Galatoire’s is one of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans. It’s very fancy, so it wasn’t the kind of place I would cry in. In spite of barely drinking for years, as soon as I sat down, I ordered a Milk Punch.
Since it was so crowded, without even looking at the menu, I also ordered the Grand Goute for us to share. It is a trio of cold appetizers that usually comes with shrimp, but there was some problem bringing the shrimp in off the boats while we were there, so they substituted a fried oyster brochette, crawfish remoulade and crawfish with a mustardy sauce. When Russell gestured to the plate and said, “This was a good idea,” I felt strangely validated. He and Greg had taught me almost everything I know about fine dining, and Russell is a world-class orderer who always gets the exact right amount of food for the table, never too much, never too little.
But this was a weird meal, and Russell started ordering bottles of wine. I can’t even imagine how much they must have cost. As I always have to, I explained again that I don’t like wine. When pressed, I will admit that I only like champagne. I didn’t mean for him to order a bottle of champagne.
Monette must not have been very hungry because she just ordered turtle soup…a local specialty.
Bob and Russell both ordered fish – drum?
I was pleased that we were outside California so I could order my favorite splurge…seared foie gras. And for anyone who has a problem, I’ll say this, “I’d rather be a foie gras goose than a Foster Farms chicken any day.” I also ordered Eggs Sardou, because you just have to. It is an egg with hollandaise over an artichoke heart and spinach.
When we left, I couldn’t finish the champagne in my glass, and neither could Bob. He wasn’t a jerk about it, but Russell totally lost his mind. But we are on medications we aren’t supposed to drink with and had already pushed it. In retrospect, I should have finished the champagne. For Russell. While we were there, a second line band came in. I stood up and started twirling my napkin. There was such a sense of bonhomie, I realized that’s what I needed. Music and people. I said, “Let’s do the wedding.”