Bam!

This has been such a long work week. It could be due to the fact that I left St. Louis on Friday afternoon to work a conference all weekend. I am now en route from New Orleans to Long Island as I type this. I am very much a fan of posting from up in the air.  Until last year, I had never been to New Orleans. I was very excited last year to have it in my territory. It is such a city full of character and  good food.  Someday I would love to visit and not have to work!

We stayed right on Canal Street 2 blocks from Bourbon Street.  I thought Bourbon St. was crazy busy on a week night, but it was down right crowded and out of control on a weekend night.  It didn't help that LSU was playing a home game in Baton Rogue either.  Places I had been able to dance in, just wasn't happening on saturday.  However, the people watching was spectacular. 

I was in New Orleans to work my company's booth at the Neuroscience convention. I had to assemble the booth Saturday morning and then sit and work the booth Sunday through Wednesday from 9-5.  My lucky trade off was getting to enjoy New Orleans after the day was done at the conference center and I am pretty sure I have gained 10 pounds in a week from eating such yummy food.

I had the best meals I have ever had in New Orleans on this trip, (could be because my company now has a better expense account than I did last year!)  I had a delicioius barbque shrimp Po'Boy at Red Fish Grill, some killer wings at Pat O'Brians, some type of Gulf Fish special at Bourbon House, even the red beans and rice and gumbo at the conference center wasn't too shabby. However, hands down, I had 2 of the best meals ever at some of the hottest cuisine spots in New Orleans,

I have now eaten at 2 out of 3 Emeril Lagasse's New Orleans based restaurants. Monday night we dined at NOLA:
         "Located in a renovated warehouse with a bright yellow stucco facade, large French door         
         windows, and second floor balcony, NOLA is Emeril's casual and funky restaurant in the
         French Quarter.  Featuring an eclectic menu of New Orleans Creole and Acadian cuisine with
         an occasional ethnic twist, the rustic style of cooking showcases Southern Cajun, Vietnamese
         and Southwestern influences using Louisiana products"

I highly recommend NOLA. We had these amazing stuffed chicken wings..filled with crab, shirmp, other seasonings and dipped in a pecan soy sauce. I had the Grilled Pork Chop
with Brown Sugar Glazed Sweet Potatoes, Toasted Pecans and Caramelized Onion Reduction Sauce
....delicious!  One of my co workers got the buttermilk pan fried chicken and we all ate off her plate.  For dessert we shared Popcorn Sundae, Fudge Brownie, Popcorn Ice Cream, Caramel Sauce, Caramel Corn. I may has well died and gone to heaven, as I love popcorn so.

Last night we ate at Emeril's Delmonico:
          "Located on the famed St. Charles Avenue streetcar line, Delmonico, the legendary, century- 
           old institution, is an icon in the restaurant industry and has been a cornerstone of traditional
           Creole dining since 1895. Reopened by Emeril Lagasse in 1998 after an extensive historic
           renovation, Delmonico continues today serving a modern style of Louisiana's Creole cuisine
           with Emeril's warm style of service in a grand setting."

The food was just as good as NOLA.  I had pork once again: cuban chorizo stuffed duroc pork loin
red bean and rice congri, crisp plantains, mojo isleño, old new orleans rum jus. No one at our table had a bad meal. 

So now I must watch what I eat exteremly well when I get back home....that and actually work out again!  I hope I will have a chance someday to try his other New Orleans based restaurant....but 2 out of 3 ain't too shabby!