Several people had made suggestions before our trip, but we found that a lot of the famous chicken joints are only open for lunch service, or closed on Mondays (our only dinner option due to other plans). So I hit Yelp and Urbanspoon.
I found the Praline Connection (#6 most popular fried chicken on Yelp), located on Frenchman Street. My dad had heard from a local that Frenchman Street was a great place to find live music. Full of dive bars and restaurants, you just walked the street hearing all kinds of entertainment coming through the doors. So, it was decided.
My parents and "R" were tempted by the "Taste of Soul" Platter, which had a little bit of everything: file gumbo, red beans and rice, jambalaya, greens, fried chicken, ribs, catfish strips, and bread pudding ($23.95). I stole a couple of bites off of "R's" platter, and it all had the traditional flavors and preparation of the South that we were searching for.I stuck with my gut and went for the Fried Chicken that came with a "fresh quarter chicken lightly seasoned and deep fried to crispy perfection" (their words). The plate included my choice of two sides ($13.50), and I selected the Macaroni & Cheese and Collard Greens.
The collard greens had an unusual heat to them, which we all enjoyed and wanted to recreate at home. The mac & cheese arrived at room temperature, but was clearly made in-house and had a nice crispy crust to it. It probably would have been outstanding if it had still been hot and creamy. The fried chicken was lightly breaded, and not greasy. The meat was still very juicy, and I truly enjoyed it. Our meal also came with large slices of cornbread, which we devoured.
Now apparently "R's" craving for good fried chicken was not satisfied, because when we found ourselves with a couple of hours of extra time on Tuesday afternoon before our flight out, he demanded that we hit Willie Mae's Scotch House for lunch (Seventh Ward).
Deciding what to get was easy- fried chicken. It came with one side and a cornbread muffin.
I got the French Fries, that were nothing special but fine. "R" ordered the green beans with rice and gravy. They were clearly canned green beans, and the gravy over the rice and beans had very little flavor. Also, the cornbread muffin was small and dry. I only ate half and left the rest. Now, the chicken. It was breaded heavier than Praline's, and was greasy as you dug into it. But it was so crispy and flavorful, and the chicken was juicy and tender.Willie Mae's was the clear winner when it came to the chicken (some claim that it is the BEST chicken in New Orleans, and it has been featured on several TV shows), but the side dishes and overall experience go to Praline Connection. Other top contenders in the area are Coop's Place (French Quarter) and Jacques-Imos Cafe on Oak Street.
Either way, we conquered fried chicken in New Orleans and I left a happy girl. Still to come...our meal at Cochon and the food tour of the French Quarter.
Praline Connection
542 Frenchman Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
Willie Mae's Scotch House
2401 Saint Ann Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
First course was off of the Snacks section of the menu- Tuna Poppers with ahi tuna, ponzu, and crispy rice (two for $6).
These, along with four other starters, are available to order at your table, or you can enjoy them at a designated area at the bar where the chef will prepare dishes right in front of you. It's Hodge's take on traditional dim sum. These poppers were something that I would order myself. The rice cake had lost some of its crispiness since they were producing many at a time for our event, but the tuna tasted fresh and I look forward to trying them again.
This dish is featured in the Appetizers section, and conceptually it is pure genius. The fatty bacon was braised down so that it was so tender that it just melted in your mouth, but then still had a great crispy layer for added texture. The pine nuts are where this dish stands out. They are prepared to take on the texture of true beans, and really made this dish special. I want more.
The meat was prepared medium rare, and I really enjoyed the kick of the salsa verde. We did feel that the potato shards could be elevated with adding a spice to it. They were a little basic, but nice and crispy on the outside.
It was the prettiest dish of the evening, that's for sure. Components of this dish on their own were not working well, in our opinion (grapefruit overpowering if you took too much of it, scallop salty), but once you took a bite that included small portions of the components together- then it all made sense. So just be careful to do so if you order this dish.
Overall, we really enjoyed the preview meal and it left us wanting more. I liked the space- a rustic "barn" feel with upscale red leather seating and a sleek bar area. We also sampled two cocktails, and I ordered an additional two. All were interesting combinations, and quite refreshing. My favorite was the White Cosmo with ketel one vodka, triple sec, white cranberry, lime, and blackberries ($10).
I got the Shrimp Po' Boy, but we also had the Oyster, Crawfish Cake, and Catfish sandwiches. All were prepared the same. It was hard to select a table-favorite, because all were good, but I think the Shrimp Po' Boy was the least favorite. Some hot sauce added a nice kick. But this casual, counter deli was a fun first stop.
An average man eats about seven pounds of crawfish at a traditional boil. I can see why- these suckers are addicting! The Cajun seasoning is so good, and it is quite fun to crack the tails off, pinch the head to suck the juices out, and then get at the tail meat by peeling back the shell. We ordered four pounds for four people, and it was a nice starter to the meal.
We had made friends with the owner's brother, so he guided us through the menu. I ordered the fried Eggplant Napoleon with a shrimp and crawfish sauce, as he suggested. Rich, but delicious.
Saturday afternoon brought our culinary tour, so you'll just have to wait for that.
They were the biggest suckers that I've ever seen. Very fresh, and we slurped them right down as we caught the start of the Syracuse NCAA tournament game. My dad also had a killer Bloody Mary, and he and "R" shared an order of Deanie's crawfish. We easily determined that they were good, but no where near as good as Smitty's.
The sauce was unique with zesty flavors of lime and cilantro, but I wished that it had a slightly stronger hint of traditional hollandaise. That being said, the poached eggs were cooked perfectly, and the English muffin was clearly baked locally and fresh. The potatoes were only okay, so I ate a couple and passed on the rest.
Just don't wear dark colors when eating this! Open 24 hours a day, their fried beignets and hot chocolate are famous. Don't be fooled by the smaller locations that have popped up all over the area, the original is located in the French Market.
...and a side of butter came with my omelette. Is that for the toast, you ask? Nope, because that's already buttered.
With only three medium-sized scallops, it was more "risotto" and less "scallop" than I had anticipated. The way that the dish is described on the menu, I think this is a little misleading. That being said, the scallops had a nice sear to them, and I enjoyed the rich risotto. There was more than enough for me to take home as leftovers. The chunks of butternut squash and diced mushrooms added just enough texture to the risotto, so that it wasn't just soft and creamy. I would order this dish again, but it would be hard to because several other dishes sounded tempting on the menu.