Daughter gave me the heads up before I headed down to NOLA – post BP spill – as the bed are being reopened - “oysters just aren't the same” - “they're different” - shrugged it off – proclaiming – intensifying – my determination to find out for myself -
Looking for “last night in NOLA supper” - we opted out of “the big – fancy – formal meal” - headed to Acme -
The line was intense – but we had the magic card – seated at a long table – sharing with some conference attendees – Natasha took our order -
- Oyster Shooters – I bought for ourselves – and – those we were sharing the table with -
- Dozen Char Broiled (Oysters) -
- Two Dozen Raw (Oysters) -
- Mint Julep -
- Vodka rocks -
- Diet Coke
We waited -
- Char Broiled came first – small - covered with grated cheese and sauce – small amount of meat – wrote it off to shrinkage from cooking – tasty – though a bit too much salt -
- Raw came about 5 minutes later – small – embarrassingly small – I flashed on Kumimotos from the west coast – where were the big – ice cold – luscious Louisiana Oysters I had come so far for – i.e. - they were not to be – these were maybe a quarter of the size I had feverishly consumed only 4 months earlier – were these even from Louisiana –
Drinks came -
- Vodka OK
- Mint Julep was weak – weaker – weakest – drinker asked waitress to correct – she brought another “shot” of bourbon – much better but no comparison to Bourbon House masterpiece just an hour before – and – when the chit was rendered – charged for the correction (extra shot) – life was too short that night to call them on it -
- Oyster Shooters – in a mini shot “plastic” - again very small oyster – the presentation – none on the “fun” previously experienced when downing Acme's shooters – more a dirty shot of vodka with something in the bottom -
During the height of the spill – as oyster farmers and shuckers – shut down – a survey of New Orleans restaurants revealed who had - who was without oysters – Acme proudly proclaimed that they were never without - “a secret source” - could that have been Florida – or – points beyond – may never know – they are not about to reveal - i.e. oysters were different -
Did two dozen more – hoping it would get better – did not happen – did have great Gumbo – Beans & Rice – touch of Sausage – deep fried Soft Shell Crab – Fried Oysters (still small – though not a bright a flag) -
First time sitting at an Acme table – fun was had by all -
Next time - back to the counter – Shucker putting Oysters in front of you as-soon-as the shell is popped – that's the way to go – particularly in this time of change – which this writer – lover of Oysters - can only hope is transitional – until the Crassostrea Virginica - (Louisiana Oyster) returns to their former glory -
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