It is no secret that I really love beignets. Whether Mickey-shaped in Disneyland, or paired with a pot de crème at Toulouse in Dallas, I’m always on the hunt for the best beignet. So on our most recent drive to Florida, when we had the chance to spend some time in New Orleans, David and I jumped at the opportunity to visit the king of the beignet. But alas, our greatly planned day in New Orleans, with trolley car rides in the garden districts, long meandering walks through city park, and bowls of gumbo was sabotaged by the repercussions of the stomach flu. Several hours en route to NOLA, David got sick, and we had to bypass the city. Much to my delight, however, on our drive home a week later, we were able to squeeze in a couple of hours in the French Quarter, trying to make up for the day trip that was taken from us.
We parked along the mighty Mississippi (Huck Finn, anyone?), and made our way to the famed green and white striped curtain awnings of Café Du Monde. The outdoor eatery had a long line that snakes around the corner for take-away, or is seat yourself for waitstaff service. The ground was strewn with powdered sugar, remnants of thoroughly enjoyed beignets. The menu is fairly straight forward; your only food choice is beignets, and you can have your coffee black, au lait, or frozen au lait. We ordered two coffee drinks, a souvenir mug, and two orders of beignets for just under $15, and I would have paid two or three times that for the sugary, powdered, fried, delicious goodness that I inhaled. Needless to say, we really enjoyed Café Du Monde, as well as strolling around the French Quarter afterwards, ducking down backstreets, looking at street art, and stopping to listen to the abundant live jazz music. As we quickly learned, the French Quarter is something to be experienced rather than planned out. Take your time and meander under the spanish moss-covered trees and wrought iron. This place is meant to be enjoyed.
