new orleans brunch is a supposed rite of passage for any louisiana native who loves food. it took me 24 years but i finally managed to scratch this one off of my dining to-do list. i made reservations online, opentable.com is a great source by the way, for atchafalaya 10:15 this past sunday morning. we arrived early with a healthy appetite and were ready for some delicious food.
there was already a line out the door when we walked up shortly after 10 o’clock. it appeared as though a few parties were attempting to procure a table before the mid-brunch rush. i took this as agoodsign, as i often do with restaurants. in a city as culinarily diverse as new orleans, why else would people clamor to eat somewhere if it wasn’t viewed pretty favorably?
the staff is an interesting assortment of characters, much like the new orleans population. atchafalaya is located on the corner of louisiana avenue and the relatively quiet laurel street. like many garden district restaurants, it feels like a neighborhood establishment that many nearby neighbors walk to for a meal. in fact, there were a number of individuals passing by while in the midst of a midmorning stroll.
we decided to sit outside and enjoy the louisiana sunshine. the sun quickly grew hot, but that was an afterthought given the beautiful surroundings. our curbside table was flanked by a row of beautiful, blooming flowers and we beheld a number of beautiful homes situated along louisiana avenue. sitting outside proved to be a popular choice as a number of diners soon joined us at the nearby tables.
the service throughout the meal was quite attentive. my water glass was constantly refilled and we didn’t wait long for our food to arrive.
as for the food, we ordered the bananas foster french toast and one of the sunday specials. the special was comprised of a half-rack of pork ribs covered in a port wine reduction and adorned with a medley of mandarin oranges and other edible accoutrements and was served with a side of cheese grits.
the french toast was perfect. its hands down the best i have ever had. the perfectly cooked toast, topped with powdered sugar and ripe banana slices formed a trifecta of sweetness that just amounted to a wonderful experience. but what made this dish truly perfect was the presence of the accompanying rum sauce, which is offered on the side in abundance rather than drenched on the toast when it arrives. personally, i am all in favor of preserving the french toast and preventing it from becoming excessively soggy. the sauce was sweet, rich, and…perfection.
the special on the other hand was a little underwhelming. firstly, i was extra critical of the dish because i desperately wanted to order the oh so appealing duck hash. however, my date coerced me into ordering the special and so it appears as though the duck has will now haunt my dreams like some cruel, fleeting temptress until i can unite with it someday. secondly, i have determined that i am not a ribs-before-noon kind of guy, at least that’s what i discovered after this meal.
our cheese grits were outstanding. they were adorned with green onions and are arguably the best i have ever had. i love cheese grits so the success of this dish thoroughly pleased me.
oh but the ribs which sounded so delicious when described by our waiter failed to capture my taste buds in the way it had captured my imagination. the toppings were quite delicious, but i’m not sure they really complimented the actual ribs. the ribs themselves were tender and smoky. they were pretty good. yet, the reason for my disappointment was the port wine reduction. man, talk about a lackluster sauce. for me, the sauce makes or breaks wet ribs. and this unstimulating sauce nearly broke these ribs for me. given that the special was several dollars more than the majority of the brunch items, i expected to be wowed but was instead left feeling a little hollow knowing that i passed up on so many other options.
damn, damn, damn my date for not being a fan of non-scrambled eggs. there were so many tantalizing egg-based dishes that i contemplated ordering, and after seeing many of them pass by our table en route to other patrons, i grew even more frustrated.
great location. great service. pleasant food with an array of appealing dishes and reasonable prices. atchafalaya is worthy of a visit if you are near the garden district.
taste: 8/10
cost: 8/10
dining area/decor: 10/10
customer service: 9/10
location: 9.5/10