A Travel Post-Birthday Weekend in NOLA Part II

I love eating almost as much as I love shopping which means when I'm travelling, good food marks the spot. I had very high expectations for the New Orleans food scene as I'd heard so many great things about their flavorful and inventive use of spices, herbs and ingredients. NOLA did not disappoint. From po' boys and jambalaya to scatterings of a few dozen oysters (raw, charbroiled, rockefeller) here, there and everywhere, my taste buds were treated to down South cooking at its finest. My most memorable meal was at Commander's Palace, a family run institution that truly captures the essence of New Orleans fine dining.

The restaurant sits in the Garden District right across the street from Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, a fifteen minute drive from the French Quarter. Upon stepping inside the restaurant, time lapsed and reversed as I felt like I was entering New Orlean's charming and glorious 1880s ante-bellum past. Opulent but inviting formal dining rooms stylized with ornate carvings and flourishes adorning the walls captured my senses. The Victorian fantasy-like building, complete with turrets and columns was utterly breathtaking. In fact, it took me a few minutes to take in the restaurant's beauty and grandeur, as I couldn't absorb it all at once. As I sat down in the restaurant's "VIP" booth once bestowed to the likes of Nicholas Cage, Sylvester Stallone, President Reagan, I began to realize that this wasn't just brunch. An event was unfolding.

Turtle soup, a New Orleans specialty and a Commander's classic. 

Endive salad. After trucking through several meals without any veggie or fruit consumption, I craved a healthy plate of greens.

Pecan Crusted Gulf Fish. The fish is tender and the cream sauce mouthwatering irresistible-no matter how much I tried to resist it.

Eggs Couchon de Lait. The poached eggs and shredded suckling pork dripped in wine sauce are flavor perfection.

Creole Bread Pudding Souffle. Bread pudding is NOLA's most popular dessert, after beignets of course.

Praline Parfait. So decadent, sweet and addicting! I had to use an inconceivable amount of  will power to stop myself from engulfing the entire plate.

No New Orleans Sunday brunch can be complete without the accompaniment of a fabulous jazz band. Here, they're belting out "What A Wonderful World." Indeed, it is. 

Thank you Commander's Palace a truly unforgettable dining experience!

After brunch, I did some much needed post feast walking in the Garden District and the French Quarter. Impromptu outfit pictures ensued.

Dress: Vintage

Purse: Kate Spade

Necklace: Gilt

Watch: Omega