Sunday, May 31, 2009

When the Saints Go Eating In

My good friend Doppelganger is originally from Baton Rouge but is now a law professor in Florida. When she told me she'd be in town visiting family the same time we'd be in New Orleans, I was overjoyed! She and her husband made a special trip to the city to meet us for dinner at Herbsaint.
new orleans 176
herbsaint 038
herbsaint 037
herbsaint 036
Chef Donald Link won the 2007 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the South. We were excited to try his French-inspired and Southern-influenced cuisine.

Having just ridden one that passes Herbsaint, I started with a streetcar ($8.50).
herbsaint 013
Hey, it's the South. I gotta drink the bourbon.

We ordered a couple of small plates to share.

Louisiana shrimp and grits with tasso and okra ($11).
herbsaint 011
Quite the exquisite way to enjoy a traditional dish. Nice flavors and textures.

Fried frog legs and fine herbs ($11).
herbsaint 012
So. Damn. Good. If you ever visit, you must order these. Crunch crunch yum.

Mr. Monkey started with watermelon and tomato gazpacho with Louisiana blue crabmeat ($12).
herbsaint 015
Cold and refreshing and perfect to combat the New Orleans heat and humidity. The sweetness of the watermelon paired well with with the ample spices, and the chunks of crab were generous and fresh.

I had the tomato and shrimp bisque ($7).
herbsaint 017
Creamy and generally tasty but undeserving of major raves.

Here's Doppelganger's tomato and burrata salad with fried basil and fried breadcrumbs ($9).
herbsaint 018
Just pretend the shadow of my streetcar's stirrer isn't there.

For his main course, Mr. Doppelganger opted for the seared Kurobuta pork belly with white bean pistou ($26).
herbsaint 023
The bite I had was rich and fatty, as it should be. But, as I always say, I still haven't found a pork belly as mind-blowing as the one I had at Animal. O, Animal! You have ruined me forever!

I opted for the Muscovy duck confit with dirty rice and citrus gastrique ($27).
herbsaint 026
Tender and luscious and blanketed by a nice crisp skin. Really savored this.

Mr. Monkey and Doppelganger both chose the winning dish of the night -- veal stuffed with housecured ham and fontina over fresh capellini ($28).
herbsaint 021
I was delighted when Mr. Monkey and I did our Famous Monkey Halfway Switch. While my duck was great, this stuffed veal was Great with a capital G. Each meaty bite burst with salty cheesy love. The pasta was a super garlicky party of bouncy fun. A true triumph.

Then it was sweets time.

Ponchatoula strawberry fried pie with creole cream cheese ice cream ($8).
herbsaint 034
herbsaint 035
Doppelganger remarked that this reminded her of "gas station pies." I don't know what a gas station pie is, but I liken this dessert to an amazing homemade version of a Hostess Fruit Pie...only hot, fresh, and made with real natural ingredients instead of red dye #40. Paired with the very cream cheesy ice cream, this bordered on being divine. Yummy.

Coconut cream pie with macadamia nut crust ($8).
herbsaint 031
Everyone at the table enjoyed this, even yours truly. The macadamia nut crust was rather interesting and complemented the coconut cream well.

We ended the night with a photo session outside our hotel. It had been years since we last saw each other. This is what happens when your besties live on the other side of the country.
2052
medoppel

Doppelganger looks the same. I am rounder. And sweatier.
herbsaint 043
herbsaint 040
herbsaint 044
I miss you already! Again! Thank you both for having dinner with us! It was so wonderful to see you guys!

Next: Food by a celebrity chef and more sights around the Quarter.

18 comments:

  1. Looks delicious, as usual. I'm jealous, as usual. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love New Orleans. And I still think you look great, not round at all. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think you still look the same too! Not rounder, just smiling genuinely :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. The gazpacho looks perfect for a hot day.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am drooling. Literally. I need to live in the south. Bourbon, pork bellies, okra. How was the okra? I have a hard time finding non-mushy okra.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Now, that's some good eating! I love how cheap fancy restos down south are. Is there a market for fancy southern in L.A.? I think so!

    ReplyDelete
  7. STFU, you are not "rounder."

    how does one fry breadcrumbs anyway? this has me scratching my head.

    ReplyDelete
  8. 1. that crab meat looks so good.
    2. but your streetcar's stirrer is pointing at the best part of the dish--the burrata!
    3. gas station pie = hostess fruit pie. at least that's the only place i've ever had one from.
    4. i love how your necklines are swapped in the bridesmaid photos.

    ReplyDelete
  9. amazing photos, looks like a great place to try out.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I am always rounder and sweatier than whoever I meet up with too. Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi WeezerMonkey,

    Oh nice! New Orleans seems wonderful. And those photos are amazing! :) Thanks for the post.

    ReplyDelete
  12. i seriously drooled all over myself. and then laughed at our very opposite experiences with "hostess cream pies" over the last few days.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your food photos look straight out of fancy magazine...

    ReplyDelete
  14. delicious and yay! glad to hear she is doing well.

    ReplyDelete
  15. All of these dishes sound divine. Vino's sister made homemade watermelon gazpacho for her bridal shower and OMG - it was delish!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I am drooling at the thought of cream cheese ice cream (not that I wasn't already with the pork belly and everything else)!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I missed this. Great food and good old friends is a fab combo.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...