I absolutely love New Orleans. It might be one of my favorite cities in the US. Mom and dad took us there all the time growing up, usually just for a night - long enough for dinner, breakfast and lunch before heading back to my grandparents' house. Now that Prad and Amanda live just outside of New Orleans mom and dad are there even more often, and whenever Bryn and I visit the states we are up for a trip!
The trips ALWAYS revolve around food, and we always eat at the same restaurants - po boys for dinner at the Acme Oyster House, muffalettas from Central Grocery for lunch the next day, drinks at Pat O'Brian's at some point and breakfast is always always always beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde.
There is an amazing atmosphere at the Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter. Unless you open the place up (as dad and I have been known to do), you have to wait in line to get a table, but there's always a guy playing some instrument and all sorts of other NOLA characters to keep you entertained. I love how the beignets come under a mountain of powdered sugar to tap into your coffee. There's no way you are leaving the place without white powder all over you - it's fantastic! They are definitely one of my favorite breakfast items.
So, you can imagine how excited I was when B and I discovered a Cafe du Monde tucked away in a quiet back street in Chayamachi! B walked by it again one day while I was at work for a closer look, and reported that they did indeed have beignets on the menu. The next Saturday morning I was off to downtown Osaka in search of my breakfast!
The "Beignet Set" comes with 2 beignets and a drink. Now, I really wanted more than two, but I decided since it was my first visit, I wouldn't freak the staff out by being
that foreigner who asks for 3 orders of beignets! Of course I opted for cafe au lait.
They gave me my coffee in a Cafe du Monde mug just like you can get in New Orleans (so far, so good). I had to wait quite a while for the rest of my order, but it eventually came on a tray with a small square of tissue paper on the side. The staff person politely asked me to use that paper while I eat in order to keep the sugar off of me and the table. I wanted to laugh, but instead I nodded my understanding, crossing my fingers that they weren't going to watch me eat them from behind the counter!
The beignets were more or less the same, but definitely lacking in the powdered sugar department. What was I going to put in my coffee?!? And how was I going to get it in the mug without making a mess on the table?! Oh the drama Japan can offer...haha
Overall I was really pleased with my breakfast (but not full...I could have gone another order or two!!) The quiet cafe lacked the hustle and bustle of the real Cafe du Monde on Decatur Street, but the flavors were there, and I noticed on my way out a shaker of powdered sugar next to the coffee stirrers, so I can make my own mountain next time :)
Uh oh...now I am craving beignets!!!
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