experience. This reminded me of Tavern. Brian even noticed the similarities and he wasn’t even there, the first time. This place was like that but better.

We were seated in the back corner of what seemed like the 5th of 4 dining rooms. I say this out of wonder not anger. From the outside the place looks normal, inside it goes on and on in the way that 125 year old destination restaurants tend to do. I hardly remember what we had but like I said we were there for fun. I do remember an appetizer of a trio of soups, one of which was turtle, the waitress’ smiling professionalism and the Peach Shortcake that CAME with my meal. I do remember the suddenly appearing waitrons who would materialize, one per plate, deliver the food, smile-nod and disappear. I love that. Oh, and the food was good, too.

Friday, July 3rd, was our last day in New Orleans. We planned a Jazz breakfast at Bourbon Street the Court of The Two Sisters and lunch at the famous Acme Oyster House near the hotel and then to the airport by three. We were up early. We got to The Court. Judiciously, it doesn’t open until 9. This is a bit late for us early risers. So we kept walking. Back towards Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral and then further east to the older, lower, quieter part of the Quarter. We were hungry, we knew Stanley’s. So, t looks like a nice ice cream parlor but . . . First, we just ordered coffee, then, deciding we were hungry we ordered breakfast, expecting mere food, we were pleasantly surprised. My Egg’s Stanley, a modification of Benedict topped with fried Oysters, was delicious. Brian got corned beef hash, (in New Orleans?!?), but ,in his defense, it was VERY nice.

We eventually made it back to the hotel, checked out, checked our bags, and headed, around the corner, to “Friday Lunch”. This, we learned, is a N.O. tradition, an event. Get in line early with the rest of the city, wait awhile, a long while, and then spend a few hours over a lot of food, preferably great, with a few friends, preferably good.

By 11:30 there was a line down the block at ACME. Like the Roadrunner, we stopped in our tracks. They were packed, our bags were packed, we were more than sated, we had done the tourist thing, the food thing, the thing thing. We headed back to the hotel, a cab to the airport and a brief rest at the Sky Club. The New Orleans food world had won, we had given up, like the coyote,raised the white flag. In our case, the napkins.

It may have won but it owes us a meal.

AND I plan on collecting.

- - - David