2008 Woodie Awards
The Traveling Palate: Mardi Gras cuisine can be worth the trip
Whitney Miller
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: Opinion
Mardi Gras is on its way and many of you will be traveling to New Orleans, the Gulf Coast, Mobile and many other Mardi Gras parade locations. Let me be your guide to restaurants to try along your parade route, even if you're on a budget.
The Gumbo Shop on Saint Peter Street is a must if you are in New Orleans. The small dining room and waiting area can be a turn off, but the food makes the dining experience worth it.
The Complete Creole Dinner combo offers a choice of a gumbo, an entrée, a side and a dessert. It is a great way to taste all the favorites of New Orleans cuisine for one price.
Every time I have eaten at The Gumbo Shop, I have chosen the combination plate of shrimp Creole, jambalaya and crawfish etouffee (my substitution for red beans and rice) as my entrée.
The savory and spicy flavors of these dishes reflect the best of Cajun/Creole cuisine to me. If the complete dinner is out of your price range, then try just the combination plate for around twelve dollars.
If you are like me and can never eat as much as you are given, share with a friend. Your waiter will be glad to bring an extra plate.
Before leaving New Orleans, be sure to visit Café DuMonde and sample their famous beignets (French doughnuts). For only $1.50, you can get an order of three beignets, a small price for this great dessert. If you are not covered in powdered sugar when you leave, then you did not have as much fun eating the beignets as I always do. For an even cheaper sweet, walk through one of the many candy shops and sample a free praline.
If you are traveling to Mardi Gras parades a little closer to the Hattiesburg area, like the Gulf Coast, Look Out 49 is a restaurant that allows you to try the best of Mississippi's seafood. Stop by this hot spot and check out their lunch menu, a cheaper alternative to dinner. My favorite dishes are the shrimp and grits and the fried catfish topped with crawfish cream sauce. For a healthier dish, I request blackened catfish instead of fried.
Mardi Gras isn't complete without eating King Cake. For me, the best King Cakes are made by Picayune's own Paul's Pastry. My favorite flavor is strawberry cheese cake. Paul's Pastry's King Cakes are sold in Hattiesburg, too. You can buy them at The Corner Market and Sunflower grocery stores on Hardy Street.
However you choose to celebrate, have a fun and safe Mardi Gras!
The Gumbo Shop on Saint Peter Street is a must if you are in New Orleans. The small dining room and waiting area can be a turn off, but the food makes the dining experience worth it.
The Complete Creole Dinner combo offers a choice of a gumbo, an entrée, a side and a dessert. It is a great way to taste all the favorites of New Orleans cuisine for one price.
Every time I have eaten at The Gumbo Shop, I have chosen the combination plate of shrimp Creole, jambalaya and crawfish etouffee (my substitution for red beans and rice) as my entrée.
The savory and spicy flavors of these dishes reflect the best of Cajun/Creole cuisine to me. If the complete dinner is out of your price range, then try just the combination plate for around twelve dollars.
If you are like me and can never eat as much as you are given, share with a friend. Your waiter will be glad to bring an extra plate.
Before leaving New Orleans, be sure to visit Café DuMonde and sample their famous beignets (French doughnuts). For only $1.50, you can get an order of three beignets, a small price for this great dessert. If you are not covered in powdered sugar when you leave, then you did not have as much fun eating the beignets as I always do. For an even cheaper sweet, walk through one of the many candy shops and sample a free praline.
If you are traveling to Mardi Gras parades a little closer to the Hattiesburg area, like the Gulf Coast, Look Out 49 is a restaurant that allows you to try the best of Mississippi's seafood. Stop by this hot spot and check out their lunch menu, a cheaper alternative to dinner. My favorite dishes are the shrimp and grits and the fried catfish topped with crawfish cream sauce. For a healthier dish, I request blackened catfish instead of fried.
Mardi Gras isn't complete without eating King Cake. For me, the best King Cakes are made by Picayune's own Paul's Pastry. My favorite flavor is strawberry cheese cake. Paul's Pastry's King Cakes are sold in Hattiesburg, too. You can buy them at The Corner Market and Sunflower grocery stores on Hardy Street.
However you choose to celebrate, have a fun and safe Mardi Gras!
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