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Cochon, New Orleans
Having lived in New Orleans for 6 years, I can tell you that there are plenty of delicious places uptown to eat fried alligator where Tulane undergrads are not puking on you. In fact, I have never eaten at any place in the city where I saw a Tulane student puke. It is that kind of stereotype that gives New Orleans an aura of year-round fratastic partying, which is quite the opposite of what it actually is. Furthermore, Cochon is one of the best restaurants in the city to have a causal, authentic and innovative culinary experience. I am not sure which locals balk at the prices at Cochon. Try eating as well at Houston's or Cheesecake Bistro (one mediocre, one disgusting) for the price you pay at Cochon. You simply can't. Most locals I know praise Cochon and Chef Link - only bemused by tourists and conventioneers crowding reservations. Even still, I am not sure why, on a culinary blog, you would introduce your alligator experience as 'the whole thing ought to have been vulgar, but managed to transcend vulgarity.' It seems rather closed minded and disingenuous for a foodie to think this way about alligator but not about a boucherie plate - which can be much more bizarre, especially in south Louisiana. Finally, while Cochon is laden with porky, fatty dishes worth their weight in your workout the next morning, there are other options that are just as delicious with no pork in sight. Chef Link's redfish is the best in the city, as are the rabbit and dumplings. Also, on your next visit, try some of the incredible side dishes. I guess, as a lover of New Orleans and our restaurants, your article, while encouraging culinary visitors, seemed to have a chip on its shoulder.
Cochon, New Orleans
WHY would anyone be HAPPY to see that A_ _ hole "FRANK BRUNI"
Ever the New york Times made Bruni their Food Critic I have had to "Question" this publications "Judgement" and "Integrity" Frank Bruni is "Totally Unqualified" to critque Restaurants for a newspaper such as the Times. Maybe in Bumf_ _ k Idaho, but New York, New York. Just becuse this MORON lived in Rome for a couple years, "does not qualify" him to be the Food Critic of the New York Times. "What were these pople thinking. The guy rants and raves about all sorts of thing, except the Meat & Bones of what a Food Reveiw should be; 1!) the FOOD, 2) Service, and
3) Ambiance, with the FOOD being of the most Importance.
I've seen the "IDiot" in Action. He goes to a restaurant with 1 or more of his "QUEENY FRIENDS" and keeps asking them what they think of "This and That."
"HIS REVEIWS are AWFUL." !! THANK GOD he's leaving the TIMES soon. With any LUCK, he'll End Up in Bumf _ _ k IDAHO.
Daniel, NEW YORK, NY
Cochon, New Orleans
Okay, I am a huge fan of Donald Link, but the delectable food at Cochon is predominantly the work of co-owner and chef, Steven Stryjewski. They whole crew is fantastic, from the bar staff to the pastry and all points in between.
In the event you care to eat vegetables only, the kitchen at Cochon shops for produce at the Crescent City Farmers' Market and otherwise as locally as possible; there is always a slew of fresh vegetable sides dishes. Beets are in season and have been offered in a variety of ways. Also, one of my favorites is a slivered raw mushroom salad tossed with fresh parsley and tender shards of fried beef jerky, dressed simply with lemon juice.
If I may be so bold, I think what Gurgling Cod is trying to say is that locals (that'd be me for one) have a wee bit of a hard time paying big bucks for items at Cochon that are normally had for much, much less, at much, much less fine places. Think boudin or head cheese for instance.
Cochon, New Orleans
Bastian 363 -
I am not sure how you read an article that begins and ends by exhorting people to fly to New Orleans and eat at Cochon as having a chip on its shoulder. As I tried to clarify in my comment, it is not the absolute price that seemed to be the issue, but rather those prices for Southern-Cajun influenced food in a casual setting, as opposed to the world of bechamel and tablecloths.
I imagine there are many places Uptown that would run to the un-fratty where you might find fried gator now and again -- Atchafalaya comes to mind, but it is a dish I associate with, say Cooter Brown's, Bon Temps, and the River Shack up in Jefferson, and while I have never actually been vomited on by a Tulane student there, there have been times when it seemed likely. As I tried to make clear in the description, my issue was not that the gator might be vulgar, but that any meat deep-fried and then doused in mayonnaise might run that risk. I love porky, fatty dishes, and made no complaint about the preponderance of them, and in fact steered that way in what we ordered, though I was sorry not to have the chance to try more seafood and the rabbit.
I loved Cochon, and made that abundantly clear in the review, as a former denizen, I've been a booster of New Orleans, its people and its food for about as long as I've been doing The Gurgling Cod.
http://thegurglingcod.typepad.com/thegurglingcod/excursions_incursions_nola/index.html
Since the storm, the formerly rotating tagline has stayed "9th Ward, Where ya at?" I have a donation button for WWOZ. I bitched about the Esquire article as hard as anyone when it came out. Closer to black and gold pom-poms on either hand than a chip on my shoulder, in my book.
Cochon, New Orleans
I'm so disappointed you didn't like the pork rilletes; that is usually the reason I get the boucherie plate. To me it is like heaven in a bowl. You should have also tried the fire-roasted oysters...they are so good!! I also love the alligator and know many people here (NO) that could never eat alligator but loved it at Cochon.
Cochon, New Orleans
@gurgling cod - just want to clarify, I wasn't criticizing the piece at all. i totally enjoyed it! i was just criticizing anybody who doesn't like cochon! :-)
@bastian363 - There may be one or two dishes on the menu without pork, but I would hesitate to recommend the place to any non-pork eaters. I had the rabbit and dumplings dish when I went, and I wouldn't be surprised to find out there was some bacon snuck into that dish somewhere! (Delicious either way!)
Let's see how many exclamation points I can insert into this comment! (I get very excited when talking about Cochon)
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Having lived in New Orleans for 6 years, I can tell you that there are plenty of delicious places uptown to eat fried alligator where Tulane undergrads are not puking on you. In fact, I have never eaten at any place in the city where I saw a Tulane student puke. It is that kind of stereotype that gives New Orleans an aura of year-round fratastic partying, which is quite the opposite of what it actually is. Furthermore, Cochon is one of the best restaurants in the city to have a causal, authentic and innovative culinary experience. I am not sure which locals balk at the prices at Cochon. Try eating as well at Houston's or Cheesecake Bistro (one mediocre, one disgusting) for the price you pay at Cochon. You simply can't. Most locals I know praise Cochon and Chef Link - only bemused by tourists and conventioneers crowding reservations. Even still, I am not sure why, on a culinary blog, you would introduce your alligator experience as 'the whole thing ought to have been vulgar, but managed to transcend vulgarity.' It seems rather closed minded and disingenuous for a foodie to think this way about alligator but not about a boucherie plate - which can be much more bizarre, especially in south Louisiana. Finally, while Cochon is laden with porky, fatty dishes worth their weight in your workout the next morning, there are other options that are just as delicious with no pork in sight. Chef Link's redfish is the best in the city, as are the rabbit and dumplings. Also, on your next visit, try some of the incredible side dishes. I guess, as a lover of New Orleans and our restaurants, your article, while encouraging culinary visitors, seemed to have a chip on its shoulder.