{"id":22120,"date":"2015-05-05T14:01:05","date_gmt":"2015-05-05T21:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soulofamerica.com\/?page_id=22120"},"modified":"2020-12-01T09:42:08","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T17:42:08","slug":"culinary-adventure","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.soulofamerica.com\/us-cities\/new-orleans\/culinary-adventure\/","title":{"rendered":"Culinary Adventure In The Big Easy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Jeanette

Jeanette Valentine and Chef Kevin Belton at Lil’ Dizzy’s New Orleans<\/p><\/div>\n

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Culinary Adventure In The Big Easy<\/h2>\n

When I think of New Orleans, I think of heavy blues beats and old-style jazz riffs wafting through a sweltering French Quarter \u2026 I think of 3 a.m. powdered-sugar showers falling from hot beignets at Caf\u00e9 du Monde \u2026 I think of purple and gold and black beads tossed into air filled with the shouts of gliding Kings and Queens \u2026 But more than anything, when I think of Culinary Adventure in New Orleans, I think of hearty, spicy Creole dishes and classic soul food that fill my spirit as much as my stomach — Jeanette Valentine, Soul Of America<\/em><\/p>\n

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During a recent dream trip to the Big Easy, I was able to take a culinary tour of restaurants serving some of the finest fare the city has to offer. We made the rounds mostly in the morning, giving us particular insight into how New Orleans lifts breakfast and brunch to high art. Home base was the International House, a tony boutique hotel with an attentive staff located two blocks from the French Quarter. <\/p>\n

Whether your plans lean toward romance or raucousness, the right food can only enhance the experience. Below are restaurants worthy of a visit. Just loosen your belt and bring a healthy appetite. You\u2019ll be in for a treat.<\/p>\n

\"Willie

Willie Mae’s Fried Chicken<\/p><\/div>\n

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Willie Mae\u2019s Scotch House<\/strong>
\nADDRESS: 2401 Saint Ann Street
\nPHONE: 504-822-9503<\/p>\n

Step through the door of Willie Mae\u2019s Scotch House, and the aroma of catfish sizzling in hot oil wraps itself around you. The wait staff weaves through the crowded dining room serving Southern dishes \u2013 like the cornmeal-breaded fish fillets \u2013 reminiscent of Sunday supper at Big Mama\u2019s house: pork chops fried to a crispy toasted brown, smoky red beans topped by mounds of flaky white rice, delicate scoops of potato salad dusted with paprika and tender green beans studded with chunks of white potatoes.<\/p>\n

And then, there\u2019s the chicken.<\/p>\n

On any given day, a glance around the restaurant reveals that fried chicken \u2013 hot and crisp straight from the fryer \u2013 outnumber all other dishes on the tables. Many soul food connoisseurs swear that Willie Mae\u2019s serves some of the best fried chicken in the country. It\u2019s an accolade that invites high expectations. And it delivers.<\/p>\n

The slightly crunchy golden skin covers succulent chicken laced with a zesty blend of spices. The seasoning is strong enough to give the flavor a kick without overpowering the taste. Willie Mae\u2019s version of this soul food staple avoids the pitfalls common to restaurant fried chicken \u2013 overly greasy crusts, pinkish flesh near the bone or a too heavy hand with the salt. The restaurant\u2019s chef, Kerry Seaton, gets the mix of crispy skin, tender insides and just-so spicing exactly right.<\/p>\n

Little wonder. Kerry is the great granddaughter of the restaurant\u2019s founder and owner, Willie Mae Seaton, who opened a bar in 1957 that she expanded into the restaurant in 1972. Hurricane Katrina all but destroyed the Scotch House in 2005, and the younger Chef Seaton took over for the elder Chef Seaton after the newly renovated restaurant re-opened in 2007. Willie Mae Seaton, just seven years shy of a century old, still stops by occasionally, according to her great granddaughter, who marvels at the matriarch\u2019s career longevity in the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe used to come in here everyday and make it happen. And to have the guests say, \u201cYou know what? That was the best fried chicken I\u2019ve ever ate in my life,\u201d made it worthwhile,\u201d said Chef Seaton.<\/p>\n

At 29, she\u2019s putting her own stamp on the menu. Pork-chop lovers can appreciate two additions \u2013 a Country-Style version with the meat dipped in egg wash and rolled in flour before frying and a Chicken-fried chop, coated with the same secret batter that makes the chicken special. Chef Seaton occasionally dishes up collard greens. She can only go so far with variation, though.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always try to bring other things on the menu,\u201d she says. \u201cLike sometimes, I have baked fish or baked chicken. But when\u2026the line is out the door, they\u2019re not coming here for that. They\u2019re coming here for the fried chicken.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back in the dining room, muffled conversations mix with the clink of silverware. Waiters and waitresses are sliding plates piled high with food onto tables, whisking away empty dishes and topping off glasses with iced tea tangy enough to curl your toes. <\/p>\n

Diners with room for dessert can choose from a variety of offerings, including bread pudding and strawberry or turtle cheesecake. The latter is especially enticing with chocolate rivulets dripping down the sides onto walnut halves and chocolate chips swimming in caramel.<\/p>\n

Even hours after lunchtime, Willie Mae\u2019s is packed. A friend who stopped by at 2 one afternoon found the line snaking out the door and around the corner, almost 30-people deep. <\/p>\n

Trust me. It\u2019s worth the wait.<\/p>\n

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