A staycation, especially in New Orleans, provides endless opportunities and options for anyone planing an epic bachelorette (or bachelor party). A new addition to the repertoire of one local eatery could prove to be the biggest crowd pleaser of the weekend.
Toups Meatery, the Mid-City restaurant of Isaac Toups, 2014 and 2015 James Beard semi-finalist; Bravo’s “Top Chef” finalist and fan favorite; and now, cookbook author, added a brunch option to its menu.
We recently took a trip to check out the new offerings. If you only take one of our suggestions, make it bar manager Bryson Downham’s take on a Bloody Mary named the “Bloody Caesar.” Downham’s new spin, which includes clam juice and some other shellfish additions, is a game changer and perfect for brunch following a night out on the town. The cocktail menu also includes three champagne cocktails – we suggest trying “The Blonde Sister,” a light and refreshing option with scotch, lemon, ginger and rosemary, and “Some Pep For Your Step,” which features tequila, poblano, lime and white pepper – three egg creams (which contain no eggs) and a well-rounded list of draft and canned beers.
The menu, which provides Louisiana twists on traditional breakfast foods in addition to some menu items you’d expect to see on Toup’s dinner menu, has a mix of small plates and larger plates all the right size for sharing with a friend. Among the items you’ll find lamb grillades and grits, hot smoked salmon toast, roast beef bagel and a burger for those not fully immersed in the brunch trend.
Our favorites included the Louisiana shrimp fried rice with ham and eggs and shrimp seasoned to perfection; the piggies in the blankie – a fresh to order, house-made take on traditional pigs in a blanket; the French toast sandwich that combined French toast, bacon and brie cheese – which we found out is an excellent combination (however, we recommend requesting the syrup on the side if you like to use a little more sparingly); and the boubin Benny, a Cajun twist on the classic eggs Benedict.
Not only is this combination of cocktails and cuisine delightful for any Sunday, but Toup’s South can also accommodate reservations for larger parties. Combining a bachelorette party or even a bridesmaid’s lunch with brunch is a no brainer. We would not suggest parties over 12 people due to space constraints and the time it takes to prepare the food.
Our proposal – cheesy wedding pun intended – is to plan an epic adventure out on the town Saturday night and head Sunday morning to Toup’s South and start your recovery day with a Bloody Caesar. You won’t be disappointed.
