Guest Author - Karon Warren

If you’ve never enjoyed a meal at Galatoire’s on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, then you’ve missed out on one of the finer culinary experiences this famous city has to offer. On a recent visit to the Crescent City, I had the opportunity to lunch at this long-time favorite, and I was not disappointed.

Open since 1905, Galatoire’s prides itself on the many traditions instilled by founder Jean Galatoire so many years ago. These include a requirement for men to wear jackets at dinner and all day Sunday, upholding the “first come, first serve” status of the first-floor dining room (regardless of who you are, you stand in line if there’s a wait), and preserving a menu that has stood the test of time.

Speaking of that menu, no matter your personal diet, it will satisfy your palate and every dream you ever had of the perfect meal. To live out my personal culinary fantasy, I indulged in the crabmeat au gratin, a scrumptious concoction of jumbo lump crabmeat and a rich cheese sauce. I partnered my main dish with a side of asparagus and creamed spinach, and accented all of it with Galatoire’s famous French bread.

Thankfully, the staff at Galatoire’s encourages patrons to take their time and thoroughly enjoy their meals. As a result, I was able to slowly but surely savor every bite. And while things did slow down toward the end, I did manage to successfully clean my plate. Unfortunately, I didn’t save room for dessert, but my mother swears the sweet potato cheesecake is worth every accolade you could associate with it.

For coffee drinkers, Galatoire’s has a special treat: Café Brûlot. This New Orleans staple involves a heated mixture of orange and lemon peels, sugar, cloves, cinnamon and orange liqueur. Once warm, coffee is added and a match is put to the mixture. As it flames up, the mixture is poured several times down a long orange peel spiral back into the bowl. The staff are experienced in preparing this after-dinner treat, and put on quite a show as they do so. It’s definitely a must-have during every visit.

Yes, for me, Galatoire’s certainly lived up to its storied reputation. On your next visit to New Orleans, experience it for yourself and see if you agree.

For more information, visit www.galatoires.com.