Parting Is Such Sweet, Sweet Sorrow: New Orleans’ Most Irresistible Endings
This feature-length cover story for the seasonal restaurant guide edition for Where Y’at magazine profiles and reviews last course/dessert offerings at some of the city’s finest culinary destinations. Photo credits were also received.
Where Y'at Cover Story: Parting Is Such Sweet, Sweet Sorrow
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It’s no surprise that the fondest memories of New Orleans are made around food. Our rich, bold, flavorful cuisine is internationally acclaimed, but ironically, it’s so delicious and filling that many don’t even realize that the last course at our award-winning restaurants is just as ingenious and mind-blowing as the first. Well, this fall, it’s time to take a tour of just what this city has to offer the other, sweeter side of your tongue. Save room and linger a while – these are the spots you’ll be loathe to leave.
Brennan’s
417 Royal St.
Dining at Brennan’s is far from just a meal—it’s an exquisite experience from start to finish. And oh, what a finish! Dessert is a grand finale, especially when it comes their world-famous original, Bananas Foster. Sautéed tableside in soft brown sugar cut with fragrant cinnamon, butter, and banana liqueur, fresh bananas are flamed in rum, then served with cool vanilla ice cream, forming a lovely contrast in temperature and texture against the firm bite of the fruit. Once you’ve had a taste of this, regular bananas will be forever ruined for you, so be warned! This is a dessert that will change your life. Another signature made before your eyes is the Crepes Fitzgerald, a golden crepe filled with cream cheese and sour cream in a perfect ratio, topped with strawberries set excitingly ablaze in a Maraschino sauce. Similar but less flashy are the Crepes Bridget, accompanied by chocolate fudge and whipped cream instead. No dessert menu in New Orleans is properly rounded off unless a pecan pie appears; theirs is a chocolate variation of the beloved classic.
Brigsten’s
723 Dante St.
Complex and daringly flavorful seems takes the lead at this cozy Riverbend restaurant, but the subtlety and homemade goodness of the desserts, juxtaposed against the old-fashioned family home floorplan and décor, bring you back to meals at Grandma’s. Handmade crust envelopes a crunchy Pecan Pie accented with plenty of thick caramel and a peanut butter cookie with vanilla ice cream. Their Banana Bread Pudding is unassuming and comforting, served with light banana custard and caramel sauces, Bananas Foster adding a touch of cinnamon. Thick-cut strawberries accompany the mild, cool Tres Leches Cake, and chocolate whipped cream helps to pull the dreamy dessert back down to earth; but a thick slice of the heavenly Double Chocolate Cake puts you in limbo again. Moist and made entirely with Ghirardelli cocoa powder, the flavor balance is such that the cake retains a remarkable mildness that’s generally appealing.
Commander’s Palace
1403 Washington Ave.
There are almost no words for the restaurant that practically invented the standard for New Orleans excellence. Every Commander’s creation is unforgettable, from the century-old Bread Pudding Souffle – a soft, fluffy cloud of a dish punched with a pool of whiskey cream – to Chef Tory McPhail’s edgy new interpretation of autumn breezes – a dense, spiced gingerbread cupcake with molasses, green apple strips, ganache, and mint. “Chocolate” stunningly presents Swiss dark, white, and milk chocolate, salted fudge ice cream, roasted pecans, chocolate espresso beans, and chocolate cigarettes with a balance that can be universally appreciated. Chocolate also graces the warm Pecan Pie, countered by Fleur de Sel caramel. And speaking of fleurs, “stunning” is the only word for the Dixie crystal fleur de lis atop the golden crust of the plate of Crème Brulee. Yes, plate. And the Creole Cheesecake is also a hefty fellow, with smooth house-made cream cheese. This favorite is the fruit of five days of painstaking labor, and simply divine in a honey graham crust and topped with a chocolate lattice and caramel. For more homegrown goodness, the Peach Cobbler is the best I’ve ever had, covered in crumbly streusel and served a la mode. Much lighter is “Citrus,” a frothy lemon meringue sorbet with hints of orange and mint, and plenty of frozen vodka for that truly happy ending (… End excerpt)
