People here in New Orleans really love their Saints football team. The Saints are undefeated and, everywhere I go, people want to talk about football. It's a good example of how a winning sports team can unite and inspire a community. With the impact of Katrina still evident here, the Saints are a blessing for the city.
Tomorrow night, the Saints are playing the Cowboys here, and there has been a notable influx of Texans here in the French Quarter.
This morning, I've got a "plan". I'm going to head over to the restaurant, Galatoire's, around 10:30AM and get my name on the list for the 11:30AM lunch seating. My friend, Kammi, turned me on to Friday lunch at Galatoire's...and it's not just a meal, it's an "event". Every Friday, a regular group of New Orleans' finest descend on Galatoire's for a few hours of food and camaraderie...lots of hugs, table-hopping, champagne corks popping away.
Ah...but luck is not with me on this particular Friday. It turns out that all of the spots for the 11:30 seating were auctioned off in a charity benefit a few months ago...and there is nothing available until 2:00PM. So...I put my name in for 2:00, and slip over to Acme for a dozen on the half-shell...a little snack to tide me over until 2:00.
And I put those four "idle hours" to good use. I take some time to rearrange things in the Escape and add ice to the big food cooler. Back at the hotel, I knock off a few blog entries and catch up on my emails. My phone has gone dead because I have not charged the battery since I arrived in New Orleans on Tuesday night, so I get that charged up again.
Soon...it's 2:00...time for lunch! Unfortunately, people have lingered over the early lunch, and I have to wait for an additional hour or so. The "silver lining" in all of this is that I am now REALLY hungry. At 310 or so, I finally get a table and my favorite waitress, Shannon. I always ask for Shannon because she is an anomaly in the World of high-end New Orleans dining. In a business where 99.9% of waiters are men, Shannon stands out...reaching her position has required much hard work and struggle.
I'm sipping on a cold martini as I look over the menu...fried oysters en brochette look good for an appetizer. And one of the many crab meat dishes are a good main course choice...I opt for the crab meat au gratin. Galatoire's has been in business for over 100 years and, like many classic restaurants, it's had it's share of ups and downs. Back in the late 70's and 80's, it had declined to the point of low mediocrity before a different group of family members took over with a commitment to the highest quality. Galatoire's has now regained it's reputation as one of the best, if not "the" best restaurant in the city. Today, it's still jammed with early diners, and the noise level (amplified by the high ceiling) is deafening.
My oysters are done absolutely perfectly...a simple preparation executed with precision. The crab meat dish is equally good...cream, cheesy, yet light enough to let the flavor of the crab take center stage. And I'm washing down all of this great food with several glasses of Trimbach Pinot Gris...the perfect wine match with both dishes. Better yet, I've got plenty of room for dessert...in this case the "classic" bread pudding with bananas and caramel sauce...outstanding. I am now officially "stuffed".
When I step out again onto Bourbon Street, it's close to 5:00PM and they've blocked off the street which is starting to fill with revelers. No revelry for me however...I've got a late nap to catch.
I sleep until 8:30PM...then I'm up, showered and ready to go. During the three hours or so that I've been asleep, Bourbon Street has been overrun with people. I could stop by Acme for a snack or grab one of the infamous Lucky Dogs on the street, but I am just not hungry after that huge lunch. So...I just wander around Bourbon and it's side streets...people-watching...stopping for the occasional cocktail. It's a real feast for the eyes this Friday night on Bourbon Street.
Before I know it, it's after midnight...time for bed. I'll be up early tomorrow to pack, checkout, and get on the road to Mobile where I'll be meeting my old Notre Dame buddy, Ron Buttarazzi.
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