Amuse Bouche: Bruschetta. MmMm this was delish! VERY close to my favorite bruschetta ever…

Sesame bread. Not my fav, but a good change up from what I’m used to.

Oysters Tommy: Romano cheese. Pancetta. Roasted bell pepper.

Oysters Rockefeller: Spinach. Herbs. Herbsaint.

Oysters Bienville: Crawish. Shrimp. Herbs.

Of the three choices, my favorite had to be the Oysters Bienville. It was savory and melt-in-your-mouth!

Crabmeat Maison. Iceberg lettuce. Jumbo lump crabmeat. Maison dressing.

Sweetbreads. Pan sauteéd. Beurre blanc. Capers. Eggplant. 

Duck Tchoupitoulas. Roasted crispy & deglazed duck. Raspberry reduction. Wild rice. Fresh spinach. Toasted pecans. Bacon.

The meals were a great blend of mostly Italian influence with a pinch of New Orleans and French. There was a hominess to the dishes with a touch of sophistication. Nothing too frou-frou. Loved it!

Afterwards, we stayed at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. Good view, great food at Tommy’s right around the corner, and excellent company!

Rum Swizzle. 

Vesper. Inspired by 007 Casino Royale. A solid, strong, and sexy martini!

French Bread & Butter. One of my favorite parts of any meal!

Crispy Gulf Oysters. Bacon & Parmesan crust. Citrus & Fennel salad. Bacon Vinaigrette. Smoked Creme Fraiche.

The bacon vinaigrette was a wonderful touch on top of these crispy oysters! It was subtle, but came through smoothly.

Melon Mojito Salad. Mint & rum cured melon. Spiced Pecans. Bacon Molasses vinaigrette.

Cracklin Crusted Duck Confit. Applewood smoked bacon. Onion glazed brussel sprouts. Creamy white bean puree. Charred Jalapeno pepper jelly.

Cast Iron Baked Blue Crab Gnocchi.  Louisiana Crab & Semolina gnocchi. Roasted garlic, Exotic mushrooms. Corn-leek veloute. Lemon-Parmesan crust.

Bananas Foster Sundae. Cinnamon-dark rum ice cream. Bananas. Crispy Plantains. Ordered without Chantilly cream.

WOW..What an amazing meal! The chef and I really enjoy ordering a bunch of menu items and sharing them so when it comes down to the very last bite, we like to save our favorites. The chef enjoyed the duck as his last bite and I finished with the crab and gnocchi dish…That most definitely didn’t mean it was our favorite, because dessert came out and we were just blown away! This Sundae has to be the best we’ve ever eaten. Fried bananas foster…how can you say “no” to that?!

For Vday we went to Ralph’s On the Park, located in New Orleans’ historic City Park. Ralph’s is owned by the Brennan family, a New Orleans’ culinary family. If you want to experience geniune New Orleans flavors, visit a Brennan’s family restaurant. This one is one of the many typically known for their brunch. 

Blue Crab Beignets masa fried oysters, pan seared pork belly, Meyer lemon gastrique

American Wagyu Beef Belly star anise and juniper, cranberry-infused worcestershire glaze

Honey Mussels (Aphrodisiac menu) tagliatelle pasta, fennel sausage, saffron, fresh herbs, tomatoes, white wine

Oysters Aphrodite (Aphrodisiac menu) w/ spicy pepper jelly cream

Salmon Roulade  w/ lobster and white chocolate filling, wilted spinach, salmon roe, vanilla bean beurre blanc

The meal was delicious! My favorite had to be the Wagyu…it just melts into a seasoned butter in your mouth. I love the detail of flavors that Ralph’s brought to my plate. I will definitely return…especially since I have yet to try this epic brunch that everyone talks about!