New Orleans Part 5--NOLA restaurant (last and final part)

The only thing that our friends who went on the trip with us said that they wanted to do was eat at one of Emeril's restaurants. Unfortunately we couldn't get a reservation at the original restaurant, which is probably a bit more "New Orleans cuisine" than the other two restaurants of his. So NOLA for Sunday lunch, it was. There is what we ate (descriptions of the dishes from the NOLA menu):

Appetizers
Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza with Parmesan Cheese, Truffle Oil and Baby Arugula

This was actually an entree, but I couldn't pass it up because I love duck confit and fried eggs! It was AMAZING. I didn't eat the whole thing, but shared with my hubby. But I would have eaten it all.

Jeff's appetizer:

Pan Roasted Crab Cake with Smokey Eggplant Purée, Feta Cheese, Kalamata Olives, Crispy Spinach and Citrus Butter

My entree:
“Shrimp & Grits” Sautéed Gulf Shrimp, Grilled Green Onions, Smoked Cheddar Grits, Apple Smoked Bacon, Crimini Mushrooms, Creole Tomato Glaze and Red Chili-Abita Butter Sauce

I love shrimp and grits, so I was excited when I saw this on the menu before our trip. It was good, but not great. There was almost too much going on in this dish to make it a great dish in my opinion. The sauce was too sweet and overpowering for the cheddar grits & shrimp. They could have left it out and still had a great dish.

Chris' dish:

Seared Rare Yellowfin Tuna with Avocado, Wonton Crisps, Cucumber, Wasabi Aioli and Ponzu Vinaigrette

A good, light lunch. Not really what you would think of when you think of Emeril.

April's lunch:

Parma Ham-Goat Cheese and Basil Panini with Tomato Soup and Crème Fraîche

She said that it was the best tomato soup she had ever had and she liked the panini too.

Jeff's lunch:

Hickory Roasted Beef Brisket & Ribs with Orecchiette Pasta-Brie Cream “Mac & Cheese” and Honey Baked White Beans

He got talked into the ribs by the waiter as a last minute upcharge when ordering. I am pretty sure that Jeff enjoyed his lunch since I don't think he said much while he was devouring it!

April's dessert:

NOLA Buzz Bomb: Flourless Chocolate Torte with Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse and Brandied Apricots wrapped in Chocolate Ganache

She said it was great. Jeff and I had the guava sorbet (very tasty, but would make for a boring picture) while Chris just had a cup of coffee.

Chris and I are in agreement that we'll have to try the original restaurant next time. NOLA is good, but most of the food that we have seen in other restaurants during our travels. We would have liked to see more New Orleans influenced food on the menu, so we'll just have to remember to make our reservations for Emeril's way in advance.

As a whole, New Orleans was great. Loved the people, the food, the sights, the culture, etc, etc. There is still so much to eat that we missed out on; muffelettas, gumbo, the original Emeril's, and the list goes on. We can't wait to get back there!