On the road again: CONtraflow, New Orleans, day 3
Today, I caught up a little bit on sleep, which is to say that I had no con duties and so passed much of the day alternating long naps with stretches of work. It was delightful. During that time, I didn't eat anything, because I wanted to go into the city to grab dinner.
As evening crept closer, I had to make a tough decision: go for something elegant and upscale, such as John Besh's vaunted August, or opt for a more down-home, funky meal. The latter won tonight. Fortunately, Jude, a local friend, had supplied me with a list of interesting alternatives, so after much thought and Web browsing, I opted for a trip to Boo Koo BBQ.
To eat at Boo Koo, you first have to find Finn McCool's Irish Pub, a neighborhood gathering place that sits on a corner in an otherwise residential district.
As you can see from this shot of the building's corner, the joint was hopping.
Once you're there, you enter through the bar's main door, hang a sharp left, and walk until you run out of walkway. The Boo Koo order window awaits you.
We shared an order of the deep-fried truffle mac and cheese, which was absolutely delicious.
For my dinner, I chose the barbecue combo plate, which featured a little each of brisket, pulled pork, and pork ribs, with sides of baked beans and bleu cheese and cilantro slaw.
Every single bite was tasty, with the brisket the star. Sitting outside on a picnic table, the sun setting, people all around laughing and talking and drinking and eating, I was incredibly glad I'd chosen to come there. I have a lot of trouble feeling like I belong anywhere, but being around so many people who clearly did belong with each other, I felt good, even happy.
As I was leaving, the neighborhood live oaks struck me as stunning reminders of the durability of a place that has lived through more than its share of grief.
This particular tree was magnificent, its trunk more than a yard in diameter.
In a very New Orleans contrast, walking up to the pub I'd noticed a few steps down from that tree these police barriers.
I wish I'd been able to spend more time in New Orleans, but this visit served to increase my desire to come back again.
Having learned about a local ice-cream maker, Creole Creamery, I of course had to sample their creations for dessert. The array of flavors was impressive indeed.
Every one I sampled was yummy. If I lived here, they'd definitely get more of my business.
Tomorrow, I fly home!
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4 comments:
I am glad you had a feeling good and happy moment at the restaurant. Here's hoping for more of them for you and all others, everywhere.
Thank you. I share that hope.
Jude's glad the list worked out for you in finding a cool place. It wasn't an exhaustive list, as there are just too many great eats in this city and surroundings.
I've been to two dinners at a Besh restaurant and they were beyond delicious. So you must put him on your list for next time....well actually you could probably spend a week eating and not run out of possibilities. =)
...and I'm glad you enjoyed the con. =)
My thanks again to Jude for the list. I definitely want to eat at several of the Besh restaurants, as well as the Link places, the Spicers...so many great places there!
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