A New Orleans Night–Blues and Grilled Oysters

Sweet smells of coffee and chicory, the salty tang of fresh seafood, the thick aroma of fried food, crowded streets that never rest, sounds of horns blasting from street corners, and smooth music flowing from restaurants, bars, and parks–its New Orleans! Instantly Brian and I were enchanted.

Some local musician we met during our lunch at the Commander’s Palace told us about the 2010 Crescent City Blues and Barbeque Festival. This free event sounded just up our alley. After the festival we followed a suggestion from my aunt and uncle, Tania and Wes, and had dinner at Louisiana favorite– Acme Oyster House. For a hundred years Acme has been severing fresh local oysters and seafood. After a long day in the sun it was a perfect late night dinner.

After a morning wandering around the Garden District and an amazing lunch at the Commanders Palace (look for a post about our memorable meal here soon!) we made our way downtown to find ourselves in an outdoor party!

In Lafayette Square the crowd was bathed in sunlight as they danced, ate, and took in the sounds of the annual blues festival. We listened to the bands, browsed the food and waited to see Saturday night’s closing act, Taj Mahal!

I had never heard blues musician Henry Saint Clair Fredericks now known as Taj Mahal before. His smooth voice filled the late October air and as the sun began to set I learned why he is so well renowned. His amazing mix of blues, West African, folk, and Caribbean sounds flowed into beautiful music. The song Queen Bee got me up and dancing. This loving song was played so well by the band and sung by Taj Mahal’s distinctive voice. I instantly became a lifelong fan, and the charming atmosphere and sweet music made this a night to remember!

After the show we walked to dinner through the crowds on Bourbon Street. The street was full of patrons of all ages (over 21) taking advantage of the ability to drink openly in the streets. Music boomed from almost every building. The night life seemed out of control yet everything seemed to run smoothly. Police on horseback observed the chaos high above from their mounts, keeping an eye on everything.

Eventually we made it to the Acme Oyster House, where a line out the door was waiting for us.

Inside Acme didn’t strike me as the gastronomic hot spot it turned out to be. It looked like any old crowded bar, hazy and dark. After a closer look at the tables full of diners I found every table crowded with plates of food.

Since 1910 Acme Oyster House has been shucking oysters as a local treat.

We wanted to taste the famous char-grilled oysters, simple fried Gulf shrimp, and fried catfish with hush puppies.

The grilled oysters arrived floating in their shells in pools of garlicky goodness. The bottom of the shells had blackened lines from the hot grill. The oysters were plump and tender. As you broke through slightly crisp, buttery, and cheese-covered outside, the juicy, salty liquid burst into your mouth. They were so rich and good!

Feeling in a daze from the euphoric goodness of the oysters, our fried shrimp and catfish arrived just in time to continue our food high.

Both the shrimp and catfish were locally caught and battered in a light, airy batter that had a Cajun spice to it. The shrimp was sweet and so tender and tasted very good with the heat from the batter. This was the best fried shrimp we had from the Gulf! The catfish had a light flavor and was perfectly cooked. Its crisp coasting gave way to flaky white meat that seemed to melt in my mouth.

New Orleans is such a special place; it seems out of control yet it flowed easily and I can’t wait to return. The memories Brian and I made there will stay with us forever. With every note played by Taj Mahal’s guitar I will be brought back to the cool night’s air and the unbelievable taste of Acme’s grilled oysters!