By Whenever I’m in DC on the weekends, especially on Sunday’s, brunch is a requirement. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. It’s almost looked at as if you’re a Unicorn if you don’t eat brunch on the weekends. I wanted to take that same approach in New Orleans. I didn’t want to look like a “unicorn” in Louisiana, even though I’m not sure if they care about brunch as much as people up north do. I wanted to find the perfect brunch spot in “Nawlins” while I spent my time there. Toups South is the perfect place to go to in New Orleans for brunch because of its extensive menu and outstanding portion sizes.
One of the challenges I have when eating brunch is always being hungry after I’m finished with my plate. I’m happy to share that you will NOT have that problem after dining at Toups. Toups has two locations with one being Toups South and the other being Toups Meatery. If you’re looking for some great meat, such as goat, beef, and chicken then Toups Meatery is your best bet, but on this day I was looking for something a little less filling. The restaurant is located next to a Food Museum where you can purchase cook books to get the same taste in your kitchen that you find in New Orleans and across the street from the New Orleans Jazz Market. The interior of this restaurant is beautiful, with the opportunity for you to sit at the “chef’s counter” and watch the chef’s work on your masterpiece.
This restaurant offers dishes ranging from Cracklins to Steak and Eggs Poutine for brunch. Of course being in the south I had to try the Cracklins. If you’re unfamiliar with what cracklins are it’s made from pork skin that consists of skin, fat, and meat. The pork skin is cut up into cube sized pieces then dropped into hot hog lard (grease). I know it sounds like a heart attack dish, but it’s the best thing you’ll eat if you’re in the mood for a small snack. Toups offers Cracklins that are mixed with its own seasonings, deep-fried, and served fresh and hot to you. It has the consistency of a warm potato chip that has a pork taste to it. I was thoroughly impressed with this dish because it brought back memories. I used to eat Cracklins growing up, but it’s been years since I’ve had them. Remember, if you’ve never had Cracklins definitely try them and let me know what you think. To some, they are an acquired taste, but once you get over the fact you’re eating pork skin you’ll be fine.
Next up we have the Boudin Burrito. This Burrito consisted of cheese, pickled jalapeno, and tabasco hollandaise sauce. If I could find a restaurant that served this on a regular basis that’s close to where I reside then I’d order this as often as I can, unfortunately no restaurants around me offer it. The outside of the burritos are fried and has the perfect crunch to it, and the inside is creamy, buttery, and flavorful. It’s almost as if you’re eating a scrambled egg burrito, but without the actual eggs in it. This dish would be perfect for Vegetarians as well. I’ve never had a Boudin Burrito so when it was offered, I couldn’t pass it up to try it. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed when you order it.
The first entrée for brunch that was ordered was the Grilled Skirt Steak meal. It consisted of Pomme Frites, farm eggs, herb salad, mushrooms, and hollandaise sauce. I usually order all of my steaks medium, but since skirt steak is usually tougher to chew the more it’s cooked, I decided to go with the chefs decision and order it medium. Trust me people, if you order a steak medium, it won’t hurt you. I honestly believe that all steak should either be ordered medium rare or medium. The more heat that’s in your steak, the tougher it is for those juices to flow out. I was impressed by this dish because this was the first dish I couldn’t finish in one sitting because it was huge! The dish was only $22, but it can certainly pass for a $40 dish. The flavors of this dish are like no other. The steak was perfectly seasoned, the Frites were nice and crispy, and the hollandaise sauce worked perfectly with the eggs. It was almost like having a rich creamy buttery sauce, topped on the whole dish. I love steak, but I try to limit myself to how often I eat it, and where I can order it from. If I’m going to a steakhouse for dinner, chances are I’ll pass up any beef for the whole week. It’s tougher to digest and I like to eat the biggest piece of steak I can order. Gotta watch your figure, right?
Last but not least we have the fish and chips. Did I mention that Toups doesn’t shy away from meals that are huge? Their fish and chips consisted of Nola Blonde beer battered Gulf fish, cabbage slaw, pomme frites, and malt vinegar aioli. The fish was cooked perfectly as it was crispy on the outside but nice and flaky in the center. The cabbage slaw added a nice overall look to the dish as well and had a great taste as well. I try to stay away from slaw’s because it’s not my favorite, but after eating this dish I think I may change my mind. Not pictured in the dish is their tartar sauce, which is homemade. My apologies for not including it, but it’s absolutely amazing, please.. take my word for it! Fish and chips are always a fan favorite, but the way it’s presented at this restaurant makes me not want to order Fish and Chips anywhere else but here. If you’re looking to fill up, this is the perfect dish for you.
Overall, this restaurant is a go to. Don’t even second guess it. The overall consistency of each dish, spices, and flavors are like no other. Sous Chef Seamus, along with Chef Jason (the amazing chef that made the Grilled Skirt Steak for me) and Chef Satrell all know how to keep you coming back with their brilliance behind the kitchen. If I were you, I wouldn’t wait to come to this restaurant. Oh, make sure you sit at the Chef’s Table.
SavoryTravels 