Monday, July 11, 2011
The Ordeal Ends. Dockside.
This morning was my final visit with Dr. Jones, the orthopedic surgeon who did the major work on my broken ankle. He gave me better news than I expected. He said everything looked perfect, and that I didn't really need the upended golf putter I'm using as a crutch. He thought the tight support sock I wear might still be a good idea for a little longer. But he also said that he couldn't think of a reason why I shouldn't drive my car, even with the need for my bad leg to operate the clutch. I thanked him for his expertise and bright outlook. He told me I should come back in six months for a checkup, but otherwise to resume life as it was before Mardi Gras.
I called Mary Ann with the news. Then, since I was on the South Shore, I went to lunch at Dockside, not far from Ochsner's Sports Medicine Clinic. (Ironically, that's where most of my appointments with the doctor took place.) It brought another pleasant surprise, although I didn't think so at first.
The server reported that no oysters were available for any purpose--raw, grilled, fried, or baked. The table setting consisted of utensils in glassine bags and a roll of paper towels on the table. (I seem to be the only person in the world who is not charmed by such low-rent appurtenances.) The gumbo was seafood and andouille--not a common concoction.
However, everything important was as it should have been. The gumbo had a dark roux, big shrimp, and chunks of andouille just the right size. Very good. The entree recommended by the waitress was blackened redfish, stuffed with crabmeat and covered with a seafood cream sauce. I asked for it with the add-ons subtracted. What came out was an extraordinarily large fillet of redfish--at least ten ounces--crusty and well seasoned. This could have been served in a restaurant charging twice these prices.
Underneath and around the fish were the house potatoes, the small red kind cooked twice. Boiled first, then cut into brabant-size pieces and fried. So, essentially, we have fresh-cut fries here.
I have to make the most of every meal I have on the South Shore, so even though this was a filling lunch already (it came with a salad, too) I had the pecan bread pudding. Big, fresh, and good.
I will have to come back here again to flesh out a full review. The menu is dominated by seafood, but other items like steaks, red beans, and Italian food are there in significant measure. I don't know who these people are, but they seem to know what they're doing.
I'm writing this a week after the fact, while we're on vacation. I neglected to load the photographs I took of Dockside into my laptop. Sorry for the lack of illos. I'll put them into the archive edition of this entry when I get back.
Dockside. Harahan: 1820 Dickory Ave. 504-736-9666.
