one last dinner at k-paul’s louisiana kitchen, in search of a real etouffee, an etouffee like the one i remember first having… at k-paul’s.

picture a large oval plate, a perfect dome of brown rice surrounded by the richest, spiciest etouffee and the most crawfish tails i have *ever* seen at one time–garnished with a few green beans and carrot slices. it surprised even my memory, and i’ve eaten there three times now. as if that wasn’t enough, i also had a cup of chicken and andouille gumbo, my first for the trip, and called it a night.

lunch today was lovely, i had almond encrusted pork and a caesar salad with fried oysters (the way oysters were meant to be fried: lightly) at the bistro at the maison de ville–a proving ground for many of new orleans most celebrated chefs. my companions from tulane had an incredible looking salmon stuffed with shrimp and scallops with gnocchi.

and with that i must bring my culinary tour de force to an end.

there are so many things i want to do the next time i’m here that i’m already making a list. i want to spend more time at the art galleries and antique stores on chartres and royal. i would like to have a drink at the hotel monteleone’s carousel bar. i would like to go on a bayou tour and a plantation tour. i would like to visit the dday musuem and the odgen museum of southern art across the street. i would like to go shopping along magazine street. i would like to eat at zydeque and bayona and peristyle.

ah, new orleans.