Nola, Palo Alto

I must admit: When we showed up at Nola on Wednesday night, around 6 o'clock, I didn't expect much of a crowd. But the bar was pretty full and there were people (mostly smokers) spilling out into the street. Things were looking very promising. Because even if the food was just-okay, at least Nola seemed like it would be a good time.

And it was. Plus, the food was actually delicious!

The hostess originally tried to seat us downstairs, but we requested a move to a table upstairs, overlooking the courtyard. That area just has more of a New Orleans-vibe than the dining room that faces Ramona Street. So definitely ask for to be seated upstairs if you come here.

There were four of us, and we shared two appetizers: Hot Crab Dip and N.O.La Frites. I would highly recommend both of these dishes. But I wish the dip came with a few more slices of garlic bread. And of the three varieties of frites, the sweet potato ones were a slight disappointment; I wanted them to be thinner and crispier. Still, the Cajun fries and zucchini chips more than made up for it. They were so good!

For my entree, I picked the Southern-style Fried Chicken. The free range chicken was juicy on the inside, but I wanted a little more crunch to the outside. The corn was tasty though, and the mashed potatoes were awesome. Jon went with the mini Ahi Tacos (it's an appetizer that includes four of them), as well as a fried chicken Po-Boy. He had the same gripe about the chicken batter that I did, but aside from that, loved his dinner. Others at the table enjoyed the Nawlin's Spicy Jambalaya and the potato-crusted Mahi Mahi.

We still managed to leave some room for dessert, and went with the Beignets Du Monde and Big Fat Decadent Sundae. While they both get a thumbs up, I have to warn you that the beignets here are not like those from Cafe Du Monde. (Maybe it's true that you really can't find that style of beignet anywhere outside the New Orleans city limit.) Nola's version is denser, and definitely needs a dip in one of the three sauces that accompany the beignets. They're good, but more like donuts than the light and airy beignets in the Big Easy.

With drinks and dinner, it was about $40 per person. So not a super-cheap night out, but like I said, it was a fun night out.

Unfortunately, once Jon and I pulled into our driveway, I realized that I forgot my sunglasses. So we had to go back to Nolas to retrieve them. And you know what? The restaurant was even busier than when we had left after dinner! People just kept showing up! Didn't they know it was a school night!? I was both shocked and pleased that a place in downtown Palo Alto could pull in such a crowd. There is some semblance of a nightlife in the suburbs!

Nola
535 Ramona Street
Palo Alto, CA
(650) 328-2722

CreoLa, San Carlos

It's been nearly two years since my last trip to New Orleans, and the city's famous beignets still haunt my culinary dreams. While there, I indulged in the warm, doughnut-like pastries every day. I dragged Jon to Cafe Du Monde (of course) as well as several Cafe Beignets around the French Quarter.

Back here in the Bay Area, if I hear that a restaurant has beignets on the menu, you can bet that I'll be there. Which is how we ended up at CreoLa on Friday for dinner.

Although New Orleanians may be right when they say that you can't find authentic Cajun and Creole food outside of the city, CreoLa comes close. There were so many fried items on the menu, I had a really hard time making a decision! But I knew for sure I had to get one particular appetizer: oysters, wrapped in bacon, dipped in a batter and then deep-fried. OMG. How could you go wrong with that combination?! Delicious.

As if that wasn't enough deep-friedness for me, I also ordered the crawfish hush puppies, which were served with a remoulade sauce. They were tasty, but I actually prefer plain ol' hush puppies smeared with a bit of honey butter (the way I enjoy them when visiting the in-laws in South Carolina). Jon started his meal with the hearty and flavorful jambalaya, which featured Andouille sausage and chicken.

For our entrees, I had the porkchops with buttermilk mashed potatoes (a special); Jon had the Sunday chicken, which came with a side of cornbread stuffing. While the stuffing was excellent, the rest of it rated just a "good" in my book. (Maybe next time we'll try the alligator medallions!)

For dessert, we had to get the beignets, of course. They were fine, but not up to New Orleans' standards -- where they're so light and airy, you can eat half a dozen in one sitting. A better choice was the combo pie, which is a combination of the two other pies on the menu: the French silk (chocolate mousse) and the velvet pie (peanut butter mousse). It's so simple, yet so awesome. And, yes, you can order up a cup of chicory coffee -- just like in New Orleans.

CreoLa only seats about 60, so I'd recommend calling for a reservation if you're planning to stop by during the weekend. Dinner is served seven nights a week, while lunch is only offered on Wednesdays (I know -- random). While the decor feels a little dated (I could do without the fake greenery and flowers), the service was friendly and efficient. I would definitely come back here if I'm craving a taste of the Big Easy. Sadly, though, my search for beignets as delicious as Cafe Du Monde's continues...

Pssst! Next month, the restaurant will celebrate Mardi Gras by offering a special dinner: four courses for just $25.

CreoLa
344 El Camino Real
San Carlos, CA
(650) 654-0882