SHADE-O-METER RATING

3 OUTTA 5 WERKS: “NO SHADE, BUT SHE DIDN’T TURN IT OUT”

What’s Café Beignet? It’s a chain of three cafes in New Orleans. We went to the Royal St. location in the French Quarter, which is located in a converted 1800s carriage house. Was there an age restriction? No (and there were plenty of kids there).

This is the exclusive Coffee and chicory blend served at the Café Du Monde, the Original French Market Coffee Stand.

What time did we go? About 1:00 p.m. Was there a maître d’? No. You seat yourself. What was the décor like? It’s evocative of a typical French café or bistro. What was the seating like? There are some seats inside, but there are even more outside.

What was the atmosphere like? Rather upscale, yet casual. It’s crowded as well, since it’s small. What was the crowd like? A mix of tourist and locals, but heavier on the tourists I think. It’s certainly not the McDonald’s crowd. How was the cruising? Bonne chance avec sa ici.

When’s happy hour? There’s isn’t any. What libations were ordered? They only serve beer and wine. We got one chardonnay for $15.00. Were they served timely? You place your order at the counter, and a server brings the food to you. However, you carry the beverage to the table yourself.

How was the wine? Fine, for “table” wine. What was ordered? We ordered two muffalettas at $9.99 each, two bowls of gumbo at $9.99 each, an andouille sausage omelet for $9.99, and a breakfast sandwich for $7.99. Was the food served timely? For the most part, the wait was consistent with the venue. However, don’t go if you’re in a rush.

How was the food? Pretty good. The muffaletta bread was excellent, and the meat and spices in it were right-on. But the gumbo was thin and lacked flavor. The andouille sausage in the omelet tasted more like kielbasa sausage than like andouille, and I’m not sure if that was an unexpected surprise or a negative feature. However, the beignets are great (but they better be if you’re going to name the restaurant after them).

How was the service? Okay. However, the timing of the orders was inconsistent. The omelet was brought out way after the other items. What stands out about the place? The locale. The outdoor seating-area is picturesque, and it’s right next to a historic building that’s used as a police station.

What could be improved? The prices should be lowered a bit (they’re a little high for what you get; particularly, that wine), the service needs to be consistent, and the food quality should be improved for some of the dishes. What was surprising? The hung guy in a loincloth who was playing a saxophone right outside the restaurant.