I'm Hooked

Several years ago a Starbucks opened near Britton and Broadway Extension in NE Oklahoma City. I thought "awesome, a Starbucks immediately available on my direct route to work!!!" Before I had a chance to fully enjoy this location being on my commute, it closed. I'm guessing that they weren't getting the business they needed; most of the traffic was on Broadway Extension and not enough people were exiting for coffee only to reenter the rush-hour traffic.

So the building sits empty.

Empty.

Empty.

Empty for a couple of years.

And then ... there's some obvious activity. What's it going to be? What's going to open? A restaurant? I like food! Oh I'm excited.  I'll have to check out whatever it is when it opens!

Driving home ... it looks closed.

Driving home ... it looks closed.

I pull in an check (after seeing this restaurant for over two years). They close at 4:00 each day. Bummer. I work to far south so lunch is out. They close at 4:00 so dinner is out.

So late this summer I made a point to get over there for lunch. The parking lot is PACKED. Every table is full. There is a line. These are all good signs.

I ordered the Fried Fish & Shrimp Basket with catfish and cheesy grits as my side. The shrimp had such a delicious spiciness to its batter. I found myself licking my fingers after eating each one. The catfish filet was so fresh tasting and the batter, while not as a spicy as the shrimp, was light and delicious itself. And the cheesy grits were just perfect! Tender grits, ideally cooked, buttery & creamy, with just the right amount of cheesiness.

I have been back twice since then.

For both of other times I've had the Smothered Seafood. This dish features a lobster cream sauce with shrimp, crawfish, lump crab, and baby clams all mixed together and then served over rice or French fries; both times I opted for the rice. If you order the traditional Smothered Seafood you can add either a filet of catfish or a serving of five shrimp to the order as an upgrade. OR, you can simply order the Super Smothered Seafood and get both the catfish and the shrimp included. 😉 The first of these two subsequent visits I had the Smothered Seafood and added the catfish filet and then also added an order of Cajun Butter Frog Legs--it's been YEARS (like childhood) since I've eaten frog legs and I just had to. And you know...I'll do it again soon because they were so wonderful and tender and tasted both like chicken legs and not like chicken legs at the same time (I can't explain that paradox, just know that they were good). The other time I did the Super Smothered Seafood (sadly, not pictured). That lobster sauce, whether smothered or super smothered is just WONDERFUL with all of those seafood bits and flavors all mixed up together.

The flavors and experience all make me feel like I'm eating somewhere in southern Louisiana even though we are still in northeast Oklahoma City. I know I need to try other options on the menu, because I'm sure they will be just as wonderful!

Oh Sweet Brown

One of our Oklahoma City based "celebrities" who had slightly longer than her 15 minutes of fame, was Sweet Brown. Her interview, by local media, of a fire within her apartment complex went viral. If you've not seen it, click here for the KFOR interview.

This, however, is not the Sweet Brown that is currently on my mind. I'm thinking of sweet Georgia Brown's restaurant in Washington, D.C. I'm in D.C. visiting from Oklahoma for a conference. My friends Amy and Bruce and their two sons are in D.C. visiting from California for their family vacation. We've been able to meet up in the evenings for dinner. Wednesday night was Amy's birthday and Georgia Brown's came as a recommendation to her. This was AWESOME as it meant going to another restaurant in D.C. to which I've never previously visited. And ... Oh Sweet Brown!

Prior to dinner we had actually been out walking among the Jefferson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial monuments. We were all hot and sweaty and our feet were tired. The COLD water was a such a relief and I know I just guzzled four glasses before I could blink. But that's not the reason for me saying "Oh Sweet Brown".

The biscuits and corn bread that were served with an amazing honey butter set the southern soul food experience ahead of us off to an amazing start. The corn bread sticks reminded me of what my mom or my Louisiana aunts might make using an old cast iron pan. The batter was sweetened to perfection and once cooked and combined with the honey butter it all just literally melted in your mouth.

not my picture; one I found online

For my entree, I had the shrimp and grits. And let's just say this was shrimp and grits LOADED: Jumbo Shrimp, Shallots, Andouille Sausage, Garlic, Scallions, mixed with Organic Stone-Milled Grits and covered with Lobster Sauce. Large juicy shrimp combined with spicy Andouille are always a great combination of flavors. To me, what "made" this dish is the lobster sauce. I want the recipe! I demand the recipe 😉. The flavor and spices within the sauce just helped to elevate this dish to a level that was pure WOW. I even used another couple of corn bread sticks to soak up the remaining sauce after eating everything else.

Amy recommends the Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Bruce recommends the De-Constructed Jambalaya.

The evening ended with Amy being served an amazing Peach Cobbler a la Mode. If you've ever wondered what "the south" tastes like...it's the peach cobbler; I'm so thanking that Amy shared her birthday treat with the rest of us.

See Food, Seafood

My plan for lunch yesterday was to go to Central Grocery in New Orleans for a a traditional muffaletta.  However, Central Grocery, unbeknownst to this simple NOLA visitor, is closed on Sundays.  So I just kept walking for a couple of blocks and then turned the corner.  As I'm turning it hits me "I'm still hungry and there is a seafood restaurant right here.  Why not?"  So I did!  I walked right in to The Original French Market Restaurant and Bar.

Being early on a Sunday afternoon and being further into the French Quarter than most first-time NOLA visitors might venture, I had plenty of seats from which to choose.  I opted for a place at the bar where Heather greeted me.  In addition to my lunch, I very much enjoyed visiting with her.  Just know that if she makes a menu recommendation...take it!!  I thoroughly LOVED both items she suggested.  Additionally, she was so gracious on refilling my sweet tea multiple times (maybe 12...hey, I was thirsty from walking the Quarter that morning).

I had mentioned to Heather of my lunch plan at Central Grocery and she agreed that they had the best traditional muffaletta.  But she then said "we have a great seafood muffaletta.  I scanned the description and agreed that was what I needed so I ordered a half (if you've never had a muffaletta please know that they are usually 9-10 inches round.  It was LOADED with stuff and I eventually had to use a fork to eat the "droppings" from my plate.  The sandwich was a bit dry, due to the nature of the Italian style large bun and all the fried seafood, but Heather did set a condiment caddy by me so that I could add ketchup, mustard, mayo, Tabasco, etc.

Seafood Muffaletta
Fried shrimp, oysters, crawfish, and catfish with olive salad

Just as I thought I was done she asked if I wanted dessert.  I gave a pause before answering, long enough for her to ask if I liked bread pudding.  I said "not usually".  She responded that it was never one of her favorites either but that they have an amazing white-chocolate-praline bread pudding that is just "wonderful".  Since she didn't lead me astray on the muffaletta I went for it.  Let's just say...I'd eat a whole pan of this stuff and wouldn't share with anyone...sorry Mom.  WOW, it was good...no...great...no...great x 2.

White Chocolate Praline Bread Pudding

I will definitely be adding The Original French Market Restaurant and Bar to my NOLA travels in the future.

And remember, happy eating is only and adventure away.

"Po Boy"? Oh No Boy!

One of the things I enjoy about McAlister's Deli, and many other places, is their frequent buyers program. Each time your purchase a tea or a meal they punch a card. Once you have 9 punches per card you get a free tea or free meal depending in card. Today I redeemed a fully punched card for each a tea and a meal and enjoyed a totally free lunch!!

McAlister's is currently highlighting shrimp specials which are headlined by a new shrimp Po Boy style sandwich.  Using my free lunch cards, I decided to try a Cajun Shrimp Po Boy and a side of pasta salad.  This sandwich features a bunch of buttered & peppered shrimp coated with a chipotle mayonnaise and paired with tomato slices, lettuce, and coleslaw on top of crispy French bread.  I'll preface my next comments by saying I enjoyed the flavors of both the sandwich and the pasta salad.

The Cajun Shrimp Po Boy I was served today

Now, part of my ethnic ancestry includes strong Cajun connections with southern Louisiana.  While I'm definitely NOT a Po Boy expert, I've had a fair number of them over the years.  The protein on a traditional Cajun Po Boy is almost always fried: fried shrimp, fried claims, fried oysters, fried chicken, and even fried alligator.  This was my first shrimp Po Boy that was not fried.  Additionally, I've never had a Po Boy with coleslaw.  While it added a different, and somewhat positive, texture it is just not part of what I consider Po Boy.  Finally, the Cajun spice or heat has always been part of the spices incorporated into the batter for frying the protein.  Although a good Po Boy will need mayonnaise or mustard for moisture purposes, the use of the chipotle mayonnaise as the source of the spice/heat was just not what I was anticipating.

As noted in the preface above, the sandwich was a good sandwich and I'm sure I'll have another one at some point.  However, this sandwich is NOT anything that I can in good conscience call a Po Boy.  I'd encourage you to try one and let me know your thoughts!

And remember, happy eating is only a journey away!