My last afternoon in New Orleans, we decided to hit Magazine Street to see if I could garner some last minute gifts as well as get my next tattoo. Tattoo? Yes. But that story will be told here later.
While driving into the city from the North Shore, we talked about what we should do for lunch, and finally agreed upon Cafe Reconcile, located on Oretha Castle Haley Blvd in Central City. To be honest, again I
trusted her decision, knowing that she would be the best one among us to make that choice.
Arriving in Central City, it was hard not to notice the run-down neighborhoods and buildings, amazing buildings, in complete disrepair. It was sad. However, this little street is also the home of the Non-Profit Central building, a collaborative that is doing what it can to provide local non-profits with the resources they need to help in the rebuilding efforts in the city.
Reconcile, as well, is involved in the community, providing at-risk youth the chance to change their lives and perhaps the cycle that traps them into lives of what we more privileged (if only for now, referencing the possible upcoming credit crisis that might or might not lead to a recession) would call a life of despair or something similarly unpleasant.
When we walked into the restaurant, I was at once taken in by the no-nonsense, cafeteria appearance of the place. They don't waste time with costly pretension in an effort to attract the nobility of the city. This is a place that serves good food fast and tries to make a positive impact in the process. We arrived just before the official start of the lunch hour, so we were able to choose our seats. Since I like to watch things as they happen when dining out (sometimes, to my companions, I seem distracted), we took a table further to the back of the joint. The maitre de informed our server that he had a table and he came to greet us. His greeting was stock restaurant hello. "I'm (his name here, but he mumbled, so we didn't quite catch it) and i'll be your server this evening." I asked for sweetened iced tea, but for some reason, they don't do sweetened iced tea. Odd, really, for a Southern joint. I grabbed coffee and water. My friend got tea with lemon and added sugar at the table, creating a monster of undissolved crystals and pulpy lemony tea goodness.
The menu was pretty basic, but the kitchen was open, so we could see everything that was going on. I missed the red beans and rice special by one day, it was served on Monday and we went on a Tuesday, so we both ordered the fried catfish with crawfish sauce (modified etouffe) with two sides each. She got baked mac and cheese and mashed garlic potatoes, I asked for collards and sweet corn. (Sidebar, order the collards and get cornbread for free) As we waited for our food to arrive, we watched the space fill up quickly with a wonderful mix of people. It's always nice to see older ladies who lunch rubbing elbows with young urbanites and professional types. All waiting to eat and smiling at each other in the process. Things one doesn't see everywhere, sadly. (Another sidebar, one of New York's great and fabled restaurants, Florent, which is another one of these types of places, is closing after almost two decades on the 29th of June. If one can make it over, it's an experience that shouldn't be missed.)
Our food arrived and it was served on seriously industrial overruns, mis-matched plates. Our server forgot our roll-ups, but that was quickly remedied. At the table was the ubiquitous Crystal hot sauce as well as Tabasco and regular condiments. They didn't shirk on the portions, here. Two generous portions of catfish filets, well-battered in corn meal and perfectly fried; a heaping helping of crawfish sauce (which they initially forgot but took the plates back and fixed that in a hurry) and a large couple of sides. This was, in contrast to the movement towards more mindful eating, a hedonist's dream.
Our lunches were large and tasty. We pretty much didn't talk as we nibbled on the food. Even after discussing how full we each were, we gamely continued to work on our meals. (For the record, if a server ever asks if one is still working on a meal, keep in mind that's a really poor question to ask. Eating should
never be work. Unless, of course, one is a professional eater.) After finishing up, we decided to order dessert, i'm not sure why, I don't usually care for sweet things and was already pretty full. We asked what the seasonal dessert was, and since it wasn't anything that interested us, we opted for the bananas foster bread pudding, pictured on this blog.
My favorite thing about the dessert was the coffee presentation. Don't get me wrong, I thought that dessert, although incredibly sweet and HUGE, was good. I just loved that the coffee was served in what appeared to be grandma's fine china. The good stuff that she saved for special occasions and guests.
The service, food and ambiance were perfectly suited for each other. To be honest, though, that meal pretty much could be served elsewhere and cost much, much more. This place is a little gem in the city, something that can give other, more fashionable joints a run for their money. However, this place is on my list. Next time i'm in New Orleans, this is going to be the first place I ask to go to. I loved it that much.
