New Orleans Adventure Begins

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We have gone a lot of places this year, mostly on the eastern seaboard, but this is the first real vacation of the year and the only trip to get its own blog post. Since a trip abroad was not in the budget this year, we choose New Orleans, the closest thing we can get to France in the United States. This is also our 10^thanniversary trip. Ten years since our wedding, 15 years together. This trip also marks the first long vacation that Tarragon will be joining us.

As usual, travel day is not much to blog about. Typical cab to Penn Station, NJ transit to Newark airport and flight to New Orleans. Well it was not totally typical, as this was the first flight for Tarragon. It pretty much went very smoothly, took a bit longer to go through security (even TSA precheck) only because kitty had to be taken to the screening room, taken out of his carrier, then the carrier sent through the x-ray machine. After that it all went very smoothly.

Tarragon did very well on the flight, and I was so preoccupied with him being ok, my own flying phobia was not noticeable. He is now of course spoiled because his first flight was of course in first class.

Also a very non-typical thing for us to do was arrange for car service from the airport to the hotel. I just thought it would be less stress on all of us, especially Tarragon if we didn’t have to wait in a long line in the humidity (and yes it was very close to oppressive even in October) for a taxi. In addition, there is no easy mass transit from the airport to the city, except a bus, and all of our luggage (Tarragon of course had is one suitcase) and the cat was not going to work on a bus.

The trip from the airport was very comfortable and airconditioned. I thought there might be some issues with the cat at hotel check-in, but that all went smoothly as well. (After 30 years of traveling, I finally figured out, if your prepared for everything that could go wrong, nothing will).

The only other non-typical thing about this trip, is the hotel room. Because it is our 10^th anniversary, I upgraded us to a sweat. Again, Tarragon, will believe this is how it is always supposed to be.

When we got to the room, we let Tarragon out of the carrier and explore the room while we unpacked. He pretty much sniffed out every corner of the room, he of course loves the king-sized bed.

The only real thing on the itinerary for the day was dinner. This trip we are eating at more, for lack of a better word, tourist establishments. On the list is most of the famous named restaurants of the City. We of course will get outside of that as well. On tap for tonight is Brossard’s, established by a French Chef in 1920. It is located in the French Quarter, on Conti between Rue Dauphine and Bourbon Street. (I have much to say about Bourbon Street later, not positive).

Broussards

I am just going to put it out there right up front. The food was fine, but as with everything in the Quarter, it could use a good make over. The staff was attentive if not a bit over attentive. Service was good and very friendly, however, the other patrons, god help us. We could barely here ourselves think let alone talk. We were next to a large table of convention goers, and one man in particular clearly thought no one could hear him unless he yelled. The women at the table were embarrassed but couldn’t control him. I do now know, that he really likes ice cream. Not sure I need to know that, but I do.

Of all the places we are eating this trip, Broussards is the least New Orleans (at least in my opinion) The food is not really Cajun or Creole based. It is very rooted in French, which yes is at the heart of the foundation of New Orleans. Again, the food was good, but the portion side on Jerry’s fish entrée was a little on the small side.

So, what your all waiting for, what did we eat.

Of course, we started with the traditionally glasses of champagne.

The Meal

Jerry started with a blue crab croquette, very tasty, sauce could have had a bit more of a bite. I started with a crab and cauliflower gratinee, it was very good and the sauce seasoned perfectly. The salads were very disappointing, lettuce was wilted (and not in the good way because of bacon). Jerry had a caeser, and you already know it disappointed, this was worse than usual as there was no dressing at all. I had a wedge with pecans, bacon and blue cheese. The blue cheese had no flavor but the dressing was good and had a nice little bit of heat to it.

The mains were both very good, we both went with Gulf fish prepared in different methods. Jerry’s was in a Meuniere sauce, official name of the dish Pompano Pontchartrain, crab was also part of the dish. It was cooked perfectly flaky and moist, the sauce was very good, however, the portion size was on the small side. I had the File de Gulf Bonaparte. Two pieces of the pompano and in between a blue crab and gulf shrimp stuffing. (I don’t believe it was gulf shrimp, because if it was, it was the smallest gulf shrimp I have ever seen). It was very good and the sauce was a hit. The top layer of fish was slightly over done, but the dish was good. We shared a side of Lyonnaise potatoes, they were done perfectly.

We opted out of dessert, as nothing really spoke to us, not even the table side bananas foster. Overall impression, it is what it is, it was not horrible but not out of this world. Would we go back, probably not, but it is now crossed off the list of famous restaurants. What I am saying is that for the price I have higher expectations, but it is running on reputation not inspired cuisine.

After dinner we walked back to the hotel down Bourbon Street. OH MY GOD, what a simply god forsaken street. I was here when in my early 30’s and had fun on the street, some of which I honestly don’t remember, but over 20 years later in my mid 50’s, oh so not for us. Just a dirty street full of neon and young, and some not so young, drunk people. It has zero appeal, I would rather walk down seedy rue Barbes Rouchechart, in Montmartre then spend a second more than I have to on Bourbon Street. More on this later.

We arrived back to the hotel, hot and tired. The humidity is unbelievable, much worse than New York and its October. The evening ended with our evening wine and discussing the day. There is a Walgreens next to the hotel and it literally sells everything. Earlier in the day we went in to get a few items we forgot to pack (toothbrushes, we never forget those) and they just happened to have an ok wine selection. Unlike the very tourist gauging store across the street. They even sold a couple different Washington reds. We bought a bottle of Chateau St. Michelle and a 14 hands.

Tarragon had settled in nicely to the room and felt at home. He is however a tad cuddlier than at home. He is normally very much pet me when I want and not one to share the couch. So far, he needs to be in the middle of us almost all the time. Our stress level and his is much less than a lot of trips. Not to mention it is getting very hard to find a sitter for him when we do go on vacation, so if this works out most trips (hopefully even Europe) he will just come with us.

We went to bed at 11 and pretty much just passed out. Big day tomorrow, actual anniversary and sightseeing.

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Photos

Tarragon
Kitty First Class