Big weekend for both the Southern and West Coast branches of the Fitzmorris family.
Our visitors arrived on Friday afternoon and we all checked in to our family favorite local hotel, The Windsor Court. We had a room across the hall from the other family, so the kids could just ring our bell and come over. MA was in heaven. Our newest addition just started walking, and it was very cute to watch him make his way to our room after his brother barrelled in.
Mary Ann will be eternally grateful to a lady we met from our early Eat Club cruises, for so many reasons, but a big one is that she introduced MA to the Club at the Windsor Court ten years ago. We would not stay there without this perk. MA collects fine hotels, and has seen many clubs, but none she has seen does it better than the Windsor Court And Windsor Court has a great view of the river. The Club at the Windsor Court replaced what was our honeymoon suite. At the top level of the hotel there were two suites flanking the north and south ends. The one we were in has been converted to the Club. The grand piano is still there, the footprint is the same, and the balconies remain. It was fun to watch the boys look at the boats on the river as they ate their berries for breakfast.
After check-in Friday afternoon we immediately went to the Club for some water, before setting out for Meril. I wrote about that dinner a few days ago.
Saturday morning we set out for City Park. The West Coast branch of the family is big on mini-golf, so we had to try City Putt. This is an adorable course featuring two versions-one celebrating New Orleans, and the other, Louisiana. Even our son, who spent the first sixteen years of his life here, found the heat brutal, so we only did the one round of the New Orleans Course. Then it was off to the train ride around the park, and a ride or two before heading to MA’s niece’s house for a big family party.
We brought two trays of mini muffulettas and some chicken fingers from Parran’s Po-Boys. MA, who is nuts about mini-muffulettas, was extremely disappointed in these. She first heard disappointment from another guest, who reported them to be dry. Not only were they dry, there was very little in the way of meats on these sandwiches. This batch of mini-muffulettas was about 50% as good as the ones we have gotten from Parran's in the past. And the bill for these three trays was $100. MA was not happy. Neither were her sibs, who share her passion for this local signature sandwich. No one was eating them, which made MA even more unhappy.
My famous baked ham was a little less black than usual, but otherwise good. The Shrimp Remoulade was an unusual version of this dish. Mary Ann made it, and she prefers the white remoulade, so her sisters made it to her specifications and added a few touches of their own. The shrimp came from Mandeville Seafood, and were perfectly spiced. But very large. They wound up cutting them in fours. There was not a shred left of this.
ML baked a birthday cake for Jude’s 30th, and a good time was had by all. This swimming party went on for 10 hours. I was tired so we left earlier.
The little ones slept in, so we moved a little slower on Sunday. And the weather was bad, so we wound up having lunch at Domenica. We only go here pre-symphony, and we haven’t done that in awhile, so it’s been a long time for us. It’s a favorite of Jude’s, though, so I knew we’d be visiting. As usual, we got carried away with our order. Instead of one cannellini bean soup, we got two. Both families thought the soup would be creamy, but it was clear and included kale. Good enough, but not good enough to double order. The baby liked the beans.
We got a Margherita pizza, and if MA is at the table there will be a Calabrese. There was also a squid ink tagliolini that Jude and I shared, and ML got a tortellini that she thought good except for an overpowering Robiola. The table shared a Caesar salad with a creamier-than-usual dressing, radishes, and large fried croutons so hard I worried about my teeth.
Dessert was at Hansen’s Sno-Bliz, where we introduced our grandson the shave ice fan to snowballs. The best, fluffiest kind. He got so many colors on his snowball it all turned brown. And he loved it. Ashley Hansen came out to say hi, and MA asked her about the featured flavor, jalapeno melon. She brought out a small sample, which had a jalapeno seed on it. It was delicious, and tasted exactly like its name. Ashley told us about her ginger cayenne flavor, and MA asked what her grandmother would think of all this. “She’d love it!” Ashley said with a big grin.
The afternoon was spent in the French Quarter. We rode the riverfront streetcars to show our grandson his Jackson Square, dropped in to see the turtles at Brennan’s, the Carousel Bar, and landed at Mr. B’s for dinner. In between our grandson was riveted by the music he found everywhere on the streets, starting with the harp at the Windsor Court tea. We could barely tear him away from that.
Dinner at Mr. B’s was up to its usual standards. We started with its spectacular french fry presentation on a tower with a garlic pod and oregano sprigs on top. There were three gumbo Ya-Ya’s on the table, and both MA and ML decided that this was not at all the best gumbo in town as I think, Both agreed that Windsor Court has a better one, as does Trenasse, and apparently others that didn’t immediately come to mind. Jude, who is no longer a native, thought it was great.
I got a roasted mushroom ragout which was quite good, with chunky Shiitake, Portobello, and Crimini mushrooms that were meaty, served over a toasted focaccia bread with goat cheese. The creamy Madeira wine sauce napped the whole thing. Nice plate of food. My entree was the crispy oysters, expertly fried and heavily drizzled with a bacon and Hollandaise Sauce. This is something I never pass up anywhere, and these were a great version, of course. Also on the table was a wood-grilled redfish with vegetables and popcorn rice, and the Mr’ B’s Bistro salad.
Everyone was well satisfied. We did order a molten chocolate that was mainly used as a dangling carrot to keep the kids in line. It was smallish, hot, pretty with its raspberry dot on a round dollop of whipped cream, and garnished with a mint leaf. This reward was earned, and much appreciated. ML’s is better, though.
A great finish to a big day. More on our staycation tomorrow. From the north shore.
Domenica
123 Baronne St New Orleans
504-648-6020
11-11 Daily
Saturday & Sunday Brunch
Happy Hour Daily 2-6
domenicarestaurant.com
Mr. B’s Bistro
201 Royal St New Orleans
504-525-2078
Mon-Sat 11;30am-9
Sunday 10:30am-9
mrbsbistro.com
Hansen’s Sno-Bliz
4801 Tchoupitoulas New Orleans
1-7 Closed Monday
snobliz.com
